Southwest students' schedules are the result of intentional academic planning completed in collaboration between students, families, teachers and counselors each spring.

Once students submit final course registration cards in the spring, this information is used for the upcoming academic year's budget, staffing, and to create the school's master schedule. Thus, altering student schedules after the registration process is complete is challenging and limited.

Students receive paper copies of their schedule on the first day of school and again on the first day of second semester. All students who wish to change a class will have the opportunity to submit a formal Schedule Change Request Form following the Southwest schedule change request process (see below). It is not always possible to accommodate all schedule change requests.

All schedule change requests require parent and student signature, and in some cases additional signatures from other staff (e.g. AVID Coordinator, IB Diploma Coordinator, case manager, etc.) may be required. Therefore, all schedule change requests must be submitted in writing using the Southwest Schedule Change Request Form. By signing and submitting the Schedule Change Request Form, students and families agree to the schedule change process, timeline, agreements, and approved reasons for requesting a schedule change (see sections below). Schedule change requests cannot be submitted via email, phone, or in person.

It is important that students are in the appropriate academic level courses where they are being challenged but not overwhelmed. After the schedule change request window closes, if a student believes they are in the wrong level of a core class, they are encouraged to reach out to their teacher for support and to make a plan for success. If they find they are still struggling, or the teacher recommends a level change, students may schedule an appointment with their Counselor to discuss a level change request.

Schedule Change Request Process and Timeline

• Students may pick up a Schedule Change Request Form from the Counseling Office after school on the first day of school, or before school, during lunch, or after school for the remainder of the first week of each semester. 
• The deadline to submit a completed Schedule Change Request Form is 3:15 p.m. on the Friday of the first week of each semester.
• After submitting a Schedule Change Request Form for an approved reason (see below), students are responsible to monitor Student Portal for any schedule changes that may be made.
• Students must continue to follow their current schedule after submitting a Schedule Change Request Form until they see the schedule change reflected in Student Portal.
• It is not always possible to accommodate all change requests.
• If the schedule change request is...
  • possible: the new schedule may be followed as soon as the change is visible in Student Portal
  • not possible, or submitted form is inaccurate/incomplete: there will be no change, student must continue to follow original schedule
• Important Notes:
  • Schedule changes are completed on a priority basis (see Schedule Change Request Form). Priorities 1-5 are made as soon as possible, with the goal of 24-48 hours. If incorrect information is submitted for Priorities 1-5, the schedule change request form will be void.
  • Other schedule change requests may take 2-4 days to complete.
  • If a student does not see their change request in Student Portal within this time frame, Counselors are available before school, during lunches, and after school for follow-up questions.

Schedule Change Request Agreements

Schedule changes...

• may rearrange other courses and/or teachers
• may impact high school graduation pathways and potential college admission outcomes
• are completed for appropriate reasons which do not include: teacher preference, lunch change, friends' schedules, or outside of school or after school activities (see Reasons for Schedule Changes below)
• for seniors who have already submitted transcripts to colleges and/or provided senior year course information on college applications are the student's responsibility to commnuicate to colleges about the change
• are final. If the change is possible and made, the resulting schedule will be the final schedule. Reversing to original schedule after the change has happened is not possible.

Reasons for Schedule Changes

Approved Reasons for Schedule Change Requests

Non-approved Reasons for Schedule Change Requests