Early dismissal for Dance or Sports?

[Anonymous]

My DD is a ballet dancer and wants to try to dance professionally. She is also an honors student and wants to continue to do well academically (looking forward to AP coursework beginning in 9th grade).

For dancers at the high school level, the studio's classes begin at 2:30. Schools don't get out until 2:30. We will need at least 60 minutes to get her to the ballet studio and give her time to change (she can eat a snack in the car). I keep hearing parents say that they arrange for their child to leave early if they need dance time, rink time, sports private coaching, etc. How does one go about doing that? Talk to the principal? I see no information on the MCPS website.

If your child does this, how did you arrange it? What do students do for their last class? Take a virtual one? Make up courses over the summer?

[Anonymous]

I don't know the procedure but you can design it so she doesn't have a class the last period. She will likely not need the credit.

There are students who take a study hall type class for one period every semester and it does not impact their ability to graduate. She can also take some classes during summer school to make up credits if needed but I highly doubt that will be needed.

[Anonymous]

Talk to counselor. We had friends who did this. First year, kid didn't need to leave early so did an extra period (school has extea magnet period). After that did study hall and some online classes I think. If counselor can't help, try counseling resource teacher. If that doesn't work, principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a ballet dancer and wants to try to dance professionally. She is also an honors student and wants to continue to do well academically (looking forward to AP coursework beginning in 9th grade).

For dancers at the high school level, the studio's classes begin at 2:30. Schools don't get out until 2:30. We will need at least 60 minutes to get her to the ballet studio and give her time to change (she can eat a snack in the car). I keep hearing parents say that they arrange for their child to leave early if they need dance time, rink time, sports private coaching, etc. How does one go about doing that? Talk to the principal? I see no information on the MCPS website.

If your child does this, how did you arrange it? What do students do for their last class? Take a virtual one? Make up courses over the summer?

Also look into taking summer classes that give credit. It helps with getting classes out of the way to allow free periods at the end of the day.