Registration and Scheduling

This curriculum guide is designed to inform you about the educational opportunities to be found at W. F. West High School. Careful reading of the general information and specific course offerings should enable you to plan for your high school experience and future effectively. Please also check course prerequisites before choosing a class. Counselors, Advisors, and Teachers are available to answer specific questions and provide support for your academic planning.

We hope this guide answers your questions as you decide what courses to take next year. The courses in the guide will only be offered next year if enough students register to fill the class. It is very important that you think carefully about your choices now, including alternative selections. Another reason for students and parents to take spring registration seriously is that students will be committed to their schedule. Changing student schedules will be done only under exceptional circumstances.

Course planning should be based upon your graduation and post-high school plans. The desire to have a common lunch with a friend, the same class as a friend, a different teacher, or the preference of an elective that conflicts with other academic requirements should not be the focus as you make that plan. Schedule changes will not be made based on these preferences. The choices that you make now will determine your fall schedule. If you cannot find the plan or answers that you need for the registration process, contact your school counselor for help.

All students should develop a tentative plan of coursework for the entire year that meets parental approval. Careful selection of courses will prevent the necessity of seeking class changes. Before finalizing your schedule, seek parent, advisor, and counselor advice. Class changes will be limited. Withdrawal from individual classes will have no grade penalty until the 16th day after the start of each semester. Any withdrawal after the 15th day will result in an “F” withdrawal grade unless other arrangements have been made.

Repeating Classes

Students may in some instances repeat a course, with the permission of the department involved. Some departments allow students to repeat a class for credit such as lifetime fitness, welding, or construction. Credit toward each class would be given. In other cases, repeats/retakes of courses may be allowed in order to improve a grade and count it as credit. For example, if a student fails Spanish 1A and wishes to repeat this class, only the Spanish course passed would count as credit toward graduation. However, both classes and their grades will remain on the transcript.

New or Transfer Students

New students to W. F. West High School should try, if at all possible, to enter school at the beginning of a semester. This makes the transition easier for the student and the school. These the procedures and responsibilities for each new student:

1. Report to Counseling Center to fill out registration material.
2. Provide us with an up-to-date transcript of classes, immunization record, and withdrawal grades in a sealed envelope from the school most recently attended. If this is not possible, we must at least have the immunization record and withdrawal grades, so we will be able to match your previous classes with ours.
3. If a transcript is not immediately available, we must have a transcript release form signed by parents or guardian and returned to us so we can request school records as soon as possible. This is a new student’s responsibility. A counselor will work with new students and assign them to classes. A tour of the building and facilities will be provided.

Credit for Coursework Not Taken At W. F. West

Any student transferring to W. F. West from another accredited high school will have his/her transcript evaluated with credit given for those courses which were part of the official/adopted curriculum of the former school. Credits earned from a college or alternative school will be accepted when approved by the Counseling Center prior to enrollment. College-level classes from the college have different credit values. See a high school counselor for credit value. College classes and summer high school classes will be granted credit and will be computed in the student’s G.P.A. Special courses or programs that offer grades and credits, which are taken outside of the W.F. West Curriculum, may be attached to a student’s transcript, but credits and grades may or may not be computed into the official W.F. West transcript.

Credit for High School Level Classes Taken in Middle School

Students in the Class of 2020-2023 wishing to receive high school credit for the following classes: Algebra 1A/B, Intro to Chemistry, Intro to Physics, Spanish 1A/B, must obtain a form from the counseling center and provide appropriate documentation and signatures. If added, the grades received will be factored into students cumulative G.P.A. Starting with students in the Class of 2024: House Bill 1599 requires that unless a student and the student’s family requests otherwise, any high school course completed in middle school shall be given high school credit, added to the high school transcript (including the grade earned), and applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements.

Credit Recovery/APEX

Students can use the APEX online credit recovery program in several subject areas. The online credit recovery program is available before, during and after the school day.

Withdrawal/Transfer From School

If a student finds it necessary to withdraw or transfer from school at any time during the year, the following procedure should be observed:

1. The student withdrawing must have permission from his/her parents or guardians.
2. Obtain a withdrawal form from the Counseling Center.
3. Have each teacher, the Librarian, Athletic Office, Attendance Office and Main Office check the student out indicating any fine(s) and/or other obligations the student needs to satisfy.
4. Pay fees/fines in the ASB office, pick up a copy of health records in the Main Office, and return completed form to the Counseling Center.
5. Credits and/or transcripts will be held until such clearance is complete.