On March 2, the scheduling handbook was emailed to every student and parent for our course selection meetings on March 8. It’s important to look extensively into the handbook, especially if you’re going to high school, so that you can plan how you want your schedule to look not only for this year but for all of high school.

I made the mistake of not taking the classes I should have my previous years. There are numerous things to consider while creating your schedule: AP/honors courses versus regular classes, the number of electives you should take, what level of math would be best for you, etc. I pressured myself into taking honors and AP (advanced placement) classes when I knew it would be too much work for me. At Horizon Honors, it’s very easy to compare yourself to others and feel like you have to challenge yourself as much as those around you when that definitely isn’t the case. Yes, you should challenge yourself, but everyone learns at a different rate and in different ways; everybody has a different challenge level.

Your schedule can be fun if you do it right. As far as electives go, take ones that actually interest you, such as culinary, graphic design, contemporary visual media, choir, personal fitness, and much more. You can also join The Horizon Sun by taking journalism! There are only two new electives this year. One is called Capstone Honors Symposium. This elective is only for seniors who scored a proficiency or above on AZMerit ELA 11 and Algebra 2. It will focus on public speaking, media literacy, research skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking through long-term research projects presented to a panel. It may require outside work, like volunteering.  The other new elective is salendo, a non-audition choir. There might also be a change to the schedules, but we have to wait to find out during the meeting on March 8.

Make sure you turn in your course selection form by March 28 so that the counselors can make your schedule as close as possible to how you want it to be.