Class of 2021 Parents

[jetskigrl]

DS is doing OK (which is good for him, LOL). He had 4 A's and 2 B's the first quarter but he usually starts off pretty good and then declines as the year goes on, LOL. Right now he is still sitting with 3 A's and 3 B's but I can see in the assignments that he is having issues. He finds it really hard to concentrate going into the Winter Holidays.

I'm not ready to think of DS driving yet We still have another year before he can get his permit. DD was 17 before she got hers (her choice) and she didn't get her license until right after her 18th birthday. I'm hoping DS will hold off a bit too (just because of the cost of insurance) but he will probably be ready earlier than DD was.

 

[minnie1012]

DD did very well, all A's. She even switched one of her classes to a more challenging one. She was placed in Spanish I and felt she should have been in Spanish 2. Myself and her counselor told her to stay and take the easy A since she was in mostly honors classes for the first time. Well she hated it and was so bored. So at the tale end of the marking period she asked her teacher and counselor (the second time for him) if she could switch into Spanish 2. So they agreed and I signed off on it. I was very impressed that she fought for herself. Of course after she started there were some tears because she missed 3 months of Spanish 2 and had to catch up. She felt very behind but she took her first test and got a 90 so that helped her confidence. In 2 weeks she is trying out for the school musical.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd just found out she is the fastest sprinter on her track team. I begged her to do the musical instead of track (like dd21, ds19, and dd16), the director even asked if she was trying out, she said no. I’m glad she is at least good at it, and since she’s dropping 12 hours of dance a week, running is probably the better option.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I think DD is enjoying 9th grade. Almost all of her grades are great (the almost is geometry - it isn't clicking for her). She seems to have found a good group of friends through band. Marching season is over, and the symphonic band has started practicing. She has also joined the indoor percussion team as a keyboard player. I'm looking forward to seeing their routine this year, but it is a ton of practice - two nights a week plus quite a few weekends. She will have to give up her community choir that she loves for the rest of the year because the practices conflict, and then she'll have to decide which to choose for next year. But before she is done with the choir, they has a performance tomorrow at our state's bicentennial celebration (and the opening of two museums). That should be quite the experience - the crowd was expected to be over 5k before Trump announced he would be attending. No telling what it will be now.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Dd just found out she is the fastest sprinter on her track team. I begged her to do the musical instead of track (like dd21, ds19, and dd16), the director even asked if she was trying out, she said no. I’m glad she is at least good at it, and since she’s dropping 12 hours of dance a week, running is probably the better option.

Just curious what kind of dance your DD was involved in. Mine was ballet. (With some modern, character, and jazz to supplement.) She was at the studio 5 days a week. It’s still a bit of a shock to me to no longer be in that world. I loved watching her dance; especially the pointe. But, I am starting to get excited about what else her journey holds.

 

[mjkacmom]

Just curious what kind of dance your DD was involved in. Mine was ballet. (With some modern, character, and jazz to supplement.) She was at the studio 5 days a week. It’s still a bit of a shock to me to no longer be in that world. I loved watching her dance; especially the pointe. But, I am starting to get excited about what else her journey holds.

Irish dance, a World qualifier (danced in Dublin last year). She started when she was 6. Dd16 still dances, and will throughout high school, although is skipping Worlds this year due to me refusing to take her out of school a week of her junior year (teachers are not happy with us). She teaches a couple of classes.

Dd16 started out with ballet, hip hop and modern, but Irish dance (dedicated studio, largest organization ) took over. It’s funny, she’s a featured dancer in the HS play, was a dance captain last year (and most likely will be one this year), but she had to learn the terminology.

It’s weird not having dd14 go to dance every night, but she’s always been more of an athlete than dd16, and it’s going to save me some serious $. At least I still get to see her sister dance, I’m sure you will miss it.

 

[Music City Mama]

I still can't get her to study for her drivers permit though. She was able to take the test back in October, but she just seems to not care which would normally be fine for me except she needs the permit to enroll her in summer school class for summer of 2018. She will be taking driving lessons at the school.

My DS can get his learner's permit in February, so he still has some time before he starts studying. His spring break is at the end of March, so I guess he'll take it then. I wish our school offered driving lessons!

That should be quite the experience - the crowd was expected to be over 5k before Trump announced he would be attending. No telling what it will be now.

Wow, I'm sure she'll be performing for some big crowds! Too bad that she'll have to give up choir for indoor percussion. My DS is also doing indoor percussion, but he's just staying with the battery section since that's what he does in marching band and loves so much. Concert band had their performance this week and it's amazing how far they've all come since the 6th grade!

DS's grades are very good and he seems pretty happy in high school. All of the 9th-11th graders took a free practice ACT in October and he did pretty good for a freshman. At least he knows how different it is from the PSAT and can be prepared for the next free practice test in the spring. He also took the PSAT for practice (which was optional and doesn't actually count until 11th grade) and he did really well. He's also took it in 7th and 8th grade (it's only $18 and they administer it during the school day, so why not). I'm so glad he's good at standardized testing -- lord knows I wasn't -- and I know it won't come as easy for his younger brother.

I can't believe 9th grade is almost halfway over -- these high school years are gonna go by fast.

 

[Music City Mama]

Irish dance, a World qualifier (danced in Dublin last year). She started when she was 6. Dd16 still dances, and will throughout high school, although is skipping Worlds this year due to me refusing to take her out of school a week of her junior year (teachers are not happy with us). She teaches a couple of classes.

I never knew this was such a big thing until recently. Helping out with marching band, we've got to know some of the other parents, and someone has another daughter who is very involved with Irish dance and competes regionally/nationally.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Things are going well here. DD14 got straight A's first quarter. No adjustment issues at all--she retained most of her middle school friends, and has added a bunch of new friends, as well.

This coming week is pretty hairy for us. We have Nutcracker next weekend, which means dress/tech rehearsal this weekend and all next week. We do Nutcracker every year here, which gets to be a little much--I help with costumes, so I'm done with making this year's, but will be backstage for most of the weekend, doing repairs and so forth.

DD has a cello performance tonight for school, and another one on Wed. Luckily, they fit in perfectly with the Nutcracker schedule. She remains principal cellist--they had to re-audition recently, I guess someone challenged her (and wound up moving from second chair to third--go figure). She also has to audition to play the electric cello for her concert Wed.

Once we get through the show next weekend, it's smooth sailing. Well, mostly-- my older son needs to get wisdom teeth removed, and I don't know when my oldest is flying home for Christmas. But it really starts to feel like Christmas season once we survive Nutcracker!

 

[mjkacmom]

I never knew this was such a big thing until recently. Helping out with marching band, we've got to know some of the other parents, and someone has another daughter who is very involved with Irish dance and competes regionally/nationally.

It’s a crazy world. This is a fun documentary from dd16’s first Worlds that features dd16 onstage for one nano second, but I just realized watching it that she actually beat 2 of the featured dancers, (not at Worlds), and the male teacher featured in the beginning is now 1 of their teachers (and yes, he’s mean, like most of them). Should’ve stuck with ballet!

 

[Music City Mama]

It’s a crazy world. This is a fun documentary from dd16’s first Worlds that features dd16 onstage for one nano second, but I just realized watching it that she actually beat 2 of the featured dancers, (not at Worlds), and the male teacher featured in the beginning is now 1 of their teachers (and yes, he’s mean, like most of them). Should’ve stuck with ballet!

I admit I didn't watch all 42 minutes, just the beginning and skimmed through the rest, and I'm sure this was covered, by why the curly wigs? I had to LOL with the one girl saying that she's not sure why they get spray tanned when most Irish people are pale!

 

[mjkacmom]

I admit I didn't watch all 42 minutes, just the beginning and skimmed through the rest, and I'm sure this was covered, by why the curly wigs? I had to LOL with the one girl saying that she's not sure why they get spray tanned when most Irish people are pale!

Back in the day, and it all comes from Ireland, curled hair was for special occasions. Back in the 90’s, someone decided the wigs were so much easier than curlers (plus a huge money maker, at $100+ each). It’s all big business, trends change several times a year, so if you want to look current, it’s going to cost you.

A couple of reasons for the tanning. The focus is on the legs and feet, for the most part, and like any dance competition, tanned legs show the muscles better (and these dancers have crazy muscular legs). Also, spray tanning is big in Ireland (because the Irish are pale, and don’t get a lot of sun).

 

[SmallWorld71]

Back in the day, and it all comes from Ireland, curled hair was for special occasions. Back in the 90’s, someone decided the wigs were so much easier than curlers (plus a huge money maker, at $100+ each). It’s all big business, trends change several times a year, so if you want to look current, it’s going to cost you.

A couple of reasons for the tanning. The focus is on the legs and feet, for the most part, and like any dance competition, tanned legs show the muscles better (and these dancers have crazy muscular legs). Also, spray tanning is big in Ireland (because the Irish are pale, and don’t get a lot of sun).

My best friend growing up was an Irish Step dancer. I remember her mom putting her hair in rags at night to make banana curls.
There is an Irish step studio right next to DDs former ballet studio. If you were parked in a certain spot in the parking lot, you could see into both studios at the same time. On occasion, I would watch for a few minutes when picking DD up. Pretty cool to see the contrasts.

 

[nikkistevej]

Well grades were great for my DD15 first quarter, she had 4 A's and 4 B's(and 2 of those were 89- ugh), but happy everything was above 85's at least. She is in all Honors for the first time, so was a bit of an adjustment. Her highest grade is in Chinese 3, no idea how she does so well in that. LOL She also made the JV Basketball team- so exciting!!!! She was so happy to make it. Also plays rec ball, so basketball is life right now.

 

[AlohaNow]

He plans to go abroad through Rotary next year and the preliminary application is already out for that!

Argentina!!!!!! My son will be spending his sophomore year in Argentina!!!!! Just last week he was accepted as a Rotary exchange student and he got Argentina! Our heads are still spinning! We have an Andes sized mountain of paperwork (get it?) due to Rotary by January 15, then the visa application process can begin. We have unofficially been told that he will be in the Patagonia region, so like, the bottom of the world. We are reading about the glaciers and ice sheets and I’m like, “They’re sending you to Arendelle!” Their seasons and school year are opposite of ours so he will be there over summer break. Sure hope he gets to travel around during that time!

We all met with his HS counselor on Friday to ensure that he will be able to graduate on time with his class. Looks like an online AP class is how he will be spending his summer before he leaves in September, but he knows that he will have to work his butt off in order to have this amazing experience and keep up with his graduation requirements. Anyway, I just had to share! Larga vida Argentina!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Cast results are in for Legally Blonde. DD has some nice ensemble parts. For anyone familiar with the show, she is a Delta Nu, Greek Chorus, cheerleader, workout video/ prison dancer, and salon cashier/ former Lakers girl.

 

[AlohaNow]

How is everyone's freshman doing? We had a pretty fun day today. The morning was spent at the first lacrosse scrimmage, as spring sports started this past Monday. My guy is on the JV team, got to start and play the entire game. Then we hightailed it over to the state basketball play-offs to watch our team lose in the 'Great 8' bracket by one point. That hurt, but we had such a great time at the game. I cannot believe there are only three months of school left! Time is really flying. How is everyone else?

 

[minnie1012]

My DD is doing very well. She has joined some clubs that do community work which is great! She was excited to get cast in the school musical. She didn't think she would as a freshman but was very excited to get an ensemble part and one line! The show was this weekend and high school shows are much more time consuming then middle school but she made it through. Now she has to get her school work back on track after slacking for tech week.

 

[mjkacmom]

Grades are good, dd15 ran winter track, turns out she is the fastest female sprinter at the HS, broke a school record in the 55 and lettered. Should be interesting in spring track, Dd16 runs that as well, she’s one of the fastest xc runners, and was a top runner last spring (she took off winter to do the musical). Dd15’s goal is to beat her sister in the 400 (which they both run). Their coach is loving this. Ds15 is also running, to keep in shape for soccer (he and Dd will play spring soccer for the HS as well, but it’s not an official HS team, which only has fall soccer). He also plays on a club team.

I have to say, Dd is very social, saw her Friday morning, 15 minutes yesterday, and she came home this morning, I think she’s sleeping now. All of her free time is spent with friends. She quit dance after 8 years, which took up at least 10 hours a week. All of her friends play sports, so no more hanging out after school (she had a brief break between the seasons, but spring just started).

They made their schedules for next year, both are taking precalc and AP statistics- bless them, I topped out at algebra 2 (BA in English, math was not my thing).

 

[SmallWorld71]

DD is doing well. She went to her first semi formal dance last month and had a blast with her friends. (She missed the grade 8 semi formal due to ballet.) That girl is a bargain shopper! She found a dress on clearance at Macy's for $13.98! She also found new shoes on clearance at a different store. Total cost of outfit including new strapless bra and nylons was under $50!
The 2 of us had the opportunity to visit relatives in Brooklyn over February vacation and had so much fun: shopping in SoHo, lunch in Greenwich Village, Waitress on Broadway, walking the Brooklyn waterfront, the best pizza I've ever had, the Met, strolling through Central Park.... and the weather was perfect.
Rehearsals for Legally Blonde have been going strong and yesterday the drama club compete in the METG festival.
Things are a bit rough on the home front as we have been without power since Friday night due to a crazy storm. But, I am grateful that the basement didn't flood.

 

[nikkistevej]

Things are going well for my DD15, she made the JV basketball team, got a lot of playing time, they were undefeated the whole season and won the County Championships!!!! So exciting for her as her first season for high school and already won the Championship. The Varsity girls are heading to state(they won last year too), so we've been going to their games and all. She is trying out for track, I'm pretty sure she will make the team, as she runs constantly for basketball and is pretty fast.
Grades are doing well, wasn't sure how all Honors would go, but she is rocking mostly A's and a few B's. Starting to talk about college and careers more now. OMG