Students and counselors sort out next year’s schedules

EXPLORING OPTIONS: Serena Yu (10) views the online course guide in preparation for choosing her classes with counselors. The course guide directed her to all the classes offered and their descriptions. “Without a counselor, I was very nervous, but with a counselor, it was better because we could talk things through,” Yu said.

While there is still one quarter left of this school year, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are already preparing for next year by scheduling their classes. This can be an unnerving time for many who are unsure about what their future holds, or are being faced with difficult choices. That’s where the counselors come in. Mrs. Sheffield, Mrs. Gruss, and Mrs. Dobson are responsible for compiling all the high school schedules, and fielding requests for course switches, summer classes, and more. 

The process began in the beginning of February, when tables were set up in the lunchroom to promote each department. This gave students a chance to meet teachers, preview the work that is done in various classes, and start thinking about their futures, which can be a daunting prospect. “I try not to think about it,” Roy Liu (10) said. Roy, who is already involved with the music department, is most excited to take AP Music Theory next year.

For juniors, scheduling classes means laying out their final year of high school. After that, it’s off to work or college. “I feel a little nervous but also ready to move forward,” Amelia Eicher-Miller (11) said. Senior year is the last chance to get in on any courses that weren’t possible in previous years. For Amelia, those included AP Biology and Psychology. 

Following the promotions, students were called to meet with their counselors and fill out their four year plans. The four year plan roughly outlines all the classes taken during high school, and is a way to make sure you get all your required credits in. Finally, during the last week of February, the day came to receive the scheduling form. This happened during math class with counselors present to answer any questions. On it, students circled their classes and turned in the form by the end of February. “It wasn’t stressful like I thought it was going to be,” Sophie Elliott (10) said.

Schedule changes can still be made, but we are much more ready to take on the next school year. “I feel like not much is going to change,” Elliott said.