The trauma of the first day of high school

[BriarRose]

Oh my what to wear. It will be warm so of course the new wool dress is out as are the cute new psychedelic tights . Not only is it the first day but it is also picture day. That is cruel and unusual punishment.

We went to an open house last night at this bizarre school George will be attending. There is actually no school, no cafeteria no gym and no lockers no cheerleaders and no football team. It is held upstairs from the food circus at the Seattle Center. Cool, she can ride the Wild Mouse at lunch. The school is about 300 kids in 4 grades. Notable that for the first time ever I was nowhere NEAR the oldest parent. She knows one other kid but most are from all over the city so few know many others. There was a girl in a wolf hat. Wolf girl's mother was wearing a $3000 coat I just looked at CrackerJack. At least 4 same sex couples. One typical obnoxious dad already whining about where his little genius was placed in math class. More odd colored hair on kids than I care for and too much facial hardware. This has been discussed. LOTS of concern over metro bus riding and passes and security. No security at all and its either metro or a ride from parents.

Welcome to your high school experience. lololol

[Tiddly]

wow how did you find that school? I hope she likes it!

[dollygirl]

Is this a public school? And how did George get in it? Can anyone attend.

Reminds me of the oh so progressive elementary school my brothers and sister attended in Denver in the 1970s. Very forward thinking - no walls, just "pods" where kids moved from subject to subject at their own pace. Everything was sort of "go with the flow. My brother ended up shooting basketball for most of the day because he finished his work so fast. It was ridiculous.

[OnSolidPath]

That must be some alternative school. You mention --4 grades/300 kids I hope she's at the upper end of the age range and not vice versa, I'm one of those parents who is a firm beliver that 14yo girls and 18 yo boys is a bad mix.

[BriarRose]

OnSolid it is a Seattle public School and yes it is alternative. Yes she is at the bottom of the food chain. (Yesterday a waiter in La Conner asked her if she went to the U) YIKES!!!The magnet is the arts what with all the venues right at hand at the Center. The have strong ties to The Rep and also Seattle Art Institute. Science class is held at The Science Center! You do apply. Anyone can get in but a recommendation does help as well as locality. We had both, living in Ballard and a recommendation from her art teacher last year. You all might know there was a recent SCOTUS ruling based on Seattle’s race/ locality/lottery system of assigning schools. Basically it says a child MUST be allowed to attend the school in his or her district therefore a fair number of students are from Queen Anne and also Magnolia.

Seattle has closed many schools, particularly in the north end, hoping to force more diversity. Of course it worked no better than did bussing in the 70s. Seattle is simply NOT an integrated city and never will be. Queen Anne High School was closed years ago. All Queen Anne and Magnolia kids now go to Ballard which has over 1600 this year. I knew George would fall through the cracks in a school that large.

This school also works well for her with the metro bus. Seattle supplies no transportation for kids in high school. She does get a bus pass free like I do. If she loses it, which she will, it will be 50cents to ride. She could of course have walked to Ballard. She is two blocks from a stop for the #18 which goes right up to the Center. We did a trial run on Friday both ways. I did ride with her this morning and she insists she can get home alone. I agree and there were about 5 on the bus going to Center, including the boy she knows. Funny, his dad was along for the ride and when they saw that I allowed George off alone, dad also stepped back and the two headed out together. Ah the joy of pretending to the world you have no parents.

The drama of what to wear resulted in EMO pencil jeans and an AFI Tshirt. Ug but of course the non conformists all have to dress the same. Hehe. ( George was not amused) The boy she knows had pencil jeans and a Che Guevera T. Lord!

[Phoebe]

Bermie is enjoying her new school year. She told me that alot of kids she knew in her class are in the year ahead of hers. Most of her classmates from last year are not in her class. I emailed the principal last night asking for clarification just so to make sure this was a good placement. Bermie has to follow a dress code which is fine for now. That itself eliminates arguments in the morning. She loves to dress trendy and different than most 2nd graders. I am grateful for uniforms at this time. The yellow bus picks her up and drops her off. I hope this is a good year for her.

[Stariondad]

Is that 1600 for the high school or 1600 per grade at the regular high school ? My perspectine may be scewed but 1600 per high school / 400 per grade I wouldn't consider "big". I'd consider that on the smaller side.

OSP - with this school having only 75 kids per grade then I think boys aren't going to be that big of a distraction/problem. If half are boys (which for an "Art" type school I would guess in reality less than half - and maybe 20 percent of those not looking at the girls (if you get my drift)) that leaves maybe 100 total ? 25 per grade ? Kind of slim pickins.....

New adventure for George ! Cool !

[willowtree]

Ah the joy of pretending to the world you have no parents.

LOL, Briar. Isn't that the truth! My SIX year old grandson, this morning on his first day, made sure to turn around once to make sure no-one was looking before giving his Mom a hug goodbye. She was devastated... I had to laugh. Wait another couple of years till he does that at the mall, but first asks for money.

[BriarRose]

Starion 1600 is large because the building was built a few year back for 1200. I suppose Ballard is lucky they didn’t close them down also. Seattle has closed down two high schools in this general area, Queen Anne and Lincoln. Ballard and Roosevelt are all that are left and Roosevelt is around 2000 and would have been a harder commute on metro. Simply they want us to send our kids to the south end and I won’t do it. It has nothing to do with race. There are some great schools down there. There is another excellent alternative school called Nova that is right in the CD where a few of her friends will be going but to get there means two buses, an hour and a half and a transfer in an area where I don’t think a 14 year old needs to be standing on a street corner. If this city would provide transportation I would have no issue.

George came home super first day excited. “A whole school full of kids just like me!” (Super. geeks? No did NOT say that) On and I don’t know about boy issues. Those drama types can be lethal. The senior class president spoke to us last night and he sounded and looked like Lawrence Olivier.

I don’t know about George sometimes. Her favorite things are physics and art, both in abundance at this school. Because it is small they do not have the variety to offer in many things. Spanish for example is all they offer for languages but George wanted to take that anyway as she actually has a fairly good grasp of Spanish already. Her other elective this year will be a film class taken with instructors from Seattle Art Institute. That surprised me as I assumed she would want a more traditional art class. They did tell us last night that art is incorporated into all classes, even math????

[m-over-m]

Ya gotta love Seattle. What ever happened to good 'ol Nathan Hale HS? Sounds like your daughter is enrolled in the School of Rock! (Isn't that where the "music experience" is?)

We had fun trying to navigate our way through downtown on a recent day-trip to Seattle. While married, my ex, son, and I spent every summer vacation (and sometimes holidays) in Seattle and the San Juans. Now (I hadn't been there in 9 years since the divorce), I got lost trying to find Pike's Market and the aquarium. We drove past the Seattle Center and the boys wanted to get out and explore, but there just wasn't time. There was still Safeco, Qwest, and Husky stadium to drive by (sorta tells you where son's and nephew's priorities are)...

[BriarRose]

Hale is still open but LakeCity would be a long commute also from Ballard. Music Experience? You mean that wrecked guitar that Allen dropped into the Center? Ghastly. I grow to dislike him more each day. Did you know he actually wanted to tear down Memorial Stadium to build that monstrosity? The names of every Seattle school graduate who died in WWII are engraved on that stadium. I am surprised the city said no to him to be honest.

[spinning]

>They did tell us last night that art is incorporated into all classes, even math????<

Omigosh Briar, you just made my day...going off in tears of joy. (now if you had added '...AND MUSIC are incorporated'...I wouldn't be able to contain myself.)

First day of school here...daughter got her license/car, and can now drive herself and brother to HS (our 9-12 gr = approx. 1100...largest enrollment in years)

Youngest daughter is in last year of elementary school-which starts 2.5 hours later.

I am subbing in my old department (with yet another director) until they hire a new secretary. This new director is actually the second one I worked for, recycled. He's an interesting fellow...love his bits of history -keeps the day moving. He likes to remind everyone "the 'beginning of time' (Greece) was all about Art, Music and Phys. Ed dontcha know?" LOL

[BriarRose]

Driving? Oh my that terrifies me. There will be no driving to Center because there is no place to park. Took me half an hour to find a place for $8 on open house evening. The staff told us most teachers ride the bus also and a group Van Pools from West Searle. Seattle is trying to discourage driving by students and is getting rid of nearly all student parking at schools. I can see some difficulty when they have to do their hours of community service and their internship, both which will of course be off campus. We will have to take locality into consideration in her choice. Something downtown, on Queen Anne or in Ballard would work.

I love this idea of outside school work. 75 hours are required for community service and 60 for an internship. The internship can be paid. I think all schools here require this now. Already we are getting solicitations for community service projects. I am gonna ask at work if there might be something George could do at the Locks.

At Center required PE must also must be on your own time and walking your dog does not qualify. The Ballard Community Center has cheap yoga classes and one is also offered after school at Center. Next week they will walk to the downtown library which seems to me should qualify as it is a heck of a long walk and coming home will all be uphill, the last 5 blocks up Queen Anne Hill, (think San Francisco) . I don’t know why they are not riding the bus since they all now have free passes. I guess they do this quite often since there is not much of a library at this school. I know there is a Queen Anne branch also but I think it is on Upper Queen Anne which means a walk straight up the Counter Balance, the steepest street in Seattle. I once got shin splints running up in wooden clogs when I was late for a workshop.

I like what Starion said about a new adventure. This is one and that is exactly why I encouraged her to apply here. George is still a little nervous about getting around Seattle. Albuquerque is a small town and Seattle is not. At her age I was allover on buses and on foot but I grew up here and I forget that. We plan to meet next week downtown. She can catch the monorail from the Center straight to downtown and meet me there when I get off work at an easy location she is familiar with. She knows Ballard very well from riding buses last year. This will help her branch out a bit.

I STILL want to know how art is integrated with math.

[OnSolidPath]

Colored pencils for the equations?:rolleyes:

[BriarRose]

HA! We had to get colored pencils last night.

I suppose I can see some architecture work in geometry. George is already planning her Dia de los Muertos design for Humanities as they are doing the Americas. How sweet little cupcakes shaped like headstones.

She is sure she will ace first year Spanish and I admit I am taken back by how much she actually knows. Certainly that fact she knows pronunciation is a step ahead of many and half her classes in Albuquerque were bilingual, even math. Heck just the names of places in New Mexico gives her many nouns and adjectives. Villa Nueva, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Manzanos, Sandias, Mesa Verde, Casa Grande, Camino Real, Paseo del Norte, Tierra Amarillo. The assignment for today was to be able to introduce yourself and tell something you like. The speech she prepared is funny and ends with how she does NOT like menudo and thinks it means hurl in English.

[Stariondad]

"I STILL want to know how art is integrated with math."

Paint by numbers ! Red = # 1, blue = # 2 ....

And for the connect the dots to make the pretty pictures to color ! <rad>

[BriarRose]

No s*** Starion. I could not believe I had to buy colored pencils. Crayons too maybe? Geeeez

Oh another thing. I have to pay fairly hefty fees for many of these classes. I knew that going in but still it sucks.

[Tiddly]

Briar, sounds like she's going to be very happy and do well with the transportation because you are allowing her to grow up and handle things as they come. I hope she has a wonderful year.

I remember the year my youngest son got into the Math and Science school here in Miss. and he was sooooooooooooooooooo happy to finally get with a group of kids who were 'LIKE HIM'. He boarded there 11 and 12th grades.. Best thing to happen to him.

[dollygirl]

Art and math -- perspective, symmetry, asymmetry. Lots of graphic design/graphic art is computer driven and involves lots of math. Photography. etc.

[Bluefish]

At least 4 same sex couples.

So cool. How could you tell they all did it the same way? :)

Sorry, can't help myself.

[CheroCreek]

They came with a manual, Blue. :)

[BriarRose]

My gaydar is excellent Blue. It's called paying attention. : )

Well George came home tonight with a group and they all headed to the world famous Archie McFee's to waste the money they saved by having black coffee for lunch. SUCH sophisticated kiddies, ; ) black coffee and rubber chickens. lol Dang these kids are geeks.

[Stariondad]

LOL


O - need to add....

Enjoy Briar... - the teen fads that change every couple weeks are kind of fun IMO. We have a "classic novels" one going on for one kid now. Huck Finn and Tom S. and those... they are "sophisticated". LOL.

I'm getting a great kick out of it - because I remember the "what is the latest" - and "cool" - with the "in" kids - that changed regularly in H.S. Is so wierd - I remember rebuffing all that because I was a star jock - so I didn't have to "keep up" - (in my mind) but did keep track so to not be on the wrong side.... and not be un-cool. LOLOL

This is a great time in her life... hope she enjoys and makes some great friends and memories. Best of luck to her. And you !

[Phoebe]

Briar, that is a great experience fo George to get around on the bus, etc. I did the same thing in High school. We had to take city bus. Not bad except in winter.

She is going to grow a lot this year. That is a good thing!!!

[BriarRose]

Ah yes the fads. I happened to drive by Ballard High at lunch yesterday. Vintage is hot it seems. Pork pie hats and old tweed jackets on boys and LOOOOOOONG hair on boys. ( I like that) One girl had on a fur stole. I guess fur is ok if it is vintage. Dead animals ok if they died prior to 1950? Short hair for girls it seems and lots of color in hair but only black in clothing?????

Only the Asians wear the designer stuff from Nordstrom, spike heels, Coach bags and fancy jeans and long hair for girls. The 90s gangsta look is still hot for blacks though oddly I see more than a few Afros now instead of braids. Can’t tell what Latinos are wearing because they are all in cars and never on foot.

Oh oh and two Indian girls in gorgeous silk saris.......with giant white sneakers. Ruined the look. Funny that Ballard is more integrated than politically correct Center School. Ballard is a magnet for math and science but now has to allow in district enrollment first.

[Tuffy]

ahhh high school.

I hated it.

My daughter seems to be ok. She has found her kind there and is enjoying herself much more now then she did in 6th and 7th grade. She is in a big high school but that is ok. Lots of choices and it brings together kids she never would have met otherwise.

[BriarRose]

Ah Tuff yet another comment so many I know have made this week. About half of those I have talked with loathed high school. Funny though that comment does not seem to have a thing to do with how the person really was at that time, ‘popular’ or not, whatever. I think it has less to do with high school and more to do with how one handles the changes brought on by adolescence, family issues and expectations etc. I don’t recall that high school was particularly good or bad for me. I was not really a popular or active kid but neither was I unpopular or bullied in any way. I had a great family and two older married sisters who were kind to me so I suppose that made a difference. I was a good student with little effort. I was still pretty terrified of boys then so I did not date a great deal. I was pretty and thin but being we were poor I did not have Nordstrom clothes or a car like most of my friends did so I did not feel especially cool.

George and I talked till midnight last night about the whole high school experience, boys, popularity, being cool, academics, activities etc. ( more than a little conversation in there about her issues with dad also of course so this CAN be divorce related) Exhausting and somewhat cathartic for both of us. I do hope she can place all of this in perspective and walk through this time easily and not get so caught up in the drama of it all.

[2ndWind]

....yet another comment so many I know have made this week. About half of those I have talked with loathed high school. I think it has less to do with high school and more to do with how one handles the changes brought on by adolescence, family issues and expectations etc.

You're right. When I think back to high school, whatever made me unhappy usually had nothing to do w/ school; for me it was the relationship with my mother and the pressure she put on us. We definitely did not get along during those years.

Funny about the fitting in, too. My public h.s. finally mandated that girls had to wear dark-colored skirts (this is the early 1970's) so as to "decrease competition through clothing" or some such nonsense. Boys could wear whatever they wanted. While it certainly eliminated the problem of what to wear for the girls, I don't know how healthy that really is for kids.

[Tuffy]

Mine was mostly school.

I was the 3rd sister of 4, the frist two were very smart and I, wasn't as smart. And as I had teachers who taught not only my sisters, but my mother and her sisters, they would often bring it up in class as to "why aren't you as smart as your sisters?" Some of them were quite mean about it.

So that was a drag.

Plus, I did get bullied until I started mouthing off, then I just got into fights, until we all mellowed out and realised life was ok and we had to all manage to get along.

So that was a drag.

That and I just didn't care for where I was living in the winter...and the winter was most of the year. While I like the four seasons, I don't really care for a place that one season often covers the time space of three.

So that was a drag.


I didnt' have family issues, we got along fine. My sisters didn't make an issue of how smart they were (well every now and then one would). My parents were and are still great.

I just didn't care for high school, actually from 7th grade to the end of 10th grade.(which in my town was all in the same building.)

But, I realise you will have your own opinion.

[Phoebe]

I bumped into an old high school friend of mine recently. We were talking about our gym teachers, I asked her what the name of the female gym teacher?? I said, she looks just like the gym teacher from the movie Porky's. We all started laughing when I said that. My friend agreed with me.

[ghead1]

which one Phoebe? Lassie?

[Phoebe]

ghead, I don't remember her name. She was the one sitting on the toliet and singing when the snake came out. She ran into the gym and jumped on the boy.

Then I had another gym teacher, She reminded me of Joan Jett and she had this "tough act" going on during health class. She told us if we smoke ciggies or whatever, we would stop growing. I rolled my eyes at that one because my mother smokes and I still grew.

[Joline]

We're waiting for the day for college classes to start - but boy, I remember the fear over the first days of high school. She was convinced that someone would stuff her into a locker.

Now her big concern is driving the freeway to school each day (she's commuting). Can I trade back to the days of worrying about locker stuffing?

I really think she's going to love college. It suits her so much better than high school. I hope George loves where she's going, Briar.

[steamy]

I don't remember any trauma for myself or any of the boys the first day of whatever year. It was excitement. Even oldest, who's college was his 14th school, and he was always a geek. I think I agree with Briar, it's about how well you handle change. I grew up and went to school with the same kids 1st -12th grade, I was ready to leave, also had traveled by myself already.

The boys have moved all over until the last 6 years and all took new schools in stride and the divorce much better than I did. I grew up without much change, I'm glad they have a good grip on the reality of life.

They went to Annie Wright when we were in Gig Harbor, big gothic old school. Just another experience and we still keep in touch with some friends from there.

The trauma for me was dropping off youngest this year at college, he was thrilled. I stayed at a small resort on Lake michigan 2 days till I walked back into the empty nest....the dog was really happy to see me. Thank God I am back in school and busy!

Steam