Teacher Recommendations

There is one major change to the registration process that older students are questioning and unsure of related to selecting their classes and that is how teacher recommendations are being handled.  Hopefully I can ease your mind a little bit on this new process.

During classes, your teachers will be reviewing the different classes offered within their departments as well as talking with you individually about the courses they would recommend for you to take next year.  You have a form to help guide the conversation with your teacher to assist with the recommendations, but this year, teachers are directly inputting their recommendations for what they would suggest for you to take directly into Infinite Campus.

Wait!  It's ok.  I promise.  

If you don't agree with what a teacher has recommended, you are not locked into that course.  For example, we know that there are MANY students who will be recommended for lots of honors or AP classes and not want to take all of them.  This is completely appropriate and acceptable... in fact, I would say that I absolutely WANT you to prioritize and schedule a balanced load that meets your interests and goals for the future.  (And your teachers and administrators want that for you too!)

The first place that we suggest you start is by talking with your teacher about their recommendation and the course that you would prefer to take.  Since your teachers know your learning style and approach they will have important and valuable information for you and your parents to take into consideration when selecting classes.  I encourage you to carefully take their recommendations into consideration - especially if they are suggesting you take an "easier" course than the one you were previously considering.

Teachers will be able to go back into the system to change their recommendation for you during the registration process which is why they are an easy and typically best point of contact for changes as you see them every day.

However, we also know that some students or parents may not feel comfortable telling a teacher that they want to take a different class than the one the teacher was recommending.  I am anticipating that this could be the case if a teacher is suggesting their elective or core course and you wanted a different one and didn't want to hurt the teachers feelings.  I get it, but I will also remind you that the teachers should NOT be pressuring you into anything!!!  This is YOUR future and YOU are the one who will be in the class and doing the work next year!  So, the administrators will also have access to changing the teachers recommendations and they are more than happy and willing to talk to students and parents about what courses you would like to change your selections from and to and make those adjustments for you.

I can help as well, but my help actually comes a little later when we meet.  If, for whatever reason, you and your parent have not had the chance to have the teachers or administrators adjust the teachers recommendations before the system locks, then that is when I have access and can get in and make changes and adjustments to the courses that were submitted.  Now, I will clarify, that it is really important to me that students and parents are on the same page, so if you find yourself in this category, when you print out your course request summary sheet, please have your parents write a note on the form of what they want you to change so that I have their authorization in writing and am certain that I am doing what you and your parents both want for your next year's schedule.

I suspect that for the current freshmen, this new process is not nearly as stressful as it seems to be for some of the older students.  Please, remember, I am here and can help talk through the choices you are considering even if I am not currently able to make the changes for you.  This will work out and TWHS has been registering students using this format for years without issues so I am confident it will be ok in the long run.