Academic Counseling

Academic meetings with your counselor

School counselors meet with all students in grades 9-12, as well as current 8th graders, at least once per year to discuss their academic progress, college/career goals, and their schedule of courses for the following school year.  The Palmyra-Macedon High School Coursebook contains a list of all courses taught at the high school, descriptions of special academic programs, and information on graduation requirements and diploma types. More information on NYS graduation requirements can be found on the NYSED website here.

In addition to these regular meetings, student can talk to their counselor whenever necessary to discuss any concerns about current courses, academic program, and difficulties within courses. Counselors can provide information on ways to study for tests/quizzes, strategies for organization, and time management techniques.

For those students with significant struggles that require a larger team approach, parents may contact their student's grade level  Multi-Tiered System of Supports Team (MTSS). The MTSS is a group of school staff members whose goal is to develop interventions that will promote improvement in a student's classroom behavior and academic support. To request the intervention of The MTSS on behalf of your student, please call the counseling office at 315-597-3421.

Adding and dropping a course

Students have until the end of the second full week of courses to add, drop, or change a course in their schedule. Following that deadline, NO course changes will be allowed unless there are extenuating circumstances. All students must carry a total of at least 6.5 credits in their schedule. In the event that a schedule change is permitted after the deadline (under special circumstances, and with the permission of the building principal), students will receive either a WP (withdrew while passing) or WF (withdrew while failing) on their academic transcript based on the overall average for the course at the time of the removal. To discuss a schedule change, please see your counselor.

getting ready for high school

Each year in mid-January, we present information on high school readiness, course selection, graduation requirements, and special programs to both 8th grade students and parents.  These separate presentations occur just before High School and Middle School counselors meet together with current 8th grade students to pick their courses for 9th grade.