My D’s last day was yesterday, but what should have been a celebratory thing turned into disappointment, to say the least.
D was virtual all year, even when the school went hybrid (student body split, two days on and three off). Much of this is because of me…I’m older and have a health issue that may have put me at more Covid risk. The school has a policy that all-online students must stay online for an entire grading period, Students can opt in for the new one. We were thinking of letting D go back for the last nine weeks but the school switched to having students in school five days per week unless all virtual. WIth the crowding we decided to stay the course. Then my D and I were able to get vaccinated sooner than we thought we’d be able.
Flash forward to two days ago, my D said a small group of virtual students (three or four) were going to school to attend with classmates for the last day of school. I asked whether that was allowed, and she said yes, one of the girls had cleared it with teachers. My D is a stickler for rules, so I took her word for it. I mean, she’s a kid who gets irate with me if I veer off the “roadway” in a near-empty parking lot with no other moving vehicles in sight and avoids even a hint of controversy. So it didn’t occur to me to question the rule about going in the last day. She was SO excited to go in…Has barely stepped inside the school since March 2020, and was so excited to see teachers and classmates before graduation.
So, she and two other virtual kids (all top kids in the graduating class) stepped into the first period classroom. D said the teacher became angry, yelled at them in front of their classmates and ordered them to leave. Said “if you wanted to come to school you should have been here all year.” My D said she could see no practical reason for this…there were several empty desks in the classroom and the students there were masked but sitting in clusters, no attempts at distancing. Grades were all in, so no work was to be done. One of the group started crying (not comfortable to do with a mask). They went to talk to the principal, who was fine with their being in school. They then went to each of their teachers, asking permission, and all of them were happy to see the students in school. The problem is, the incident quickly become the talk of the school and even spilled onto parent Facebook pages (so I heard… I’m not on Facebook) with parents divided in opinion. My D feels embarrassed, though I try to help her put it into perspective. Some kids enjoy or tolerate controversy but it’s absolutely my D’s nightmare. She’s very private. She came home immediately to finish the school day online. Came in the door crying, saying she no longer looked forward to the graduation ceremony next week. She can’t get over this teacher…she has had him for two other advanced classes…he knows that she (and the other kids) are no trouble-makers…Guess he was having a hard morning but it will be her last memory of high school, and almost her only memory of senior year not experienced on a screen.
Fortunately, she went kayaking later with a couple of good friends. This morning she had her first job interview and and an immediate offer of a nice summer job…so, upwards and onwards.
@inthegarden I’m sorry this happened to your daughter. That teacher was borderline tyrant. Isn’t there some code teachers have to swear to that require them to enjoy teaching, enjoy nurturing students, and have empathy? I mean, the latter so important with this pandemic?! I hope your daughter can move pass this and not let that teacher live rent free in her head. She’s graduating. Don’t let that teacher be a thief to her happy memories! Hugs!!
We’ve had a couple teachers whom I feel have no business teaching. They can’t be having a bad day everyday to be using it as an excuse to be a terrible teacher.
Watched D perform today, and for the first time that I can remember, it brought tears to my eyes. The choreography was just so beautiful and all the dancers danced it beautifully and emotionally. There is still another ballet ahead, three shows, but I can’t imagine it’ll top this. I just wish there were video- I asked the company director and they unfortunately didn’t record it, and of course we weren’t allowed.
That is literally just awful and I’m sorry your daughter had to go through that. The issue was not at all with your daughter or the other girls if they approved it with the school in advance. The problem was with the administration not sending out communication in advance that they were inviting/allowing all graduating seniors to come back to school on the last day to say goodbye to their teachers. That would have been the time for this teacher to speak up or shut up, but to berate and humiliate these kids like this is so unnecessary. Additionally, things are so different now than 9 weeks ago when they chose to stay home remotely.
As a parent and educator I am horrified that any child should be made to feel this way and instead of letting students and parents gossip, the admin really should squash that all by sending a school-wide email making sure that people know that permission was indeed granted and that they were allowed to be there instead of it making look like they just did this on their own.
@Aguadecoco@MommaLue@Momof3B Thanks so much. I am hoping the worst is behind her. She has a week to sit on her butt and do nothing for the most part, other than one appt this week so the if she had to get it, better it be at the end of the semester than beginning.
I feel you, my senior dislocated his shoulder last weekend and now will spend the entire summer getting surgery and rehabbing before college - such a bummer!
Well guys my last little duckling graduated yesterday. They did it distanced in the stadium and only had 3 short speeches and then launched into the names. It was gorgeous Virginia mountain weather and we were done in an hour! It hasn’t really all sunk in yet. Next stop-- The University of Texas. Hook 'em!
Wow, so sorry. That is way worse. I hope he is feeling better. I had surgery ankle reconstruction surgery last summer and I was out for the count for months so it no fun, on top of covid, but shoulder is worse. Much harder to sleep. I’ve heard people tend to sleep in recliner chairs. Hope he feels better!!
Congrats!!! Ours isn’t even having a rehearsal but say it will be similar to past years in length. Different venue though (it’s at the high school for the first time on our fb field), socially distanced, and we have to wear masks. Hoping for a gorgeous night later this Thursday, as well and no rain, otherwise we are back there on Friday for a redo.
Then after graduation, tennis season is not yet over so a couple more days of that, tennis banquet, prom in June, and then orientation and optional tennis practice with the couple of kids who get to try for state. Before you know it, it’s July. I finish school myself this Friday and then hoping to shift to starting to get my butt in gear to start planning with this one and doing my annual house purge which was kind of on hold last summer due to my being an invalid.
Working on dorm list and was just reminded (by a youtube video of someone’s dorm at the college) of how much older sib used a footstool storage cube, to get up onto lofted bed and for extra seating. She stored stuff inside too, but I think it was mostly extra random stuff that shouldn’t have even been there. For my boys, I’m hunting for something that looks a little sturdier than the collapsible cube. We’ll see what I can find. This would be a ship-to-hotel item or purchased there, for those flying. I’m thinking ideal height would be 15", like the cube, though we’ll see what other options look interesting. The one piece of “furniture.” (If anyone wants to link to options, feel free)
I am also reminded that whatever goes into the dorm in August will need to be stored every summer, as at this point we are not planning on driving every year for pickup.
When we were buying things in S19’s college town for his dorm, he randomly put a $5 camp chair in the cart. He said it was the best thing ever, because when a lot of people came over, they’d sit in it, then when it wasn’t needed, he folded it up and threw it in the closet.
my biggest takeaway from the article that was recently shared was to think about the under the bed space for storage. all of the clothes, shoes, etc., needed for the cold can take up a lot of space and stowing it under a bed may be handy. unless the bed is lofted!
Since we are flying I’m going to hope that my S’ roommate or another person in the dorm has things like a vacuum and mallot for moving the bed. If he has trouble, we’ll just have to ship it/buy it.
I like the folding camp chair idea for a guest. I wonder if he would put it away each time though or just leave it out in the way and throw clothes on top.
This item!! My daughter had the ottoman thing you’re talking about that you stand on and the below step stool. The ottoman we just trashed and it was crap in her words and overpriced. The step stool she said was the best and folded up. Better off just getting plastic storage bins she said (which we did) than to store stuff in that little ottoman.
@annegp That ottoman that you showed the pic of at Amazon is the exact thing we just trashed. My daughter weighs 105# and the thing wasn’t that sturdy. The lid broke and since it’s wood and made of nails wasn’t safe. I was all the more happy to throw it away. Also, because the lid doesn’t seal, there isn’t much you can really store in it (ie food). I did buy for $5 at Target these great little bins for stuff like hairdryer, toiletries, school supplies, etc that they kept under their desk and in a cube thing I bought at Target for $20. That ottoman though I would take a hard pass on.
@NateandAllisMom Just read somewhere else about how great the folding chairs are especially for boys and when they have guests, and how they easily slide under the bed or in a closet so definitely getting one for my son. I remember when he went to overnight camp and the kids would all bring those to chill in outside.
Surprise Sunday news, my son received an email from the Principal this afternoon that he is a Salutatorian. That’s the last of the big awards that we know of as he was already given his Honors night awards and his Medal as a Scholar for our school to wear at graduation. I have no idea if he gets cords or something for graduation but he will have to go up on the stage with the valedictorians (weighted/unweighted) in front of 1500 people lol. Good thing this is not my introvert.
Ok that’s what I was thinking, after I spent all day looking at reviews for those cubes. The one D has is fine, got it from The Container Store at our last stop before move-in two yrs ago, but this boy will not be so gentle with it, I’m sure. And I secretly still want the cow, but will re-focus on a more sturdy stool. I saw a few this morning that were interesting.
and avoids even a hint of controversy. So it didn’t occur to me to question the rule about going in the last day. She was SO excited to go in…Has barely stepped inside the school since March 2020, and was so excited to see teachers and classmates before graduation.
and mallot for moving the bed. If he has trouble, we’ll just have to ship it/buy it.