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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]There is an 8th period where no academic classes are scheduled for activities, makeup sessions with teachers, tutoring, etc.

Monday, all academic classes meet (periods 1-7)
Tu/Th Periods 1-4 (block)
W/F Periods 5-8 (block)

Here is info on schedule planning:

https://tjhsst.fcps.edu/node/3145[/quote]

Thanks!

Is it always that way, or does it sometimes switch up?  If, for example, there is a snow day on Wednesday, or a holiday, does the next day switch?

I'm asking because my kid needs a modified schedule to allow for standing medical appointments.  I'm trying to figure out if it's worth having him apply.  [/quote]

They try to keep things constant, and don’t switch up every time there is a snow day.  But, things can and do switch. For example, PSAT day, J Day, TJStar, assemblies.  Plus, beginning around AP exams, anchor days (Periods 1-7) disappear for the year, and they just alternate between red (period 1-4) and blue (period 5-8) days. So one week red days are M, W, F and the next are. Tu, Th until the end of the year.

Legally, if you ask, TJ has to tell you they will try to accommodate a modified schedule under an IEP. iRL, I can’t imagine that working. Your kid needs to be there every minute possible. They can’t get all the requirements in in 6 classes.  Even with summer school, many kids are pushed to get all the extra requirements.  And even if your kid was willing to miss 8th period, some are mandatory— they are used for extra class meetings, for test retakes, for Required attendance events.

I have a kid at TJ under a 504 plan, and TJ is very clear— they will not modify the core curriculum to accommodate a disability.  Your kid might be able to get extended time  for math tests with good documentation. But, they can’t opt out of any piece of the curriculum, even for a disability.  I would not plan on having your kid skip 8th period, or any other period once a week. Even if you can force TJ to go along, you are setting your kid up to fail when they aren’t there to work on the group presentation or do the physics retake during the only period where it is available or compete in the robot competition for IBET or take an afternoon AP exam or...[/quote]

Thanks!

That's helpful. DS is at the point where he'd require substantial modifications to schedule (e.g. half day homebound, fifth year), but not curriculum wherever he goes, and will almost certainly be skipping "mandatory" things, and dong things during at times when they aren't available to peers. So, this is about more than skipping one class.

Are there any parents of kids with IEP's at TJ who can share their experience?  [/quote]

My kid has a 504.  TJ would not make this type of modification, because the “mandatory” things are, in fact, mandatory and not “mandatory”.  Because it would be impossible to complete the coursework required for a Jefferson diploma with this schedule— and students are required to complete the Jefferson diploma. And because group work, lab work and being physically present in class every day is essential to the curriculum. If your kid isn’t there to complete a group project, build devices in electronics, build his robot, do his part of the presentation, participate in peer editing of papers, etc., etc., he will fail.  TJ isn’t just a high school. It’s a full curriculum that is very hands on.  It’s a lot more than just access to advanced math classes.  You can’t just skip Senior Lab or design tech or other classes that don’t work. It’s not an a la charge education.  You do it all— every paper, project, assignment, presentation, extra class and mandatory event, or you drop back.

TJ believes— and I think they are correct on this— that if a kid cannot complete 100% of the curriculum for whatever reason— too hard, too stressful, they hate it, illness, family problems, then they can get a good, free public education at their base school, which is set up to handle accommodate.  And that TJ is not required to make more than minimal accommodations for students that do not impact the Jefferson diploma requirements.

Many kids with even short term physical problems, like mono, end up having to drop back to their base school. My kid had a random physical problem unrelated to the 504.  They missed about a two days of school a month for a semester, and felt ill many days they attended. They then had surgery which corrected the issue.  Their grades took a big hit that semester, and we came very close to having to drop this kid back to the base school. If the problem had not been resolved when it was, my kid would definitely not still be at TJ.  They simply missed too many classes where hands on work was being done.

I think you are underestimating what the TJ curriculum entails. And I am not sure why you would put a kid with health problems in a situation that a healthy kid who never missed school would find incredibly stressful.  You would be setting him up to fail.  No matter how smart the kid is, TJ just won’t work for a kid who is homebound half time and cannot be physically present. [/quote]

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