Course Selection

LEVEL PLACEMENT

We encourage all students to set goals, work hard, and take on serious academic challenges.  Teachers will recommend levels of classes based on guidelines described below and their assessment of student skills in specific content areas.  If a student is particularly motivated to meet the challenges of higher-level coursework in a specific class but does not meet the department’s requirements, the student and parent should discuss the placement with the current teacher and content area representative in that subject. 

Honors and AP Level Course Placement Expectations 

Honors and AP Level placement can vary by content area for students entering the high school as freshmen, as well as students moving into grades 10, 11 and 12. In combination with a keen awareness of the workload in the various levels, teachers make recommendations for levels of courses based on demonstrations of depth of thinking, questing for knowledge and understanding, steady engagement in schoolwork, and consistency of Habits of Mind such as attention to deadlines, collaboration, and communication. 

To qualify for recommendation to enroll in honors level courses a student must demonstrate and maintain a high academic standard. Teacher recommendation for leveling for subsequent year's course selections will be based on the following criteria:

*Overall outstanding academic performance in the subject area

*High assessment scores including practice standardized tests (PSAT, STAR, SBAC), Mid-year and Final exams

*Demonstration of consistent work ethic in present course to show readiness for depth and breadth of work

Please note that some departments may use specific grade requirements in order for students to be recommended to take honors and advanced level courses.  Departments may also elect to have other individual requirements for courses such as prerequisites or co-requisites.

Advanced Placement and UConn Early College Experience (ECE) courses have individual requirements by department.

As mentioned previously if a student wishes to take a course at a level higher than recommended by his/her teacher, the student should schedule an appointment with the teacher to discuss the specific skills he/she should be demonstrating to show evidence of readiness in the level desired.  If a student ultimately desires to take a course at a level higher than his/her teacher is recommending, the student and parents/guardians must follow the override process outlined in the next section.

OVERRIDES

Teachers and students collaborate to determine student level placement in classes. Teachers individualize recommendations with consideration of the best learning situation for each student.  General criteria are stated in the previous section.  Specific level recommendations are based on a variety of assessments of student performance: effort and engagement in class, course grades, standardized test scores, departmental standardized test practices, and various assessments.  If a student wishes to take a course at a level for which he/she has not been recommended the following steps must occur:

1. Students meet with the teacher to discuss the reason for the recommendation and the desired course request.

2. Following this discussion if the teacher maintains the original recommendation and the student wishes to override the recommendation of the teacher, the student’s parent/guardian must consult with the teacher and the school counselor to discuss the desired override.

3. An Override Request Form must be completed by the student and parent/guardian, including signatures from both.

4. The student must take the override form to the recommending teacher for his/her signature verifying that a conversation occurred, and the teacher has explained the reason for his/her recommendation and what the student can expect at the overridden level.

5. The completed Override Request Form with signatures of the student, parent/guardian and recommending teacher must be delivered to the Guidance Office by the designated deadline.  

Override forms are available in the guidance office.  The master schedule is driven by course requests and student enrollment in courses which means that once the master schedule has been created with the necessary number of course sections, there is little room for movement across sections. For this reason, all completed Override Request Forms must be submitted to the school guidance department* no later than one week following the end of student course request submission. 

The deadline for Override Request Forms for the 2025-26 academic year is Friday, February 28, 2025. Please note that this is a firm deadline for schedule building purposes.

*Students entering grade 9 who wish to override a teacher’s recommendation going into high school must submit a completed Override Request Form to the Old Saybrook Middle School Guidance Department by Friday, February 28, 2025.