Next school year, an optional, college-style schedule will be available to seniors who fulfill certain requirements. With this schedule, eligible students must take the equivalent of four fully-weighted courses, but they are not required to enroll in any other classes. Students will still have the ability to sign up for electives if they so  choose.

The purpose of this optional schedule is to prepare seniors for college where students take fewer, more rigorous courses.

According to counseling department chairperson Linda Skafish, the idea for the schedule was a work in progress for five to six years.

Skafish said seniors are eligible to participate in this schedule if they meet the criteria of good standardized test scores, are on-track for Core 40 with either the Academic Honors diploma or the Technical Honors diploma, successful completion of one fully-weighted course prior to senior year and an exemplary record of behavior, attendance and service from freshman to junior year.

Skafish said, “The school day for students has been structured entirely for the 13 years they (have) been in school. Then they enroll in college and have five or six classes that meet about 15 hours a week.  What happens is (that leaves) a fair amount of constructed time that you have to learn how to manage your time.”

Junior Josie Ramseier said she believes the new schedule will help students stay on their toes the whole school year, as well as allow them to clear space for opportunities that would not have been available with the traditional schedule.

“For some kids, it will definitely benefit them because they take classes they’re not really interested in just because they have to,” Ramseier said.

According to Skafish, juniors can apply to the program through an application from their counselors during the time for scheduling. In addition, students who enroll in the program will take a required non-academic senior symposium. However, students will not receive credit for it.

According to the CHS Program of  Studies, “The required College & Career Symposium will meet regularly throughout the academic year during SRT and will be the students’ and teachers’ SRT assignment for the year. Students will meet with staff in large groups and explore real-life topics including, but not limited to time and money management, credit, personal safety, and other issues confronting a new college student. When enrolling for the College & Career Symposium, students will choose the strand of the course most closely related to their intended area of academic focus or intended college major.”

The strands that will be offered include business, humanities, social science and education, science, technology, and engineering and math, as well as fine and performing arts.

Skafish said, “This (schedule) will help our seniors learn to manage their free time productively to study, to have study groups together or to see teachers. The hope is that when they are actually on the college campus, the transition will be easier for them.”

According to Skafish, if students don’t have a class during a period it will be free time for them.

In addition, with parental permission students will be allowed to leave campus when they don’t have class.

According to Ramseier, she would benefit from this schedule since she already works.

“Since I have a job, I would like to have the extra time to be able to work there and still have time to focus on my schoolwork, so I feel like with this new schedule I would be able to do that,” Ramseier said.

Junior Riley Helgeland also has a job, and she said the extra time would allow her to work more and use her time more wisely.

Also, she said she thinks it’s important students experience a job while they are in high school.

Helgeland said, “It’s good to learn how to communicate with a variety of different people in different situations.”

Skafish said, “We’ve sent the description of the program to IU (Indiana University), Purdue, Ball State and Butler and we’ve gotten a positive response from them. They are saying it looks good.”

Skafish said the new schedule will not allow students to slack off because of both the commitment and responsibility it will require them to put forth.

Although some students favor the fact there will be less time spent at school, there are some who can see some potential downfalls to this schedule, particularly in limiting certain opportunities.

Ramseier said, “Fun classes where you show your creativity (may be less taken) because you’re more focused on taking the hard classes.”

Helgeland said, “It will probably encourage me to not take as many classes as I could, (to try to get the extra time) instead of exploring other classes.”

Skafish said she doesn’t know how many students will enroll in this new schedule but, “We are eager to find out.”