Friendly PSA about Virtual Virginia Summer PE (APS edition)

[Anonymous]

If your child wants to take PE9 or PE10 through VV this summer, let their counselor know. The counselor keeps a list and then, in a little while (March last year), you will be contacted by the person in the counseling office who acts as the VV registrar for your school. They will have registered your kid and created a student account and two parent accounts (one as mentor, one to pay). It's pretty straightforward.

When the summer program starts, there will be daily meetings online. These are recorded, so your kid can watch it later. There is a fitness requirement of 2 or 3 hours a week. That can be fulfilled either with a movement tracker or a sign off by a coach. There is a limit to max minutes per day, but it was pretty high. Your kid certainly doesn't have to take 5 days to complete the exercise requirement. If your kid always has work or practice during class, that's fine. They just log on another time. They can work ahead, to an extent. Part of the class involves a class discussion board and your kid will need to respond within 24 hours. That is why go can't go completely off the grid and still be in class, which makes sense. If you go on vacation, just make sure you have connectivity and your kid will be fine.

It's super simple and an easy way to open up spots in the schedule.

[Anonymous]

Our counselor told 8th graders that it may not be an option to take PE this summer. To add to that, some teachers are hearing rumors that its because they will mandate PE due to a "required" drug/mental health unit. Its making things difficult w/r to CRFs right now...

[Anonymous]

Does APS offer zero period (before school)? In Loudoun, many kids take PE 9 or 10 (or both) during zero period to create a slot.

[Anonymous]

Last year, the counselor told my kid to put PE as an alternate. Fill out the course form as if summer PE will happen. If virtual Virginia is not an option, they will bump it and put PE in. Also, your kid can change the CRF anytime before school gets out this year.

[Anonymous]

Newbie HS parent here- why do they need/what do they do with open periods? I saw someone mention their kids in sports need them- but aren't sports after school? Or are these kids having a morning practice? Things are WAY more complex than when I was in school lol.

[Anonymous]

That is crap. And completely unfair to kids involved in the arts. Particularly in the IB program, but across all the schools. There will be a mutiny if they don’t allow this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is crap. And completely unfair to kids involved in the arts. Particularly in the IB program, but across all the schools. There will be a mutiny if they don’t allow this.

What does this mean? How does this impacts kids in the arts (not being contrary, I just dont understand).

[Anonymous]

And thank you OP, that is a summary that I’ve been very much looking for. VV doesn’t give much detail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is crap. And completely unfair to kids involved in the arts. Particularly in the IB program, but across all the schools. There will be a mutiny if they don’t allow this.

What does this mean? How does this impacts kids in the arts (not being contrary, I just dont understand).

It’s often hard for kids who want to do IB or AP sciences (which require 2 blocks) to get in all the requirements and take band or chorus all 4 years. Summer PE is a way to get back a block or two for music. And FCPS allows it as does LCPS. So there will be a lot of complaints if APS doesn’t. Starting with me. 😀

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Newbie HS parent here- why do they need/what do they do with open periods? I saw someone mention their kids in sports need them- but aren't sports after school? Or are these kids having a morning practice? Things are WAY more complex than when I was in school lol.

High school sports generally take place outside of class time. Sometimes meets or games might be earlier, but there is no reason a student would miss school regularly. I am assuming the person who referenced extra time for sports means their kid is in a club sport that takes a lot of time. So, the kids can use the free period to do their homework since they don’t have as much time in the evening. At our school, I believe only seniors are allowed to have a free period.

Mine took summer PE because the number of requirements for the advanced diploma meant they wouldn’t be able to explore different electives. We all agreed. It was more important to try different courses before trying to figure out what they wanted to study in college. If your kid plans on taking AP science and foreign language all the way through high school, there’s not a lot of wiggle room.

[Anonymous]

agree with PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Newbie HS parent here- why do they need/what do they do with open periods? I saw someone mention their kids in sports need them- but aren't sports after school? Or are these kids having a morning practice? Things are WAY more complex than when I was in school lol.

High school sports generally take place outside of class time. Sometimes meets or games might be earlier, but there is no reason a student would miss school regularly. I am assuming the person who referenced extra time for sports means their kid is in a club sport that takes a lot of time. So, the kids can use the free period to do their homework since they don’t have as much time in the evening. At our school, I believe only seniors are allowed to have a free period.

Mine took summer PE because the number of requirements for the advanced diploma meant they wouldn’t be able to explore different electives. We all agreed. It was more important to try different courses before trying to figure out what they wanted to study in college. If your kid plans on taking AP science and foreign language all the way through high school, there’s not a lot of wiggle room.

Thank you!

I can why this issue is further compounded by the ridiculous requirement that the kids have sequential electives now. HS should be a time to explore different electives, meanwhile they're stressing 8th graders out saying their electives should reflect what they want to do in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Newbie HS parent here- why do they need/what do they do with open periods? I saw someone mention their kids in sports need them- but aren't sports after school? Or are these kids having a morning practice? Things are WAY more complex than when I was in school lol.

High school sports generally take place outside of class time. Sometimes meets or games might be earlier, but there is no reason a student would miss school regularly. I am assuming the person who referenced extra time for sports means their kid is in a club sport that takes a lot of time. So, the kids can use the free period to do their homework since they don’t have as much time in the evening. At our school, I believe only seniors are allowed to have a free period.

Mine took summer PE because the number of requirements for the advanced diploma meant they wouldn’t be able to explore different electives. We all agreed. It was more important to try different courses before trying to figure out what they wanted to study in college. If your kid plans on taking AP science and foreign language all the way through high school, there’s not a lot of wiggle room.

Thank you!

I can why this issue is further compounded by the ridiculous requirement that the kids have sequential electives now. HS should be a time to explore different electives, meanwhile they're stressing 8th graders out saying their electives should reflect what they want to do in HS.

Sorry- beyond HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child wants to take PE9 or PE10 through VV this summer, let their counselor know. The counselor keeps a list and then, in a little while (March last year), you will be contacted by the person in the counseling office who acts as the VV registrar for your school. They will have registered your kid and created a student account and two parent accounts (one as mentor, one to pay). It's pretty straightforward.

When the summer program starts, there will be daily meetings online. These are recorded, so your kid can watch it later. There is a fitness requirement of 2 or 3 hours a week. That can be fulfilled either with a movement tracker or a sign off by a coach. There is a limit to max minutes per day, but it was pretty high. Your kid certainly doesn't have to take 5 days to complete the exercise requirement. If your kid always has work or practice during class, that's fine. They just log on another time. They can work ahead, to an extent. Part of the class involves a class discussion board and your kid will need to respond within 24 hours. That is why go can't go completely off the grid and still be in class, which makes sense. If you go on vacation, just make sure you have connectivity and your kid will be fine.

It's super simple and an easy way to open up spots in the schedule.

EXCEPT if your child is at Wakefield. They seem to have a lot of trouble understanding this option and then actually letting a student take it. So make sure you are asking over and over to make sure it happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is crap. And completely unfair to kids involved in the arts. Particularly in the IB program, but across all the schools. There will be a mutiny if they don’t allow this.

What does this mean? How does this impacts kids in the arts (not being contrary, I just dont understand).

It’s often hard for kids who want to do IB or AP sciences (which require 2 blocks) to get in all the requirements and take band or chorus all 4 years. Summer PE is a way to get back a block or two for music. And FCPS allows it as does LCPS. So there will be a lot of complaints if APS doesn’t. Starting with me. 😀

This doesn't make sense because the AP sciences that require 2 periods aren't allowed to be taken until junior year and the PE requirement is only for freshman and sophomores. IB sciences are two years, rather than two periods.

I agree people want more flexibility and that's why they take it in the summer, but the flexibility isn't for AP/IB science classes.