In school settings at Saint Peter High School and Saint Peter Middle School, the month of February is also known to school counselors as "Registration Season." In reality, this whole process is very involved and starts in November each year with determining course descriptions to learning of new elective options that teachers are hoping to offer the following school year.
(SHOWN ABOVE) SPMS School Counselor Michelle Doose speaks to one of the SPMS eighth-grade classes about registering for classes for next school year when those students make the move to Saint Peter High School.
Michelle Doose, SPMS school counselor, and Regina Sirianni and Andy Vander Linden, SPHS school counselors, have been in classes the past two weeks with students, teaching and preparing them about grade-level requirements for the upcoming 2024-25 school year, and helping them make wise and informed decisions about the elective options available to them. Doose was in sixth and eighth grade classes helping students prepare for this process. The seventh graders also learned about their elective choices during their advisory period on Friday.
Next week, Doose will return to classes to wrap up registration with the sixth graders. She, Sirianni, and Vander Linden will spend time in Ms. Schilling's classes speaking with eighth-grade students about ninth grade requirements and elective choices. Students will also learn about events that the school counselors are putting in place this spring to help them with the transition from being a middle schooler to a high school freshman.
"This is one of my favorite times of the school year,” Doose said. “Our students are eager to learn what will be new for them next year in terms of course electives, what their school day may look like, all of these things. Even though students are familiar with this annual process, there tend to be a few changes from year to year. It's exciting to speak with students to hear their thoughts about their elective options for the coming year and helping them make those important decisions."
Registration will wrap up at the end of February/early March for students in grades 5-12.
Later this spring SPMS Principal John Graff and Doose will invite the fourth graders to come to the middle school for building tours, to help them with their transition from North Intermediate School to Saint Peter Middle School.
"Those tours are so fun,” Doose said. “The kids are thrilled to see their new school! There's a lot of energy with those visits!"
Saint Peter Middle School will also host an informational meeting for the families of current fourth-grade students this spring as well. Information about that meeting will be shared in the coming months.
SPHS School Counselor Regina Sirianni speaks to one of the SPMS eighth-grade classes about course selection and high school planning for the 2024-25 school year.