<p>Thanks Novamom! Great advice. I copied it into a word doc to save and remind myself when I need it. And I can find it easier.</p>
<p>DD went back to school today - basically! I drove her because the roads were really bad - not one plowed in the four different towns we go thru to get to school! Before we even reached the highway the school bus in front of us fishtailed three times, an SUV did the same thing and we saw one car off the road! When I got on the major highway, there was absolutely no traffic in front of or behind me. Really weird - I didn’t hear of any major accidents but maybe there was a line of snowplows way behind that I couldn’t see.</p>
<p>Then, at 9:00, she texted me that they had an early dismissal day and would be done at 11:30! So all total this week she will have attended school one half day (today) and one 3/4 day (Tuesday)! They already had a no school day scheduled for tomorrow. And Monday is a half day also. Guess she’ll have a lot of time to catch up on all the work she missed. And study for SAT’s? Maybe!</p>
<p>Agentninetynine: I have a love/hate relationship with sports, too. My problem is that our coaches, who are lovely people, cannot tell time. They saw the kids will be done by 5:15, but my son never gets into my car until 6 or later. It’s not like he’s hanging in the locker room. He’s still at practice. This is a concern about he has a busy schedule, and he needs some sleep.</p>
<p>2014novamom: That is a nice note that guidance sent. Now, just how many people will follow the advice, well … So glad that Son '14 has no desire to go to some place like Yale. Says it’s too cold for him.</p>
<p>This week DS just started his spring sport - golf. After listening to his begging for four months, I finally decided to give him a car and start paying $75 per month more to add him to our insurance. He is so happy that he can finally drive to golf himself. When I used to have to pick him up from golf, I would be waiting for a long time for DS to finish as it’s hard to predict the finish time. So I like his spring sport better this year.</p>
<p>I think my relationship with the true spring sport (track) is mostly hate. I haven’t had to pick up from practice for a while because d’14 had a school permit, so she’s been driving herself since sophomore year and before that, d’11 used to have to drive her. BUT, track meets. Ugh. Seems like we’re either sitting in the bleechers wrapped up in blankets and winter coats like Nanook of the North or stripping down to shorts and tank tops and lathering on sunscreen. Oh yeah, and in the spring it rains a lot, too. WOuldn’t be so bad, but they go on for HOURS. If d can high jump at the varsity level this year, the field events start before my work day ends, necessitating taking time off. The running won’t end until 8 pm or so. Mmmm . . . . dinner of concession food. Again. Yes, that was sarcasm.</p>
<p>Summer sport (softball) is much better. Even during the every-weekend tournaments, there’s usually a break between games so we can, you know, LEAVE for a while.</p>
<p>This year’s spring sport schedule is ok since DS drives. He carpools with another student so he doesn’t drive every day which is also a good thing. </p>
<p>It’s cold and windy today and I will be outside tonight with DD who has the first game of a soccer tournament at 6 pm. Brrrr. It was supposed to warm up!</p>
<p>Spygirl came home last night more excited about her spring sport than I’ve seen for awhile. And guess what folks? She’s a swing player, meaning she’ll be playing for both JV and Varsity. Oh joy. I often score keep so that means instead of freezing my a## off through one game, I get to do it twice! And I thought soccer was hell.</p>
<p>The only way I get through the next two months is by being extremely organized. Since DD attends school 38 miles from home she doesn’t come home before practice. Thankfully she has a good friend whose mother feeds the girls before these late night practices. I’ve been trying to make dinner and send it with Spygirl, so the other parent isn’t feeding her every night. And DS’17 is playing soccer this spring so I have to coordinate pick ups for him.</p>
<p>I subscribe to the belief that carpools are your friend. My DS doesn’t commute quite as far as Agent’s daughter (17 miles one way) but the traffic is horrendous and can turn a thirty minute trip into more than an hour. Luckily there are enough kids nearby that carpooling is easy, both for sports and everyday. I ended up driving about once a week for sports, and once a week for our regular carpool. </p>
<p>And since both my kids play multiple sports at any given time (school, recreational, and club) it is imperative that I have carpools for all! Right now the overlaps are club soccer and basketball for my daughter, who will leave her game tonight and run directly to basketball practice. Tomorrow she plays in the basketball championship game, then the All-star game, then another soccer game. Sunday has two soccer games on the schedule.</p>
<p>Thankfully all DS has on his plate this weekend are the SATs, and refereeing four basketball games. Oh and homework. And he wants to buy a car too.</p>
<p>By the way, good luck to all taking the SAT tomorrow!</p>
<p>You’re all going to hate us. The high school is literally right down the street, less than a mile. D’14 was allowed a school permit at 15 because of the percussion equipment that she had to bring home (let’s see you carry a vibraphone home). She’s still really loaded down with stuff, but the “commute” is less than 5 minutes, once she can get out of the driveway with all the school traffic going by.</p>
<p>To be fair, DS could have gone to the neighborhood school but he chose to go to the Governor’s school instead once he got accepted. We know several families that moved closer to the school to ease the commute on their kids. If I didn’t have a younger child in a school that we absolutely loved we would have considered moving too!</p>
<p>Our school is about 15 minutes from our home. Unfortunately, we cannot carpool because my son comes to school with me. He is out of his zoned district. He really loves the teachers (well, most of them), so even though his home school is just a mile away, he chooses to stay here. Got a feeling he will be a little lonely next year. He has become very good friends with many seniors. Some are two years older than he is, so they kind of treat him like a little brother – teasing him one minute or telling the others they are never allowed to tease him or else.</p>
<p>Well, DS & I met with GC today. I didn’t really learn anything new, but good for DS to hear things from someone other than me! And glad that GC was able to slow down and take a minute to look at DS’ records and meet him - after all, she has 450 students she meets with! UGH! I’m hoping this may help come next fall when we’re looking for letters of recommendations!</p>
<p>After she had looked at his GPA and test scores, I asked if she had any suggestions for schools. She named 3 (instate flagship, a fairly close OOS private and Texas A&M)! That is it!!! Basically told us to do the research. Glad I’ve been doing it already! haha</p>
<p>I can’t imagine the commute some of you are making for your kids’ schools - although there are several students from DS’ junior high that have chosen to go to schools close to an hour away. Most of these kids have gone to private schools for the first 9 years and our private school system ends at 9th grade. So when it came to High School, they chose one of two different private schools out of town as opposed to going to the local public. </p>
<p>We are less than 5 minutes from the high school. Very handy! And DS has taken on two students that he tutors at our elementary school, which is real close, too. He started driving at 14 with his learner’s permit, then was able to drive alone when he turned 16. That comes in handy, too!</p>
<p>Congrats to spygirl in making BOTH teams! Sorry for you having to sit through BOTH games! </p>
<p>DS did track in junior high. You guys are right - freezing cold at one event and sunburn temperatures at the next! And he always in the VERY LAST event! And they never finish at a decent time. </p>
<p>Good luck to those testing tomorrow! I got DS signed up for ACT for the April date. I guess I’ll have him do SAT Subject tests at the May sitting. He has not taken the regular SAT and I was OK with that. GC did suggest today that maybe he ought to sit for at least one, so maybe the June date will work for that.</p>
<p>My sympathies to all spring sports parents. D-14 used to run track and play tennis. She gave up track after 10th and finished tennis last fall. She is now just involved with after school EC’s. S-11 played baseball through senior year and the games were either freezer burn or sun burn affairs. :eek: Never anything in the middle other than maybe one weekend game a season. In all honesty, I am glad that HS sports are over for our household although I am a big baseball fan and still support our local HS team.</p>
<p>D is taking the SAT in the morning. Does anyone know how long until the results are available? I think its about 3 weeks or so but not real sure.</p>
<p>I believe it is 19 days. Who all’s kids are taking them tomorrow? Or should I say today, since it is 1:30 am here! I might find some answers if I go back a few pages…</p>
<p>I wanted to offer, and request, prayers, good vibes, sun salutations, a moment of zen, whatever your ‘thing’ is, and whatever you’ve got, let’s collectively send good karma to ‘our’ SAT kids this morning. We all know they are only one piece of a large picture in admissions, but they are a hurdle that must be jumped and a cause of great stress for a lot of kids. The sooner they can check this box off their list of to-do’s the sooner they can get back to all the other things that make them interesting and unique. May their pencils & minds be sharp, may their proctors be experienced, may the essay question not stink, and may they get the test with the vocabulary they happen to know!! Not too much to ask… ;)</p>
<p>Very best of luck to all of our kids, including my S3!</p>
<p>Coffee’s on for everyone, tea’s on the sideboard with muffins & fruit. DH will be starting the omelet station in just a few minutes. :)</p>
<p>IME the SAT results have always been on a Thursday morning about three weeks following the test. It makes me think the 28th. I’ll try to confirm that when I get my keister to my laptop.</p>
<p>Yes, the 28th, 19days is correct. The following shows the release dates for the rest of the year as well if anyone else’s student has May or June tests planned.</p>
<p>bluei - what a great wish list! Just sent DD off to SATs in the Jeep in case the roads are as bad as our driveway. I too hope the essay works for her and the vocabulary isn’t too awful. I know she’s looking forward to lunch with a whole group of friends after the test. Luckily she’s feeling much better after her awful week. So the friends and lunch will be a happy finish to the morning!</p>
<p>K2 left about 20 minutes ago.
We had a nice dinner and quiet evening and then this morning I fixed a nice breakfast. K2 doesn’t eat breakfast (much to my dismay) yet wanted to eat this morning etc.
So off K2 went- with a fully charge calculator, 3 new pencils, soft white eraser and snacks/water bottle…</p>
<p>We won’t know the scores before our college search road trip… that can be good and bad…</p>
<p>K1’s spring break has started. The team stays on campus for doubles daily. At some point we will get a carrier pigeon/smoke signals about how its going. </p>
<p>Have a great weekend. Dont forget to spring ahead</p>
<p>My S is taking the SAT this morning too. He trooped off armed with his calculator, extra batteries, an eraser, pencil sharpener, snacks, and water. He said tons of juniors from his school were taking it today but since they are scattered all over No. Va. he could very well be the only one from his school taking it at his test center. I sure hope he is done after this, with only subject tests left. </p>
<p>We will also be on our road trip when results come out but at least he will have them in hand when we make our last stop, which just happens to be at a school where he has made some initial contact with the coach of one of his sports. DS is actually spending the day there for a recruiting event so hopefully he will have some good scores to report.</p>