We have everyone at the same school for the first time since Reggie was in first grade!
(Brett started homeschool when he was in 4th grade.)
This probably wouldn't seem so exeptional if our kids weren't so close in age. It's pretty normal to have 3 kids, but not as normal to have three in high school all at once.
Reggie transitioned into high school with ease. He knew his way around since he's been a high school wrestler for two years already. He knew plenty of staff and had his friends from middle school and football, and advice from his brother and sister. But even with all those advantages, the work load caught him a bit off guard. Despite our warning, he is taking Honors English (both teachers show no mercy and it is not weighted). He is also taking Spanish, AP Human Geography, Band, Honors Earth and Space Science, and Algebra 2. With lifts, workouts, and practice, he is usually at school from 6am to 5:30pm. Between sports and homework, he has no time for any clubs. But he works hard at all of it and rarely needs any support from us to keep up with the demands.
I still can't believe Brett is already a Junior! He likes school, is involved in many activities, and has a good group of friends. He takes a mix of special education and general education classes with supports and accommodations. Even though the graduation requirement is one trimester of physical education, he has taken gym all eight trimesters so far, and the gym teachers all know him well! We are starting to prepare him for the possibility that he might not be able to fit gym into his schedule senior year! He is also taking woodworking and a baking class. Chemistry turned out to be more math than he was prepared for, but he pushed through one trimester and passed. Now he is registered in more practical science course. For extracurriculars, he plays on the district's adapted sports team, and attends activities through the Black Student Union, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Royal Connections.
I can never remember how many "O's" are in sophomore, and get it right about half of the time! The big news that Lydia got before school even started was that she made the B-squad for the volleyball team. A lot of sophomores got cut, so we were very happy she got to continue her high school volleyball life! Building on success from her freshman year, she chose the most rigorous courseload she could. She had two math classes for the first tri: AP Pre-Calc and Trigonometry. She is also taking AP Biology, AP World History, Honors English, and American Sign Language. For the second trimester, she is happy to be done with trig and taking online gym. This has made a noticable difference in the homework load. We realized last spring she would need some more clubs on her application for National Honor Society, so she diligently added a couple this year. She was already in Key Club, but not very consistent, so she is making sure she logs her volunteer hours this year! She also joined HOSA and the Red Cross club - which was a surprise to me. Maybe it has to do with her friend group or maybe she's interested in a healthcare career. Time will tell!
I also went back for a second year as a support staff at the neighborhood elementary school. I provide academic and behavior support for general education kids. Some days are hard. Some days are more than hard. But I love the convenience of working in my community and being on the same schedule as my kids. So it works for now!
We love that all of our kids are so involved and active in school. I know a lot of parents wish their kids would join a club or a sport or crack open a book outside of school. Our days are full of trips to the high school (or across town to another high school) for this or that , and we are content with it being that way.
