Home » New Hartford Senior High School » High School Counseling » Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the goals of the scheduling process?

There are two major goals. The administration first tries to arrange the schedule to assure that the course requests for all students are honored. They try to keep conflicts to a minimum. The second goal is to achieve class size balance.

What is the scheduling process?

Early in the spring, students and families will have a chance to review course information for the following school year. This includes information about which courses are offered, prerequisites, graduation requirements and much more. Coordinating with counselors, students make their course requests.

Later in the spring, final decisions are made by the administration as to which courses and how many sections will be offered, and who will teach the sections. Students are then scheduled into particular class sections.

How are students selected for Honors/AP courses at the Senior High School?

Students are not selected for these courses. Rather, based upon a student’s understanding of his/her academic strengths and motivation to take a challenging course, students may choose these courses.

Can students and families request a particular teacher or section?

Generally, no. Students sign up for courses, not teachers. To maintain fairness and balance, sections are scheduled without preference and students are randomly assigned by the computer.

There are some exceptions. If a student is repeating a course, we will attempt to place the student with a different teacher. If a family has had a specific, documented negative history with a particular teacher, a change may be considered. The principal must approve all requests within these two criteria.

When will I receive my schedule?

Students can view and print their schedules on the SchoolTool Portal in late August.