For over 20 years, CHS has used an unconventional approach to registering students for their classes. At all other AAPS high schools, students request what classes they want online and the counselors arrange students’ schedules based on their requests. However, CHS utilizes an in-person registration system, allowing students to select exactly which classes they want and when they want to take them.
On Friday, June 6, rising seniors, juniors and sophomores registered for their classes for the 2025-26 school year using Community’s alternative registration system.
The registration process began on Thursday, May 29, when CHS’s master schedule was released to students. The master schedule contains all the classes that are available and what blocks they’re available for semester 1 of the 2025-26 school year, in addition to what teacher will teach every section of each class. Following the release of the master schedule, students were recommended to make a plan for their ideal schedule including a class from the four core subjects — English, math, social studies and science — in addition to two elective classes, ranging from a world language class to an art class.
“There are a lot of moving parts to the master schedule that won’t be finalized until later this summer,” CHS Spanish teacher Laurel Landrum said. “Some classes that are currently on the master schedule might get dropped and other classes might get added. Many teachers will also switch what classes they will teach.”
On Tuesday, June 3, numbers were randomly released to all the students at CHS who needed to register for classes next year. The number tells students their placement in line with their grade level. Rising seniors are the first to register, and rising sophomores go last. Students with the lowest numbers register for their classes first, while students with the highest numbers register for their classes last in their grade.
With about 130 students enrolled in every grade, students with lower numbers have an advantage; since they register for their classes first, there’s a greater chance they can form their desired schedule because more spots will be free. Students with higher numbers can face the risk of having their desired classes filled up by the time they go to register.
Rising senior Jo Oonk is split-enrolled with Pioneer High School. Oonk takes all their core classes at Community and takes electives at Pioneer. Since Oonk is only at Community in the mornings, they typically have only one or two schedules that could work out for them because many core classes at Community are offered once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
“[CHS registration] is mildly frustrating as a split enrolled student because I only have a couple of plans that work out for me,” Oonk said. “I think it’s somewhat unfair that some students have an advantage over others just because they randomly got assigned a lower number.”
On actual registration day, students are released into the Craft Theater in order of their numbers. Inside the Craft Theater, each subject has its designated table. Once inside the craft theater, students visit the tables for the subjects they want to include in their schedule. To register for a class, students pick up a sticker representing the class and block they want, and place it on their schedule. Students also put a sticker with their name on the class list for that block.
Rising senior Clara Bailey thinks that being in the Craft Theater to physically register for classes can be anxiety-producing.
“It can be very stressful having to go into the arena and fight for your classes,” Bailey said. “The uncertainty of knowing you might not get the classes you want and knowing you might have to change up your schedule on the spot is stressful because I can’t always recalibrate my schedule in the middle of registration.”
Despite finding it stressful, Bailey appreciates the flexibility and freedom that Community’s registration system gives to everybody.
“I love having the freedom of being able to choose when you have each class,” Bailey said. “If you want to sleep in, you can give yourself a free first block. Or if you have after-school obligations, you can give yourself a free seventh block. The way you can personalize your schedule really contributes to the freedom of Community. “
Most universities used to register students for classes in the same way Community does, and CHS initially adopted this system to provide students with a college-style course registration experience. Even though many universities have switched to other registration processes within the past 10 years, CHS still continues to use this system. Another reason Community chose this in-person registration system and continues to use it is to give students a sense of agency.
“Here at Community, we want students to have the ability to choose their own schedule by physically exchanging stickers in front of their teachers,” Landrum said. “The fact that students have done some of the choosing themselves can make them more invested in their classes.”
However, the classes students registered for on registration day are not final. A Google form will be released to students before the start of next year, which will allow students to request to join or drop certain classes if they didn’t get the classes they wanted during registration day. Community will also hold a drop/add period during the first couple weeks of the 2025-26 school year, during which students will additionally be able to change their schedule by communicating with counselors.
