Course Guidelines and Selection

HHS Program of Studies 2024-2025

To take advantage of present educational opportunities, students must become aware of the school’s Program of Studies. The curriculum at Holliston High School offers a range of opportunities. In selecting courses, students are encouraged to clarify decisions by consulting with teachers, counselors, and parents. Students not only should plan an appropriate sequence of courses within required subject areas, but also should consider related courses to extend their background or support future educational and career goals. Courses offered in all instructional areas should be weighed as possible choices.

A final course selection should represent the best program possible for an individual student. It should address abilities and needs. The school makes every effort to respond to a student’s choice of courses within the limitations of realities such as class size, course requirements, and possible scheduling conflicts once subjects have been verified with students and parents.

Once a student’s program has been scheduled, changes become not only difficult but also often impossible. Such changes are complicated further by their impact on other courses. Therefore, students are advised to plan carefully before reaching a decision. In relating present educational decisions to future goals, students should be aware that entrance requirements vary from college to college. Therefore, each student is advised to check college catalogs to determine admission requirements.

 

Availability of Courses

The Program of Studies contains a wide variety of courses, some of which are limited in enrollment. Staffing decisions are made in light of course enrollment and available resources. Low enrollment or staffing constraints may result in the cancellation of some courses and/or sections of courses. A semester block course may be modified to a term block course. Students enrolled in three-term block courses may have a change of instructors at term break. Changes are not limited to those listed. Within the courses allowed, student needs will be of prime importance when any modification is put into place.

 

Course Qualifications

In the professional judgment of teachers, Course Qualifications, indicate that students have achieved a level of performance enabling them to be successful in a given course. Students who do not meet these guidelines and seek to enroll in a course without appropriate preparation may face difficulty and possible failure. Since course qualifications are developed by departments in order to maximize the student’s opportunity for success, enrolling a student in a course without adequate preparation may cause the student to face difficulty or possible failure.

Participation in summer school courses is not usually an adequate means of qualifying for sequential courses. For that reason, students are urged to qualify for courses by meeting requirements through consistent daily work. Students who are removed administratively from a course because of behavioral problems shall lose credit for the course and not be allowed to make up the course in summer school.

 

Course and Level Changes

PARENTAL CHANGE REQUEST of a teacher’s recommendation must be completed through the Override Process by the date established by the school. Counselors will notify parents of any change in original recommendations after final examinations in June. Students who have not met the course/level qualifications and who have elected not to recognize the recommendation of their teachers, counselors, and/or administrators may change levels during the prescribed time for making changes.

COURSE CHANGE REQUESTS will be honored within the first five days of the course commencing.

LEVEL CHANGE REQUESTS must be initiated no later than the first two weeks of a Three-Term Block course or a Semester Block course. Such requests should be initiated through the student’s counselor. Any exceptions will be subject to administrative review.

In some situations, a course or level change is approved during the semester. If a student withdraws from any course prior to October 1st for first semester and March 1st for second semester, there will be no denotation on the transcript. Any changes after October 1 or March 1 will result in the course title, course level if applicable, and a “WF” or "WP" for withdrawal appearing on the transcript.

Every effort will be made to provide all students with a tentative schedule before school closes in June. Finalized schedules will be made available to students in August. Changes will be honored within the realistic boundaries of class size, time patterns and the student’s overall program. Students must be sure that all school requirements and course qualifications are met when considering changes to their schedule.