School Avoidance High School

[Anonymous]

In 9th grade my child loved going to school. No issues. Covid hit and they loved virtual high school more.

There was more time for lunch. There was no wasting time. Teachers ended class when they finished the lesson and my kid would relax. My kid enjoyed being able to attend in their pajamas.

No… it is junior year. The year started out well. But, they aren’t liking it like before. They miss the freedom of virtual school.

Any thoughts on how to help them get readjusted school. Every morning is a struggle. Especially if they know a teacher will be out etc..

Appreciate advice applicable for high school. Online the advice is geared for little kids.

We can’t be the only ones having a hard adjustment back.

[Anonymous]

Do they not have friends in school or clubs/activities/sports they’re interested in?

[Anonymous]

Have you reached out to the school counselor or sought outside counseling?

School avoidance is a real issue and I think even more common during the pandemic after all the changes these kids have experienced related to school environment. I have a child with anxiety who deals with some feelings of school avoidance. The mornings are so, so tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In 9th grade my child loved going to school. No issues. Covid hit and they loved virtual high school more.

There was more time for lunch. There was no wasting time. Teachers ended class when they finished the lesson and my kid would relax. My kid enjoyed being able to attend in their pajamas.

No… it is junior year. The year started out well. But, they aren’t liking it like before. They miss the freedom of virtual school.

Any thoughts on how to help them get readjusted school. Every morning is a struggle. Especially if they know a teacher will be out etc..

Appreciate advice applicable for high school. Online the advice is geared for little kids.

We can’t be the only ones having a hard adjustment back.

My daughter really liked virtual school. She has friends but loved how she had more free time in virtual school and could do the work in her own schedule. She loves how the teacher does the lesson, allows time to work, but she has access to consistent office hours. She doesn’t have to worry about cliches, average lunches, etc. so we enrolled her in Virtual Virginia this year, and she is taking a virtual class at NoVA. It’s going well and she is still in contact with friends. Is that an option for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they not have friends in school or clubs/activities/sports they’re interested in?

Most of their friends graduated. They have a handful in their grade but connecting seems harder.

They have activities but that doesn’t seem enough to get them to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you reached out to the school counselor or sought outside counseling?

School avoidance is a real issue and I think even more common during the pandemic after all the changes these kids have experienced related to school environment. I have a child with anxiety who deals with some feelings of school avoidance. The mornings are so, so tough.

The school counselor said they would talk to my kid when they are in school. Ok…. They aren’t there or when they are the counselor is busy. So… that was a dead end.

I am looking for a therapist. Mental health is overwhelmed so finding someone has proved really difficult. Right now my child saying they won’t so that’s another hurdle once I actually get an appointment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 9th grade my child loved going to school. No issues. Covid hit and they loved virtual high school more.

There was more time for lunch. There was no wasting time. Teachers ended class when they finished the lesson and my kid would relax. My kid enjoyed being able to attend in their pajamas.

No… it is junior year. The year started out well. But, they aren’t liking it like before. They miss the freedom of virtual school.

Any thoughts on how to help them get readjusted school. Every morning is a struggle. Especially if they know a teacher will be out etc..

Appreciate advice applicable for high school. Online the advice is geared for little kids.

We can’t be the only ones having a hard adjustment back.

My daughter really liked virtual school. She has friends but loved how she had more free time in virtual school and could do the work in her own schedule. She loves how the teacher does the lesson, allows time to work, but she has access to consistent office hours. She doesn’t have to worry about cliches, average lunches, etc. so we enrolled her in Virtual Virginia this year, and she is taking a virtual class at NoVA. It’s going well and she is still in contact with friends. Is that an option for you?

We discussed it and originally my kid wanted to go back to school for electives that virtual Virginia didn’t have. However, now I think that would be a great idea but the school isn’t offering it and everything I see says it is full.

Do you have info on how we could switch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 9th grade my child loved going to school. No issues. Covid hit and they loved virtual high school more.

There was more time for lunch. There was no wasting time. Teachers ended class when they finished the lesson and my kid would relax. My kid enjoyed being able to attend in their pajamas.

No… it is junior year. The year started out well. But, they aren’t liking it like before. They miss the freedom of virtual school.

Any thoughts on how to help them get readjusted school. Every morning is a struggle. Especially if they know a teacher will be out etc..

Appreciate advice applicable for high school. Online the advice is geared for little kids.

We can’t be the only ones having a hard adjustment back.

My daughter really liked virtual school. She has friends but loved how she had more free time in virtual school and could do the work in her own schedule. She loves how the teacher does the lesson, allows time to work, but she has access to consistent office hours. She doesn’t have to worry about cliches, average lunches, etc. so we enrolled her in Virtual Virginia this year, and she is taking a virtual class at NoVA. It’s going well and she is still in contact with friends. Is that an option for you?

We discussed it and originally my kid wanted to go back to school for electives that virtual Virginia didn’t have. However, now I think that would be a great idea but the school isn’t offering it and everything I see says it is full.

Do you have info on how we could switch?

PP here, we got an email about Spring registration- but our courses are a full year so I didn’t read it. If they are full, have you looked into Virtual Virginia Academy. It’s another state-approved virtual program.

[Anonymous]

Is your kid involved in anything outside of school that they enjoy? I always hated going to school. I was much happier in college when I didn’t have to sit inside the same building from 8-3 each day M-F. I played a sport through junior year that I enjoyed but honestly, my senior year I was counting the days until it was over.

My own son had some issues with virtual school but also enjoyed the freedom. He doesn’t like getting up and going to school every day now but it’s required so there’s no discussion on that. He’s involved in sports for two seasons so that keeps him motivated to stay least get there and do what he needs to do, to remain eligible to play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is your kid involved in anything outside of school that they enjoy? I always hated going to school. I was much happier in college when I didn’t have to sit inside the same building from 8-3 each day M-F. I played a sport through junior year that I enjoyed but honestly, my senior year I was counting the days until it was over.

My own son had some issues with virtual school but also enjoyed the freedom. He doesn’t like getting up and going to school every day now but it’s required so there’s no discussion on that. He’s involved in sports for two seasons so that keeps him motivated to stay least get there and do what he needs to do, to remain eligible to play.

My kid is not a sports kid. I agree that is a great way to keep them involved. For kids who are not athletic (like mine), it is really hard to find something. We tried in elementary school but he wasn't good enough to really play as he got older. He was looking forward to joining some of the academic stuff like science Olympiad but he missed the deadlines.... So.... there really isn't anything in the school he is actively involved in. Freshman year, he was looking at stuff.... but and then covid....

Outside of school, he did volunteer some but now those places don't really want kids volunteering so that has been hard.

I don't know if the school will let us switch to virtual at this point, but I am going to look at the Academy place to see what it says. At some point, it gets hard to make up all the work you are missing. And I am shocked the school is not calling to ask what is going on. I call him in because he is not skipping, he is in my home. And he says he says his allergies are bugging him or his stomach hurts, etc... so we have gone to the dr a few times, just to make sure he is ok. But....

Thoughts on how to help him see that this can't continue? He either needs to go to school, decide we need to fight to get into virtual somewhere or maybe nova is the answer if that is allowed, or find a way to get into therapy sooner to help him work though what is causing this issue.

[Anonymous]

I found the school psychologist to be much more helpful with school anxiety than the guidance counselor. Schedule an apt for when your son can meet with her. There were days when my son only went in to meet with her but it got him in the building and she worked with his teachers to have a plan to make up the work he missed. It was hard for a long time, but he got through it. Good luck !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is your kid involved in anything outside of school that they enjoy? I always hated going to school. I was much happier in college when I didn’t have to sit inside the same building from 8-3 each day M-F. I played a sport through junior year that I enjoyed but honestly, my senior year I was counting the days until it was over.

My own son had some issues with virtual school but also enjoyed the freedom. He doesn’t like getting up and going to school every day now but it’s required so there’s no discussion on that. He’s involved in sports for two seasons so that keeps him motivated to stay least get there and do what he needs to do, to remain eligible to play.

My kid is not a sports kid. I agree that is a great way to keep them involved. For kids who are not athletic (like mine), it is really hard to find something. We tried in elementary school but he wasn't good enough to really play as he got older. He was looking forward to joining some of the academic stuff like science Olympiad but he missed the deadlines.... So.... there really isn't anything in the school he is actively involved in. Freshman year, he was looking at stuff.... but and then covid....

Outside of school, he did volunteer some but now those places don't really want kids volunteering so that has been hard.

I don't know if the school will let us switch to virtual at this point, but I am going to look at the Academy place to see what it says. At some point, it gets hard to make up all the work you are missing. And I am shocked the school is not calling to ask what is going on. I call him in because he is not skipping, he is in my home. And he says he says his allergies are bugging him or his stomach hurts, etc... so we have gone to the dr a few times, just to make sure he is ok. But....

Thoughts on how to help him see that this can't continue? He either needs to go to school, decide we need to fight to get into virtual somewhere or maybe nova is the answer if that is allowed, or find a way to get into therapy sooner to help him work though what is causing this issue.

Just so you know, you do t need permission from the school to switch to many of the virtual schools. It’s similar to private and homeschooling. Once you register at any of the many virtual schools, you go to the HS and complete an unenrollment form and show them the confirmation of your new enrollment. There is no approval process, you are just unenrolling and you don’t need to give them notice. Just make sure to request a transcript and get any copies of test results you may want from ParentVue. Once he is unenrolled, you won’t have access to that (easily) anymore.

[Anonymous]

NoVA offers a wide variety of DE courses. My daughter has taken 5 in the last years. You don’t have to be in public school to do them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NoVA offers a wide variety of DE courses. My daughter has taken 5 in the last years. You don’t have to be in public school to do them.

If you aren't in public school when you take the classes, how do you then get a high school diploma?

When my older child took a class (years ago) at NOVA, it required her public school to sign off on it. It was part of the enrollment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NoVA offers a wide variety of DE courses. My daughter has taken 5 in the last years. You don’t have to be in public school to do them.

If you aren't in public school when you take the classes, how do you then get a high school diploma?

When my older child took a class (years ago) at NOVA, it required her public school to sign off on it. It was part of the enrollment.

Mine was homeschooled - they offer a lot of DE classes for homeschoolers.