Topic : School Issues

Well, the interim report came out today. She got "S"s in some classes; some teachers opted to report an actual GRADE -- As & Bs, although technically she has a C+ in math as of right now. She knows what she needs to do to bring that one up, and it *is* do-able.

Later!

Prof

I checked the grades website...Scott is missing several assignments...in biology he has a D+...the others are OK, but if he keeps missing assignments, they are going to slide too...the 10th grade teachers don't accept late assignments...which means that Scott simply "gets out of doing them"...not sure what to do about that...except to try to intercept before the assignments are due...we're still trying to get him to fill out his planner properly...

Matthew's WASL results for 4th grade arrived...he did very well in writing...in the reading section, he scored 100%...in math, he scored very high...he was one of the few who passed the writing portion...

Scott will have his 10th grade WASL in the spring...and this is the BIG one...he needs to pass all sections in order to graduate...they have three trys if they need it...after that, we have to pay for additional attempts...

I've been extremely busy with Scouts...popcorn sale time...and with the high school band...their silent auction is coming up in November...I'm making a list of businesses for each student...they are to go to the businesses and ask for a donated item or gift certificate to put into the auction...it's a great way to raise funds for their spring trip to San Francisco...

gotta get busy on the lists...Becky

Here it is past 1 AM, and Scott is still working on a power point that is due in a few hours...mind you, he's had a week, and I've sent him to the computer to do it multiple times over that week...and he played around...he has a few slides done tonight...it is for biology...on what distinguishes humans from animals...I told him to get the titles down for the rest of the slides, and then do the pictures...he is using a little camera that attaches to the computer...but I don't really want to be up all night...I have things to do tomorrow...or I mean today...I really want to go to bed, but if I do, he'll be up all night........I should just make him stop and turn it in the way it is...not finished...on the other hand, I want him to pass the class....

I am not going to babysit him anymore...he will have to do his work or fail....he's in 10th grade, and it is high time for him to get responsible...he might be in high school all the way through 14th grade if he doesn't figure out how to get in gear.....I think it's the fatigue and frustration talking here....

The psych doc for the ADHD is running a bunch of lab tests on Scott...hormone levels, thyroid level, vitimin and mineral levels, liver enzymes, lipid profile, histamine level...a bunch of body chemistry tests...because the body's chemistry plays a lot into how well a person can concentrate and perform daily tasks, and how tired or energetic a person is...and how focused (or not) they are on their work...interesting to me...I wonder why his original psych doc didn't run these tests...that guy was dead set against the boys having sleep studies...even though almost half of the cases of ADHD can be linked to a sleep disorder...imagine that...body chemistry and sleep affect behavior...who-da-thunk-it??  I wish that insurance companies would catch up with that line of thinking..."mental health" issues are really more about body and brain chemistry...which is a HEALTH issue...not a behavior problem!!  We could do with more testing in the beginning, and less Ritalin and Adderall in our lives.......obviously treating the symptoms without getting to the root causes is just a bandaid...and a bad one at that.......

Culinary Kid John sees the same doc on Friday...and she will be running the same tests on him....he has ADHD and Narcolepsy...and the whole "gay or not gay" issue....the psych doc said that it is normal for some boys to be confused about that...usually around 14 or 15, but ADHD causes some emotional and social developmental delays, so age 19 is not abnormal for this issue to show itself...I just hope that she can convince him that maybe he could have been influenced by this online friend due to lonliness (from being away from home and in a big city not knowing anybody his own age)...and that not being attracted to the one girlfriend that he ever had doesn't mean a thing...maybe she just wasn't "the one"....he's still young...there is no need to rush into rash decisions...there are many things that affect that aspect...thyroid levels, other hormone levels, vitamin levels, mineral levels.....so the psych doc will be filling up a lab slip...and about 12 vials of blood will be taken for the tests...better come prepared with the OJ for after the blood draw...

Culinary John will be going out tomorrow afternoon to make personal appearances at the restaurants at which he would like to do his externship.  There is one in particular that he would like to work at....they do catering, as well as running a small cafe...but a majority of their business is catering...he went out today, but found out that a lot of the restaurants don't open until 4 PM...surprising...I thought most of them were open for lunch.....anyway, instead of waiting another hour for them to open, he came home instead.....so he will go out again tomorrow...and hopefully, he will be able to meet with the right people and land a position somewhere...if it ends up being an unpaid position, he will have to find himself a part-time job...maybe being a server or busser at a restaurant...then, he can get tips, on top of his regular pay...

I am falling asleep as I type...Scott had better hurry up...I'm ready for bed...I may just go there, and leave him to his own...he made the choice to play around earlier, instead of working like he was supposed to...

Good night...I'll let you know how the presentation goes...Becky

Morning, Becky! Did you head to bed right after you posted? Hope so. Hope your sleep deprivation isn't affecting you *too* bad.

In your sitch, you are walking a *very* fine line between "babysitting" and "not providing enough 'support' ". Sigh. I do not envy you.

I had to pull the reins in on Miss Anne a bit after she pulled the "Oops, I forgot about that assignment" trick (either after her fave prime-time show is over, or, worse, the next morning!) three times in a 2-week period -- As I pointed out, she seems to be quite able to remember when "90210" is on! Through today, we're back to the HW being done in my view, and no electronics or phone until it is completed. She will be watching the VP debate tonight as part of her Social Studies (I think it's for extra credit) assignment, so she gets that "waiver".

"We could do with more testing in the beginning, and less Ritalin and Adderall in our lives.......obviously treating the symptoms without getting to the root causes is just a bandaid...and a bad one at that......."

Been there, done that! In Anne's case, the explanation wasn't even as esoteric as body chemistry! Mom pregnant, Dad in the midst of a whirlwind courtship & subsequent marriage -- think that might affect an 8-y/o's psyche (and behavior) a little bit??? Some fairly routine psychological testing uncovered the anxiety issues.

ITA that finding out the root causes of the attention/focus issues is MUCH better in the long run than pushing meds that either don't work at all or simply mask the problem. I imagine, though, that the research into the attention issues that have been lumped under the umbrella of "ADHD" has progressed considerably from what it was even five years ago. It seems to me that the sleep link to "ADHD" symptoms was only really put forth about 3-4 years ago, for instance. Dunno what may be the current thinking about various aspects of body chemistry's  effects on those symptoms.

Good luck with both boys' testing -- it will be interesting to see what it uncovers.

Hope the Culinary Kid gets an externship pronto!

Later!

Prof

I finally got to bed at 3 AM...made Scott go to bed too...not finished...he got an extension, with a 10% reduction in his grade...I left him to his own on the computer last night after band practice...he actually managed to get it finished before bed time...he COULD have finished it the night before, if only he wouldn't have been playing around so much....it's a shame that an A project will only end up with a B....it is a really good power point presentation...plus, he had to show it to the teacher this morning before school...so he won't even have the chance to present it to the class...and it is a pretty funny and entertaining presentation too...the class would have enjoyed it...and probably gained some more respect for Scott for his effort...

Culinary John interviewed yesterday at one of the local fine restaurants...his first choice said NO because they aren't into their busy season yet...but at the other restaurant, one of the kitchen staff didn't show up to work yesterday...the boss was to call him yesterday to see what's up...so John may have a chance at a PAYING job which will give him his externship credits...fingers crossed and praying...if the other guy turns out to be unreliable, John may get the job...he will find out later today...I told John to offer to work for free if the paid position isn't available...this will give him a chance at a job there in the future if one opens up...in the mean time, he needs to be putting in more applications at other places...He applied at Outback Steakhouse...and he will be going in next Wednesday during open interviews at Olive Garden, if this pending restaurant doesn't work out...If he gets the job, he will start as Pantry Chef and work his way up, as the head chef feels he is ready...

Hubby is stressed with having to work a lot of overtime at work...good for the paycheck though...and we certainly could use the extra money...with the huge cell phone bill, and multiple high medical expenses that are all coming at once...have to make financial arrangements, so we can pay everybody something...we would like to get on top of things for once...but winning the lottery is highly unlikely, so we'll just have to budget, just like everybody else...

Tommorrow, I will be going to the marching band festival with Scott in Pasco...Hubby will be selling Boy Scout popcorn with Matthew...John will be cleaning the playroom, so we have a place to put the storage items that are currently in his room...and he needs to clean up the mess in his room that he left last year...I just decided that I would leave it for him to deal with when he came home...huge mess of trash and candy wrappers on the floor...I filled a couple of trash bags and gave up...to make matters worse, the cat got up on one of the shelves and brought both shelves down, contents flying everywhere...with some broken items...hubby will put a different shelf bracket system up there before the shelves are put back...something more cat-proof...

I can't remember if I mentioned that one of our dear kitties died suddenly last Friday...she was fine...jumped up on the bed to be scratched, and did her usual morning drink from the bathroom faucet (spoiled), and then a little while later, I found her dead on the bedroom floor...body still warm, but clearly dead...the kids were very upset, as was I and hubby...Matthew stayed home from school that day...he already had a sore throat, and this just tipped the scale for staying home....Scott was late for jazz band...but the band teacher understood...then, the very next day, Matthew and his friends found a stray kitten...we took her in...temporarily...but I think she gets to stay...but we have the expense in a couple of months for spaying and front declaw...and three sets of kitten shots...all very costly...the kids are willing to give up their allowances to save up to pay for it...she is awfully cute...for now, she is nameless..."She who must not be named"....we are throwing lots of names around...Ginny...Hermione...Peggy Sue...Mary Lou...Tituba (Scott's idea...but what would her nick name be?? Titty or Tuba?)....Haily (like the comet)...maybe we should all write our suggestions on a little scraps of paper and throw them all into the air...whichever one she pounces on first will be her name....we really hadn't planned on another kitty right now....

and the 18 year old cat still hangs on...he is happy, but having chronic respiratory problems...at this point, we don't want to spend a lot at the vet...the vet wants to run a bunch of blood tests for liver function, etc...but we don't see the point...he's getting old, and nothing will stop that.....but we hadn't expected two younger cats to go before him...we lost another dear kitty a year and a half ago....with the latest one, we don't really know how old she was...she was a pound kitty, and if they are healthy and have good teeth, they automatically call them 2 years old...so she could have been as old as 16 years...we had her for 6 years...We buried her under our ornamental pear tree...she will now become "part of the tree, and when the beautiful flowers are in bloom, and pretty fall colors, it will be her....

One reason we didn't plan on another kitty is the heartbreak when they die on us...

gotta go now...have a good day...

Becky

At least the teacher accepted the late assignment!

Anne conked out about halfway through the VP debate the other night and couldn't keep up enough with it to take decent notes, so no EC. I think she got something out of it, though.

Sorry to hear about the kitty -- KWYM about "when in doubt, the animal is 2 years." My parents got a couple of rescued cockers that were "2 years", and the vet informed them that the dogs were more like 5 and 7! One of that set is still alive; he has survived 2 "roommate" cockers. Don't blame ya for not wanting to go to the trouble for the 18-y/o.

It's amazing how an animal will work its way in when you don't have the least intention of taking it in, isn't it? =) But "Tituba"????

Oh, well. I'd better get cracking. Have a good one.

Prof

Scott suggested Tituba...he's reading The Crucible at school...that name has already been rejected by the "name committee"....

Culinary John landed a job at one of our area's finest restaurants...he started yesterday...This is one of the restaurants that he had contacted while still in Portland...when he came home, he started contacting restaurants to schedule interviews.  When he went in to this restaurant for his interview, it just so happened that one of the kitchen employees didnt' show up for their shift...he asked John to call the next day...and he was hired at 1:30 to show up at 3:30 to start at 4:00 PM....at $9 per hour...he is starting out in the Pantry position, where he will make salads and desserts, and wash dishes.  He will be moved up as the boss feels he is ready for more responsibility.  The boss asked in his interview how long he intends to stay...he said that after his 3 month externship, he'd like to stay on...I think that's what the boss wanted...somebody who will stick around...the boss commented that some of his staff are "just there for the paycheck"...John is there because he is doing what he loves to do...hopefully, he will enjoy his new career...

Scott was in a marching band festival today...since they lost many members after the beginning of the school year (due to laziness), the director had to completely re-write the show....and of the 25 remaining, only about 15 show up regularly for the evening practices...and I put that on the parents...they need to be responsible about getting their kids to practice...if they have another activity that interferes with the schedule, then they need to choose one or the other...I am really against over-booking kids in their activities...8 of the band kids play on the high school football team....the coach and the band director try to coordinate their schedules to make it possible for the kids to do both...although, it makes for a pretty long day for those 8...

Because of the lack of dedication from many of the band members, they did very poorly in the contest...and Scott, who is one of the better players, hasn't been holding up his end with the practicing...and it showed...the trumpets carry the melody much of the time, and if the lead player doesn't know his part inside and out, then the others will follow his example....after dinner, he WILL practice...NO TV until he does....it is off right now....and every night for the next 2 weeks...in addition to his homework...I've been trying to let him set his own schedule a little bit...a step toward independence...but I think it is time to step in and dictate his schedule for him for awhile...until he earns his way out....he really wants a lettermans jacket on which to put his band letter, earned last year...he will have to earn it...with good grades for 3 trimesters, and practice time....

Well....hubby is up and moving...he's been ill all day...better check on him...Becky

Starting with the last item --

Hubs is now fighting off a cold, no doubt brought home courtesy of Jack. You wouldn't know the latter was sick, unless you got close enough to hear the occasional sniffle or see the runny nose. Such is life for a preschooler.

I guess it's the season for band competitions already; my nephew's (coincidentally, a trumpet player) band had one last night as well.  I remember all too well about trumpets carrying melody lines -- we woodwind players were a second thought! LOL Unfortunately, that *does* make it tough when those guys (& girls) fall down on the job. BTW, how small is the HS? If it isn't all that big, I can understand why the band director & football coach try to coordinate practices as best they can. Oddly enough, my HS (small by FL standards) had a running joke my last couple years about how the football team would be a LOT better if the lead trombonist & one of the tuba players would suit up!

UGGGHHH about feeling it necessary to step in at this stage -- as I said earlier this week, I had to pull Miss Anne up short in the "getting the HW done in a timely manner" department. Our latest there is 2-fold. The good news (I think), she was invited to participate in the school's "Challenge Day" this week. From what I could read from the official website (challengeday.org , I think), it seems like a good peer leadership training/anti-bullying type of program. We'll see once she's done it. The bad news, after she complained about not being able to see the overhead in math class and I ran a few things by her, it's clear that she needs glasses. I'm not all that surprised (I've worn them since I wasn't much older than she is now), but it's time out of school to hit the eye doc.

LOL about the rejection by the committee.

And, last but not least, YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and a WOO-HOO about John getting that externship and the prospect that it's where he'll start off his culinary career. Three Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking of things culinary, it's 6:20 here, which means I need to get diner going before Jack falls asleep on me.

PS, How are the popcorn sales going for the scouts?

Later!

Prof

The Scout popcorn sale is going great!!  Our boys have sold enough to go to camp, plus some for getting some of their camping equipment.  They have sold over $1600, and the troop gets a 32% comission...and the boys get 2/3 of that commission to their individual accounts, for use on Scout -related items.  The boys also receive a lot of donations from people who don't want to buy popcorn but want to contribute a little...that donation amount goes right to the boys' accounts with no percentage going to the troop general fund.  (The troop general fund covers awards, troop equipment, gas for trips, etc...).  We ordered over $5000 for the troop to sell, and we have about $1365 left.  And that's after only 3 selling days!!  (we sell at grocery stores on weekends)...

The name game is over...the results are in...the kitty's name is Elvira...(I know...weird name)...her nick name will is Ellie...Remember "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark"?...she was a 1970's horror flick host on Saturday nights...or there was the song by the Oakridge Boys in the 1980's...."Elvira, My heart's on fire for Elvira..."   Hubby and I were there for the debut of that song...the first time they ever performed it in public...not yet released yet on an album...in Spokane, WA...when we lived up there...Wierd name for a strange looking cat...she has a yellow stripe up her nose, which makes her look a little like the Kliebon Kat.

Scott's conference is today...Matthew's is Wednesday.  Scott is in the doghouse over his grades...several missing assignments in several classes....hopefully, when his late project is posted, it will help his biology grade...and his psychology grade is being partly affected by not having a binder for that class...he never told me he needed one...I'll get it when I do the shopping...I don't believe that it should affect his grade though...

John is cooking us some chicken today...he has the day off...he works Fri-Sat-Sun...hopefully, he can get the minimum 25 hours per week required for his externship.  He will contact the school today, and they will contact the restaurant to let them know what is required.

Well...gotta get into the shower and go grocery shopping...Becky

Our high school has about 300 kids, and their size makes them an A school in the realm of sports and band competitions...

gotta run...Becky