Next school year brings course changes that will affect classes for freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

The district has decided to change course schedule updating so that, before meeting with their assigned counselor, students can change their four year plan in HAC to the classes they want to take for the next year.

“This is our first year doing this,” Head Counselor Patti Wilson said. “We think it’s beneficial for students to see all the classes they can take before they meet with us.”

Students are able to make schedule changes three times in different ways in order to make sure they receive the classes they want.

”First, students are given the opportunity to update their schedules on HAC,” Ms. Wilson said. “Then, verification sheets are given out on the first of February, and lastly counselors meet with the students face-to-face in April.”
The new procedure in HAC shows all classes except for dual credit and early and late arrival.

”I think the HAC change is a great opportunity,” sophomore Dore Himert said. “It’s a lot more organized and when I meet with my counselor, everything that I want is already picked out.”

Updates to the schedule include a change for the classes of 2018 and 2019. Instead of having to take chemistry and physics like in previous years, students can choose either, and then are allowed to take any science they want.
”The change doesn’t really affect me,” freshman Alessandra Guillen said. “I still want to take physics because I’m good at it and it seems interesting.”

Physics Teacher, Hazel Cooper can see the benefit of both sides of the change.

“I think the change is a good idea,” Ms. Cooper said. “But I want students to realize that there is more to physics and that it teaches study skills, life skills, and problem solving.”

Even though freshman and sophomores are exempt from taking both chemistry and physics, counselors highly encourage to still acquire the two.
“These classes are important because colleges look at student’s strength in transcript or their classes so they need to take these to impress colleges,” Ms. Wilson said.

Students must turn in their verification cards into the counseling office on Feb. 24.

“Meeting with my counselor should be easy now,” Himert said. “I have everything picked out because of the changes that were made.”