As advisory starts its sixth year, college and career readiness adviser Kara Mueller expresses adding a credit this year will be more beneficial for the student body.

Mueller said low attendance in previous years prompted the change.

“What it means is that there is definite value behind all students making a plan for what they are going to do after high school,” Mueller said. “We decided to put some credit behind it to show that we are a school of high standards and rigor, and we want all our students working toward their plans.”

Mueller said the graduation requirement depends on a student’s grade level.

“If you are a senior this year, your requirement is 0.25,” Mueller said. “If you are a junior, you will only earn 0.5 and sophomores will earn 0.75. But this year’s freshman will earn one whole credit on their transcripts.”

Junior Emily Doss leaves for Cape Town, South Africa in January and said she plans to make up the missed classes online.

“I talked to my adviser (Amy) Pieper-Berchem,” Doss said. “I have to do all my assignments through Schoology to make up for the credits I will be missing.”

Mueller said the career and college readiness kiosk will help students lacking credits.

“In the future, our kiosk will be showing up and we are going to have have a career and college center in the cafeteria,” Mueller said. “I want the focus to be for kids to walk up and have the opportunity to see information for different careers and to be able to get insight from others and from me”.

Mueller said the advisory curriculum this year includes many new elements, which target each grade level more specifically.

“We implement, also, our theme of positive psychology, such as motivation and purpose, but we do that based off of your age group,” Mueller said.

According to Mueller, the credit does not affect a student’s grade point average. She said the class functions on a pass or fail system based on attendance and completion of work.

“If you show up to advisory, do the work while you are there and complete the reflection in writing, you will get your credit,” Mueller said.

For more information about advisory, see Mueller in room B220.