NHS Counseling Program
Our Mission is to provide a comprehensive, coordinated counseling program addressing the academic, college/career, personal and social development of all students. We advocate for all students and believe that every student can achieve his or her maximum potential. In partnership with the Irvine Unified School District, parents, or guardians, and the community, the school counselors at Northwood High School ensure that all students have access to the skills and knowledge required to become productive and successful members of society.
For more information about Northwood's school counseling program, please review our Counseling Program Profile.
2019-20 Schedule Changes
Course requests for the 2019-20 school year are now available for viewing on Parent Portal and will remain accessible through Monday, June 3. Please review your course requests and, if needed, request changes using one of the 2 processes below.
Course Change Requests: If you would like to make a change to your current, posted course requests, submit your request using the Schedule Change Form. The form will remain open until June 12 and then will be re-opened in August prior to the start of the school year. Course change requests will be reviewed throughout the summer by NHS Admin. Please review the list of collapsed and closed classes before requesting a change to your schedule. If the change you requested is possible, you and your parent will be notified that the change was made to your schedule. If you request to add a class which is closed, you will be placed on a waitlist. NHS will accommodate as many students from the waitlist as space allows.
Challenge Cards: NHS students are encouraged to pursue areas of high interest. Students not meeting the prerequisites for a requested course may submit a challenge card to NHS Admin in order to petition enrollment. NHS Admin will use multiple measures of assessment to determine if placement in the requested course is appropriate. Classes exempt from being challenged include all math courses (see IUSD guidelines), advanced arts classes, and any class which requires an application, audition, or try-out. Any requests to skip a level will not be considered (e.g. a move from French 2 to H French 4). Freshmen are not permitted to challenge their recommendations from middle school.
- Students are limited to one course challenge per year
- Enrollment in the class is based on space availability and priority registration is given to students who have met the course prerequisites.
Challenge Cards will be available in the Front Office starting Tuesday, June 11 and may be submitted to the Front Office throughout the summer. Students will be notified of the decision of their Challenge Card after requests have been reviewed. Challenge Cards will not be accepted after the first day of school. Students submitting a Challenge Card do NOT need to submit a schedule change request using the form above.
Per NHS policy, any requests for specific teachers or class periods will not be honored.
If you have questions regarding courses for the 2019-20 school year, please contact your counselor. However, please note that counselors are not available during the summer.
Summer School Opportunities
Regular registration for IUSD summer school courses has passed. See the link above for instructions to be added to the wait list for an in-person or a Blended Learning summer school class. NHS counselors will collect request forms for in-person classes. Request forms for Blended Learning classes need to be submitted to the Creekside Education Center - Administration Building (3387 Barrance Parkway, Irvine, CA 92606) Monday through Friday, from 7:30am - 3:30pm.
IPSF Summer Enrichment Academy
IPSF offers enrichment classes to all high school students in preparation for the upcoming school year and beyond. Course offerings include math, reading and writing, public speaking ACT and SAT test prep, and more. Check the catalog for further information. Note that these classes are only for enrichment and will not fulfill NHS graduation requirements or be listed on the NHS transcript.
Irvine Valley College (IVC) and IUSD are excited to continue the IVC/IUSD Summer College program. Applications for admission will be accepted beginning April 29 at IVC. Check the website for information about course offerings and registration. Note that these classes are only for enrichment and will not fulfill NHS graduation requirements or be listed on the NHS transcript.
IVC/IUSD Classes 2019-20
During the 2019-20 school year, IVC will offer courses for IUSD students. Some are offered at NHS and others are offered at other campuses throughout the district. Click here for a list of available classes.
If you are interested in taking any of these classes, please fill out the request form as soon as possible. The counselors will reach out to you to complete the enrollment process. Enrollment is first come, first serve. If you have already signed up to take IVC's Biotech, Entrepreneurship, or ALEKS math courses at NHS, you do not need to complete this process.
WHO IS MY COUNSELOR?
Each student is assigned to a TA class which they follow from grades 9-12. Each TA teacher is paired with a counselor. Click here to determine who your counselor is based on your TA teacher.
Click on Counseling Staff below for each counselor's contact information.
COUNSELOR AVAILABILITY
Counselors are available to see students on a drop-in basis before school, during breaks, during tutorial, and after school. Students can make an appointment with their counselor by asking them or emailing them. Parents may make an appointment to see their student's counselor by contacting them via email or phone. We always prefer that the student is present at meetings with parents, however, we realize there may be instances in which you want to meet with us privately.
COUNSELING CALENDAR
Important dates for the 2018-19 school year
upcoming events
- May 31 & June 3: Senior Finals
- June 4 - 6: Semester Finals
- June 6: Graduation
- June 7: Last Day of School
NHS Tutor Center
Need some extra help in a class? Come check out the NHS Tutor Center in Room 1105! It's open Monday-Thursday from 2:00pm-3:00pm, and is free for NHS students!
