Registration and Streaming

It is the policy of W. R. Myers High School and the Horizon School Division that students intending to graduate must meet the requirements of an Alberta High School Diploma.

• In order to be eligible to graduate students will be required to enroll in and complete a minimum of 100 credits.
• In Grade 10 each student will complete a minimum of 40 credits (full schedule).
• In Grade 11 each student will complete a minimum of 35 credits unless they failed to achieve the minimum 40 credits in their grade 10 year in which case, they will be required to have a full schedule.

In Grade 12 each student will complete enough credits to fulfill diploma or certificate (whichever is the applicable graduation pathway) requirements.

The principal, counsellor and teachers normally check to ensure that students have the prerequisites for courses in which they are registered. It is, however, ultimately the student's responsibility to ensure that they have the prerequisites for their courses and that it will meet the requirements for a high school diploma and future career plans. If in doubt, the student should consult the career counsellor so that changes can be made if necessary. Changes in timetables are not normally considered after the end of the first week of a semester.

W.R. Myers High School is committed to ensuring that students are placed in appropriate courses and academic streams to support their learning needs, career aspirations, and graduation requirements. Course placement and streaming decisions are based on student achievement, teacher recommendations, and long-term academic planning to maximize student success.

This policy establishes consistent guidelines for course registration, placement, and streaming in alignment with Horizon School Division’s and Alberta Education guidelines.

Minimum Registration Requirements

• Students intending to graduate must meet the requirements of an Alberta High School Diploma or Certificate of High School Achievement.
• To ensure students are on track for graduation, WR Myers students are required to enroll in the following:
• Grade 10: Students must complete a minimum of 40 credits (full schedule).
• Grade 11: Students must enroll in the number of courses that puts the student on pace for a minimum of 75 credits at the end of grade 11. The number of enrolled courses may vary based on the student’s success in earning credits in Grade 10.
• Grade 12: Students must enroll in enough credits to fulfill graduation pathway requirements.

Course Placement and Streaming

Overview of Course Streams

• The Alberta High School curriculum offers multiple course streams to accommodate students' academic strengths, learning styles, and post-secondary or career goals.

• University-Directed Stream (-1)

• Designed for students who:
• Have strong academic skills and independent work habits.
• Read at or above expectations for grade level
• Excel in higher-level critical thinking and analysis.
• Plan to pursue university programs that require this stream.
• Example Courses: ELA 10-1, SS 10-1, Math 10C, Science 10.

• College and Career-Directed Stream (-2/-3)

• Designed for students who:
• Are developing academic skills and benefit from structured support.
• Prefer more applied and concrete learning.
• Plan to pursue trades, diploma-level programs, or direct entry into the workforce.
• Example Courses: ELA 10-2, SS 10-2, Math 10-3, Science 14.

• Knowledge and Employability Stream (-4)

• • • Designed for students who
      • Meet the criteria (meeting with Learning Support Teacher and parents in required for this determination)
      • Are working towards a High School Certificate of Achievement
      • Learn best through experiences that integrate essential and employability skills in occupational contexts
    • Example Courses: ELA 10-4, SS 10-4, Math 10-4, Science 10-4
• Teachers and administrators will provide recommendations for appropriate course placement based on:
  • • Student achievement in prerequisite courses.
    • Teacher assessment of academic skills, work habits, and learning needs.
    • Post-secondary and career aspirations, in consultation with administration and teachers

• In the case of new students / transfers, the new student placement policy should be used

Course Placement and Recommendations

• WR Myers uses the following process to determine course placement recommendations for students:
• Teachers review student achievement in line with established criteria and professional judgement, and provide recommendations for course placement that in their judgement will best ensure the student is successful in subsequent courses 
• Specific Criteria for University Directed Streaming is available in Appendix I: Guidelines for Student Placement in University Directed Stream
• Teacher recommendations are included on student course request forms. Students take course request forms home to, in conversation with their parents, select courses for the following year
• Administration reviews course requests forms, identifying circumstances in which students are selecting courses which go against streaming recommendations. Administration will use the following process in determining how to address requests which go against streaming recommendations.

• Parent Informed Choice Process for Course Placement

• We recognize that students and families play an important role in course selection and academic planning. If a student wishes to enroll in a course stream different from the teacher’s recommendation, we encourage an open conversation to ensure they are set up for success.

• To support this decision, some or all of the following steps may be required:

• Meet with school administration to discuss the course expectations, workload, and available supports.

• Review the academic commitment required to succeed in the selected course.

• Complete the Parent Streaming Recommendation Waiver to confirm understanding of the decision and the supports that may be needed.

• Our goal is to work together to ensure each student is placed in a course where they can thrive while feeling both challenged and supported.

Changing Streams and Transfers

• Changing Course Streams

• Students may transfer between streams based on academic performance and teacher recommendation.
• As determined by the teachers, acceptable academic performance in the pre-requisite course is necessary for continuation in University-directed streaming. For most teachers, a 65% or higher combined with adequate attendance is the benchmark expectation showing acceptable successful performance. Teachers of mathematics and sciences will provide recommendations based on academic success on units that directly translate to skills required in subsequent courses.
• Stream changes should be discussed with teachers and administration to ensure student success.
• For students to progress from the College and Career directed stream to the University Directed stream, additional steps may be required. Specific information on course sequences and stream transfers is available in the Course and Programming Guide.

• Ongoing Monitoring and Stream Adjustments

• Students who struggle to meet the expectations of their selected stream may be required to reassess their placement.
• Teachers, parents, and administration will work together to evaluate student progress and adjust placement if necessary.
• Course placement decisions should always be made in the best interest of student success and academic achievement.

• Mid-Year or Mid-Term Transfers

• • When a student enrolls or transfers to WR Myers High School outside of the regular enrollment timeline—such as mid-semester or mid-year—careful attention will be given to course selection to support student success.

• • The administrator responsible for intake will determine the student’s schedule and course stream placement based on the following:

• • • Performance at previous schools, including demonstrated academic skills aligned with university-directed or college and career-directed streams.

• • • Academic and learning needs, in consultation with the Learning Support Teacher.

• • • Time remaining in the term, relative to the demands of the course, the student’s ability to catch up, and the availability of appropriate courses to maintain sequencing where possible.

• • • Post-secondary and career aspirations, in collaboration with the student, parents/guardians, and school staff.

• • Placement decisions will prioritize long-term student success, with opportunities for reassessment and adjustment as needed.

Student Responsibility for Course Selection

• While the principal, counsellor, and teachers will assist in ensuring students meet prerequisite requirements, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to:
• Verify that they have the prerequisites for courses they are enrolling in.
• Ensure that their course selections align with graduation requirements and future career plans.
• Consult with the career counsellor if they have questions regarding which courses may be required for particular post-secondary careers, to inform conversation with administration
• Timetable Changes
• Changes to student timetables are not normally permitted after the first week of the semester.
• Exceptional circumstances requiring timetable changes must be approved by the administration.

Administrative Procedures for Student Placement in Courses

• While students indicate their preference for select classes through the registration process described above, certain limitations may impact the ability of students to enroll in desired courses. These include:
• Conflicts with other desired classes - In cases of conflict between desired classes, preference is always given to the class associated with the students grade (for example, a conflict between Biology 30 and English 20 for a grade 11 student would result in enrollment of English 20 by default).
• Classes at or over capacity - In cases where a class is at or over the set student cap, student enrollment through schedule changes will not be permitted unless enrollment in that class is necessary for achieving graduation. This circumstance does not include situations where a student prefers a certain course at a given time, or wishes to accelerate their graduation timeline.
• In circumstances where a class is over established caps, administration will evaluate options to bring the class under the cap. This may include removing students who do not require the class in that year, or seeing where schedules may be modified to allow the class to be taken at a given time. Any actions taken must be applied equitably (for example, if removing Grade 11s from a Grade 12 class, all Grade 11s must be removed).
• Students wishing to modify their schedule are encouraged to meet with administration to discuss options. Depending on the circumstances, administration may suggest changes to schedule, stream, or enrolling in select courses through distance-learning programs to support scheduling needs.

W.R. Myers High School supports flexible programming that allows students to complete Career and Technology Studies (CTS) courses in a way that best supports their individual learning and graduation goals. Students who complete the expected number of credits in a CTS course may be eligible to drop the course under specific conditions. This policy outlines the eligibility requirements and procedures for dropping a CTS course due to completion.

Eligibility for CTS Course Drop Due to Completion

This policy applies only to CTS courses where students complete 1-credit modules at a time (e.g., Foods, Shop). It does not apply to multi-credit fine arts courses such as Art, Band, or Drama.

Grade 12 Students:

• May drop a CTS course due to completion if they have earned the required number of credits to meet all graduation requirements.
• Example: A student enrolled in Social 30-2 and Foods with 95 earned credits may drop Foods, provided all other graduation requirements are met.
• Students who have not met graduation requirements must remain enrolled in all current CTS courses until their final credit is earned. Credits in progress are not considered for eligibility.

Grade 11 Students:

• May drop a CTS course during the last week of December (S1) or the week after May Long Weekend (S2) if:
• They have completed at least 4 credits in the course with an 80% or higher average and are projected to have at least 80 credits by year-end.
• OR they have completed at least 3 credits in the course with an 80% or higher average and are currently enrolled in a diploma course, projected to have at least 80 credits by year-end.
• OR they have completed at least 3 credits in the course with an 80% or higher average and are currently enrolled in a Registered Apprenticeship or Green Certificate Program and are in good standing, as determined by the Off-Campus Coordinator.

Grade 10 Students:

• May drop a CTS course after Christmas Break (S1) or in June (S2) if:
• They have earned at least 4 credits in the course with an 80% or higher average and are projected to have at least 40 credits by year-end.

Teacher Discretion:

• The 80% grade requirement is a guideline. Teachers may recommend approval for students with a lower success rate based on individual student abilities and circumstances.

Procedures for Dropping a CTS Course Due to Completion

1. The student must submit a request to their teacher, confirming that they have completed the required credits and meet the eligibility criteria.
2. The teacher will review the student’s progress and consult with administration if necessary.
3. If approved, the student and parent/guardian (if applicable) will complete the course drop request form.
4. Administration will finalize the approval and update student records accordingly.

Equity and Accountability

• This policy ensures that course drop eligibility is applied fairly and consistently.
• The school administration is responsible for ensuring compliance with Alberta Education’s graduation requirements.
• Decisions regarding course drops must prioritize student success and the integrity of the learning experience.

By implementing this policy, W.R. Myers High School provides students with flexibility while maintaining academic standards and ensuring that all students remain on track to meet their educational goals.