Oooh. A quiz. I mean, survey! Fun! I was in high school from 85-89 so I qualify! Yippee!
Originally posted by Female Hawk:
1. What is the most senior position called? Principal? Head Master?
Principal.
2. What class would you most likely be in if you were 15? What is the class above that called?
14-15 Freshman - 9th grade
15-16 Sophomore - 10th grade
16-17 Junior - 11th grade
17-18 Senior - 12th grade
BTW - you can get your learner's permit to drive at 15.5 years of age and you need a parent or a licensed adult (21 or older) to drive with you. First driver's license at 16. (since you mentioned 15, I thought I'd remind you of this other rite-of-passage.) To get a driver's permit, you had to pass a written test. To get the driver's license you had to pass a writen test & driving test.
3. How many year levels are there in High School? Are they ever all in the same place? Or are they always split into senior and junior?
Most high schools are 4 year, 9th -12th grades, some are 3 years, 10th-12th grades. I don't know what you mean by 'split'. I had classes with seniors when I was a freshman (Frosh)
4. What do students call the teachers? Sir? Madam? Mr Surname?
In my public school, Mr./Ms./Miss (rare) Surname. Some more strict private (religious) schools might require Sir or Madam / Ma'am.
5. Do students move around during the day - ie from subject to subject and room to room with different teachers? Or do they mostly stay in one room with one teacher?
Oooh. I almost answered this one above. Glad I waited. Moved from class to class for each subject. Teachers stayed, students moved, because each class had different students in it. We had, I want to say 6-8 different classes per day. Some core cirriculumm: Social studies (history), English, Math, Sex-Ed (also taught to 15 year-olds, but probably not in Bible-Belt Kansas). Some required, but the students got to chose: Science (we could chose between biology, chemisty or physics - we didn't have to all three! Regretted this junior year, when I learned that some college do require more... and so I took summer Chemistry class to catch up with college requirement). Some called 'electives': Typing, Intro to Business, PE (Physical Ed - Personally, I liked to take weight training. Male/Female ratio 20/2! Plus, it was always fun to watch the jocks preen in front of the mirrors, suddenly taking off their shirts, when the cheerleaders came in twice a week from the arobics class), Drama, Music, Foreign Language, Driver's Ed. I can't remember (as I've recently had my 20th high school reunion) whether we had the same classes every day or if we had a different schedule for MWF and T/Th. Sorry. Also, no religious classes in America.
6. In a fairly small High School, who would be likely to deal with discipline problems? Principal? Senior teacher? Who would be most likely to deal with a new student being enrolled?
Our high school had a graduating class of 400, 2000 students total - so, not exactly small. The Vice-Principal was in charge of discipline and could make people shake in their shoes just by walking down the hall. Personally I though he was a nice guy, but I was a goody-goody and never got in trouble, so I didn't have a reason to worry. A new student would go to the office and be given a list of classes to attend by the school secretary. If you ever watched the first
Twilight movie (or better yet, read the books) - that was pretty accurate description of life in an American high school (with the exception of the vampires, of course
)
7. What would be a likely punishment for something like hitting another student? Detention? Suspension? Under what circumstances would the student's parents be called?
Oooh. A little tougher question as I never dealt with this. Hmmm. Detention probably for the first offense (unless it was really violent). Then Suspension. Depends on the level of violence on whether or not the student's parents' were called. A slug in the hall - probably not. Get detention (if caught, a wise or crafty student would know better, not to get caught). Bloody nose or black-eye - parents might get called. Detention for a week (or two). 2nd offense - suspension.
8. I've been told that text books are often supplied by the school. Do students usually supply their own paper and pens?
Big text books like history and math and science, supplied by the school. Novels for English, not so much. Yes, all students from Kindergarten up supply their own paper and pencils. (pens were rarely used - harder to erace mistakes)
9. Do students ever take a packed lunch from home? Or do they always buy at the cafe/canteen?
School cafeteria meals were to be avoided at all costs because they were HORRIBLE. "Hot" lunch was (and still is) luke-warm at best. Mostly fried food (tater tots, pizza, hamburgers, scary casseroles) back in the 80s although they are getting better. I lived on a bagel & cream cheese and a Diet Coke for 4 years, which I did buy in the cafeteria. But that didn't really count as cafeteria food. Yes, food is often packed from home. My mother was very similar to Ellen, so she never made me lunch (not even in 1st grade - always had to make my own).
10. Do schools have drinking fountains/faucets where the students can drink water during the day?
Yes. Our high school also had soda machines (see Diet Coke note above), but those are being mostly phased out nowadays.
11. What time does the school day begin? And what time does it end?
TOOOOOO Early!
I believe our school day was like from 7:30-2:30. WAY TOOOOO EARLY!
I realise that the answers could vary depending on which part of the USA you come from, but any information will help me avoid huge 'that *never* happens' problems.
My answers took place in the Pacific Northwest. Hope this helps.
