As administration finalizes adding in the new available courses for the upcoming school year, counselors presented to advisory classes throughout the months of February. Counselors Ms. Patrick, Ms. Cobbs, and Ms. Silva provided students’ transcripts and a powerpoint presentation to every advisory class and helped scholars in determining what courses benefit them the most.
Two new electives are being offered next school year: AP Computer Science A and Broadcast Journalism. AP Computer Science consists of intense science principles such as data analysis. Broadcast Journalism is available also, to grades 10-12 only, the course empowers students to learn the power of their own voices and that their voices matters. Elective courses that may not be offered in the 2024-2025 school year are some of the AP Science courses provided at Preuss , Marine Science, and Astronomy, possibly if there is interest in these courses by students to create a class, if little to zero interest in these courses then these course may no longer offered.
“Next year, I plan to take the new elective Broadcast Journalism,”states Delina Benyam (‘27). “I am really excited to be one of the first people to take this new elective at Preuss.”
Using Aeries, students choose what classes they would like to take. Scholars are also encouraged to add many backup electives in case their main choices are not available. The schedules are made by the vice principals, Ms. Brown and Ms. Agliam, and the counselors, Ms. Patrick, Ms. Cobbs, Ms. Silva. This allows students with the opportunity to select and explore and or learn what’s accessible to them.
In order to graduate from The Preuss School and receive a Preuss Diploma, scholars have to complete the required courses and earn a minimum of 270 credits, which is why this process of course selection is so important.
Counselors started the selection in early February as they received over 800 scholars’ requests, but they cannot finalize scholars’ schedules until the end of the semester.
“It’s very busy and it is a lot of puzzle work,” expresses counselor Mrs. Silva. “Sometimes classes fill up, and then we have to figure out where else to put [students], and then when we come back in the fall, it is just three days that we have (counselors) to make sure all [the] classes are in there (the schedule) and perfect.”
Students that are struggling to put together their schedule or students that need any help are always welcomed and encouraged to visit their counselors and advisory teachers. If scholars do not know who their counselor is, Ms. Sliva is the counselor for students whose last names start with A-Ge, Ms.Cobbs is responsible for students with last names starting with Gf-Ng, and Ms.Patrick for Nh-Z.
