Student Scheduling

BRIEF SUMMARY

Throughout the year, school counselors meet with students on an individual basis. As a part of individual student planning, the counselors work in collaboration with students, families and school staff members to help each student develop academically, socially and personally.  This includes the scheduling of students’ courses.

KEY POINTS

• School counselors are not just schedule changers: the role of the school counselor has drastically changed. They still help with schedule changes but have a much broader job.

RESOURCES

• Schedule Change Form (sample) [gdrts_stars_rating type=”counselor1stop.resources” id= 19108 ]
• ScheduleChangeRequestForm (sample) [gdrts_stars_rating type=”counselor1stop.resources” id= 19109 ]
• Google form for handling course requests (sample) [gdrts_stars_rating type=”counselor1stop.resources” id= 19110 ]
• Schedule Change Form (sample) We create a form for each grade level.  Side 1: As you can see; we list diploma type, career path, and then potential courses. The core classes for the grade level and depending on what diploma track they are on the course is circled accordingly.  Alternative/Electives in order of preference, of course sometimes we have to “twist arms” to have students understand concentrators and what is needed to accomplish them.  Side 2: Pretty well self-explanatory.

SHARED WISDOM

• Q: I am interested in changing our course request form for the upcoming scheduling season. Though I have the students sign up for classes online, I still like to have a paper form, signed by a parent, so that I know they have seen what classes their child wants and to take. I just don’t know that I love the form we are using!
  • A: Here is the paper form we use for our 10th graders. We create a form for each grade level.  Side 1: As you can see; we list diploma type, career path, and then potential courses. The core classes for the grade level and depending on what diploma track they are on the course is circled accordingly.  Alternative/Electives in order of preference, of course sometimes we have to “twist arms” to have students understand concentrators and what is needed to accomplish them.  Side 2: Pretty well self-explanatory.
• Q: I’d like to know what policies or procedures schools around the state have for dropping HS courses throughout the semester. Do you allow a student to drop without penalty at any time? Do you have a select date during the semester where a student can no longer drop without receiving an F or perhaps another grade mark? Other ideas, procedures, or policies?
  • A: Responses from Counselor Talk (September 2020)
  • A: We have a drop and add period. After the drop and add period, students drop with an F. The only exception would be if that is made in an IEP case conference.
  • A: We have a drop/add period (add as space allows in the class) that typically is the first 10 days of each semester. If they drop after that time, we do a W/F on transcripts. There are exceptions of course due to IEP, RTI, etc. This year we have been more lenient as this is our first week with any students in person (and we had 4 weeks of Virtual).
  • A: Here’s our policy
• Q: Do you have a “rule” about when students are allowed to change their schedules once a term starts?
  • A: Our students have one week to get their written request in and we have one week after that to get all the requests taken care of.
• Q: Does anyone have a good program or system that allows students to check in/check out of the guidance office and records the reason for the visit?
  • A: All of my students are in my Google Classroom. I have a google form there where they can request to see me, which includes a reason. Then, when they come to the office there is a sign in sheet where they list only their name and the time. Our high school has one that lists the student name, the time and then they can check a box of either personal or academic.
  • We started using a Google Form when they sign in.  They select a category for reason for appointment and select which person they are seeing.  I have liked it so far this year.
  • I copied this format a few years ago…using an old iPad and Google Forms.  It works great!  The student must come to the Guidance Office to sign up, which I personally prefer. 
    https://www.smore.com › fepw9-school-counseling-kiosk
• Counselor Talk (January 2019) Responses for how to handle schedule change requests between semesters:
  • • Schedule Request Ideas
    • Sample schedule change policy (Reitz Memorial High School)
    • Sample Schedule Change Request Form (Seeger Jr-Sr High School)

• Counselor Talk Responses for scheduling individual meetings with students-using electronic formats:
  • Some people used email but for me, I already have a crazy inbox so for me this does not seem like the best option.
  • I also had a few people that used this website that looks great! youcanbook.me.
  • The majority of people have created their own google forms
  • I found this tutorial that I might play around with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTCFSwuP6bk
  • I copied this format a few years ago using an old iPad and Google Forms.  It works great!  The student must come to the Guidance Office to sign up, which I personally prefer.  
• For advice on handling student requests to change schedules-click here: Counselor Responses on Scheduling
• At our middle school, I do 4 weeks worth of developmental guidance lessons about diploma types, our electives, etc. with the 8th graders. I do these in their PCC classes. For the 6th and 7th graders, I do scheduling in classroom format, so I have roughly 25 kids per group. Our students use the online feature of our student data system Skyward to do the majority of the work themselves.
• High School Course Retake Policy–example

CONTENT FEEDBACK

If you have suggestions, feedback, or resources, please email counselor1stop@inspiresuccess.org and let us know.