Parents of the HS Class of 2018 (Part 1)

<p>DD got into the HS to which she applied. Smiles at the breakfast table. She had to take a test as part of the application. The school uses the test for placement for some classes. She will have to take a foreign language test and a Math test for additional placement in early March. This is our third going through HS - can’t believe it is all starting again.</p>

<p>Congrats to your daughter Glido. </p>

<p>About service hours - I imagine things are different in every state. The school district does not require community service hours for graduation. However, National Honor Society and a variety of other groups that are worth joining do. Also, the Bright Futures scholarship (for Florida residents attending Florida schools) requires a minimum number of community service hours as do other private scholarships that are out there. Finally, colleges like to see that kids are well-rounded and civic minded - so community service hours are important from that perspective.</p>

<p>I suspect jjkmom is right in having more hours focused in a few areas, but if a student is a member of a service club at school, the club may become involved a variety of activities during the year, all of which would count under the umbrella of being active in your club, despite not being “focused.”</p>

<p>I think only service hours earned while in high school count for all of the purposes listed above, but any hours earned during the summer between 8th and 9th could count (they did for my older son). So, make sure you check to see if there is a pre-approval process for registering service hours. At our school all hours must be pre-approved by the school (there’s an online form that has to be signed, etc.).</p>

<p>@Dadotwoboys, thanks for reminding us to check with school regarding service hours for upcoming summer. I just got my math question answered today. Yes with appeal process to honor Algebra 2 with a B+ in geometry. Algebra 1 and Geometry will get high school credits and shown in transcript but grades will not shown and not calculated into HS Gpa.</p>

<p>@CT1417, same here, all 8th grade course grades affect placement for 9th grade… need As in both Algebra 1 and Science for 9th Biology honor, and 4 As in English in middle school to get 9th grade English honor… I don’t recall that was the case when I went to HS. Need to pay close attention starting middle school… I also have DD20 in 6th grade now who is worry about the new CCSS will affect her chances of getting Honor classes in 7th grade. In the past, middle school use CST to determine 7th grade honor courses this is the first year CA using CCSS, cant believe everything is linked and depended on each other even back to 6th grade in my district. </p>

<p>Thank you all for the feedback about volunteer hours. I just heard from our GC and he says the hours after 8th grade count. DD could use the free time in summer to accumulate some hours.</p>

<p>@Dadotwoboys - Good point about the hours through school club. </p>

<p>I think most people don’t know that hours may count during the summer before ninth grade. My son helps with a summer camp at a local public tennis court with the little kids. He works for 3 hours most mornings during the summer. A few weeks at 15 hours a week can add up and he has fun. The camp is open to anybody (a public court, so no membership) and offers reduced or no fees based on income. So the HS accepts it as community service. We just need to make sure he gets it pre-approved before this summer. </p>

<p>Are you all talking about mandated community service hours? To be honest, I’m not sure that we have such a requirement for HS. There is a requirement for 8th graders, which my DD fulfills with her required NJHS hours so she gets a 2 for 1!</p>

<p>I never kept track of it for my DS14 but he did a rough estimate for college apps and he had well over 100 hours per year, just doing the normal stuff he does during the school year. Some of it was through school activities, and others were community-based.</p>

<p>I asked our HS GC, we don’t have community service hours as requirements either, and summer hours before 9th grade doesn’t count unless pre-approved.</p>

<p>Just to be clear, the community service hours are not a requirement of the HS for graduation, but of the state scholarship (FL) and several HS organizations (NHS, Beta, etc.). The state requires that the hours be registered through the HS for them to apply to the scholarship. The scholarship is pretty generous (about 90% of tuition if you qualify for the top level), so worth doing.</p>

<p>All that said, colleges seem to like that kids are engaged in community activities and this is a good way to demonstrate that engagement. </p>

<p>Filled out all the permission slips, insurance forms and other registration materials for DD’18’s H.S. registration last night. DD is very excited. There is a fairly significant service hours requirement at her school, but she has 3 1/2 years to fulfill it. She takes the Math placement test next Saturday. Seems so real all of the sudden.</p>

<p>Congrats getting the paperwork done glido and good luck to your daughter on her math test next week.</p>

<p>We had one of those “I’m ok, but…” texts from my older son earlier this week. Turns out there was a fire in his dorm in the room across the hall. Everybody’s ok, but he’s been placed in a room in another dorm until the fire marshal gives the all clear (maybe Tuesday). That’s one of those moments when you wish you were nearby. He seems to have handled it very well and with little drama. S’18 seems pretty nonplussed by the whole event.</p>

<p>dadotwoboys: Getting thrown into temporary housing can be very disrupting. Hopeful your DS will get back into his own room and that there will be no smoke damage!</p>

<p>DD’18 is all registered for high school as of today. </p>

<p>There is a lot of media coverage of the changes to the SAT for our kids. The College Board is going to try to allign it to the Common Corps standards adopted by 45 states. </p>

<p>Hello, everyone! I’m looking forward to being part of this community. My son just registered for his freshman classes tonight, so all of this suddenly seems more real. He is excited about his schedule, and even more excited about playing water polo and being part of the drum line in marching band (both autumn activities).</p>

<p>His classes are: English (H), Physics (H), Advanced Algebra/FST (H), French 3/4, Band, and P.E./health. </p>

<p>I’m really hoping his organizational skills kick in sometime before fall! He’s a fairly efficient student, but has trouble keeping track of deadlines and remembering to turn his assignments in. I’m very organized, so I have a hard time relating to his difficulties! He doesn’t feel the need to use his planner, but he is not able to remember the details without it. It’s so frustrating to watch, but he’s an easygoing kid who somehow manages to do well despite the lack of a consistent organizational system.</p>

<p>Welcome bookgeek! IMHO - time management is among the most important skills for H.S. success. I just think the kids have to keep a calendar of one form or another to keep all of the homework assignments and tests straight.</p>

<p>Thought I would join in on the class of '18 crazy parent train! The first “major” decision is over. My son had to chose a public HS, one with AP and one with IB. He chose the school with IB. Should be a fun time for all in the next few years!</p>

<p>2018 Son turned in his freshman enrollment packet last week. The high school offers a 1-6-hour class day and a 1-7-hour class day. The 1-7 day ends an hour later than his current day, so I’m curious (and a little nervous) as to how this will play out. He seems game for it, though, so we’ll see.</p>

<p>Welcome @bookgeek and @christof moms, my DD also turned in her HS registration today. Our HS blocked out both English and Math classes for students to pick. Basically school will choose for student based on their 7th & 8th grades as well as standard test result. I’m pretty sure my DD will be in the following classes: English 9 H, Biology H, Future/Health (9th grade requirement),.Algebra 2 H, PE and Chinese 1.
@bookgeek mom, impressed that your DS will be taking Physics and French 3/4 as Freshman,. Our HS doesn’t even allow Freshman to take physics until 11th grade, after students. Completed both Biology and Chemistry classes with at least B or better. For foreign languages, needs level 1 only unless you are native speakers and require students to take a separate placement test. If the placement test results in level 3/4 like your son, then after that class he will receive full 3-4 years credits. However, we have language teachers suggesting to start foreign languages from the level 1 and take all 4 years to show college with the commitment. We were planing to have DD try for level 2 but after review the textbook, we changed our mind.
@Helimom74, its nice to have 1-6 or 1-7 class schedule, our school offers 0-6 or 1-6, with 0 period starts at 6:40, its 1 hr earlier tahn her midschool schedule. My DD doesn’t want to take 0 period to loose more sleep. Our 6th period is PE for all athletes, she plays golf so she has to use 1 period dedicated for sport in HS.</p>

<p>@bookgeek mom, is your son taking summer courses to enable him taking advanced claalsses ( Physics & French)? My friend mention it’s possible to finish Biology during summer if taking from local community school. </p>

<p>@glido, changes in SAT, with writing becomes optional, its even more crucial for them to write well.</p>

<p>Anyone work on summer plans? I’m starting already…time flies…</p>