By Connor Loughran ‘15

Beginning next week, students will register for classes using a new online system called PowerSchool, which has replaced the paper registration cards that students filled out by hand.

An overview of the new system was presented to students by counselors this week in the Ertzman Theatre through English classes. Students are set to register for courses February 2-6, though the system will be accessible to students until February 11. After that, any changes to course schedules are to be made through the counseling department.

Students were originally supposed to start registration on January 26. Assistant Principal Karen Rose, who is the administrator running the new system, said the reason for the delay was to “give the counselors the opportunity to meet with each grade level … to go over the requirements and to give [students] the big picture of registering online.”

According to Rose, the reasoning for replacing the old way of registration is that the new system is part of MCPS’s recent efforts to use technology more efficiently and effectively. “I think the program will be a major improvement for several reasons,” said Rose. “The students will be making their own decisions; they will see what they have signed up for immediately and [be able to] take home a print-out.”

Although the PowerSchool system will not give students an individualized list of earned and required credits, Rose said that graduation and other requirements will be explained in the printed school course bulletin that students received this week.

To help students with course selection, more than 130 seniors were selected to visit the Advisories in grades 9-11 on January 27 to share their personal experiences and advice to help lower grades with class selection. According to Rose, this was done so that students would have “multiple sources of input in order to make the best decisions.” Rose tested the online program with a few students, and concluded that overall their responses were generally positive.