Dear Parents and Students,
Many of the paths we choose in life are determined by the direction in which we want to travel. For many of you, this journey has already begun as you select friends, activities, and experiences, but few decisions can have as big an impact upon your future as your education. This Course Offerings Handbook is a valuable compass designed to aid you not only in your course selection here at Pennsville Memorial High School, but in life as well. In order to make thoughtful and considered decisions regarding your academic career, it is important to spend time investigating your options, weighing them carefully, and then selecting those courses which will best prepare you for a wide range of choices. Students should examine their academic and vocational paths and look to maximize their potential during their high school. Parents should encourage their students to enroll in rigorous courses designed to challenge their minds and expand their thinking beyond the narrow confines of the classroom. Finally, parents and students alike should take advantage of the wisdom and guidance that our school counselors can provide. It is a great opportunity that stands before you. Knowledge is the key to your future success and you have been given the chance to shape the direction of your own education. Use this opportunity wisely for it can provide you with the skills you will need to explore new worlds, examine other cultures, appreciate your own, and journey into the 21st Century.
Sincerely, Matthew D. McFarland Principal
The Scheduling Process:
The PMHS master schedule is built based on STUDENT requests as well as a variety of curricular needs and requirements.
Student request will drive the schedule, however not every request can be met or supported within each student's individual schedule.
All Scheduling Requests are made through the PowerSchool Student Portal - This process is completed in a 1-1 session with the students counselor.
The scheduling process generally takes place in February and March.
Students should carefully consider their primary elective choices as well as their alternate choices in order to ensure a schedule built to their specific goals and needs.
Once the student request process is complete, the master schedule is built through the spring months and completed over the summer.
Counselors will keep a record of the course requests made during the scheduling meeting and will review accuracy of each students schedule over the summer months.
Student schedules are released on powerschool in the parent and student portal usually during the 3rd week of August.
Remember - your schedule is made based on the requests you made in the spring while also considering all academic course needs. In the event that a primary elective is not available, all secondary elective options will be used. If an Academic requirement prevents a student from being scheduled into their primary or alternate elective selection, you will be scheduled into an equivalent and appropriate alternative elective.
Schedule Change/Dropping a Course - Students who wish to drop or withdraw from a course must adhere to the following procedures.
Prior to the First Day Of School: Any request for a schedule change must be submitted to the counselor via email prior to the first day of school. Schedule change requests will only be considered if they are academic or programmatic in nature. For example, a student who wishes to be in the honors level of a course or a student was mistakenly placed in a course that was already taken and passed.
Within the First 10 Days of School: - students with parental written permission may request to drop a course for an academic reason. A suitable alternative course must be available within the schedule for the final approval of the course drop request. No Drop Request will be considered following the 10 day period.
COURSE WITHDRAW - To withdraw from a course a PMHS, students must complete the course withdraw form. Students who request to drop a course after the 10 day drop period will be required to complete the first full semester of the course and the student's Official Transcript will note the Withdraw status and pass/fail grade earned in the course. (i.e.: Course Name - Withdraw/Pass or Course Name - Withdraw/Fail). Following the withdrawal from the course at the end of the first semester, the student will then be enrolled in an available semester course.