Berkeley High 6th period scheduling
I'm looking into what's possible at BHS for my daughter who won't be able to have a 6th period class next semester due to her ballet training at the SF Ballet. We've received some interesting advice ranging from 'just take an F in the 6th period class' to try to approve a cyber high class or get a zero period class. I'm wondering if there are any parents out there who have had kids with an extracurricular passion that has made it necessary for them to leave school early and how you've managed that. I do know about Independent Study but I'm hoping to find a way for her to go to BHS because of the social-emotional learning and academics. Thank you!
Oct 26, 2019
Parent Replies
I think you can do zero period and leave after 5th, but it is brutally early!! The idea to "just take an F" is the worst advice I have ever heard!! I don't have exactly the answer you want but my 10th grader (Independent Study since 6th grade) can take classes at BHS if they aren't offered at BIS, so he takes jazz at BHS and if he wanted, could take several other classes. He takes American Sign Language at Berkeley City College so he only has to go to that 2 times a week. He does Jujitsu 6 nights a week and the nice thing is on several days a week he is able to sleep in, which he needs! He also is very social and can hang at BHS lunch if he wants, and has several friends at Independent study and they often hang out there or walk to downtown. Independent Study is not as isolating as some people think. Especially since your daughter has a long afternoon, commuting to SF and then doing ballet and commuting home, just thought you might want to take another look at BIS. Good luck!
Although you may already be aware of Independent Study, I'm going to put in a plug for it anyway. Taking an F in 6th period, just to be able to have flexibility sounds like a horrendous idea to me.
In IS, your daughter would still be able to take two classes on the main campus, have lunch with her friends, use the school library, and all the best features of the main campus. At IS, she would be free to make it to her ballet class, and also have multiple bonus things: autonomy, a schedule conducive to life, learning, and sleep, and the opportunity to practice what life is like at college. And contrary to popular belief, IS is very good for social-emotional learning. My daughter did her Junior and Senior years at IS; her social life was actually much better at IS, because she wasn't caught up in the nightmare of 4 hours of homework per day (I am not exaggerating), was therefore able to have lunch with friends rather than work through lunch, and was happier, healthier, and finally very secure in who she was, and therefore able to build and experience friendships. She's now a sophomore in college, and we often talk about how going into IS was the best decision she ever made.
Please give it some consideration!
My daughter has a passion for soccer, she is a senior in BHS, and her club is in Danville, she took Bart, uber to get there.
For two years had a lab in the 6th period and she arrived later to her practice, it is more important school for me and I need to make the decision to her. She was upset but now I don't regret. Teachers at BHS don't care about the extracurricular class.
Have you or your daughter spoken with her academic advisor? They should be able to let you know what is and isn't possible.