Posts by mellowskipper

I suppose I should probably address this—though I’m not entirely sure why it matters now—but there's been some chatter regarding frupy. It’s all a bit disorganized, isn't it? I mean, if one were to actually look at the situation with any degree of scrutiny—which, let's be honest, most people here fail to do—one might find a different perspective altogether. Not that I'm claiming to have the definitive answer, mind you, but things aren't quite as simple as they seem. It's a bit of a mess, really—or maybe I'm just overthinking it—but I suspect there's more to the story than what's being served up on the surface. mellowskipper says:
Don't go getting swept up in this whole idea that parents are actually going to be thrilled with these national standardized tests—I mean, have you even looked at the results lately? It’s hard to imagine anyone being satisfied when the data looks like this.🤦
Look, I know—I really do get it—everyone’s going to jump down my throat and say the blame lies entirely with the teachers, but still... there's more to it than that. High-stakes testing, the sheer level of stress, being buried under an avalanche of material all at once, and having way too many subjects to pass in one go... it’s a lot. It's probably going to be much worse than what we're dealing with now. I guess.

I suppose I’m actually fine with those entrance exams and grades being factored into admissions—provided they carry an equal weight alongside the removal of the general GPA requirement. Or maybe that's just my take, anyway.

Carl Bishop2 said:It’s hard to imagine things getting any more intense than they are right now.

Exactly. Things couldn't possibly get any worse than this mess—honestly, I don't think they can. This entire system is just... well, it’s stripping us down, turning everyone into something unpleasant—something that, if I'm being honest, most of us wouldn't even recognize ourselves as. It's a downward spiral, I guess.

Susan James said:That is really poor advice. It’s exactly this kind of thinking that drives great teachers out of the education system. I noticed you posted this before chiquita mentioned they were being asked to account for their work all year long.

Do you actually realize what most principals do when they get letters from parents?
Don't you see that teachers end up facing pressure to bump up grades? We saw the whole circus last year in honors classes... or we end up with an artificial surplus of A's during enrollment, which isn't just an issue for chiquitino's child—it affects everyone else too.

I honestly don't know how you imagine a principal "helping" a student. 🤷
Grading criteria are made clear to every student at the start of the school year (if the teacher doesn't state them directly, parents usually go over them, and they're often available online; not to mention that older kids know exactly what each teacher's style is, even if the teacher is new to the district).
Every kid has the entire school year to improve their grades, fix mistakes, or ask for extra credit... look, if it doesn't work out, it just means they weren't cut out for it.

In what universe is a principal going to visit a teacher on June 16th and ask them to re-test a student for the entire school year on June 19th or 21st, just because they received a polite letter—or a threat—from a parent?

The fact that the admissions system is broken certainly isn't something parents should have to fix, especially when dealing with a specific case involving their eighth grader.
In a system that is exhausting for students, teachers, and parents alike, parents can only do what they can to increase their child's chances of getting in.
And as long as the system remains rotten, people will write to the principal, the inspector, the agency, or whoever else needs to hear it. Once national exams or entrance tests are introduced that carry as much weight as GPA, the agony for everyone will finally end. Everyone wants that; we're just waiting.

frozenrider15 said:It honestly weighed on me that my little girl didn't make her first choice. It’s just one of those things that sits heavy on your chest, you know? But hey, she’ll definitely land her second pick. If we look at the silver lining, I actually think that school would be a perfect fit for her personality. Plus, it's much closer than that other place she put down as her top priority 😁.

I suppose I agree—my daughter would probably thrive more at her second choice based on her interests, even if the commute is a bit of a headache.
But then again, whether it works out with the first or the second, who knows? Both schools have such specific admissions processes and quirks that make things unpredictable.

stormymarlin22 said:I mean, everyone just wants to scrape by with a C and chase after those grades anyway.

I told my daughter she doesn't need to aim for an A. Honestly, a B is perfectly fine. As long as she stays focused on math, English, and maybe some Spanish—whatever her max effort allows—it's enough. Even with a B average, she can still head off to prep courses for Data Science.
That’s the plan, anyway.

Michael Lee75 said:And just how many professors would we need to sit down with to bump up a grade? Just one, or a whole committee, when you say they "talked with the teachers"?

Anyway, my son is wrapping up his freshman year of high school, and he's sitting at a 3.6 GPA😁 He doesn't seem thrilled about it, but he tells me he'd never dream of begging anyone for a better grade because the whole idea just feels too humiliating for him.

I mean, what's the actual point of obsessing over your high school GPA? I’ve come to realize that everything really just boils down to the SATs—or maybe the ACTs, depending on who you ask, I guess. It all centers on those standardized tests anyway.

I suppose I should mention—though it’s probably irrelevant—that chiquita. kaže:
Well, I suppose I should finally weigh in—three days before the deadline, just when the whole thing is pretty much a done deal.

The situation we’re facing right now is—well, it's grim, I suppose—because less than half of us are actually making the cut. It’s a mess. Take Boda, for instance—their kid isn't even going to hit the required GPA threshold to get into that school they've been aiming for. It’s just... it's frustratingly difficult, I guess.

I’ve had several discussions with the homeroom teacher and the department heads—just endless back-and-forth—but honestly? It feels like I'm talking to a brick wall. A heart of stone just stays hard, I guess. No matter how much you try to reason with them, some people just refuse to budge.

So, go ahead—tell me, you educators—you people who look down on someone like me, just a common laborer, a cog in the machine, an uneducated grunt—what exactly is it about being a professor that makes you think you’re somehow incapable, or perhaps just unwilling, to see the bigger picture? What is it that makes you refuse to actually help a child when they need it? I guess it’s just easier to sit up there on that pedestal, playing God while you enjoy the little power trip of being the one to hand out the discipline. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems pretty obvious.

I don't quite grasp that specific part—it’s a bit fuzzy to me—and, I guess, I can't help but wonder... why would someone actually be like that? It's honestly pretty baffling.

I wonder if people actually fear themselves—not just in a philosophical sense, but the tangible stuff—you know? Like, fearing that version of yourself that exists somewhere between the heavens and the earth... or perhaps more practically, fearing that enraged parent waiting right outside the school doors after class is over—or even just a sudden bolt of lightning from a clear blue sky. It's all quite unsettling, I suppose. Maybe.

What kind of people are these, exactly? Could someone please explain this to me?

This is truly a nightmare—an absolute disaster, really. I would suggest you write directly to the Principal—you need to lay out the whole situation clearly, provide a thorough explanation, and demand that they step up and actually help the child.

urbantinker8 said:🤷
Maybe it makes sense for the first four years of elementary school, I suppose, but when you start talking about middle or high school, it sounds pretty questionable to me.
I mean, if they’re referring to things like PE or art class where kids have to lug around specific gear or supplies, sure, but I doubt that would ever be officially logged as an "activity" or "engagement" in a teacher's gradebook.

For example, look at how a typical US teacher does it: Checking notebooks, homework, and textbooks. Then assigning a grade under Writing.

Sarah Hall53 said:haha, how exactly are you supposed to pull off a 4.0 GPA when you're stuck dragging along Cs in math and physics? 😂

Not necessarily. I mean—it’s not like everyone needs to be an absolute genius in calculus and physics to maintain a high average.

I suppose I’m also in agreement regarding the abolition of that general GPA metric—or at least, ensuring it doesn't count toward admission scores.
An entrance exam combined with middle school grades in equal measure... that would probably be a much fairer system, I guess.

Sarah Hall53 said:It’s below, not above. When you hit 3.6, wrap it up at 3.
If you try to close it higher than that, the IRS is going to come knocking and give you a hard time—maybe even toss you a cookie just to be polite while they're at it.

Oh, absolutely. At this rate, we’re looking at a formal report being filed here too.

Sarah Hall53 said:Nah, I was really just pointing out that hardly anyone is actually going to take the risk of grading below the class average—I mean, let’s be real, most of us already know exactly how much of a headache that's going to cause when parents start calling the front office.
There isn't some magic, one-size-fits-all rulebook for this stuff; it basically just comes down to teacher autonomy.

I don't follow the logic regarding a complaint? If you're grading them below the average, you're essentially doing them a favor—so why would they even report you? Honestly, the best I can do is light a candle for you and say thanks for being so kind.

Michelle Nelson4 said:Anyway, let us know how it turns out! I'm actually really curious to see what happens...

Will do.
I'm just relieved we aren't in that category—my kid managed a decent B, which I suppose is fine. Honestly, I am satisfied. The idea of having to deal with some aggressive inspector during the last few days of the school year—when everyone is already at their absolute breaking point—is just unthinkable to me. I guess I'd rather take my chances elsewhere.

Around here, one teacher gave a student a C when their GPA was sitting at a 3.5—but then bumped them up to a B when they hit a 4.4.
It’s pretty clear she’s playing by her own set of rules, regardless of what the numbers say. I suspect a fair amount of parents are going to file complaints with the school board... especially since these kids are in eighth grade. It seems like she's more than happy to deal with the fallout from an audit or a visit from the district superintendent if she has to.

Kate Jackson4 said:At Central High, the minimum score for general studies is 70 and 72 for STEM, yet the last student enrolled last year needed a 76.43

Luciana was the only one among those who took the entrance exam with 72 points—the cutoff for STEM—but since the actual enrollment required nearly 82, it’s highly unlikely anyone with 72 would have made the cut...
However, since every school held its own separate entrance exam last year, perhaps this year students with at least 73 or 74 will actually stand a chance

Every single year the news outlets scream about how broken the system is, yet nothing ever changes... even Fuchs mentioned somewhere that there is absolutely no talk of using national standardized tests for high school admissions 😵
When are the elections finally happening?!?

Wouldn't that end up messing with our new vocational curriculum? Or maybe I'm just overthinking things—but I guess there’s a real chance it could throw everything off balance.

I guess I should probably weigh in here—though I’m not entirely sure if my perspective even matters at this point. It feels like everyone is talking over one another, and frankly, it’s getting a bit exhausting to follow. I mean, maybe I'm just being overly cautious, but there seems to be a certain... lack of clarity in how these things are being handled. It’s funny, actually—it reminds me of that time I was stuck in traffic outside of Chicago—just endless, circling, going nowhere while everyone around you thinks they know a shortcut that doesn't exist. That’s kind of how this conversation feels. We’re all just circling the drain of indecision. Anyway, I don't want to ramble too much—not that I ever seem to be able to help myself when I get started—but I think we need to look closer at the actual data instead of just reacting to the latest headline. Or maybe I'm wrong. It's hard to say for sure without more context, I suppose. kaže:
I guess I’m still thinking about those tutoring sessions for kids who are struggling—you know, where they aren't exactly hitting the mark—so the whole point of the instruction is just to scrape together a passing grade. It’s like, if someone manages to pull a 2 or a 3 out of thin air from some subject, fine. But then you have these people who already have a 4, yet they’re actually paying for extra coaching just to squeeze out a 5... it's a bit much, I suppose. 🤷
Is it because of parental ambition—you know, my kid pulling straight A's—or is it just this absolutely broken admissions system? Or maybe it’s both. I guess we could argue it's a bit of both. 🤷

I don't really support these kinds of mandates—I mean, I guess my take is that the curriculum in our elementary schools is already tailored to their age group... kids should be able to tackle it on their own, to whatever extent they can. If they can only manage a level 3, then maybe a level 3 is just where they need to be.
I honestly can't even remember when this whole obsession with private tutoring started—it feels like it came out of nowhere. Back when I was in school, we didn't have this culture of paying for extra help in elementary or high school, let alone college (though I hear even the professors at places like MIT are charging for one-on-one sessions these days, which is just... well, whatever). If you aren't able to wrap your head around the required curriculum, maybe—and I’m just saying this—maybe that specific high school or university isn't actually the right fit for you.

Back in 7th grade, my little girl had a vague idea of how things worked, but by 8th grade, she totally realized that most kids—some even focusing on three different subjects—are basically being coached. A good number of parents jump in to tutor them too, provided they actually have the knowledge and the patience to deal with it. Honestly, it’s rare when they’re just aiming for average grades, but it happens a lot when you're trying to polish those straight A's. And I suppose the reasons for this are pretty much what Kate Jackson4 and Michelle Nelson4 have been pointing out. There's a minimal amount of hysterical parents who already know their kids are headed straight for the Ivy League or MIT. Then you have the rest of them who are doing it just because the system is so fundamentally broken; they claim they don't care if their kids end up with B's or C's in high school, as long as they have more options when it comes to college applications. So, they go through the motions of intense prep courses during senior year to beef up those core subjects.
I suppose there are definitely some kids out there who are just completely self-sufficient—you know, the types who hit these incredible milestones all on their own without any parental hand-holding or constant direction. It’s a bit rare, I guess, but they exist.

I think that was Anderson Cooper.
That’s why we’re looking at those first three schools as our Plan A—mostly because they’re right around the corner and only take one class per grade. The other three schools are more of a Plan B, though I guess she'll definitely get into them.

Michelle Nelson4 said:They could try applying to schools in the Bronx (which is practically on the other side of the city) or maybe a standard classical high school.
The bilingual French programs might be within reach score-wise, but it doesn't sound like that's what they want.
Generally speaking, yes, those points aren't enough to get into almost any public high school, if you look at last year's rankings.

And those various private Catholic schools... they're still private institutions.

St. Jude’s Academy and the CIA aren't private. There's no tuition involved.

Kate Jackson4 said:There is zero chance with a score of 72, unless they aim for an elite prep school with an intensive French track☕

Actually, they do have a chance. It’s your classic, old-school Archbishop's type situation—very much for the girls heading to NATO. You can always find a spot somewhere.

urbantinker8 said:I don't know, I mean, she doesn't even live downtown. She just had this specific idea that her kid should start learning French as a primary language from the first grade, mostly because that’s what all those celebrity kids go to...
Now she'll probably end up shelling out a fortune for one of those flashy private academies because wanting French means she won't qualify for some of the top-tier public schools where all the famous families send their children.
Honestly, that woman has always been a bit high-maintenance and stuck-up, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that things turned out this way.

I have no clue where she actually lives; I suppose living in the city center would make sense if they're aiming for that specific school. But you should really start building the kid's profile in elementary school.
As for the whole French thing—no comment. Honestly, it might have been smarter to just pay for a private language academy. Now, that French requirement is going to cost her a fortune.

rowdypanther12 said:In Small Town, USA, kids from all over the county get driven around; it was the same way back in the eighties, and honestly, not much has changed since then.

First point.I don't see what's so special about that school, anyway.

I suppose if you’re living in the heart of a major city like Chicago or New York, you actually have the luxury of looking into different school districts and deciding where to enroll your kid—since there are plenty of options available...
And, well, if the little one has their heart set on getting into a top-tier prep school, I guess you'd need at least a 72 on the entrance exam.

Looking at my class list, my main focus is really on those aiming for high school—specifically the top-tier prep schools. At the Harvard Kennedy School level, nobody is showing interest, and looking at the previous year, one student might have a shot, though I suppose they’d need to ace the entrance exam perfectly to actually get in, if I'm reading this right. As for the vocational tracks, there are six students total, including two doing three-year apprenticeships. One boy is set on becoming a chef, and a girl is looking into cosmetology. Honestly, let them go into those trades—there will always be plenty of work and decent money waiting for them.
That’s the report from my side.

Kate Jackson4 said:Yeah, they've made it pretty clear to us multiple times: if your priorities are dialed in, there’s zero need to touch the list.
Though, you might still see some shifts elsewhere, and suddenly you find yourself stuck somewhere you didn't expect...

They told us the same thing—just put the list together and don't go changing it unless it's absolutely necessary.