If they want to change them, they must fill out a class request form.

 

For the counselors, schedule change season is the most difficult time of all. With hundreds of schedule changes, the eight counselors must work nonstop to finish schedules by the second or third week of school. However, delays are inevitable, as some students’ schedules may be changed in further weeks.

 

Counselor secretary, Don Guerin, described the schedule change scenes after school as “being at the mall the day before Christmas.”

 

On the first two weeks of school, dozens of students crowd the small counselor hallway hoping to get their schedules changed. Hundreds more fill out the pink request forms hoping to be called to the office. Of the 3027 students at Clark High School, about 50% request a schedule change and 35% get a change.

 

Sophomore counselor, Kristen Slavek, has done well over “150 schedule changes in the last two weeks.” Most schedule changes, she mentions, “are for switching electives, moving up or down in class levels, or switching options like ROTC instead of Physical Education.”

 

However, another sophomore counselor, Melissa Arager, said that dozens of schedule cannot be changed because of “invalid reasoning.”

 

She said, “Schedule changes have always been this way, so we anticipate it.”

 

Yet, before and after school are not only hectic periods in the counselor hallway. Students seek schedule changes during classes and lunch breaks,and many parents call or make appointments to change their child’s schedule as well.

 

Senior, Dorinda Wu, complimented how quickly the counselors changed her schedule.

 

“It was done by the second week. I didn’t run into any problems.”

 

On the other hand, Junior, Abby Miller,said, “I got my schedule changed before school started,” so she had no problems with her schedule once she arrived.

 

Many students wonder why it takes so long for a simple schedule to be changed.

 

With thousands of students and hundreds of changes, Clark’s “in-and-out”process is complex, annoying but efficient.
 

First, an office aid calls a student up to the office to get their schedule changed. Next, the student waits for the counselor and then discusses the problem with their schedule. Then, the counselor will decide whether to change the student’s schedule or not.

 

Although they try to meet their students’ needs, they must balance classes as well. After that, the student needs to get a paper signed by each of their teachers to have his or her schedule changed.

 

Finally, the teacher will add or subtract the student from their roster and his or her schedule will be changed.

 

Junior, Sean Dycaico, said, “The process of getting things changed is annoying and slow, but understandable. The slip system is efficient, but feels impersonal. It was alright. There were things that needed to be changed, and they were.”

 

Dozens of students weren’t as lucky or satisfied with their schedule and are still waiting to have them changed. In fact many students commented on how either they are still being switched around or how new classmates come and go as the first weeks have passed by.

 

Schedule changes end on September 19, 2013, and the counselors have already issuedapproximately 1000 changes. Although the “in-and-out” may be tedious process, it is one everyone will have to adjust to until changes are over.