Towards the end of the semester, students at East are given the chance to change their schedule or “drop” a class. Students generally drop classes they find hard or classes where they do not necessarily get along with a specific teacher. Thankfully, East offers a flexible counseling system that allows students to make changes to their schedules that is best for the student.  

Changing your schedule is fairly easy. This semester the deadline to have your schedule updated is by December 14. Here are a few easy steps involved with dropping a class and changing your schedule:

1. Meet with your guidance counselor.
2. See if your counselor thinks changing your schedule is a feasible idea.
3. If your counselor thinks it’s a feasible idea, he or she will give you a pink slip to get teachers’ signatures and your parent’s signature on it.
4. After you’ve gotten your required signatures, turn your slip back into the guidance office and wait for your new schedule to be processed and updated.

Several students drop or change their classes all the time.

“I dropped PE at the beginning of my freshman year because I realized I could just do the P.E. Wavier,” sophomore Claire Cunningham said. “I went to my guidance office and picked up the slip and got Mrs. Pagnard’s signature to let me out of the class. I felt a little awkward getting my teacher’s signature because she was not happy when I dropped.”

Sometimes students believe updating their schedule or dropping a class is a lot harder than what it really is. However, the process is simple and teachers are generally supportive of their students changing around their classes.

“I like to think students changing around their schedules or dropping my class is not because of me, if it is it is, some people learn better with different teaching styles. Also sometimes you don’t know what type of class you got into and you would like to try something different,” Mr. Gratz, a math teacher, said. “But overall, I don’t take offense if students drop my classes.”

For the most part, dropping a class can be a good thing because it gives students a chance to find new classes that are better suited for them or their interests. The deadline is quickly approaching for this semester’s schedule change.