HS Seniors - What to expect?

[Anonymous]

Last day for seniors is it May 22?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm happy for all the kids who didn't fit in. Who hated high school and couldn't get out of there fast enough!

I'm 11:42. That was me in high school! I was bullied very badly and excluded by people who I thought were my friends, which is why I did not go to most of the senior events for my class nor care about them. All I wanted was to graduate and go to college. I was in such a depressed state at times during high school, that my parents were worried I was going to come home and kill myself.

If this had happened during my senior year, I would have been thrilled about getting out early (minus the global pandemic) and not having to hear about the senior events and all of the drama surrounding them and having pressure from teachers and administrators to go to them, when I rather would get a root canal on a Saturday!

This is my kid. Haven't seen him this happy in years.

+1

The ceremonies are more for the parents. The kids can "chat" with their teachers, if they really want to.

Think about the next class, OP - the ons who won't get to take the SAT, the ones who won't get to visit their potential colleges, the ones that have so many UNKNOWNS about college, but there is nothing that can be done about those things. At least the seniors have been admitted to college.

The ceremonies will be forgotten, anyway - the parent just want their instagram moments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm happy for all the kids who didn't fit in. Who hated high school and couldn't get out of there fast enough!

I'm 11:42. That was me in high school! I was bullied very badly and excluded by people who I thought were my friends, which is why I did not go to most of the senior events for my class nor care about them. All I wanted was to graduate and go to college. I was in such a depressed state at times during high school, that my parents were worried I was going to come home and kill myself.

If this had happened during my senior year, I would have been thrilled about getting out early (minus the global pandemic) and not having to hear about the senior events and all of the drama surrounding them and having pressure from teachers and administrators to go to them, when I rather would get a root canal on a Saturday!

This is my kid. Haven't seen him this happy in years.

+1

The ceremonies are more for the parents. The kids can "chat" with their teachers, if they really want to.

Think about the next class, OP - the ons who won't get to take the SAT, the ones who won't get to visit their potential colleges, the ones that have so many UNKNOWNS about college, but there is nothing that can be done about those things. At least the seniors have been admitted to college.

The ceremonies will be forgotten, anyway - the parent just want their instagram moments.

Won't get to take the SATs..is it a fun thing? Most took them before March. The strongest students have good scores to start and the rest are thrilled they are not as required. They do not have to go through the agony of repeated attempts to beat the test. Since this affect the whole country no one is disadvantaged by it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last day for seniors is it May 22?

I have not seen any confirmation of a last day in MCPS. Is it based on the graduation schedule, or are all seniors out on the same day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm happy for all the kids who didn't fit in. Who hated high school and couldn't get out of there fast enough!

I'm 11:42. That was me in high school! I was bullied very badly and excluded by people who I thought were my friends, which is why I did not go to most of the senior events for my class nor care about them. All I wanted was to graduate and go to college. I was in such a depressed state at times during high school, that my parents were worried I was going to come home and kill myself.

If this had happened during my senior year, I would have been thrilled about getting out early (minus the global pandemic) and not having to hear about the senior events and all of the drama surrounding them and having pressure from teachers and administrators to go to them, when I rather would get a root canal on a Saturday!

This is my kid. Haven't seen him this happy in years.

+1

The ceremonies are more for the parents. The kids can "chat" with their teachers, if they really want to.

Think about the next class, OP - the ons who won't get to take the SAT, the ones who won't get to visit their potential colleges, the ones that have so many UNKNOWNS about college, but there is nothing that can be done about those things. At least the seniors have been admitted to college.

The ceremonies will be forgotten, anyway - the parent just want their instagram moments.

Won't get to take the SATs..is it a fun thing? Most took them before March. The strongest students have good scores to start and the rest are thrilled they are not as required. They do not have to go through the agony of repeated attempts to beat the test. Since this affect the whole country no one is disadvantaged by it.

Did most? I'm not the PP you're responding to, and most likely don't run in the same circles as you, but I have a HS Jr. and most of his friends hadn't taken SATs yet. They were prepping for the March in-school SAT day, maybe retaking in June. My DS is one of the few in his class who had taken them in October, but he was also in a prep class to try to increase his score with the March in-school test. He was also looking forward to trying the ACT this spring do see how he would do on that vs. SAT.

But we don't really know how most colleges will look at tests, do we know they aren't "as required"? The admissions officials my DS has been in touch with says they're still considering different options. There's also the question of how colleges will determine merit scholarships with a lack of standardized tests. Those financial packages are a big factor for a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last day for seniors is it May 22?

I have not seen any confirmation of a last day in MCPS. Is it based on the graduation schedule, or are all seniors out on the same day?

MCPS just confirmed it will remain 5/22 despite no graduations. Email came up Sunday.

[Anonymous]

DP with a HS junior who did take the SAT last fall, but is one of very few of his friends who did. (I knew he wouldn't prep, plays a serious travel sport and have older kids so just wanted to cross one thing off the list.) He did surprisingly well, but I know a lot of his friends were prepping for the March test that never happened.

[Anonymous]

Wow I am a senior English teacher and so many of my students are absolutely devastated right now — some of you posting on this thread are downright mean!

Most schools are scrambling to try to find ways to help them feel special. And they SHOULD feel special. I’m disheartened to read so many parents disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow I am a senior English teacher and so many of my students are absolutely devastated right now — some of you posting on this thread are downright mean!

Most schools are scrambling to try to find ways to help them feel special. And they SHOULD feel special. I’m disheartened to read so many parents disagree.

My DD gets the graduation stuff is not happening. She was upset, but is ok now. She is completely unmotivated to do work -- she does not get the point. Her college is not going to rescind the acceptance when her grades through three quarters (which should be her final grade per FCPS), are 6A's and a B. She just does not care about school. She is punting on most of the AP tests, because since they are covering a subset of the year, she will not get the credit she needs. She misses the interactions, though, and is terrified that the fall will be distance learning.

(she would not go to prom: she hates loud music).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I am a senior English teacher and so many of my students are absolutely devastated right now — some of you posting on this thread are downright mean!

Most schools are scrambling to try to find ways to help them feel special. And they SHOULD feel special. I’m disheartened to read so many parents disagree.

My DD gets the graduation stuff is not happening. She was upset, but is ok now. She is completely unmotivated to do work -- she does not get the point. Her college is not going to rescind the acceptance when her grades through three quarters (which should be her final grade per FCPS), are 6A's and a B. She just does not care about school. She is punting on most of the AP tests, because since they are covering a subset of the year, she will not get the credit she needs. She misses the interactions, though, and is terrified that the fall will be distance learning.

(she would not go to prom: she hates loud music).

Which schools have said they will not accept AP exam credit from this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow I am a senior English teacher and so many of my students are absolutely devastated right now — some of you posting on this thread are downright mean!

Most schools are scrambling to try to find ways to help them feel special. And they SHOULD feel special. I’m disheartened to read so many parents disagree.

Thank you for this. All the seniors we know are very sad about how their senior year is ending, missed traditions, no time with friends, no graduation. Creative ways to recognize their efforts are very appreciated until in person ceremonies can take place.

[Anonymous]

I think most colleges will accept the AP credit if they have before. What a mistake it would be not to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow I am a senior English teacher and so many of my students are absolutely devastated right now — some of you posting on this thread are downright mean!

Most schools are scrambling to try to find ways to help them feel special. And they SHOULD feel special. I’m disheartened to read so many parents disagree.

Devastated? Oh please! They should watch the news out of NYC and NJ (where I live) to get some perspective. That's devastating. Not being able to have some dance and ceremony is not devastating. Maybe it's kind of disappointing, but not devastating! If this had happened during my senior year (2008) and I was being a sour puss over senior stuff being canceled, my mother would have screamed, "Grow up and get the f*** over it!" in my face. She actually did that to me a few years ago when I was upset over not getting a new job that I really wanted.

I am actually an HS teacher too and some of my students are actually relieved about not having the prom and all-night grad party, because they did not want to go and their parents were going to force them to go. A lot of them also made comments about how graduation was going to be boring, because they had attended previous ceremonies due to being in band or choir. I don't think the kids are as upset as they are being made out to be. They are being more mature than most adults about this.

[Anonymous]

You do you. But you can’t tell others how to feel. While well aware of what’s going on in the country which does help with perspective, seniors have a right to feel their loss too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You do you. But you can’t tell others how to feel. While well aware of what’s going on in the country which does help with perspective, seniors have a right to feel their loss too.

What are they really losing? They're still graduating. They're still going to get to get their diplomas and go on to college/jobs. They have the technology to stay in touch with friends. They're only losing out on the symbolic ceremonies.