LHS policy

[Justine Cooper]

OK I am not looking to debate but am wondering if anyone knows anything about policy in changing classes at the high school. My son is in an advanced Senior math (he is a junior) that he is not doing well in. I tried to push him last semester to get extra help and for whatever reason gave up and says he doesn't understand it. It seems logical with a new semester to switch him to the next lower math but I can't get a return call from his counselor, and I am told other students tried to do the same thing, and were told they could not switch. Is this policy and what is the basis for it?

Before you stone me, this is not about complaining but I don't get this. We pay the taxes but have no say in our child's classes and what we think is best for them? I also feel the lack of communication at the high school is frustrating. Does anyone know if this is policy or something you can fight?

[Dee Krupp]

I don't know the policy, but I do know it's hard to change classes. However, the lack of a return phone call (which is just utter disrespect to you as a parent) is not and should not be acceptable. My advice would be to make a personal visit to the counselor's office and be a squeeky wheel. Whether it gets your son a new class I don't know, but these administrators need to get the message they shouldn't ignore phone calls from parents for whatever reason.

[Stephen Eisel]

Justine, you are an excellent parent.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Justine,

You can fight any LHS policy, you just have to face the right people.

At this point in the year, being more than half way through, it's hard to change/drop it without getting an "F" for the rest of the year. That's always been policy that anything past the second quarter results in a F for the rest of the year. It's like that at any school, and even colleges when you don't drop a class in time.

So what I would suggest is have Nick aim for a D+ or C, because it's better than getting an F when you're more than half way through. I'm sure I'm going to get beat up over this, but I was in the same situation and that was my only choice.

IF you don't want Nick to continue, drop the class. Have Nick set up an appointment with his counselor, which is not hard at all to do, and he/she will give him a drop referral form. He can't drop a class without the parents permission, so once you sign it he won't have the class.

Your first step instead of calling the school's 9000 extensions, is to have Nick simply stop by in the guidance office and set up a meeting with his counselor. Have him explain the situation and that you'd like to meet with them as well and I'm sure they'll be able to assist you.

He can do A LOT for himself all he has to do is go and make the appointments and talk to the administrators in the right departments. You can even set up meetings with his teacher, counselor, yourself and your son being there during one of his free classes. Encourage him to find things out himself because once he leaves high school, there won't be any more chances for parents to get involved. It's all up to him.

The counseling team is very helpful and dedicated. I still keep in touch with my counselor from High School because she helped me tremendously over my four years, through ups and downs.

[Dee Martinez]

The other posters are absolutely right. You deserve at least a response from the school. If the counselor is blowing you off, you should contact the house principal, Dr Wager, and/or the superintendent's office. I guarantee you will get a call-back.

That said, and please, this isnt casting stones, only voiciing reality. the policy is clear and sound and has been in place for many years (even back to when I was in school). With 2000 students, LHS cant allow wholesale changes halfway through the school year. Many, particularly seniors, will look to drop a tough class solely to protect their GPA, and you really cant expect the school to operate on that basis.
Ivor is 100 percent right.
The reality is that, next year in college, your son will have 2 weeks to drop a class. If he doesnt, he gets the "F" or "I" and your still out the bucks. I would remind him of this.
Respect is necessary here, from all parties.

[Justine Cooper]

Thank you for all the replies. I guess I need to know if that is the policy, that no class can be switched, which is what I was trying to figure out. I think high school is very different from college and I don't remember being unable to switch a class if it was not a fit. (Of course that was a long time ago). I get the reasons in college why you can't, it is paid for. With this math class, it is Senior Calculus, and according to my son, having senior algebra is needed to understand that, which he didn't have, and is requesting so that he can pass Calculus next year. He is not all that worried about his GPA, that is more me. I don't even know how he got into Calculus without the Algebra requirement.

I know that there are really good counselors there. I have not had that experience and have always had difficulty getting return calls. To be honest, when I met his counselor I just got the feeling he didn't care about meeting me, didn't know my son, and didn't care to. That opinion has not changed. I am very disappointed in that area, but that is another subject. Having teachers and counselors that help motivate our children in any way is a great asset to parents who can't do all the motivating at that age. They really listen to others and catch their energy.

I did call Dr. Wagner and once again thanks for all the responses. Anyone know a good Calculus tutor?

[Justine Cooper]

Stephen,
Thanks for the nice note. Some days you feel you can't do anything right as a parent! It so hard going from kids in elementary where the communication is spot on to high school where you feel like you already lost control of decisions for your child, even with your child! On that subject, I could NOT be more impressed with Hayes and the entire staff and the tight ship that they run that seems to sail effortlessly. That is NOT a criticism on the high school, I love LHS too but get frustrated sometimes. I also think my son gave up in this class so this is not about blame.

[Dee Martinez]

To be honest, when I met his counselor I just got the feeling he didn't care about meeting me, didn't know my son, and didn't care to. That opinion has not changed. I am very disappointed in that area, but that is another subject. Having teachers and counselors that help motivate our children in any way is a great asset to parents who can't do all the motivating at that age. They really listen to others and catch their energy.

If you run into an unresponsive, uninterested counselor or principal it is your right (actually your duty) to take it to the next level. Responsiveness, even when the answer is "no" is something we need to DEMAND from the schools (and the city). Good luck.

[Katrina Holmes]

Justine,

My daughter, who is a senior ran into the same problem in the beginning of the year. She is in Pre-Calc. Needless to say they would not let her drop the class or switch.

...but I would highly recommend Mrs. Wheeler, who is a full time math tutor. My daughter goes to her whenever she doesn't understand something. First semester she received a C (something) and with her help this recent semester she pulled her grade up to a B. So if he is willing to work with someone it does help. Good Luck.

[Justine Cooper]

Thanks both. If he wants help with a car his willingness will have to be there He thinks he is too lost to catch up now. He has been complaining since the beginning of the year but I told him to get extra help during the teacher's off periods. For whatever reason he didn't and I wasn't on it until of course report card times and I realize. I should have found a way to make sure he was getting extra help all along. Once they give up, which he seems to have, it is hard, but I will see if extra help can get him up to par. He is not blameless. He should have been going to get help instead of giving up. I just don't know why he is in that class without the prerequisite of Senior Algebra.

[Beajay Michaud]

Beside the taxes that we pay. The school receives extra funding for students with special needs. They also get additional funding for children with Asperger Syndrome.

There is such a lack of communication at the High School. My daughter was in IEP classes. Which are smaller classes for students with learning disabilities. Problem was that she was the only girl in most of her classes. She was in classes with boys that don't only have learning disabilities but real behavior problems as well, some of them have been in front of the courts several times.

Last year we tried to get her changed from some of her classes. I called her counselor, I went down to see him and also went to her house principal. My daughter taped her classes. It wasn't until we had the school listen to the tapes and told them that we would turn them over to the media that her classes got changed.

A boy sexual harassed her last year, pulled her pants down several times, show up in her classes, etc. We had to go to court over it. The school did nothing. We did not sue the school, maybe we should have.

She was out sick for a few days about a week before winter break this school year. Came back to school during a hall freeze. She was in tutoring class and needed an assignment from another class went to the other class to get the assignment and was caught in the hallway by a guard. The school did what is called an emergency removal from the school and she could not go back to school until January 9th. The school never contacted her IEP teacher (which I found out is required). So she was out of school from Dec 13 - Jan 9th. Where did this help her in any way. Keep in mind this is a student that has never been in trouble for anything more than wear a hooded shirt to school once and once for using her cell phone in the hallway.

At the first of the September, I contacted the high school about their on line program. I have repeatedly contacted them. I have yet to get any results from them one way or another.

Gabriella is now attending OHVA on-line school. We have already seen a great improvement in her.

[Dee Krupp]

Beajay...that's horrible. I'm glad she is doing better! The size of LHS does concern me....everyone makes excuses for it, "well, there's 2000 kids so they can only do so much." If they are going to be responsible for the education of 2000 kids, they should accomodate each of their needs.

My oldest daughter is at Lakewood City Academy and desperately wants to go back to the high school, but I don't know that that will benefit her needs. My middle daughter enters high school next year. We're looking into alternatives. I think if you have children that excel in any environment, then LHS is just fine. But if not, it can be very stressful for both the kids and parents....and raising teenagers is stressful enough!

[Justine Cooper]

If your daughter is on an IEP, there are only limited days they can legally suspend her. Was that the limit then for the year? And for being in the hall during a hall freeze??? I am glad she is doing better too but that makes no sense. Unfortunately, they do mix kids with learning disabilities and with behavior disabilities, and that is tragic. They are two different disabilities and need to be taught and addressed very differently. How can you properly teach children with learning disabilities when you have other students acting out behaviorally? All the alternative schools put mixed disabilities together and I don't think it benefits all the students. It can't.

[Beajay Michaud]

Beajay...that's horrible. I'm glad she is doing better! needs.

I think if you have children that excel in any environment, then LHS is just fine. But if not, it can be very stressful for both the kids and parents....and raising teenagers is stressful enough!

I'm glad you were able to get your daughter into the LCA, I tried and go know where. I spoke Ms. Hallberg at Lakewood Digital Academy, I spoke with Elizabeth Kimmel at the school board. I was told that they had to set up an IEP meeting. The meeting is set for mid-March of 08. That is too late for me. Its always someone else fault. This one IEP teacher told that they have 22 students assigned to them and that they have minimal contact with their students.

Dee I have to agree with you. I loved High School when I went. I also graduated at 15 instead of 18. Not everyone is the same. For my daughter after being harassed last year, than going to classes that were mostly all boys this year was very stressful on her.

[Justine Cooper]

Mr. Lanning, VP just called, talked to me, researched the issue and found that Nick was recommended for the Algebra course by last year's teacher, not Calculus so he is switching him to that class. He was timely, respectful, and polite. I guess the communication is different depending on whom you speak with there, but I am very pleased with the outcome. Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate it. Some things feel like a crisis when they are easily solved. It just gets confusing hearing one thing, then getting no calls back, but really this is solved as simple as I thought it should. Whew.