The Prowl collected questions about course selection from students to ask Ms. Jaclyn Smith, Independence’s Director of Counseling. Read below to see her responses.
Q (The Prowl): When will each grade meet with their counselors?
A (Ms. Smith): We are meeting with students through US History, H/PE 9 and H/PE 10 classes between now [Feb. 4] and March 16. The school counselors will visit those classes and then will meet individually with each student in a separate Google Meet to discuss their course selections.
Q: When will course selections be final?
A: All course requests must be finalized by May 1. We hope to meet with every student individually by March 16. However, students will have until May 1 to make any changes to their courses.
Q: What do you do if you want to take a course your teacher didn’t recommend you for?
A: We highly encourage students to speak with their teachers directly about their course recommendations for next year. If a student does not agree, we encourage him/her to talk with their teacher to gain more insight into the reasons behind the recommendation. Teachers have in-depth knowledge of course content, curriculum, pacing, and expectations, so we encourage students to take their recommendations to heart. However, if a student disagrees, we then would encourage them to discuss with his/her parent/guardian. After the conversation with their teacher and parent/guardian, the counselors then encourage students to reach out to their counselor to request a change if that is ultimately what they decide to do. The students counselor will have a conversation about their request, and can make the change if necessary.
Q: What is the process of obtaining early release?
A: Only rising seniors can request early release or late arrival. All students must take a minimum of five classes in order to be considered a full-time student in LCPS. School counselors will discuss remaining graduation requirements with rising seniors. If a senior can fit in an early release or late arrival and still meet graduation requirements, the student’s parent/guardian will need to submit a Waiver of Full Day Scheduling Form (which can be found on the counseling website) by May 1. School counselors may ask students what alternate elective they would take in the case we do not receive the Waiver form by May 1.
Q: What should students consider when selecting the level of rigor for their course schedules?
A: There are many factors students should consider when making decisions about their schedule for next year. It’s important for students to consider their college and career goals after graduation. What are they interested in pursuing and studying? We encourage students to challenge themselves in those subjects in which they feel they have greatest interest and greatest strength. Rigorous courses, like honors, DE, and AP courses, require a significant amount of work outside of school. It’s important for students to feel motivated and committed to doing the work. If you don’t have an interest in a subject or see the relevance, it can make it harder to find that motivation and drive. It’s also important for students to consider their time and the commitments they have. We want students to enjoy life outside of school, to be able to spend time with their family and friends, to participate in clubs, activities, and sports. There are only 24 hours in a day, so students need to prioritize how they are going to spend that time. Lastly, students need to consider their overall physical and emotional wellness. It’s important to get sleep, to monitor your stress level, to take a breather when you need one, and to find that balance in life. We want students to do things that bring them joy and give them life and energy. Trying to find that balance is essential. It looks different for every student, so it’s also important not to compare yourself to others but to define what success means to you, to determine how much you can reasonably handle.
Additional information for course selection can be found here.
To find your counselor look below:
- Ms. Jaclyn Smith: Director of School Counseling
- Ms. Erica Olinares: Last names A-Ci
- Mrs. Maricel Keller: Last names Cl-Gri
- Ms. Jocelyn Culver: Last names Gro-La
- Mrs. Laura Northhart: Last names Le-Par
- Mr. Jack Madden: Last names Pas-Shr
- Mrs. Maria Porto: Last names Shu-Z