Semester courses: 26th August 2025
Year-long courses: 11th September 2025
Two-year courses: 29th September 2025
S2 Semester courses: 26th January 2026
Course withdrawal procedures
Our expectation at JIS is that students will complete the courses they request to take. Changes are only allowed after careful consideration and when these changes are recommended by a teacher and counselor. In cases where there is a disagreement, the Associate Principal of Curriculum and Learning will arbitrate and/or bring the case to High School Administration.
Is the change in the best educational interests of the student overall?
Does the student have very low grades (despite putting forth considerable effort)?
Would remaining in the course impact the student’s well being?
Is the student new to JIS? That is, were decisions made based on limited understanding of the student’s performance and potential?
Does the current teacher recommend the move?
Did the student initially choose the course against the advice of the teacher and/or counselor? Was the previous teacher consulted?
Do parents understand the implications of the move and remain fully supportive?
If moving to a new class, is there significant overlap in content and level of course material with the previous class (this may permit a grade/credit)?
Does the course change cause a “ripple effect,” impacting several other courses and/or necessitating changes to core teachers?
Note: Students preferring one teacher over another is not considered a valid reason for course changes.
Students requesting scheduling changes must fill in a course change request online form rather than sending an email or making an appointment to see their counselor. This online form expedites the rate at which counselors can process change requests.
At the end of this first 10-day cycle, no more requests to change semester courses will be accepted on any grounds.
This 10-day cycle add/drop period also applies to semester courses taken in Semester 2.
Students must use the paper-based course request change form.
During the second 10-day cycle, students can request to change courses for year-long and two-year (IB) classes only.
Please be aware that changes to year-long and two-year IB courses may impact the scheduling of semester courses. This is permissible.
During the third 10-day cycle, students can request to change courses only for two-year classes (IB) and only during Year 1 of the two-year course.
All students requesting changes to be made at this point must fill in an Add/Drop form that students can request from their Personal-Academic Counselor.
Level Changes: Sometimes level changes take place when teachers and/or counselors conclude that the fit is not right for the student. These are sometimes referred to as course corrections. These corrections are based on data (usually summative assessments) provided by the teacher to the student, and would take place after a conference between the teacher, student and counselor. In these cases, the following guidelines apply:
Level changes: If a level change occurs before the end of the fourth 10-day cycle (8th week of school), the class they exited will not be recorded on their transcript.
In cases where a student is not provided with a second data point based on a summative assessment, the deadline might be extended to allow for this second data point to be considered and discussed by the teacher, counselor and student.
After the 8th week, a ‘W’ (withdrawal) will be noted on the transcript. No credit is awarded for a withdrawn course.
After week 8, withdrawals are not permitted for a student who would consequently have fewer than the minimum number for blocks required for a student in that grade level.
Unless all course learning goals for the semester are fully met, if a student enrolls in a new class after week 8, ‘NG’ (No Grade, no credit) will be recorded on the transcript. The responsibility to make-up missing work rests with the student.
Students struggling in an AP and IB course are allowed to appeal for a course to be re-characterized as a JIS course beyond week 8 (this means the AP/IB designation would be removed from the transcript).
Students who complete the first semester of a course and then withdraw during the second semester will have their grade in progress from the first semester recorded on their transcript.
In special circumstances, teacher-initiated course withdrawals can occur up to Quarter 3 (3pm on the 1st day after Spring Break) This would involve a scenario in which a student has a substantial risk of failing.
A student would be expected to enroll in a similar course that would be more manageable for their level, and it would be ideally taught by the same teacher.
If a student would need to enroll in a course taught by a different teacher, the new teacher must agree it is possible for the student to meet the standards of the course before they are enrolled in the course.
In rare cases, a student in a two-year IB course may request to drop a course at the end of the first year of the course. The student would be required to complete the Add/Drop form, participate in a family meeting with a personal/academic counselor, university counselor, and the IB coordinator.
After the meeting, a student appeal would be submitted to high school administration for a final decision.
Year 2 IB Students only: A student may request to be allowed to continue with the previous year's teacher on grounds of learning continuity. This is not automatically granted, however, and it is worth keeping in mind the following broad principles:
The change request can only be to the previous year's teacher.
The change request must fit into the schedule
The change request can only happen if there is space in the class, does not lead to the closure of the departing class, and does not lead to a massive imbalance in section sizes.
The change request must be within the course change window.
If advised by the EAL department, students can change from a language-enhanced (LE) English class to a standard English class at the end of the first semester and through the first 10-day cycle of the second. Students who exit an English LE class at the semester mark will receive a semester grade for the LE class on their transcript.