<p>Snow day #5 for us. We just hit our last snow day and January isn’t even over. For perspective, we had 0 snow days last year. No senioritis on this end. Exams were before Christmas and this is K14’s toughest semester ever. Now that may change once warm weather kicks in. I just can’t believe all the snow we have been getting!</p>
<p>Watching it pour snow outside. We could get up to eight inches in VA, so we may not have school most of the week.</p>
<p>Son '14 concluded his semester with straight A’s, but he cannot let up during the second semester as he has three APs and a required U.S. government class to take. He’s in the middle of the indoor track season, and just missed qualifying for states in the 3200 (one lousy second, he said). He should get another shot this weekend. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, making a college decision is tougher than thought. The older son always talked things out. The younger one, not at all. He seems to want to find a hole and crawl into it. He loved his trip down south. Thought Rhodes College was beautiful. Was offered a spot on the track and field/cross country team. But while he really liked the coaches and other runners, he is not sure if it is a good fit because it is a liberal arts school and very expensive. Ole Miss, he said, was gorgeous. He had a good meeting with the Honor College, but again, it is more liberal arts based, and it may not be a good fit. He also will not be able to run there. UAH is very STEM. He loved the professors to whom he spoke. Thought the dorms were awesome. Got offered a spot on the track and field/CC team, too. </p>
<p>The big problem with all of this? He has to decide if he wants to run or does he want the social thing that a big school brings. He’s a quiet kid, but he’s heard all of the stories from his older brother – fraternity parties, football games, girls. Maybe he’s worried that he’ll miss out if he chooses a smaller school. </p>
<p>But, smaller schools have these things, too.</p>
<p>If it were my husband’s decision, he said, he would select UAH, because of all the cool opportunities the school offers. He’s a STEM guy, too. UAH was the only place that wowed Son '14 with all the STEM talk.</p>
<p>All I know is that I’m hoping for a decision soon. I’d like to pay the deposit on a room and purchase a t-shirt.</p>
<p>LOL on the t-shirt! We need to do that. Maybe in April when D will head to her choice for cheer try-outs and a meeting with the track coach.</p>
<p>This is my third try at a post but for some reason, it keeps getting lost! So apologies in advance if this goes through multiple times.</p>
<p>As someone else noted, it’s snowing here in Virginia (at least in No. Va.) so schools are closed. Kids are happy. I, however, am upset that I had to cancel a spa day with a friend!</p>
<p>Our school system has already used up its allotment of snow days however, so that means we will have school on President’s Day. It’s causing a bit of a scramble for some because this week is midterm week. Thankfully DS is not affected because none of his classes have midterms. It seems like they’re barely going to have any school in January what with all the snow/cold day cancellations, holidays, and teacher work days.</p>
<p>I took my parents to the airport yesterday so they flew back to warm and sunny California just before the snow. They were here for two and a half weeks helping while DH and I were in Hawaii and then just to hang out with the kids. But the cold is not agreeable to them!</p>
<p>The senior trip (aka beach Week) is a long held tradition around here. DS and his friends have been planning this for a while now. They will drive down to the Outer Banks, which is an easy and familiar drive for them. I had told DS that the Outer Banks was ok with me, but not Ocean City or Rehoboth/Bethany. DS and 15 other boys will rent a house and stay for a week. Their female counterparts are renting a separate house and there will be many other groups from his school there also. The boys will have chaperones staying nearby, but not in the same house.</p>
<p>While he is busy planning that, I am finalizing our spring break plans to London. Last year DS and I spent spring break touring colleges so since he didn’t get a proper vacation we let him choose this year’s destination. DH and my daughter were there last year for spring break but they don’t mind going two years in a row. This is likely to be the last spring break all four of us will be together unless DS ends up at Northwestern, with its quarter system. Kind of sad, now that I think back on all the fun spring breaks we’ve had as a family.</p>
<p>I’m guessing tomorrow will be snow day number 3 for DD. Since seniors don’t need to make them up, she’s just fine with it! She had midterms last week and Friday off so only went 1 full day and 3 half days last week. This week will probably be 3 days total. They were originally scheduled for midterms this week but it was changed a while ago so it worked out well for them. She’s been texting me some of the grades she got - ended up with an A- in AP English so she’s thrilled with that! And aced AP Calculus!</p>
<p>Her best news last week was she was cast as the lead in the school play. She’s so excited and has worked so hard towards this. I’m so happy for her! Of course, one of her reasons was she wanted to show up at her Head Start volunteer job in the princess costume for all the little kids to see :)</p>
<p>The snow is just starting here and I’m sitting with the dog in front of the fire. He loves watching it like watching TV! Don’t know what he sees but he loves his bed right in front of fire. Stay safe and warm everyone!</p>
<p>Just got the call from the school a minute after I posted - no school tomorrow with an interesting twist! The school is going to try having a virtual school day with online work and assignments (they all have iPads and programs they use in school anyway). They got permission so if they get 100% compliance from the students, they may not need to make up the day in June. I liked the message from the President, “sleep in, get the shoveling done and do your work in your PJs”!</p>
<p>Our school has had “tele-learn” days for the last four years now. They are typically scheduled on days when commuting to school for some students (some kids commute more than an hour each way) is impractical, say on a short day like the day before Thanksgiving. One fortuitous year they had a tele-learn day scheduled for the day after the Super Bowl.</p>
<p>This thread is the decompressing side of this site. 
I went on to take a look at parents forum and it is getting nasty out there. </p>
<p>D probably will end up with B’s this semester in her core subjects. The teachers tell me she still has a high chance of getting up to A if she does well on finals and submit the missing homework, but her focus is all on Robotics. She spends all her time thinking about how to design the Robot, not on her grades or the scholarship applications. I have been through this last year and I guess history repeats. I go through these thoughts that As are not important, learning is so I should let her do what she is doing for the Robotics team. But then she won’t be able to get into a great school or miss out on scholarships if her grades are not up. </p>
<p>Will I be a mean mom if I stop her from going to Robotics if she doesn’t get her grades up to A’s?</p>
<p>Head-in-sand kid? Yes to that. Still waiting on some scholarship news. No mention of the deferral (a weird, last-minute app to a school she doesn’t like. Go figure.) Last few scholarship essays half-done. However, we have a graduation dress, a prom dress and an 18th birthday planned. Priorities. ;-)</p>
<p>Congrats to everyone with new good news, more apps done, and/or snow days!</p>
<p>We made some progress today. D got accepted to another school today, was completely unenthusiastic about it and when I got into the nitty gritty of how to get there to do admitted student day got to see how truly cumbersome it would be to get there. So I just said - how about we take this one off the list? You don’t seem excited, and it seems like a pain in the neck to even get there. </p>
<p>Now she’s starting to think we aimed too low because she’s getting admitted everywhere. I had to remind her two deferrals tells me the very next level up would have been very dicey, but she still has a reach and those two deferrals to hear from still.</p>
<p>My son has interviews Friday and Saturday with his top two favorite schools. He’s pretty excited about that Friday is a phone interview and although it is supposed to be an alumnus interview, it is with a current PhD candidate and TA at the school. I imagine she did her undergrad there also? He feels pretty confident since he qualified for BPA states in advanced interviewing skills. </p>
<p>He is also trying out for the school play. He always liked drama and watched them from afar but got a bit role in the fall play- ended up playing two parts because someone quit the last week of practices- and so he’s going for bigger roles this time I think. He’s been singing non-stop around the house, which is kind of cool.</p>
<p>I have a new Eagle Scout in the house! DS just finished his Board of Review (for non-scouters, think of it as a 1 1/2 hour long intensive interview with 4-5 people). Made it through with flying colors. So proud!</p>
<p>We’re planning a trip to Michigan over spring break to see U of Michigan and Kettering. Any suggestions/words of advice? Thinking of taking the Amtrak - that may keep younger brother happy on a long trip! Both boys were crazy about trains as toddlers. I think they’d both enjoy it - I would too, not having to do all that driving! :)</p>
<p>Congratulations. I have my BOR next month. 
</p>
<p>Sent from my iPhone using [URL=<a href=“Tapatalk”>Tapatalk]Tapatalk[/URL</a>]</p>
<p>Congratulations Beadymom (and belated ones to BarnardMom)! My son is a sophomore Life Scout, so I have a little appreciation for what a special achievement your sons have reached.</p>
<p>Congrats, Beadymom for your new Eagle Scout. DS14 is one and I am always so happy to hear about a newly minted one.</p>
<p>Thank you! And good luck kansaskid1!</p>
<p>Congratulations beadymom!</p>
<p>Beadymom, train sounds nice, it takes forever to get in and out of airports these days. The totaltime to travel is comparable to drive or train.</p>
<p>I was wondering if I could get some input from you parents on this situation: </p>
<p>On the day I was supposed to have my interview for Penn, I ended up getting a stomach bug. The guy was really understanding and we agreed to reschedule. The date we selected (This Friday) worked for me at the time but now with the snow screwing up schedules, I really need to stay after that day to work on a midterm project. </p>
<p>Would it be bad to reschedule the interview twice? He interviews out of his house (.5 miles from my school), during the week right after school, so I don’t think that it would be too much trouble for him to do it next week. </p>
<p>I don’t want to impose upon him more than I already have, but I also don’t want to be scrambling with my midterms. </p>
<p>Any feedback would be appreciated!</p>
<p>Beadymom - woohoo! Congratulations! A HUGE accomplishment!!!</p>
<p>We know exactly what you are feeling, as my son completed his Board of Review in December. He was so nervous ahead of time and hugely relieved after! The official approval from national BSA came in last week, and we just scheduled his Court of Honor for mid-March. </p>
<p>kansaskid1 - good luck with your Board! The rank of Eagle is a huge accomplishment that will be with you your entire life.</p>