Guiding Students Through the Registration Process

As we begin the upcoming course registration season, it is important to support students in making thoughtful, intentional decisions about their class choices. Our goal is to help students select courses that balance challenge, personal interests, and long term goals, not just complete required credits. Please use the resources below when working with students in both your PRIDE and regular classes as you converse with them about next year's courses. 

Important Links:

• Course offerings: Full listing of all courses offered (with descriptions)

• Registration timeline and deadlines
  
  

1. Choosing the Right Level of Rigor

Encourage students to be honest and reflective about their current academic strengths and challenges. Students should:

• Select courses that challenge them, while still being manageable. Students grow most when they are appropriately stretched. Taking honors or AP classes when they can be successful is better than overloading themselves with too many advanced courses.

• Build progressively toward higher levels. A student who performs well in an honors class this year might be ready for AP the following year. A student who struggles in a subject might be better served by taking the same level next year build a stronger foundation first.

• The right amount of rigor is different for each subject for every student

When discussing levels with students, consider questions such as:

• Which courses have challenged you in a way that helped you grow academically?

• Where have you maintained strong grades without feeling overwhelmed?

• What is the highest level you feel confident you can succeed in next year?

2. Aligning Classes with Post Graduation Goals

Help students think carefully about how their course selections support their plans after graduation.

College

• Many college programs expect a sequence of core courses, such as three or four years of math and English, along with multiple science or language credits. Honors and AP options can strengthen a transcript.

• Students interested in competitive programs may need to continue specific course sequences, such as world language study, through senior year.

Career or Technical School

• Encourage students to explore technical or career pathway options in the course catalog that align with their interests, such as engineering, healthcare, business, or trades.

• These courses can build skills and credentials that matter in both workplace settings and post secondary training programs.

Workforce or Other Plans

• Students who are not sure what they want to do post high school should select courses that help them build practical skills. Examples include financial literacy, communication, technology, and career readiness.

• Students should also keep some flexibility in their schedules in case they decide to pursue education later.

Conversation prompts that may help:

• What are your general goals after high school such as college, career or technical school, or entering the workforce?

• Which courses support that path?

• Are there prerequisites you need next year to keep your options open?

3. Making Room for Classes Students Enjoy

Academic requirements are important, and so is student engagement. Electives and interest based classes help students stay motivated, develop talents, and enjoy learning.

Encourage students to:

• Include at least one course they simply enjoy, whether it is art, music, healthcare, or another interest area.

• View electives as more than fun. These classes can build real world skills, strengthen applications, and help students balance a demanding academic schedule.

You may ask students questions such as:

• What do you enjoy learning that is not required for graduation?

• How might a class you enjoy help balance a challenging schedule?

4. Using Student Insight Cards to Understand Student Goals

Student Insight Cards are an excellent resource for learning about each student's interests, strengths, and post graduation goals. Encourage teachers to use these cards as a starting point for meaningful advisement conversations. You received these cards in an email from Katie Raby last semester. NOTE: Spring semester students will be emailed out the week of 1/19!

Teachers can use the cards to:

• Identify a student's long term interests such as specific careers, academic subjects, or extracurricular passions.

• Note any concerns the student has expressed about workload, confidence in certain subjects, or balancing school and activities.

• Look for patterns that may guide course recommendations. For example, a student who consistently mentions an interest in medical fields may benefit from anatomy, biology, or health pathway courses.
  
  

Questions teachers can ask while reviewing the cards with students:

• What goals or interests from your card are most important to you right now?

• Do your current course choices support these goals?

• Is there a class or pathway listed in the catalog that matches something you wrote when you completed the EOS survey?

Next Steps for Teachers

1. Review the course catalog so you can help students explore their options.

2. Familiarize yourself with the registration timeline and share key dates with your advisement groups.

3. Ask guiding questions that prompt students to reflect rather than guess.

Thank you for helping our students build schedules that are rigorous, intentional, and meaningful. Your support is essential in helping students make informed choices. Please let me know if you have questions or would like to coordinate advising strategies.