For some Buffalo High School Students, registration feels like a scary movie. For others, it feels like a quick and easy thing to do, you sign up for your classes, and then you’re done. This year, a new system of registration was introduced at BHS. It seemed to come out of nowhere and various questions were raised from both students and parents, including the purpose, whether registration night is mandatory, and what to do if unable to attend.
This change was introduced to students and their families through an email sent on Friday, January 26. The email explained that there would be a Registration Night on Thursday, February 8th for students and a parent to come in and sign up for their classes.
As news of this substantial change caused a flood of emotions from students, based on confusion and lack of awareness of the topic. Some students were immediately opposed to the idea of only one night to decide how their whole school year would go.
“I think the councilors are going to have a lot of appointments from people who want to make changes,” said Sufi DeYoung ’25. “One night is not enough time, I like to think about it and talk to my counselor and parents to figure it [schedule] out. It’s important to me and I’m making decisions for my senior year so what I choose matters.”
Advisors were to introduce the idea on Monday, January 29th, during that same week. Students currently enrolled in a social studies class would have a “meeting” led by a counselor discussing how to register and what needed to be ready by February 8th. Students not currently enrolled in a social studies class would get the same information from a BASE time meeting on Thursday.
At the base, a counselor walked students through classes they could take next year, GPA, CIS courses, and their educational path afterward. With additional classes being added for next year the counselors at BHS made requirements and limitations clear for each new class.
Each grade (except Seniors), got a sheet of paper to fill out the classes they wanted for next year and have ready to bring to registration night. But the burning question remained unanswered: “What is registration night and is it mandatory?”
“The evening is going to have a couple of things. There is the practical registration night, all of our teachers are here that night, and there are actual open course discussions,” said BHS Principal Mark Mischke. “The teacher would be at the school for the first 45 minutes. You can talk to each teacher about the classes you would want to take next year. The teachers can explain their courses, what they teach, and more requirements for the class. After you speak with the teachers, your advisor will do a registration session with you and your parents.”
Communication of the registration night was slowly sent out to each family during the start of the idea of registration. It wasn’t until the last week of January that it started to be projected into advisories, emails, and letters about registration night.
Is it mandatory?
Yes and no, if you and your family have an opportunity to make it to the night, then give it a try and make a plan. If you can’t make it to the night, then there is also another opportunity to register for your classes in your advisory on Friday, February 9th.
