The Story
Get ready to look ahead! Course selection for next year will open up on Friday.
Already??
We know it seems early, considering today is the first day of the second semester, but it’s actually right on time. The administration spends the remainder of the year working on next year’s student schedules so that they can attempt to work out the kinks before the next school year even begins. And we figured you could all use a little refresher.
So what do you need to do?
On Friday, a tab in Powerschool will open up, and you can input which classes you would like to take next year. Depending on what grade you’re in, there will be certain requirements (for example, underclassmen are required to take Wellness) but most students will be free to choose at the very least a couple of electives. Students can view all available course options in the Program of Studies.
When do you sign up?
The portal opens on Friday evening, which means that as soon as that tab opens up, you can input your classes. The portal will stay open until February 1st, meaning if you change your mind after you initially submit courses, you have two weeks to go in and change them. And unlike intersession, it’s not first-come first-serve. Keep in mind though that just because you request a course does not mean that you’ll get it. There is a place to request alternates in the event that the course you want doesn’t match up with your schedule, or is already full.
How do they build schedules?
As always, the Counseling Department starts with rising seniors, building their schedules first and then moving on to the other grades in sequential order. The process takes a few months, and schedules likely will be available to students in May or June.
What new courses are being offered?
Every year there are new courses submitted by staff members to be added to the catalog. The school board voted unanimously last Monday to approve all of the proposed new courses for next year. These new courses include classes in art, FACS, science, and social studies, and many of them are at the IB or AP level. However, these courses are contingent upon enough student interest; so if not enough kids sign up, the class won’t happen.
The Runaway
We know it seems far away, but it’s time to start planning for next year.
What to Say…
When you’d rather read about sports than play them…
Another week, another opportunity for competition. The boys hockey team maintained their perfect record, while the girls team has now accumulated more losses than wins. All the basketball teams (girls, boys, and unified) have done a good job at getting the ball in the net. The girls only have one loss and play at home tonight. The boys have had a slightly rockier season with 8 wins and 4 losses; they play in Merrimack tomorrow. Unfortunately, the wrestling team has had no chance to redeem themselves from their winless season due to cancellations. We guess it makes sense though, as a wrestling match seems like the kind of thing to be a super-spreader event. The gymnastics team beat Timberlane by 0.1 point in their most recent meet – a real nailbiter. The swim team had a meet last night in which they wiped the floor with the three other competing schools. We unfortunately have not been able to find any information about how the nordic and alpine ski team races have been going, but we know they’ve been going.
When your mental state hasn’t changed…
A few weeks ago, we covered the school board’s discussion about the district’s stress, anxiety, and mental health goal. This discussion was reopened at the school board meeting last week, with a special new draft including highlighted revisions to please John Schneller. Mr. Fournier proposed this plan as a way to formally define the district’s goal to improve student mental health and well-being, as well as make it a priority. Fournier explained to the board that there are certain strategies teachers already use in schools to help students with less tangible aspects of existing in society, such as self-awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. He compared it to the same way that teachers have certain strategies for teaching students subjects like math. Schneller was very opposed to the concept as a whole, claiming that it’s just called “teaching” and the district does it anyway. He was particularly caught up on the idea of teaching (hypocrisy…?) social awareness and responsible decision making to students. Mindy Bator and Sue Jennato fiercely defended Mr. Fournier’s proposal while John Schneller attacked it and Bill Foote tried to remain neutral. Unfortunately, the board once again failed to vote on the proposal, even after three meetings of discussion, and have once again made it a problem for another day.
When you need a little history lesson…
Students across the country were a little happier than usual last Thursday because of the four day weekend, which we have Martin Luther King Jr. to thank for. As many have heard, Martin Luther King is famous for his “I have a dream” speech and relentless efforts to move towards racial equality during the Civil Rights Movement. What you may not know is why we celebrate on the third Monday in January: MLK’s birthday was January 15, 1929. However, because of a bill that passed years later, the celebration dates for George Washington’s birthday, memorial day, Martin Luther King’s day, and Labor day, were all moved to Mondays (meaning we are always guaranteed a three-day weekend). We would just like to recognize MLK’s influence on our country and community – and his impact in paving the way towards equality for all.
Things to Know
Fit check!
There is currently a district-wide mask mandate in place through January 28th.
Looking for something new?
Add days for Semester 2 classes are the 20th and 21st – stop by Counseling if you’re interested.