Optioning for Freshman Year

Post date: Feb 09, 2017 4:35:15 PM

Published 2/9/17

By Shiv Malhotra, '20

For more information, refer to the Walnut Hills course guide, which goes more in dept about other classes students entering 9th grade may take. Photo Courtesy of Walnut Hills High School

As first semester comes to an end, optioning begins. During this time, students in grades seven through eleven choose their classes for the next school year. In order to graduate, students are required to take certain classes:

English: Four Years

Math: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 and additional math class of choice

Science: Biology, Chemistry and additional science class of choice

Language: Students who enter WHHS in seventh or eighth grade must take Latin I, Latin II, Latin III and two years of a modern world language. A fourth year of Latin may be substituted for a modern world language. Those who start at WHHS in ninth grade are not required to take Latin. Instead, two years of a modern world language are required.

The Class of 2021 will pick classes for their freshman year, the first year that grades appear on an official high school transcript. Freshmen have the option for English to take English 9, English 9 AA or English 9 Honors. English 9 Honors is a part of the Honors program, which entails English 9 Honors, Modern World History Honors and Biology Honors. Students may not take just one or two honors classes since the classes are a part of a three-class program. In order to be in the Honors program, students must either already be a part of the 8-Honors program and be recommended by their current honors teachers, or if not already in the Honors program, must receive an invitation to the program contingent on open spots.

Other options for incoming freshmen are to take Biology AA, Modern History AA, English 9 AA or Biology, Modern History and English 9. Advanced accelerated and college preparatory classes may be taken interchangeably, but certain classes require teacher approval and/or a prerequisite grade.

Incoming freshmen also have an option to take Algebra 1 or Algebra 1 AA, Geometry or Geometry AA and Algebra 2 or Algebra 2 AA. Students may take an AA math class only with the approval of their current math teacher.

In Latin, current students taking Latin II may take Latin III or Latin III AA with the approval of their current Latin teacher. Students who are currently taking Latin I may option for Latin II or Latin II AA with the approval of their current Latin teacher.

Patty Morgan, a guidance counselor for grades seven to nine, reminds students to “contact their counselor if they have any further questions on optioning, and [not] procrastinate on optioning until the last minute”.