1. Navigate to the Curriculum Guide to see a list of classes, course description and prerequisites.

On Google Sheet 

DO NOT include a course

• • more than once

  • if they do not have appropriate approval to take

    • • typically applies to AP and accelerated courses

      • THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! IF A TEACHER WILL NOT PROVIDE APPROVAL, THE STUDENT MUST CHOOSE A DIFFERENT COURSE (see below)

Students DO

• • Include at least five classes per term

  • Have valid second choices for all electives (with appropriate approvals when necessary)

WHEN A STUDENT SHARES THEIR SHEET WITH YOU FOR APPROVAL...

1. Right click in the "Approve with Comment" box

2. Choose "Comment"

3. In the comment box that appears, indicate that you approve with your initials or a witty message appropriate to your personality

4. NOTE: Be specific about the course you are approving them for in the comment box. For example, if I were approving someone for accelerated science 10, I would indicate: BR - approved for Integrated Chem Accelerated

Student and Advisor check for accuracy and proper approvals

All Google Sheets confirmed complete by February 27

Confirm requests with families at Advisory Conferences - March 5-6

Course requests are loaded directly from Google Sheets to Veracross. It is vital that you confirm accuracy with each advisee

If a student does not have approval for an advanced class, they are NOT ALLOWED to sign up for that class. You need to remove this class then do one of the following:

1. Work with them to find a different option

2. Register for a lower level course and encourage the student to petition for the higher level course

Double check that a student did not enter the same course multiple times in a semester; this will break the calculation of the totals. Students must have unique second choices and should not include the same course multiple times as a second choice. 

Please contact the Registrar: brueckert@micds.org 

If a student does not gain approval for a class that requires departmental approval but desires a chance to take the course, they must go through the petition process. 

• This is typically due to having a grade lower than the threshold set by the department to which the course belongs.

• Another common example is moving up from regular math/science to accelerated math/science. This always requires a petition regardless of the current grade.

Students can also petition to take an independent study as a sixth class, or petition to take a 7th normal academic class. 

Both independent studies and 7th classes are pass/no pass and carry no credit.

Remember, the purpose of the petition process is to allow a student to be reevaluated at the end of the school year or during the summer for a course they are not qualified to take at the time of registration.

As such, students should sign up for the lower level course, NOT the course they are petitioning for.

Examples:

• A 9th student currently taking Integrated Math 1 wanting to move up to Integrated Math 2 Accelerated in 10th grade should sign up for Integrated Math 2 (regular) and complete the petition process.

• A 10th grade student currently taking Integrated Chemistry that did not receive approval for AP Biology but wanted to be reevaluated at the end of the school year should sign up for Integrated Biology and complete the petition process.

In order to successfully petition for departmental approval the following steps must be completed according to the timetable published by the Registrar. 

1. A student initiates the process by completing the Petition for Departmental Approval Form

2. Upon completion of the form, a Petition for Departmental Approval will be emailed to the student. 

3. The petition must be completed and submitted to the Registrar by the registration deadline. 

4. Decisions on petitions are made in May. Math petition decisions that require a follow-up test in the summer are made in August.

5. Administration notifies the students of the result via email. 

Note: an approved petition earns the student a place on the waitlist for the course. 

It does not guarantee a seat in the class.

In order to successfully petition for a 7th class the following steps must be completed according to the timetable published by the Registrar. 

1. A student initiates the process by completing the Petition for a 7th Class Form.

2. Upon completion of the form, a Petition for a 7th Class will be emailed to the student. 

3. The petition must be completed and submitted to the Registrar by the registration deadline. 

4. The student must make a presentation detailing their rationale for a 7th class to the US Academic Team.

5. Decisions on petitions are made in May

6. Administration notifies the students of the result via email. 

In order to successfully petition for an Independent Study, the following steps must be completed according to the timetable published by the Registrar. 

1. A student initiates this process by completing the Application for Independent Study. 

2. The completed application and a detailed study prospectus must be submitted to the Registrar by the registration deadline. 

3. The student must submit to the Registrar a video presentation detailing their Independent Study. 

4. Decisions on petitions are made in May

5. Administration notifies the students of the result via email. 

6. The student must make a final presentation to the US Academic Team at the conclusion of the Independent Study to receive a passing grade.

It's easy, YOU DON'T! Since they haven't been approved to take the Independent Study they should proceed with registration assuming they will NOT be approved. If they are approved, the Registrar will work with the student if a course needs to be swapped out for the Independent Study.

1. Athletics are entered in a separate section of the Google Sheet below academic courses.

2. All sports available for request show "varsity". 

3. This does not mean they are signing up for the varsity sport, but it does indicate an interest in that sport. 

If a student wants to be a manager of a team sign them up for the sport as normal

1. Some students may choose to be involved in a sport or activity that is not offered by the school. 

2. Those students may apply for an athletic season of an Independent Sports option each individual year. 

3. An independent athletic application must be completed and submitted in advance of the season.

   1. • The form is available from the Athletic Department Office. 

4. The Director of Athletics reviews applications for an independent sport option before approval is granted.

• Students in grades 11 and 12 may request to take a non-required course as Pass/No Pass. 

• Every student is required to take a minimum of five courses every semester; these may not be taken as Pass/No Pass. 

• Courses taken as Pass/No Pass cannot fulfill a department specific graduation requirement. 

• Pass/No Pass does not contribute to a student's GPA but does appear on the transcript. 

• In unusual circumstances a student may be allowed to take a 7th course during a semester if they follow the formal petition process; this 7th course must be taken Pass/No Pass.

1. Request through the student's Dean. 

2. The request is reviewed by the US Academic Team. 

3. Administration notifies the students of the result via email. 

Full-year courses may be added or dropped until the end of the 12th day of first semester. 

Procedure for adding or dropping a class

1. Students must meet with the Dean.

2. Students enter request on a Google Form provided by their Dean.

3. Registrar sends out a Google Doc to gain feedback and approval from

   1. • parents

      • department chairs

      • teachers

      • advisors

      • and/or learning specialists

4. Student notifies Dean that all appropriate adults have signed the document.

5. Dean provides final approval or denial after viewing feedback.

6. Registrar makes changes in Veracross.

1. • A change is not final nor in effect until the Registrar officially alters the schedule in Veracross. 

   • Dropping a course after the end of the Drop/Add period is allowed only under extenuating circumstances and may result in a "Withdrawal" recorded on the transcript. 

   • Given staffing requirements and class sizes, there is no guarantee of course changes being possible after the formal registration process is complete. 

Because courses are imported to Veracross directly from the Google Sheets, it is important to notify the registrar of incomplete registration forms. Contact brueckert@micds.org with a list of students if necessary.

Any course may be cancelled by Department Chairs, the US Academic Team, or the Head of Upper School if it has insufficient enrollment. 

• In these instances, students will be registered for their second choice. 

Students who fail to provide a second choice do not get preferential treatment in the registration process and will be contacted by the Registrar and their Dean to find an appropriate replacement course.