<h1>theory - I’d be a wreck right there with you. Sounds like a wonderful concert!</h1>
<p>Received an email back from the Associate Principal - they claim S didn’t turn in his Calculus textbook, which he did. Turns out a lot of seniors received the same call because their teachers haven’t turned in textbooks. So now they have to scramble around the building this morning (when the other students are having finals!) to get their teachers to sign a note saying they did turn their book in. This was very poorly conceived.</p>
<p>I think a lot of kids didn’t bother to hand in their scholarship letters to the guidance office, because there surely were more merit scholarships than the 12 -15 that were announced. Even then, who knows, some of those could have been finaid “scholarships.”</p>
<p>Our school wanted finaid award letters, also. They didn’t originally (just scholarships), but then when they figured that need-based awards are called scholarships, too, they got grabby and wanted them all. S got three from private colleges/universities that were quite large awards. But except for a small component of two of them, they were ** need-based awards called “scholarships.” ** Since he wasn’t going to those three places, S never handed those finaid award letters in to the guidance office. When I pointed out that need-based grants are also called “scholarships,” I was told the guidance offer knew how to sort them out. Ummm…no. I bet no one realized that Georgetown only gives need-based awards. As it was, they confused son’s huge merit scholarship with another university’s lesser (by $100,000+) scholarship. At least they got the name of the school where he is going correct! We should have never handed in anything other than the award letter for the school where he’s going. </p>
<p>The schools have a competition in my city where they like to see who gets the most scholarship money. I don’t know if that is awarded or actually used. Obviously this high school can’t keep it straight. Since they won the award last year (when pitted against some larger high schools), I think they fudge on the numbers. </p>
<p>Between the difficulty in finding out about the graduation add-ons (stoles, tassels, cords for this and that) and the guidance office’s poor scholarship compilation, I’m leaving this high school with some not warm and fuzzy feelings. </p>
<p>Last week, though (did I mention this?), the school held the annual special awards program for the academy school-within-a-school that my son attends (why he’s at this high school and not our zoned one). S is one of the four seniors that have contributed to the academy and high school all four years and will be acknowledged at graduation (I think this means a medallion). The 71 or so seniors in the academy marched across the stage and got certificates and special medallions that they will wear at graduation. Best of all, though, was that S was the student speaker. He gave an oration about Abraham Lincoln. The academy coordinator introduced him and went a little over the top, but better that than no mention! I videotaped the speech.</p>
<p>I just now understand why my d’s high school wanted all the scholarship awards. It didn’t make sense to me why they would care about awards from schools in which she wouldn’t attend!</p>
<p>Our school too seems to be making a mole hill out of what should be a mountain. They have decided to seat the kids in a totally random order. Not by class rank, alpha, height, etc., but totally random. My daughter is upset because it was originally going to be the top 20 recognized with the front seats. Now she is in the thrid to last row. She told me she is “directly behind one of the girls who left school early to have a baby”. Don’t know how she managed to graduate (though kudos to her for getting it done).</p>
<p>They also told the kids yesterday at grad practice that senior recognition would take place this AM during dress rehersal. Any parents who want to attend are welcome! Huh?! There will be no specific recognition for achievements at the graduation, nor will there be a formal senior recognition event, just the last minute…oh, by the way, parents can drop into dress rehersal for senior recognition. :(</p>
<p>Needless to say, this throws our family into chaos. Today is the last day of school for my boys, my parents are here, I had another committment, husband going in a different direction. Now I’m stuck trying to find a ride for either my D or myself so I can get to the event…this with 4 cars in our family…sheesh :eek:</p>
<p>I have made some additional suggestions to the school regarding recognition for academics, but they don’t take suggestions well. They prefer not making sense to making changes for the better.</p>
<p>That said, knowing D, who is very creative and funny, she will make her 5 second stand at graduation memorable ( and will be encouraged by her friends). I say “go for it”.</p>
<p>I am very interested in all of the comments posted here. Seems as if some of your schools do right in recognitions, but more of them don’t, and some of these are really awful. I see such irony when I read all of the stuff about how we need to improve education in this country and then such a lack of respect for the students who do achieve.</p>
<p>I think what we need is a Parent Award Ceremony (with margaritas, and a salon booth), to honor every parent here who has NOT gone postal on a guidance counselor or other school administrator.</p>
<p>Or on their graduating senior. Mine told me at 3 pm yesterday that his senior recital was at 6:30. I did get there; I did get it on video for the rest of the family; I did not kill him immediately after he was done. I was too busy crying. Fortunately, after his two songs, there were lots of girls who performed more overtly sentimental songs, so the whole room was in tears and I didn’t embarrass him unduly. </p>
<p>ksabbo, hope you made it in time.
SJTH, so sorry about the video foul-up. But at least you were there!
lindz, I like your D!
historymom and downtoearth, congratulations!
FallGirl, ugh. But you’re nearly done, at least.
Deja, glad you captured the speech.</p>
<h1>theorymom, sounds like a wonderful/weepy concert.</h1>
<p>fireflyscout, poorly conceived indeed. Good luck to the teacher-hunters.</p>
<p>I havent flipped on S’s school over the years, but older D? I’d be forced to sit in the very very back of the red section for sure!</p>
<p>Found out last night that only the top 10% of kids are inducted into Cum Laude… but here’s the kicker, while it’s great we don’t weight grade or rank students… Cum laude goes strictly to the top 10%. So there will be kids with chords at graduation that didn’t take bupkiss of an accelerated or AP class their four years (except AP English and that’s because all juniors take that). How can you wear honor cords at graduation when you’ve never taken an honors class? But true to form, the kids don’t really care and they know who the best and the brightest are.</p>
<p>As an aside - it seems ridiculous that any school would use need-based money in a competition of accrued awards… what does that say, “we have more lower income kids than you” ?? Absurd. And to the head GC, I would have definitely turned the tables BACK on her by saying, “if you were doing YOUR job and overseeing your staff properly, perhaps they would have been better informed and given us correct information.”</p>
<p>But here’s what I did and glad for it. Several years back one of the teachers wrote a book on the history of the school (100 year anniversary in 2000). I bought a hard back one that comes in a box as well and then after the seniors finished AP exams, I asked those teachers that had made an impact on S to sign it, much like one would sign a yearbook. There were about 10 or so teachers on the list. I included a teacher or two from Middle School as well and a coach. Well… I picked the book up yesterday and read through what these teachers said to and about S and I’ll tell you what… there isn’t an awards ceremony around that could mean as much. Truly personal and overflowing with respect for the kid and who he has grown to become. Best idea I’ve ever had. And basically it stemmed from the fact that I had no idea what to get him for grad gift that would hold “meaning.”</p>
<p>One of his English teachers wrote in the margins of one of the pages and said it felt it was appropriate that he write there since “this” is where they first met. He wrote about S’s writing and his willingness to really stretch himself there. The whole thing was poetry and affirms why I go broke to send my children to this school. So… **** the awards ceremony, this was the best idea I ever had and will mean something for a lifetime instead of collecting dust. Plus we have bigger fish to fry… </p>
<p>Tonight is the semi-final championship game for boys’ lacrosse. So… all good karma would be appreciated. They graduated 12 very accomplished seniors last year so they have been under-rated all season. Should be a great game regardless of outcome but I really really really want them to win.</p>
<p>Took my mom for a manipedi yesterday., getting my hair cut today (no color), but I deserve a margarita, I can guarantee you that!!</p>
<p>That comment and this thread is making me LOL.</p>
<p>Our school posts photos of the top grads in the foyer (top 5% or so, 5.2 and above GPA). So your #5 would be formally recognized in that way. (No Sal, Val).</p>
<p>I understand that our grads get ‘cords’ for getting top grades (>5.2) and also for >5 and > 4.8. My kid, as always, is right above a line and will find out which category she’s in on Friday. In the end, it will all hinge on a totally elective art grade :)</p>
<p>Do parents really go to their senior honors assembly? I don’t recall being invited - but then, maybe they aren’t together enough to invite people??</p>
<p>DH is over at high school right now going postal on GC, who has had paperwork verfying off-campus classwork (PE!) for 6 days and has not recorded it in computer. He called 3 times first and there was a series of emails. This class is required for graduation on Friday!! </p>
<p>H reports that the registrar vowed to procure the paperwork from GC and make everything right. But I think DH is resolved to stand in the office and make loud requests until someone records the **** grade in the computer. He can be very —uhm—assertive.</p>
<p>I’m sure GC is very busy, but this has happened every 6 weeks with this course. I hope they can’t expel a husband.</p>
<p>Same here. It was annoying to see those pretty light blue cords on kids who haven’t worked nearly as hard as D. Sigh. </p>
<p>Modadunn - That book idea is brilliant and I will use it for D2.
ksabbo - how annoying! I’m sure you figured it all out, but really, why is it that logistics that seem so simple and reasonable to all of us don’t occur to school administrators?
fireflyscout - oy! what an unnecessary bit of worry!
SJTH - SO sorry about that video.
Fallgirl - looking forward to hearing how your D makes her stand at graduation memorable!
eggmom - LOL at the assertive H. good luck!</p>
<p>HMW - sign me up for the Parent Award Ceremony - I will qualify IF I don’t lose it with my D in the remaining 2 hours before I drive her to her summer job. I’ll admit to a little ranting yesterday, but so far so good this morning - she is almost packed and has mostly completed MY to-do list for her. </p>
<p>And then she’ll be gone. For 9 weeks. Oh, how I envy those of you who still have graduation and parties in your future.</p>
<p>Amen! Why do these senior events have to be so mysterious? There has been a link to “Senior Events” on the school website for a couple of months. Would it have killed anyone to have spent an extra 5 minutes to type what happens at each event and who is invited?! (Note that we did receive a two page letter with VERY VERY detailed info on how to behave at the grad ceremony [no air horns,etc.] They take the time to do that but not to explain the other senior events.)</p>
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<p>This is one thing that our school does very well. Ours is one of those very competitive suburban high schools with so many great students. In addition to the Val and the Sal, our school makes a big deal out of the Top 20. Out of a class of 600, that’s a pretty select group. Last night at the awards ceremony, after all the other honorees had walked across the stage and been talked about, the Top 20 were called up and the principal did a mini-interview with each of them. They will have their pictures in the local paper. They also graduate first at the graduation ceremony.</p>
<p>The other thing that happens is that the Top 20 from both HS in the district each choose their one special teacher, and those are photographed together and invited (with the student’s parents) to a banquet in their honor. The banquet is paid for by a non-profit foundation.</p>
<p>Fallgirl, I suggest you pay it forward and start a campaign to honor the Top 20 (or other appropriate small number depending on the size of the student body) in future years. There may be no money for a banquet, but the special interview at the awards ceremony, the press release to the local paper, and the graduating first in line are all free and would be a suitable reward for all the hard work.</p>
<p>Was just thinking I had way too much to do & D called me on her cell phone from school and wants me to go to a meeting tonight about a trip to NYC & working at a homeless shelter-it is a field trip, not a let’s-have-fun-senior-trip. So I said yes, of course & when she said she could probably pay for it (or most of it) it sounded even better! Trip is on the weekend of the 12th, the weekend before graduation.</p>
<p>Parent Award Ceremony has no red section/green section. We all get silver margarita goblets, though I do not suggest wearing them (or their contents). </p>
<p>We will dispense with the baby picture/current picture of each of us, in favor of your most favorite and flattering photo of yourself at any age you choose. </p>
<p>What I can’t decide is whether we should each get individual awards, or if this is one of those occasions where we actually have EARNED appropriate recognition just by breathing. Slowly. Again, and again, and again. . . .</p>
<p>I’ve got the blender whirring – you know we do margaritas frozen down here – and since I’m all done here with graduation…I’ll be running it all weekend for all of you celebrating your grads. (mango, raspberry even pomegranate, I’ll do a few virgin batches for the kids, why not have chips with salsa as well) </p>
<p>harriet – appreciate you changing the criteria—I didn’t qualify initially as our gc did get quite an earful–but no harm was inflicted so…</p>
<p>Oh, I really like the idea of our own parent recognition ceremony! </p>
<p>I haven’t gone ballistic on the school, because I have had no reason to. My son has had a (mostly) wonderful experience there. </p>
<p>My youngest is in middle school. I am fed up with the nonsense that goes on with the PTA there, and am not doing my current position (volunteer coordinator) next year. Seeing as no one was in the position when we started with the school this school year, it’s a pretty safe bet that no one will step up to replace me. I would like to devise a recognition ceremony for the folks there (haha), and it wouldn’t be a nice one. </p>
<p>After graduation, I am going to write to the Superintendent’s office and inquire as to exactly why they want to know all scholarships, including finaid award letters. Supposedly his office wants all this information; I’m going to find out why.</p>
<p>Firefly: I so empathize. We were being held hostage re something from a class my daughter did not take! And my son once spent half a day proving he had handed in a text by going through a whole room of them to find the right “number”.</p>
