Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do kids get new schedules halfway through the year if they are continuing in the same classes? All of my high school classes were full year except for one or two.

All HS classes are semester-long, even those that students are in for the year. So a class like Honors Bio is split into Honors Bio A first semester and Honors Bio B second semester. A student may have Honors Bio A with Mr. Smith during period 3 and then have Honors Bio B with Ms. Jones during period 5.

Interesting. Why not just have the students stay with the same teachers and schedules all year?

Because of electives usually. If my kids wants to take Ceramics I first semester and Ceramics II second semester, they are by definition not offered at the same time so the whole schedule moves.

Why aren't they offered at the same time? Many kids would take both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do kids get new schedules halfway through the year if they are continuing in the same classes? All of my high school classes were full year except for one or two.

All HS classes are semester-long, even those that students are in for the year. So a class like Honors Bio is split into Honors Bio A first semester and Honors Bio B second semester. A student may have Honors Bio A with Mr. Smith during period 3 and then have Honors Bio B with Ms. Jones during period 5.

Interesting. Why not just have the students stay with the same teachers and schedules all year?

Because of electives usually. If my kids wants to take Ceramics I first semester and Ceramics II second semester, they are by definition not offered at the same time so the whole schedule moves.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do kids get new schedules halfway through the year if they are continuing in the same classes? All of my high school classes were full year except for one or two.

All HS classes are semester-long, even those that students are in for the year. So a class like Honors Bio is split into Honors Bio A first semester and Honors Bio B second semester. A student may have Honors Bio A with Mr. Smith during period 3 and then have Honors Bio B with Ms. Jones during period 5.

Interesting. Why not just have the students stay with the same teachers and schedules all year?

Anonymous wrote:Why do kids get new schedules halfway through the year if they are continuing in the same classes? All of my high school classes were full year except for one or two.

All HS classes are semester-long, even those that students are in for the year. So a class like Honors Bio is split into Honors Bio A first semester and Honors Bio B second semester. A student may have Honors Bio A with Mr. Smith during period 3 and then have Honors Bio B with Ms. Jones during period 5.

I would push VERY HARD for him to get a schedule in time for the second semester. He's entitled to getting his schedule just like all the others and starting on the first day of the second semester with new teachers, just like all the other high schoolers (most full years courses have a teacher change for the second semester).

Do your homework, OP, and get the course listing off the MCPS website (it's hard to navigate). There are 7 periods in a day. Draw up a list of your desired 7 periods, given what courses he did previously. Email the school registrar, who is responsible for enrollment, and CC the Principal, attaching the list of courses he's done previously at his old school, and the list of MCPS classes you want him to be enrolled in for the second semester. If they're a logical match, they will do their best to find a seat those classes.

I know it's important for you that your kid be in a seat come Monday. This might or might not happen, because they'll stick him wherever there's room, in classes that might not be appropriate. What's even more important is that they get him a schedule of classes that make sense for his academic track for the second semester, because that will impact all the following years as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He already has grades from previous school. I understand he doesn’t have a schedule yet, but I would just like him to be in the building instead of sitting home doing nothing. The grades are already in for the first semester so I understand it’s challenging for them, but it still might make sense for him to get acclimated to the building andtheir routines.

Eh. Given this context, I think you should just wait it out. Set a plan with him so that he’s doing something productive, but that’s on you and him.

Absolutely not. There’s no way one counselor cannot get this kid into some classes. The kid hasn’t been in school since December. He’s supposed to wait another 2-3 weeks? I find it hard to believe that ALL the school counselors are working 8 hours a day on schedules for next semester for the next 14 days.

Why do kids get new schedules halfway through the year if they are continuing in the same classes? All of my high school classes were full year except for one or two.

Anonymous wrote:He already has grades from previous school. I understand he doesn’t have a schedule yet, but I would just like him to be in the building instead of sitting home doing nothing. The grades are already in for the first semester so I understand it’s challenging for them, but it still might make sense for him to get acclimated to the building andtheir routines.

Eh. Given this context, I think you should just wait it out. Set a plan with him so that he’s doing something productive, but that’s on you and him.

Anonymous wrote:He already has grades from previous school. I understand he doesn’t have a schedule yet, but I would just like him to be in the building instead of sitting home doing nothing. The grades are already in for the first semester so I understand it’s challenging for them, but it still might make sense for him to get acclimated to the building andtheir routines.

Based on this no agree with waiting. Maybe ask if the kid can shadow some students or a set of classes each week..

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but they are right. My kids are at a huge HS and getting anything from their counselor while schedules are being made is a nightmare.
The counselors are obligated to the kids who are currently enrolled. If you’re going to push this you should make it clear that you don’t care what his first semester schedule looks like but are focused on his second semester.

Don't most students already have schedules in place for semester 2? Ours have been visible in Parentvue since August.

Yes but schedules can change because kids determine they need to switch classes based on first semester or are trying again because they didn’t get what they wanted initially. As others have indicated Counselors are dealing with a lot right now:
Nearing wrapup of 2nd qtr/1st semester
- Class schedule changes for next semester
- Start of registration for next year which includes going out to the MS for 8th graders
- Seniors who put new college apps in after ED/EA/REA decisions come out
- Normal day to day

Ask to have the student enrolled immediately regardless of class and that focus be paid for 2nd semester classes.

He already has grades from previous school. I understand he doesn’t have a schedule yet, but I would just like him to be in the building instead of sitting home doing nothing. The grades are already in for the first semester so I understand it’s challenging for them, but it still might make sense for him to get acclimated to the building andtheir routines.

If you push hard to get him enrolled, he will
be in classes for a total of 2 weeks before the next semester starts and all of his teachers and classes change. They won’t be able to give him any kind of work or grades if he is only there for the last 2 weeks of the semester. I don’t think it would be worth it at all.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but they are right. My kids are at a huge HS and getting anything from their counselor while schedules are being made is a nightmare.
The counselors are obligated to the kids who are currently enrolled. If you’re going to push this you should make it clear that you don’t care what his first semester schedule looks like but are focused on his second semester.

Don't most students already have schedules in place for semester 2? Ours have been visible in Parentvue since August.

Sorry, but they are right. My kids are at a huge HS and getting anything from their counselor while schedules are being made is a nightmare.
The counselors are obligated to the kids who are currently enrolled. If you’re going to push this you should make it clear that you don’t care what his first semester schedule looks like but are focused on his second semester.

But unless you had a sudden traumatic reason for changing schools, don’t be demanding about something that you had time to prepare for before they even knew you existed.