4 years of language or band

[Anonymous]

In order to take a double period AP Biology class senior year, DD needs to drop either Spanish or band. Is it better to have four years of language, terminating in Honors Spanish 4, or four years of band, terminating in Wind Ensemble? If she keeps both, she’d need to take Health in summer school, which she really doesn’t want to do.

She wants to study Biology or Environmental Science in college.

[Anonymous]

Summer school like the rest of our kids.

[Anonymous]

What grade is she in now?

[Anonymous]

Rising junior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Summer school like the rest of our kids.

Yeah, my kids both did summer health in order to keep both music and a language. If not, I suppose keeping the language looks better, but if kids are enjoying music, it would be a shame to stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rising junior.

What does she prefer over language or band? She has at least 6 months to think about it.

[Anonymous]

Take both and do health over the summer - absolute no brainer

[Anonymous]

Almost everyone who is serious about music in MCPS takes health over the summer. It’s unfortunate that Health is now two semesters. She could split it up - take Health 1 this summer and Health 2 next summer. Alternatively, is it possible to take Health online during the school year? Is there a Montgomery College equivalent that she could take during the summer instead, knocking out a college elective? Would she be willing to take just Health 1 during the summer, take Band fall semester of senior year to stay involved, and Health 2 in spring of senior year? Just throwing out ideas…

[Anonymous]

OP here and unfortunately it’s too late to register her for this summer. It would have been ideal to do Health A this summer and Health B next summer. But we missed the cut off. So it’s six weeks next summer before senior year, interfering with an internship she wanted to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here and unfortunately it’s too late to register her for this summer. It would have been ideal to do Health A this summer and Health B next summer. But we missed the cut off. So it’s six weeks next summer before senior year, interfering with an internship she wanted to do.

The internship can be very valuable. Does the MCPS summer Health class require students to show up during the daytime? Have you looked into online MCPS options during the school year? I’m pretty sure that this used to be available for a fee. The Middle College students at Northwood can take HLTH105 at Montgomery College for their Health credit. If offered entirely online/asynchronous, this might suit your daughter’s schedule. Another option is to take an MC foreign language course during the summer, if offered in the evening or weekend. I would expect this class to be in-person or synchronous. My daughter took Span102 at MC the summer after HS freshman year and loved it. The professor was a native speaker. Class size is smaller than MCPS. The grammar and vocabulary exercises were all online, which I actually think is a very good use of technology. I wouldn’t necessarily worry about getting MCPS credit for this (we didn’t), but taking the college course and doing well can look good on Colle applications. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I'm kinda surprised as a junior she hasn't planned this out. I would say summer school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm kinda surprised as a junior she hasn't planned this out. I would say summer school.

Really? You’re surprised a 15-year-old hasn’t planned out her life yet? Do you know many sophomores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here and unfortunately it’s too late to register her for this summer. It would have been ideal to do Health A this summer and Health B next summer. But we missed the cut off. So it’s six weeks next summer before senior year, interfering with an internship she wanted to do.

Are you sure it would interfere with the internship? This year the Central Summer School Health classes are online, usually 2 days a week (plus a fair bit of busy work in between classes). The class times offered are 1:00-2:15p and 7:15-8:30p.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kinda surprised as a junior she hasn't planned this out. I would say summer school.

Really? You’re surprised a 15-year-old hasn’t planned out her life yet? Do you know many sophomores?

Yes, I have an incoming Freshman who is taking health ed this summer because of this issue. Thanks to the people here and talking about it, I didn't even make it an option, signed up my child and they are involintarily taking it now. I would think parents would monitor what classes their kids sign up for and help them plan it out but clearly many don't. We are trying to get as many of the required things early, including PE.

If I were OP, depending on how many language credits they have, I would say don't do a language senior year and do health ed one semester next summer and one senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here and unfortunately it’s too late to register her for this summer. It would have been ideal to do Health A this summer and Health B next summer. But we missed the cut off. So it’s six weeks next summer before senior year, interfering with an internship she wanted to do.

Are you sure it would interfere with the internship? This year the Central Summer School Health classes are online, usually 2 days a week (plus a fair bit of busy work in between classes). The class times offered are 1:00-2:15p and 7:15-8:30p.

And, the teacher, for us has already canceled one class. It meets three days a week but its a lot of homework.