Daily Schedule
What are the school hours?
The school day starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 3:10 p.m. every day except Wednesday which has an earlier dismal time of 1:35.
What is a zero-hour class?
Zero-hour is an optional class period that takes place before the traditional 8:00 a.m. start time. 0-hour begins at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 7:55 a.m. We have a limited number of classes taught during this period. Some students choose to take a zero-hour class because they want to earn additional credits. Others take it so they can start the school day earlier and leave at the end of 6th-period.
Course Selection
What is the difference between Advanced and Regular classes?
Advanced classes cover the same material as on-level classes, they just go into greater depth, move at a faster pace, and often require more work.
There are no pre-requisites or applications needed to join an advanced class. It is a good idea to ask the student's current teacher if they believe taking an advanced class is in the student's best interest.
What are Advanced Placement (AP) classes?
AP (advanced placement) is a program of classes developed by the college board to give high school students an introduction to college-level classes and also gain college credit before even graduating high school. These courses are more difficult than the usual high school class and also require passing an AP exam at the end of the year to gain the college credit.
Freshman can take AP Human Geography. For more information go to the College Board website here: College Board AP classes
If I sign up for an advanced or AP class but have difficulty keeping up, can I transfer to a regular course at any point during the year?
Students can transfer to an on-level course within the first quarter of a semester.
Do I need to take a world language (Spanish, German, French)?
You do not need to take a foreign language class to graduate. Some, but not all colleges require two years of the same language.
How do I know which math class I am supposed to be in?
USD 497 has a sequential math pathway. Talk to your math teacher if you are unsure which math class to enroll in for next year
If I fail a class, do I have to take it again?
In order to meet state and local graduation requirements, there are a few classes students will have to repeat if they fail the first time. This includes Health, Government, Modern World History, United States History, and some math classes.
Can I take a PE class more than one time and still earn credit?
Yes, many students like having an activity break during the day and choose to take PE as one of their elective classes. You can take the same PE class more than one time.
Enrollment Questions:
When is enrollment due?
Students should submit their course selection in PowerSchool Unified Classroom by Friday, February 21, 2025
Students do not have to turn in paper enrollment forms or planners.
Is this the student's Powerschool portal or the parent's?
It is the student's Unified Classroom. See the instructions on the How to Enroll page of this website.
When can we start enrolling?
Enrollment begins on February 10, 2025. PowerSchool will not save your class choices until you submit them. Once they are submitted, you can't go back and change them. It is best to use the course planner to track your course selection. Once you are confident in the class selection, enter the choices in PowerSchool.
Where do we find the course catalog?
You can view full coursebook here: Course Description Book
We attended a private school last year. How do we enroll without a PowerSchool account?
First of all, welcome to USD 497! You will have to go to the USD 497 Enrollment Center and register as a new student in the district. https://www.usd497.org/parents-and-students/register-for-school
Our school registrar will contact you to facilitate enrollment.
School Contact Questions:
What is the best way to contact my student's counselor?
E-mail is often the best way to connect with the school counselors. Do not hesitate to reach out, we are here to help you. Contact information can be found here: https://www.usd497.org/Page/6385
Can I contact my school counselor during the summer?
School Counselors are on a 10-month contract just like our teachers, so they have limited availability during summer break. With that being said, do not hesitate to reach out to your counselor via email, with the understanding you will not get an immediate response. Counselors return to school a week before school starts so there is plenty of time to attend to questions and concerns you might have before the school year begins.
Parental Involvement
How can I check my student's grades in PowerSchool?
Go to this link for information on setting up or getting help with a PowerSchool parent account: PowerSchool Parent Portal
The school does not send out paper report cards. How can I get a copy of my child's grades?
High school grades are recorded on a student's transcript. FSHS uses an online platform called Parchment to process all transcript requests. To get a personal copy of your student's grades, go to the website and choose to have a transcript sent to yourself. In a day or two, you will get a digital copy emailed to you. Please contact your school counselor if you have questions. Transcript Requests
Other FAQ
What is the average student/teacher ratio in the classroom?
24-32 depending on the classroom ( excluding choir, band, PE, etc).
In the past, students were encouraged to work on math packets over the summer. Is that still happening?
No, This was phased out a few years ago.
Is transportation done through First Student?
Yes, you can find more information here: USD 497 Transportation
What are dual credit courses?
There are specific courses juniors and seniors can take to earn both high school and college credit.
Athletics Questions: Please go to the FSHS Athletics Website for accurate / up to date information freestateathletics.com