Our Department Supervisors (DS) recommend a course load that is best fitted for each student. The data shows that students who override a recommendation are often in over their heads and may not do as well as they had planned.
VHHS Department Supervisors use these factors to make course recommendations for incoming 9th graders.
- 8th grade teacher recommendations
- MAP scores
- PSAT 8/9 sores
Using MAP and PSAT 8/9 test results and 8th grade teacher recommendations, the Department Supervisors make tentative placement recommendations for each student in English, World Languages, Math, Science and Social Studies. During the month of January, these tentative recommendations are taken back to the 8th grade teachers and reviewed. The final recommendations are then compiled and mailed home for the student and their parents to review. The input from the student and their parents is vital in deciding what classes are a best fit for the student.
If a family would like to discuss their student’s recommendations, they are welcome to call the appropriate DS for review. It is the Department Supervisor's role to discuss their recommendation and the pros and cons of a possible override in their department. It is the counselor's role to help the student look at the big picture and manage their course selection amidst all other decisions and factors that may be involved. The DS, along with the student's counselor, will lead the family through a discussion that will help the family choose the best course of action. There are many factors to consider when thinking about overriding a recommendation, including extracurricular involvement, total academic load, ability of the student to handle stress, available study time, the level of the student's organization and study skills, and passion for the subject.