KCI's Course Selection Process

Written by: Maya Paddon

Every February, KCI students of all grades are invited to the cafeteria to meet with the guidance team and submit courses for their next grade through myblueprint. The scheduling of course selection within the school year has remained the same for many years. However, some KCI students have posed questions regarding its timing, such as wondering why course selection takes place so early in semester two, and what to do if they would like to switch their courses. 

Thus, The Edge looked into both the student and guidance viewpoints on this matter to gain a deeper understanding of some of the challenges that may arise from its timing, and also why course selection takes place specifically when it does. 

Beginning with the student perspective, Grade 11 student Victoria Hynes expressed some of the difficulties that could come up with the timing of course selection: “Having it so early in February doesn’t really give students a chance to see how they’re enjoying a course, which impacts if they decide to take it next year,” Victoria noted. She feels that having the course selection process occur towards the end of March or early April would best suit students and their needs, because “students would have a good idea” of whether or not to continue with the classes or subject areas they are currently enrolled in. 

Victoria then described challenges she has personally faced regarding course selection for the upcoming school year, saying, “I think every single year I have had to go back and change the courses I had already selected, whether it was based on interest, or if things didn’t line up right.” She noted that making these changes after the initial course selection dates can come with risks: “I’ve had scheduling conflicts before where I wanted to switch some courses, but the new courses I wanted weren’t offered during the right period that I was switching, so I had to pick something totally different.” Victoria added, “There is always the fear that if you want to change it down the road there won’t be spots available, or it doesn’t work with the schedule that they had for you.” 

Victoria also explained, however, that the option to change courses is helpful for students in itself: “I think it is good that guidance makes it aware that you can change your courses, and that you can always change your mind, but there’s not a guarantee that you will always have exactly what you want when you go to make a change.” 

A similar message was communicated by KCI guidance counsellor, Ms. Gauthier. She explained that the guidance team is always available to support students throughout their academic journeys: “It’s your education, and we want you to have as much influence on it and ownership of it as you can get,” she said.  

While acknowledging that some students experience challenges during the designated course selection period as a result of uncertainty and indecisiveness pertaining to their individual pathways, Ms. Gauthier noted that course selection takes place at a very specific time due to many behind-the-scenes factors that students are unaware of. One of the most significant elements that determines the timing of course selection is the window of opportunity in which students can submit their courses in myblueprint. Ms. Gauthier said that “all course selection software closed” across the WRDSB by Friday, March 7th, and this happens every year. She added that the school board is responsible for setting the dates that open and close student access to course submissions through myblueprint. Ms. Gauthier continued by saying, “There could have been a few days difference, but not really. And it has always been that early, as long as I have been a guidance counsellor.”

Ms. Gauthier mentioned that course selection taking place early on in semester two gives KCI’s administration enough time to plan important details regarding the next school year, including scheduling, the number of teachers needed, class sizes, and more. Ms. Gauthier said, “It’s a very complex puzzle. There are all of these logistical pieces that students don’t see.” 

She also stated that KCI’s guidance team tries to make the course selection process as smooth and easy as possible through completing class-to-class visits to educate students on all of their options for next year’s courses. For instance, Ms. Gauthier noted that guidance consellors will visit grade ten math classes to discuss the various levels of grade eleven math that students can take: “When we do these class-to-class visits, we wait long enough into the semester so that those kids have a sense of where they’re at with math,” she commented. 

Ultimately, Ms. Gauthier reiterated that KCI students are always welcome to meet with their guidance counsellors if they ever have questions or concerns: “We really understand that your thinking is evolving, and so we emphasize to everyone that they can make changes at any time. We are here!” she concluded.