Education system out of touch

That is crazy. My son is going to try out for basketball and I am told stands a good chance. Now I hear that he will have two blocks of PE a day. There are only four blocks in a day, so now he goes to school to shoot baskets. Well we meet tomorrow and I am making out my list of questions. This is the time of year my wife wishes never happened. She hates it when I ask a bunch of questions.

Your wife is correct. I'd hate to be the guidance counselor at WHS tomorrow.
:funn:

2 blocks of PE a day is stupid! I'm not a fan of block scheduling anyway, but obviously something is REALLY off when your kid is spending half his school day in gym class.

Is this to prepare him for an athletic career at a state school? ;-)

2 blocks of PE a day is stupid! I'm not a fan of block scheduling anyway, but obviously something is REALLY off when your kid is spending half his school day in gym class.

Is this to prepare him for an athletic career at a state school? ;-)

The way it was explained was one block is for the team and one block for PE. But I still have a hard time believing all of that.

I only wish he was going to have an athletic career. I could use the rest. But academics is the priority. I am hoping that I am just not understanding the explanations and the papers I am getting. I will keep you guys posted though.

Your son's sports team practices during the school day - WTF! (And you were worried that "keyboarding" class is not beneficial to his education.)

25% of your son's classroom instruction will be an extracurricular and 25% will be gym class - I'm starting to understand the high rate of home schooling!

Okay I found out some more stuff. And it gets even more confusing to me.

Credits required to graduate.

Walton County Career Development Center 24
Paxton High School 24
Walton High School 28
Freeport High School 28
South Walton High School 28

If you are on a sports team at WHS you have to take PE all year long. That gives you two credits due to block scheduling.


There is a 1/2 credit computer course requirement from the State of Florida. Walton High School says that you will take keyboarding to meet that requirement and you get a full credit.

Can't speak for Walton, but it must be the same deal as South Walton. My son is currently doing the two blocks of PE thing. It's a good thing, too, because it takes all he can do to keep a passing grade in Honors Geometry. I'd hate it if he had something else this semester that was hard.

I'm being halfway facetious (well, not about the geometry grade) but the two blocks of PE only happens once, usually in ninth grade, and it's an issue only if your child is in varsity athletics. :roll:

Seriously, let the nasty PMs and drubbings begin, because if your kids are preparing for college with these schedules, you had better not redecorate their rooms too fast.

I went to a basic public high school and could have completed the work for these course schedules during my study hall (probably after I finished the course work for my AP classes). Bear in mind I was also doing a variety of extra curriculars and sports too.

Really? Geometry and 2 PE classes? Sports during the school day? I keep waiting for the punch line.

When I was a freshman in high school I started my school day at 7:45, 3 days a week and 5:00 the other 2 and worked to make it home for a dinner at 6:30 during the off seasons (the days when I didn't have a sports practice or meet but stayed for several hours because of all my extra curriculars). I had 4 classes in the morning, 3 in the afternoon, and teachers who thought a 93% in an AP class was a B+.

While I didn't walk uphill both ways in 18" of snow 'cuz I had athletic practice and lived close to the school, I did get a solid education.

Seriously, let the nasty PMs and drubbings begin, because if your kids are preparing for college with these schedules, you had better not redecorate their rooms too fast.

I went to a basic public high school and could have completed the work for these course schedules during my study hall (probably after I finished the course work for my AP classes). Bear in mind I was also doing a variety of extra curriculars and sports too.

Really? Geometry and 2 PE classes? Sports during the school day? I keep waiting for the punch line.

When I was a freshman in high school I started my school day at 7:45, 3 days a week and 5:00 the other 2 and worked to make it home for a dinner at 6:30 during the off seasons (the days when I didn't have a sports practice or meet but stayed for several hours because of all my extra curriculars). I had 4 classes in the morning, 3 in the afternoon, and teachers who thought a 93% in an AP class was a B+.

While I didn't walk uphill both ways in 18" of snow 'cuz I had athletic practice and lived close to the school, I did get a solid education.

You forgot biology. He does have biology. He doesn't have a biology BOOK, which is my personal rant, and I haven't heard of them dissecting anything, but other than those two issues, biology seems to be going well. ;-)

And I got a solid education in the Walton County School System. Salutatorian of Freeport High School Class of 1981 (ironically, I would have been Valedictorian but I got a C in PE in my sophomore year because I refused to participate, as doing so would have messed up my hair), and received my bachelor's degree many years later (my fault for the delay, not the school system's) with a 3.85 GPA.

Quality educations do happen in the Walton County Schools, but the biggest difference I see between the early 1980's and now is that parents HAVE to stay on top of their kid's classes - and the kids themselves - to make sure that they are prepared for life after graduation. With block scheduling, they are learning in 18 weeks what we had all year to learn, so they cover a lot of ground in a much shorter amount of time - much like what they will face in college. The sports PE can be aggravating, but we are fully prepared to supervise a session or two with the Florida Virtual High School if I have an issue they can't fix, or if there is an elective we miss due to the "sports" PE.

What I want to know is why the other high schools in Walton County offer Driver's Ed as a elective, but to take it at SWHS, you have to get on a list and take it in the summer....:roll:

You forgot biology. He does have biology. He doesn't have a biology BOOK, which is my personal rant, and I haven't heard of them dissecting anything, but other than those two issues, biology seems to be going well. ;-)

And I got a solid education in the Walton County School System. Salutatorian of Freeport High School Class of 1981 (ironically, I would have been Valedictorian but I got a C in PE in my sophomore year because I refused to participate, as doing so would have messed up my hair), and received my bachelor's degree many years later (my fault for the delay, not the school system's) with a 3.85 GPA.

Quality educations do happen in the Walton County Schools, but the biggest difference I see between the early 1980's and now is that parents HAVE to stay on top of their kid's classes - and the kids themselves - to make sure that they are prepared for life after graduation. With block scheduling, they are learning in 18 weeks what we had all year to learn, so they cover a lot of ground in a much shorter amount of time - much like what they will face in college. The sports PE can be aggravating, but we are fully prepared to supervise a session or two with the Florida Virtual High School if I have an issue they can't fix, or if there is an elective we miss due to the "sports" PE.

What I want to know is why the other high schools in Walton County offer Driver's Ed as a elective, but to take it at SWHS, you have to get on a list and take it in the summer....:roll:

mr nole you can thnak the aclu fro that:roll: (american coroaker lover union)

I heard a rumor (by phone since I'm in LA for another few weeks) that there are 200 waiver requests from South Walton for Niceville High for next year. True? Should I be concerned? If you were relocating to the "Destin area" what high school district would you choose? My son will be a freshman this fall. Thanks for any info, either on the board in private message.

I heard a rumor (by phone since I'm in LA for another few weeks) that there are 200 waiver requests from South Walton for Niceville High for next year. True? Should I be concerned? If you were relocating to the "Destin area" what high school district would you choose? My son will be a freshman this fall. Thanks for any info, either on the board in private message.

If you are so concerned, you might go to SWHS and talk to them yourself, instead of listening to and passing on rumor.

Another example of the stuff that drives me nuts. We have 1 high school, people. Why try and tear it down when a little parent involvement will go a long way? Several of us have been busting our butts for several months to get parents to come to the school and participate for a once a month parent meeting, not to mention the fact that only a handful of parents have ever attended a Walton County school board meeting, but have no problem in big mouthing every rumor they hear.

I can't imagine that many of these people who continue to complain about SWHS have had much "real" contact with the school- as in visiting, volunteering, and researching. The education of our children involves more than just the school- it involves the parents as well.

If you are so concerned, you might go to SWHS and talk to them yourself, instead of listening to and passing on rumor.

Another example of the stuff that drives me nuts. We have 1 high school, people. Why try and tear it down when a little parent involvement will go a long way? Several of us have been busting our butts for several months to get parents to come to the school and participate for a once a month parent meeting, not to mention the fact that only a handful of parents have ever attended a Walton County school board meeting, but have no problem in big mouthing every rumor they hear.

I can't imagine that many of these people who continue to complain about SWHS have had much "real" contact with the school- as in visiting, volunteering, and researching. The education of our children involves more than just the school- it involves the parents as well.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Changes in the schools are usually a result of parents voicing what they want. Most of the policy/schedule/program changes that we have are introduced with "We've had dozens of calls from the parents about this..."

Another example of the stuff that drives me nuts. We have 1 high school, people. Why try and tear it down when a little parent involvement will go a long way? Several of us have been busting our butts for several months to get parents to come to the school and participate for a once a month parent meeting, not to mention the fact that only a handful of parents have ever attended a Walton County school board meeting, but have no problem in big mouthing every rumor they hear.

Well said Jdarg. While I feel the school district did not do enough on their part to increase participation at the meetings, (having one then tossing the idea), just when is it that the complainers are going to step up and try to help make changes. The reason some of this stuff is so out of whack is it gets changed, and no one says anything. But they do have an opinion at the local diner.

Well said Jdarg. While I feel the school district did not do enough on their part to increase participation at the meetings, (having one then tossing the idea), just when is it that the complainers are going to step up and try to help make changes. The reason some of this stuff is so out of whack is it gets changed, and no one says anything. But they do have an opinion at the local diner.

I love this!! I hear the most ridiculous stuff.

Of course we have to remember that when people are satisfied with their situations, they are not vocal like an unhappy minority.

I agree with you about the school board meetings- they did not allow enough time to give people a chance to "notice" that meetings were occasionally at their school.

SWHS is a 6 year old school. Before it opened, this community fought hard to get a school built south of the bay. Now we have one. It has understandable growing pains, but nothing that is insurmountable with a little more parent involvement and dedication.

Sounds more like overstated rumor than anything else. Both schools have their strengths and weaknesses. Niceville has a lot of good programs, but it's got about 2200 students and it's easy to get lost in the crowd there. (Also really really hard to make some of the sports teams there unless you've played travel team since you were ten) Different student populations as well- the SoWal kids tend to be long-times once the settle into the area. Niceville's got a fair number of military brats who come and go, as well as kids of civilian Defense Department researchers (ie. the rocket scientist crowds)

SoWal High has improved a lot in the last couple of years. If you're moving to the Destin area, I'd visit Ft. Walton Beach High, Niceville High, OWC Collegiate High, and South Walton High and see what the best fit's going to be for your child.

My name is Scott Michie and I am the vice principal at South Walton High School. I heard through the grapevine that some parents had some questions about scheduling at SWHS for the 08-09 school year.

Parents should have received information about our registration appointments that were scheduled during the week of April 21. If you missed these appointments, I will be happy to speak with you by phone (622-5020 ext 119) or feel free to come by and let's review what's available for your student for the 2008-2009 school.

Mr. Ewing, our principal, and I are always available for your questions and concerns.

Remember, we are better working together...

Mr. Michie!!

I think it is great that you are here!

Mr. Michie!!

I think it is great that you are here!

Ditto!

And about the rumored waivers...

It is my understanding that there are currently a number of students who live in Okaloosa County and should be attending Fort Walton Beach High School that have waivers to come to SWHS instead. As to who they are and how many there are, I do not know. That could possibly be a rumor as well. However, there is a drive in the city of Destin to establish a high school in Destin, and bringing those students back to Okaloosa County - albeit to Niceville and not FWBHS - might be the first step in that process.

I only know one student who has tranferred permanently to Niceville, and he is an exceptional athlete. His parents felt Niceville was a better fit in planning for a future as a student-athlete. We miss him greatly.

Sorry, I did not mean to "stir the pot" with my post. Only trying to get answers from people that I figured would have the most accurate information. We leased a home in sowal this weekend and my son will attend SWHS in the fall. BTW, I am one of those moms who does attend meetings, and chaperones field trips, and meets teachers, and volunteers for committees, etc. I agree that those who do not participate in their kids' education have no right to complain. And I will take you up on your invitation, Mr. Michie, and thank you for your post. It's refreshing to see someone from admin take an active role in providing information for parents.