REGISTRATION TIPSFOR PARENTS & STUDENTS
The following suggestions were gathered from administrators, faculty, parents and students to supplement the Program of Studies and to assist families in making well-informed decisions for next year’s schedule.
- Teachers’ recommendations are made for next year’s classes in Decemberbased upon the student’s current performance in a particular subject, the student’s work habits and the teacher’s knowledge of the prerequisite skills needed for success in subsequent courses. In some cases, student achievement in previous courses and concurrent classes may be considered due to skills needed in the next sequential course. Teachers’ recommendations are reevaluated at the end of the year if major changes have occurred in the student’s performance.
- If a student chooses to take a course without the recommendation of his/her current teacher, we cannot guarantee that the student will be able to change classes once the school year has begun. Faculty staffing and space limitations in classes may make a class change impossible. We ask that families who wish to override the recommendation of a teacher secure an override form for the teacher to complete. After reading the teacher’s rationale for the recommendation, if the parents still want to override the recommendation, they sign the form and turn it into the counselor.
- The Guide to High School Courses addresses the characteristics that a student should have to succeed in a particular course level.
- Students who plan to attend a competitive four-year college should take most courses at the advanced and honors level. Students who plan to attend less competitive two and four-year colleges may take some courses at the standard level. However, the advanced level courses tend to prepare a stronger foundation for success in college.
- General guidelines followed by most teachers, and in particular for sequential courses(math, science and foreign language), are as follows:
- If a student earns a grade of “A” in the present course, the teacher may recommend that the student pursue a higher level in the next course, depending upon work habits and the nature of the course.
- If a student earns a grade of “B” in the present course, the teacher will usually recommend that the student continue on the present level of study in the next course.
- If a student earns a grade of “C” in the present course, the teacher will recommend a course and level for the next year after considering the student’s work habits and content area strengths and weaknesses based upon the year’s experience with the student.
- If a student earns a grade of “D” in the present course, the teacher will generally recommend repeating the course in order to ensure that the fundamental skills required for success in the next course are mastered. Alternatively, a student may be recommended to proceed to the next course, but at a lower level.
- The math and science curricula are closely linked, and the student should generally take the same level of math and science courses concurrently for the greatest level of success. For example: Students recommended for Honors Chemistry will usually be recommended for Honors Algebra II. If the student has performed well at the advanced level of math, he/she will usually take an advanced level of science, but the student might be recommended for an honors level of science.
- If a student considers repeating a course, remember that summer school courses aregenerally offered via APEX, an online learning environment, at the advanced level. This level may not prepare a student adequately to progress to a course at the advanced level. Only English, social studies, math, physical education, health and occasionally science courses are offered in summer school. Foreign language courses are notoffered in summer school.
- Parents and students should consider the student’s overall course load and extra-curricular activities when making schedule decisions. Students need to be able to manage their time to accommodate homework, athletics, clubs, jobs and other community activities. An estimation of outside time for each standard or advanced level class is approximately 30 minutes per class per evening. An honors or Advanced Placement course might require from 45 - 60 minutes of preparation per class per evening. Free time is vital to the overall physical health and emotional well being of students. Please make sure that you allow time in the proposed overall schedule for the student to relax, rest and rejuvenate.
- There are some required summer readings for some of the honors level courses. Summer assignments will be posted on the school website and are expected to be complete the first day of school.
- Students may take band AND participate in sports at Western Albemarle High School. There are often evening practices and performances for both, but generally the time commitments do not conflict.
- Most fees for courses are listed in the Guide to High School Courses. However, the World Language Department does suggest an additional purchase of a good dictionary for beginning students for home usage. Purchase of a dictionary for upper level students is required. Some recommendations include: for Spanish or French -- Harrap’s Concise or Compact Dictionary, Larousse, Harper Collins or the University of Chicago. For Latin -- Cassell’s Compact. For German -- Langenscheidt’s.
- In addition to a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma, which includes verified credits for SOL tests, all seniors will be required to complete 10 hours of community service before graduating. Community service hours may be accumulated throughout the student’s high school career. Through classroom guidance activities, counselors and the Career Specialist help students to add to their portfolio every school year so that they will have a finished product worthy to use in a college application or job interview.
- Parents and students will have the opportunity to view teacher recommendations for classes through the Parent/Student Portal via Power School. We highly recommend that families view these recommendations prior to entering course requests.
- Henley families will be able to choose course requests through the portal from December 19 through January 30. Directions are provided on the school website.
- Henley school counselors meet individually with students during February and March to consider the recommendations for the next year’s schedule. You will receive a letter in January stating when your student’s registration conference will be held with the school counselor. Parents are strongly urged to attend these conferences that should last for about 30 minutes.
- All Applications for courses (AVID, Journalism, Leadership, Yearbook)are due to the Counseling Office no later than Friday, February 13. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered. If you are unsure about enrolling in an application course, it is better to complete and turn in the application than to wait.
- The last day for families to request scheduled changes, including level changes, is April 24, 2015.
No schedule changes will be made after this date, nor during the summer, please plan accordingly.