we have been advised to have all 3 sciences for college - and better yet to take a science all four years.
I would email D Cabot the head of the science department- most likely he will have your D take a science placement test this summer if she wants to deviate from phy 310- she will not get credit for any summer classes outside of sps- so her chemistry might count but biology over the summer won’t. You can always have it on a transcript? maybe? our DD has taken bio too and will most likely skip bio for honors or AP depending on how she does in chemistry next year-
If she takes physics, the class she would be in would most likely be phy310 which just requires algebras- it will not be a heavy math class bc physics first is a NO math base class- make sure if she doesn’t want a lot of math to think about honors vs non-honors. Honors @ SPS really ramps up the work load esp with math & languages! and honors bio/chemistry are challenging classes. She might want an easier first class at sps. welcome!
For other science electives, I can highly recommend the Astrology courses, which are term long courses, as well as the Advanced Biology: Terrestrial Ecology class which is a year long course. I’ve also heard great things about the robotics and marine biology courses as well.
Since she has taken bio and chem, she could take Accelerated Chemistry in IV form and Physics 310 in V form. That’s what friends of ours did when they started SPS as IV formers. Accel chem is harder, but she has taken Algebra 2 and regular chem, so it shouldn’t be a problem for her. I agree that it may be best to discuss options with the science department.
We emailed Mr. Cabbot and are awaiting his answer. She took both Chem and Bio at honors level. Although she is not a stem person, she can push herself to learn the subject she does not like. She is considering to take Advanced Biology:Physiology and Anatomy or Physics (310). We will follow Mr. Cabbot’s suggestion.
there’s a “drop” period too- ( first two weeks?) students move up/down from honors depending on their schedules, workload, & grades. If she’s in the wrong class they will adjust-
On the move in date, how late can parents stay with kids? In our case, both of my kids are new students. We want to go to a local shop to do more shoppimg for their needs for dorm. The move in date is september 8, friday. Can we visit them on september 9? Or we are not allowed to see them imce thet formally move in until parents day in october?
By the mid-afternoon on move-in day, the campus empties out of parents. The schedule of new students for this day and the next is very structured. I don’t know if going back the next day is allowed or not, but I doubt that you would find good time to do it. It’s tough, but it may be best to say your goodbyes and leave. Others may have different experience.
I was planning to stay in town a few days and go shopping etc for him. I’m not planning to rotor around school all day; but hoping I would be able to drop off some items. This seems fair enough given day student parents are picking up each day.
The school would like you to disappear that afternoon. No one is going to forbid you from showing up after but it is highly discouraged and your child might feel awkward about it because you WILL be an outlier and they do keep the kids busy and engaged and bonding and adjusting to their new life. I would highly discourage it. If you want to make an afternoon run on drop off day and pop back over that afternoon or evening just to drop off, meh, that’s fine. But I don’t see the need to hang around. Go explore New England instead. If you need some suggestions, let me know.
Sorry, was thinking of my DS’ situation not SPS (didn’t realize this was SPS thread- thought it was general - and that SPS has zero day students?). We can only arrive in town ON move-in day, so I don’t think we will have time to go to Target etc until after DS moves in. And we are flying, so can’t really bring everything (think shampoo, sunscreen, laundry detergent, etc).
Also, when do the kids get notebooks and school supplies? I’m not there to take him to Staples. Does he have to buy everything from the school store, or do we just guess on what he needs and bring it?
Re: school supplies, the schools sell them, although more expensive than Staples, for sure (good quality though!) Most people buy books the day they arrive or the next day. At SPS, the new student’s big brother or big sister will usually take them to the school store, but parents can tag along, too.
@sunnyschool I also highly recommend an Amazon prime account if you don’t have one. 2 day free shipping once you pay the fee. Makes it very easy for kids to get what they need without stepping off campus.
move in day was a blur! and quite HOT last year! HINT: put a fan on top to be plugged in first!
-We got to town and did the run around the day before move in- picked up pre-ordered stuff @ BB&B and went to target Thursday-
-get to SPS early on Friday- the line can get long at the rectors house and we had to wait over an hour and wasted a lot of precious dorm set up time!
are you coming back parents weekend? rooms get re-arranged a lot in-between drop off and parents weekend. I also found other stuff was never even opened! Parents weekend was a great time to run around and get the items she really needed and take home the stuff just taking up space!
@ sunnyschool amazon will become your best friend - after you get your child set up you will be able to do a quick run into town to pick up things- Anything else can be ordered online on amazon- just make sure to add an additional day even with prime to the ‘true’ delivery date. SPS also has a store but stuff can be pricey… just depends
This wasn’t at SPS, but with my first child…we went out to pick up some things for the dorm and when we returned, she had already made friends with her floor mates (whose parents were already gone.) She made it very clear that we were no longer welcome.
We tease her about it now but, at the time, we were hurt. Our expectations had been like @sunnyschool 's - we had booked a place to stay over and planned to return the next day.
My favorite way to drop off is when they go back early for pre-season. It’s much less crowded and more relaxed.
We do have Amazon prime. :-bd Agree it is great! I’m sure it will be verrryy useful!
We will plan to stop at Staples and Target and get some predictable necessities, as I imagine school store is $$.
Since this is a distance for us, his younger sister is coming and we are going to spend a week there so she can see the area and do tourist stuff with me. So I will be around, but since the school has a high percentage of day students, I can’t think it’s that much of an imposition if we stop by later in the week to drop off items, even if just to the front office.
If the school is a distance, is it common in upperclass years for the kid to go out alone? (ie save another plane tix)
@sunnyschool At SPS, move-in day is for new students only. Return students fly alone, without parents. (I’m sure those within driving distance get dropped off by parents.)
