WEBVTT

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All right, it is that time of year. Time to 
register for your sophomore year. And I get it.

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This can feel like this massive, super important 
decision. But I promise it doesn't have to be that

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scary. Over the next few minutes, we're going to 
break it all down with a simple plan that makes

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this whole process way easier and maybe even kind 
of fun. Let's dive in. See, this isn't just some

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chore you have to check off a list. This is 
an opportunity. Right now, you are literally

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the architect of your own high school journey. 
The choices you're about to make, those are the

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building blocks for your sophomore year, and they 
really do set the stage for everything that comes

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next. So, here's our game plan. We've got five 
parts. We'll start with your blueprint. Then,

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we'll make sure you understand your choices, 
walk through a super simple five-step guide,

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cover a few key details, and finally talk 
about what happens next. First things first,

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let's talk about that blueprint. Because this 
is so much more than just filling in boxes on a

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schedule. It's about thinking ahead and putting 
together a plan that actually moves you toward

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the future you want. And here's the best part. You 
are not doing this alone. Your MHS counselors are

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your expert guides through this whole thing. Just 
find your last name on this list to see who your

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counselor is. They are 100% ready to help you 
with every single question you have. Okay. So,

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before you can start picking classes, you got to 
know the rules of the game, right? You need to

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understand all the options and what's required. 
Now, pay close attention here because this slide

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is a big deal. On the left, that's what you 
need to graduate from MHS. On the right,

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that's what most four-year colleges are looking 
for. See the difference? That little line about

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2 to 3 years of a world language. That's a huge 
hint from colleges. This is exactly why you need

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to plan with your future in mind, not just what 
you need to get your diploma. As you're looking

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through the course book, you're going to see 
different levels. First up is R for regular.

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These are your foundational classes. the ones 
that build all the core skills. They're graded

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on that standard 4.0 scale you're used to. Next, 
you'll see H for honors. If you're really into a

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subject and want to dig a little deeper, this 
is the way to go. And for that extra effort,

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you get a little GPA boost. These classes are 
weighted on a 4.25 scale. And then there's PS,

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postsecary. Now, these are the heavy hitters. 
AP classes, project lead the way, dual credit,

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that sort of thing. They are definitely the most 
challenging, but the payoff is incredible. I mean,

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you can earn actual college credit while you're 
still in high school, and they give your GPA the

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biggest bump with a 4.5 scale. Okay, so you know 
the requirements, you know the course levels. So,

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what do you actually do? Let's get to the good 
part, your five-step action plan. This is it,

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your checklist. It's really that simple. One, 
review your plan in Zello. Two, check what your

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teachers recommend. Three, explore all the online 
resources. Four, use the Tiger course hunt to do

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some research. And five, fill out your planning 
guide. We're going to zoom in on a couple of these

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right now. Let's talk about step two, teacher 
recommendations. Your teachers see you in action

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every day, so their advice is basically gold. To 
find out what they think, you need to log into the

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desktop version of Skyward. Click on your schedule 
and look for that little star, the asterisk.

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That's the class they think is the perfect next 
step for you. And this right here is step five,

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where it all comes together. Think of the course 
planning guide as your road map. You'll use it

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to pencil in your required classes and your 
favorite electives. This is the exact sheet

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you'll bring when you meet with your counselor, 
so you'll walk in feeling totally prepared. Okay,

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here's a pro tip that will save you a 
massive headache down the line. First,

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always, always check for prerequisites. You don't 
want to get excited for a class only to find

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out you needed to take something else first. And 
second, and I can't say this enough, choose three

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alternate electives. The popular classes fill up 
fast, and having a plan B and C is the secret to

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getting a schedule you're actually happy with. All 
right, we're in the home stretch. Let's quickly go

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over a few final details. Think of these as the 
essential pro tips and policies you got to know

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to make this whole thing go smoothly. Let's start 
with a hard and fast rule. The number is 6.5. That

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is the absolute minimum number of credits you have 
to sign up for. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

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And on the flip side, the most you can possibly 
take is nine credits. That would be a totally

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full schedule with no study halls plus an early 
bird class. For perspective, taking seven credits

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lets you have a study hall all year long. It's all 
about finding the balance that's right for you.

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I want to pause on this for a second because this 
quote from the school is maybe the most important

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thing to remember. Choose your classes wisely. 
Schedule changes will be difficult. They really,

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really mean it. Taking the time now to make smart 
choices will save you so much trouble later. And

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here's exactly why that's so important. The 
windows for changing your schedule are tiny.

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You have just six school days to add a class, and 
you only have four weeks to drop a class without

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it hurting you. If you wait past that four-week 
mark, dropping a class could actually result in

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an F on your transcript. So, yeah, the takeaway is 
pretty simple. Try to get it right the first time.

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Quick note for anyone thinking about summer 
school. It's a great way to open up your

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schedule. Just know you can earn a maximum 
of one credit and it is strictly first come,

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first served. And believe me, those classes fill 
up in minutes. So mark your calendar. Registration

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opens in Skyward on Wednesday, February 18th at 
9:00 a.m. sharp. So there you have it. You've got

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the blueprint. You understand the rules. You have 
the five-step plan. And you know the details. Now

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we're at the final and most important part. It's 
time to put it all into action. It's your move.

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This entire process really just boils down to 
this one big question. Every single course you

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choose is a small decision that helps you build 
the future you want for yourself. This is your

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chance to explore something you're curious 
about to build a new skill and to really

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challenge yourself. And if at any point you have 
a question, any question at all, you know exactly

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what to do. Reach out to your counselor. They 
are your number one resource and they are ready

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and waiting to help you put the final touches 
on the perfect plan for your sophomore year.