It’s mid August. You finally receive your schedule that you’ve been impatiently waiting for for weeks. Just to find out it’s a complete mess. You’re in classes you didn’t sign up for, your early release is not at the time you need it to be, and to top it off, you have no classes with your friends. This stresses you out and you begin to email your counselor, except you’re not the only one. The counselor’s email fills up with requests from students, and they start to stress.
“We are not back in the building when schedules come out,” said Mrs. Panzer. “ When we do come in we work diligently to get through the requests.”
Students are able to change their schedule for the first two weeks of school and after a semester. Every year it averages around two-hundred students who change their schedule.
Imagine having to be a guidance counselor at the beginning of the year; it’s complete chaos.
Senior Paige Wilson, had quite the mess up with her schedule, but understands it’s not guidance’s fault.
“The classes I wanted caused open spaces and problems in my schedule,” said Wilson. “I had my schedule changed several times, so that I could have classes that worked together, and I enjoyed. I understand the struggle though, since there are so many people and classes to change.”
A lot of students don’t understand that teachers/ guidance counselors deserve a summer break too.
Guidance secretary Mrs. Smith said, “I receive phone calls and emails during the summer, while counselors are still off.”
Over the break, all of the schedules are made through an online program that the counselors can’t control.
“The computer analyzes and generates the best times based on the course requests,” said Panzer. “ However, there is always conflict.”
The school has quite a few classes that are only offered once during the day, which increases the likelihood of conflict. I remember when this happened to me my sophomore year with my math and the elective I wanted. At the time I didn’t understand how complicated it would be to change.
On the school website there is a Google form offered that lets you put in a schedule request. I know we are all impatient, but it’s actually the best way to get your schedule fixed.
“ It would be easier if students use only the Google form and complete the form themselves,” said Mr. Hess.
At the end of the day, students don’t understand how hard guidance has it. We all get to enjoy our summer, let them too. And, use that Google form next time!
