Exciting Meeting

Last night we braved the freezing weather to attend the high school guidance meeting. We were the first to arrive so I got to speak to the head of guidance from the high school. I spoke with David's current counselor about my concerns for a late-in-the-day physical education class. This was a mistake that had occured last year when P.E. was the second class of the day. They couldn't understand why after second period David was so hyper and had problems calming down. They felt maybe a change in meds was in order. But when I brought up the fact that second period was gym—that was no big surprise for me.

This year gym was scheduled for sixth period which has increased his abibly to make it through the day. The head of guidance at the high school let me know that when David receives his schedule, if I am not happy with the time that Physical Education is scheduled she will be happy to change it with just a phone call.

The meeting started a little late and I was surprised to see that only about 25 parents were in attendance. As the meeting went on more parents showed up, but still a poor showing.

My first question is "Can I go to high school too?" The programs they offer at David's future school are amazing. The school is nationally known for it's drama department with classes in acting, dance, playwriting, directing, theatre design and costuming. A large music program, architectural drawing, and auto body. Some of the more amazing courses are dental careers, medical assistant, and emergency medical technician. Two of the electives David is interested in are Culinary Arts and Video and Media Technology. Lots of AP and dual credit courses are available (credits that count for high school and college).

Most of the parents' questions dealt with how to schedule my child with the hardest classes to get them into the best college. I was happy to hear the counselors say that the students need to take the classes that will challenge the student, but it was better for them to achieve an A or B in a lower class then to receive a C or D in a higher class. They encouraged the parents to not over schedule their children. They encouraged the parents to include some enjoyment in the schedule, that colleges wanted to see a student that is well-rounded.

My concern is more about getting David into classes that earn him a diploma and grades that give him the option of getting into college. I also want him to explore in high school a class that can teach him a skill that is marketable. Many would say this is not a very high expectation but with David's issues this is more than many would expect of him.

The schools are closed today not for snow but because of the extreme cold here. I know many from the great north will laugh at this. The high today has been 21 degrees with a low of 9 degrees this morning. In our area this is unheard of so our cars and buses are not up to handling this.