There is so much I haven't blogged about lately. My mind is all over the place. I'm having a hard time sticking with one train of thought, so I haven't written about much of anything. I know most of it is stress about Dancing Daughter starting high school. I also know I have good reason to be stressed and anxious. I've had many experiences with this school district we live in. I'm not a fan.
Last week was the school fair. The idea is that you come with your paperwork all filled out to turn in at the stations they have set up before you can get your schedule. Seems reasonable and a really good idea until you see the lines. You are forced to wait in line to get your checklist initialed at each station, so you can finally pick up your schedule and see if you have to go see the counselor to get your schedule fixed. For example one station is the Green Emergency Card/Computer Use Agreement station. (Never mind that your emergency card is yellow, thus confusing everyone.) There is another station called Athletics. (Never mind that your child is not participating in athletics and you have no paperwork, you still have to wait in line to have your checklist initialed.) When you have all the boxes on your checklist initialed you can get in the schedule line, there were 8 boxes to get initial, that's 8 different lines.
Between my two children I waited in line for a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
SWS schedule was great, there were no surprises. He got all the classes he requested. I'd expected that for a Senior who has most of his credits already.
Dancing Daughter's schedule was blank. After standing in line for 1 hour and 45 minutes she still had no schedule. She was fighting back tears and I was furious. We went to the office. Her counselor had gone home for the day. The office manager took one look at both of us, took the blank schedule, wrote my phone number on it and promptly stuck in on the counselor's door. She assured me I would get a call the next day.
The next day I did get a call. The counselor, Ms. B, was apologetic saying they lost DD course schedule paperwork. (Side note... This is the second time they lost DD's course schedule paperwork. We went to the school at the end of May to make sure we didn't need to fill out anymore paperwork and they had no registration information, even though I turned it in in March. DD filled out the classes she wanted again and I saw it get added to the pile... Not sure where it went from there.) Ms. B assured me DD would have her schedule on the first day of school. I told her that wasn't good enough and that we wanted it as soon as possible. She asked if we could come in that afternoon. Ms. B went through each period and DD got the classes she wanted. I saw Ms. B enter them into the computer! We got a print out!
OK, great... DD has her schedule and everyone is happy.
Yesterday was Freshman Orientation. We met the only other incoming Freshman we know at the door and found out they weren't allowing parents in. The other mom and I went to the local pub Starbucks for a drink tea and killed an hour.
When I picked DD up I could tell right away something was wrong. She was mad. She went on to tell me how there was no name tag for her. The name tags were important because they had numbers on them. The numbers let you know what group you were supposed to be in for the tour. The numbers told which Advisory class you had so you could meet the teacher and kids that would be in your Advisory class for the next four years. DD told them she was in Mr R's Advisory, someone told her they would get it straightened out for her. They didn't. She was put in a random group where she spent two hours getting to know a group of kids and a teacher she will not be having.
The "friend" we met at the door ditched her.
DD said she didn't see anyone she wanted to get to know. She said and I quote... "65% of those kids were greasy and dressed like slobs and everyone was immature." Now she's whiny and doesn't want to go to school.
Today is the first day of school, god help us.
Oh no, what a horrible experience for DD!! Sounds like their system needs to be revamped.
Thank goodness I didn't have any problems with Catie's schedule. Parents were encouraged to go to orientation to meet their kids teachers.
That's kind of strange that they didn't allow parents in.
Posted by: Julie | September 09, 2009 at 06:35 AM
Yet another shining example of the fine job our school district does...
I've been through this a time or two myself...
Posted by: asthmagirl | September 09, 2009 at 07:09 AM
Tell her its not about the kids .. how they look or dress .. its about an education and all she needs be concerned about is if the teacher is good and paying attention .. Life is filled with a lot stuff you dont like but you still have to show up every day ...
Posted by: Daryl | September 09, 2009 at 07:35 AM
Yikes. Orientation snaffu-hell.
It can only get better. Right?
Posted by: phd in yogurtry | September 09, 2009 at 07:36 AM
Oh my, that sounds like a terrible start to her high school career. Poor thing. I'll keep my fingers crossed for her.
Posted by: Meg | September 09, 2009 at 08:30 AM
That is unbelievable. I would have the Superintendent of Schools on the phone. Ridiculous to be so unorganized. Let me at them! On another note, she'll be okay...it just takes time as we all know. But really? They should bend over backwards for Freshmen...
Posted by: Mental P Mama | September 09, 2009 at 08:42 AM
Sounds like there is some real stupid going on there. I can imagine how stressful this is, especially at her age. I hope it goes well...tell us on Facebook!!!
Posted by: noble pig | September 09, 2009 at 09:53 AM
Dear God, what a cluster!! Hope you are able to get things straightened out!!
Posted by: The Incredible Woody | September 09, 2009 at 05:05 PM