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Daughter going into high school

Daughter going into high school

Old Feb 23rd 2017, 10:24 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

My experience is that some high schools are more willing to be flexible about which level of classes your child takes than others.

My oldest daughter is in 10th grade at an out-of-district magnet high school, and while they were somewhat interested in her middle school transcript and her testimonials from middle school teachers, they were more interested in having her take the SAT at 13 (most students take it at 16/17 while applying to uni) and also having her take their own placement tests.

They then used those results to place her in classes. They were also amenable to moving her up a level when it became obvious that she had been placed too low eg in Spanish.

She actually completely skipped Geometry, and taught herself it using Khan Academy. It's pretty common in her school to skip math levels though.

She is at a magnet STEM boarding school so I suspect this isn't particularly normal, but thought it might be of interest.

Last edited by kins; Feb 23rd 2017 at 10:28 pm.
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Old Mar 4th 2017, 9:44 pm
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

Originally Posted by carcajou
Kodokan has provided a comprehensive answer.

There was another thread recently where it was pointed out that subject selection for next year will begin shortly; contact your school and make sure you are on top of that as electives have enrollment limits and if you put it off too long your daughter may end up in a bunch of course electives she doesn't want.
We're looking at moving back to California this summer (we've been back in the UK for 3.5 years) after my son has finished his GCSE's so he would be going into 11th grade. I have spoken to the high school previously where he would go and they have said he will need to choose his elective subjects once we have arrived which wouldn't be until early August. Are there any tips to try and have the high school allow him to choose his elective subjects before we arrive as I know the deadline to choose as you say is soon?
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Old Mar 4th 2017, 10:13 pm
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

Originally Posted by bromleygirl
We're looking at moving back to California this summer (we've been back in the UK for 3.5 years) after my son has finished his GCSE's so he would be going into 11th grade. I have spoken to the high school previously where he would go and they have said he will need to choose his elective subjects once we have arrived which wouldn't be until early August. Are there any tips to try and have the high school allow him to choose his elective subjects before we arrive as I know the deadline to choose as you say is soon?
if it's a public school then the answer is no. Your son will not be registered at the school until you have an address in-district in which you live.

There is nothing stopping you from looking at the course catalogs though. It might be a good idea to find out if he needs to do anything in summer school. Although I suspect the counsellors won't spend any time with you until your son is registered at the school.
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Old Mar 4th 2017, 10:53 pm
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

Bromleygirl, I may have mistaken you for someone else but weren't you very active on boards at one time? Think maybe even had different alias? Sorry to digress..
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Old Mar 5th 2017, 12:11 am
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

Originally Posted by bromleygirl
We're looking at moving back to California this summer (we've been back in the UK for 3.5 years) after my son has finished his GCSE's so he would be going into 11th grade. I have spoken to the high school previously where he would go and they have said he will need to choose his elective subjects once we have arrived which wouldn't be until early August. Are there any tips to try and have the high school allow him to choose his elective subjects before we arrive as I know the deadline to choose as you say is soon?
Nope - as PF said, you're lucky they're even responding to your emails prior to arrival! if it's a banged-out popular class, they won't hold a spot for someone who doesn't reside in their district, and if it's not, then he'll be able to get in it anyway.

Focus on how you're going to get them to accept GCSEs for credit, and how they'll subsequently calculate his cumulative GPA/ class rank, and how he can get into Honors/ AP classes without the obvious prerequisites, and whether two years is still sufficient time to tick off all the mandatory graduation requirements. In our state that'd be 4 English/ Math/ Science credits, 3 Social Studies (including US history, and US government), 3 Foreign Language, 1 Fine Art, 0.5 PE/ Health/ IT/ Personal Finance/ Speech and Presentation.

'Elective' doesn't necessarily mean he'll get free rein to choose. Chances are, he'll be filling all those junior year slots with health and whatnot anyway. Have you gone through the graduation requirements and the course catalog, matched his GCSEs to them as best you can, worked out what gaps are remaining, and done a 2 year plan?

But even so, it'll probably be fine. My son's a junior, and the only class he takes that seems even remotely full is AP Economics (meets the finance requirement, and results in two AP qualifications for Micro and Macro, so is a very multitasking class!). His AP European History, for example, only has 4 kids in it; French has... about 17, I think.

Good luck for your move!
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Old Mar 5th 2017, 7:02 am
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

Thanks all for your replies - all very appreciated

Petitefrancaise: Thank you for confirming what I thought. We'd been in contact with the school 2 years ago when we thought we were moving back then but wondered if there might be a way of having them not necessarily hold but know which electives he would want for next year. As you say though, they will not do anything until we have an address and are registered.

Fulwood: You are right! It's still the same old me! I am living with the curse of the expat! We've been back 3.5 years this time but as circumstances change so does considerations. With my DD finishing A-Levels and DS finishing GCSE's this May/June, I need to decide what are our next best steps for their further education. As their Father is a military vet, they qualify for the tuition waiver at California uni's and state colleges. With the rising costs of uni in the UK and the differences in teaching i.e. depth versus breadth, and also assessment - I am not a fan of end of course exams, I prefer continuous assessment, I have to ask myself how I can best help them so they are prepared for adulthood. The thought of being able to graduate debt free would be a huge opportunity for them.

Kodokan: That's very reassuring to hear you are seeing spaces in elective classes I have the course catalog and have reviewed the graduation requirements and I think DS is in good shape if we do end up doing the move back. When he chose his GCSE options I ensured he chose a language, he is also in triple science but I do think he will most likely need to do US government and finance at the very least. My concern is around Math as in the UK it is not by class i.e. Geometry, Calculus as it is in the States so I would think they may end of testing him. Has anyone had any experience of this? When I spoke to the school earlier, they intimated they didn't see an issue with giving credit for similar classes and have had other students who have relocated from the UK. I'll have to talk with them further around the possibility of AP classes.

I'm lucky in that I have USC and I should be able to transfer with my job.
There's still so much to think about and consider but having input from everyone on BE is great.
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Old Mar 5th 2017, 7:12 am
  #22  
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

If I had a dime for every student who is "going to arrive for next year" and is "going to leave after this year" . . . and then never comes or never leaves . . .

In the eyes of the school administration, your son is not a student until you officially have an address in the district and/or show up to sign papers. Why? See above. In your post you said you are "looking at moving back" so you very well may not end up in that high school's district. They are not going to hold a place in an elective class (or ANY class) for a student who isn't officially on the roll and may not turn up unless in very exceptional circumstances.

Maybe your move plans are firm . . . but look at this from the eyes of school administration . . . when it's official, they will help you.

Look at the course catalog, have your son look at what he wants to take, and if they are nice they may give you an enrollment outlook on those particular classes which will let you know if they are going to fill or not.

Additionally, once the school year starts - it is not uncommon for one more student to be added to a "full" class if the student really deserves/needs to be in there and the teacher is comfortable with it (depending on state law). Also kids drop out of classes at the start of a year too and that opens up spots.

Good luck.
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Old Mar 5th 2017, 12:04 pm
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Default Re: Daughter going into high school

Originally Posted by carcajou
.... Additionally, once the school year starts - it is not uncommon for one more student to be added to a "full" class if the student really deserves/needs to be in there and the teacher is comfortable with it (depending on state law). Also kids drop out of classes at the start of a year too and that opens up spots. .....
It is quite possible, even statistically likely, that a small percentage of children will leave the area between spring and the following school year starting in August, so one or two spots might open up when the school discovers who isn't coming back. At the last two years of high school level there could also be a few drop-outs as that is a more common occurence than many people realise though this is obviously less likely in AP classes.
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