During the week of January 18 students will view an overview of the enrollment process in their Knight Time classes.

On Monday, January 31st, SM East counselors will be presenting information to students in their Science classes. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions at that time and will begin completing their Course Request Card. They will take their enrollment materials home to discuss with parents and complete their course requests.

On Friday, February 11th, students will meet individually with their SM East counselor during their Social Studies class. They will be able to ask questions and will finalize their course requests at that time.

Students' course requests for 2022-23 will then be locked in until early August, when students will have a one-week period to request schedule changes. (Changes are not guaranteed. It will depend on space availability at that time.) So it's important for students to carefully consider their requests before they submit them in February.

• Use the SME Course Details website and the SMSD Program Planning Guide to learn about your options.
   
• Attend the evening event at the CAA on January 20th and/or the evening event SME on February 7th, if possible.
   
• Talk to your teachers for advice about what classes to take in their subject areas.
   
• On Jan. 31st you'll be able to ask an SME counselor questions about courses.
   
• When you meet individually with your SME counselor on Feb. 11th, you'll be able to ask questions, and you will be able to change what you have entered on your Course Request Card at that time, if you want to.
  • The most productive meetings happen when the student has already fully completed their Course Request Card before they meet with their counselor because it provides your counselor with the best context for discussions and answering questions. 
     
• Please complete every line on your Course Request Card by February 9th. Have a list of questions ready to ask your counselor. If you decide to change something during the meeting, your counselor can do that for you.

SMSD will offer both in-person summer courses (location to be determined) and online eSchool courses for summer 2022.

Enrollment will begin after spring break.

Information will be posted on the SMSD Summer Programs website, the SMSD eSchool website, and the SME Student Services / Counseling website, as soon as it's available.

Your current 8th grade math teacher will recommend which math class you should take as a 9th grader at SM East.

If you have any questions about the appropriate math class, please consult with your current math teacher. 

To view typical math course progression options, view the Math Sequence Chart and the honors math course expectations information posted on the SME Course Details website.

Some students choose to take all standard classes and some students take as many honors or AP class as they can. Other students take one, two, or three honors classes. Each student needs to decide what is right for them. 

To help you make the right decision:

1. Read about the expectations for honors ELA, Biology, World Regional Studies, and math, which can be found on the SME Course Details page.
2. Ask your current teachers for advice. They know you well as a student in their subjects and can help you reflect on your strengths and study habits.
3. Keep in mind that honors, AP, and IB courses usually require more time spent on homework, but also require independent study habits, self-advocacy, and excellent time management skills. 
4. Students tend to do better in honors, AP, and IB courses in subjects they like and have confidence in their abilities in. You are more likely to want to put in the time and effort in a subject you enjoy.
5. Consider how much time you have available outside of school. Most students involved in athletics and extra-curricular activities are able to handle honors coursework because they learn to plan ahead and balance their time.
6. Students are expected to remain in an honors class for at least the first semester. It can be difficult or impossible to switch to a standard level class during the middle of the semester due to space limitations in standard classes or conflicts in the student's schedule.

• Students must complete .5 credit (one semester) of Health and 1.0 credit (two semesters) of PE sometime before they graduate. (Health does not count toward the PE requirement.
   
• NEW for 2022:   SMSD students may now take both of their required PE classes online, by taking eSchool Fitness for Life 1 and eSchool Fitness for Life 2.  NOTE:  Both courses may be taken only outside the school day or in summer.  Summer eSchool enrollment information will be posted on the SMSD eSchool website.
   
• These courses are not required to be taken during 9th grade, but many students choose to take one or both during 9th grade, or during a summer session or during the school year in eSchool, which offers online courses that are taken outside the school day, for an additional fee.
   
• Many students choose to take these classes during freshman year because there are more elective options available in later grades and they like to complete PE and Health earlier, in order to make room for other classes later. 
   
• If you choose to take one or both of these courses during summer, or eSchool, or in a later year, you may choose a different course and enter it in line 5 of your Course Request Card.

World Language is not required for graduation in SMSD, nor for admission to a Kansas Board of Regents university (KU, K-State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State, Wichita State, Fort Hays State).

However, many other colleges and universities recommend or require two-to-four years of the same world language for admission and/or for certain program eligibility. Consult the admissions websites of schools you are interested in to determine their recommendations and requirements. 

See the SME Course Details page to view a brief video about the benefits of World Language study.

• We will begin building our 2022-23 master schedule as soon as students submit their requests. Courses and instructor staffing will be based on the courses students request now. For that reason, we will not be able to make changes to students' course requests after they're submitted in February. (Changes may be made only for errors at this point.)
   
• Schedules will be available to view on Skyward in late July.
   
• All students will have a one-week period in August to request a schedule change. Information will be shared in late spring about the process for requesting a schedule change in August.  Changes cannot be guaranteed and will be based on space availability.
   
• For these reasons, students need to carefully consider all of their course requests, including their electives and alternates, as they may not be able to change them after February.

There is only one course available to freshman at another school site:  Citizenship/Leadership Naval Science 1 (NJROTC), which is a full year course at SM West HS. Students take the class at the beginning of the day (1st hour) and then have a Transit period in 2nd hour for their travel back to SME. Watch this video to see the program in action. 

All other freshman courses are taken only at SME, including introductory courses for Signature Programs that are based at the Center for Academic Achievement or Career & Technical Center.

Introductory courses for Signature Programs that freshmen may take at SME are: 
Introduction to Engineering Design, Blue Eagle Academy, Introduction to the Study of Legal Systems, and Business Law.

For complete information, see the SME Real World Learning website or Signature Programs website, or contact SME Real World Learning Counselor Jodee Merriman, jodeemerriman@smsd.org.

Introductory courses include skills and content that establish an important foundation for success in future courses, so you should plan on taking any course listed as a prerequisite in the SMSD Program Planning Guide.

If you have questions about exceptions to prerequisites, ask your counselor during your individual enrollment meeting.

• Students may not start a new (different) class after school has started, and we do not have study halls or other types of non-academic classes to switch into, so students should plan on staying in their elective classes for the first semester.
   
• If a class seems difficult or confusing, talk to your teacher. They need to know that you're struggling, in order to help you. Regular communication with your teacher, both in class and outside of class (such as during seminar), is the best to get back on track if you're struggling.
   
• If you believe the class is not too difficult, but you just don't like it, plan on staying in the class for the first semester. Many students find they end up enjoying a class they didn't like at first. 

• SME counselors will begin working on individual schedules toward the end of the spring semester.
   
• Schedules will be available to view on Skyward in late July and students will have a one-week period in August to request a schedule change. 
   
• Changes cannot be guaranteed and will be based on space availability.

• If you have questions about specific course content, or which class would be right for you, always start with your current teacher in that subject. For example, your current science teacher is the best resource when you're trying to choose whether to take regular Biology or Honors Biology, and your ELA teacher is a good resource when trying to decide whether to take regular or Honors ELA 1.
   
• Students will be able to ask questions, discuss course choices, and make changes to their course request card when they meet individually with their counselor on Feb. 11th, so please be sure to complete every line on your course request card before you see your counselor---you'll be able to change it during the meeting.
   
• If you have a question that is not addressed in the rest of the Frequently Asked Questions above, or in the Instructions for completing the Course Request Card, the Program Planning Guide, the Enrollment Powerpoint, or the other materials on this site, please call the SME Counseling Office at  993-6630.

Your best source of information will be SME staff, so please contact us (rather than Indian Hills counseling staff), if you have questions.