Aliso Niguel High School dissolved three classes for the second semester, including two from the math department due to scheduling adjustments tied to the athletic coaching responsibilities of some staff members.
A precalculus and an algebra class were among the classes that were dropped in the math department. One additional class from another department was also dissolved. One of the math classes dropped was Mrs. Austin’s fourth period precalculus class.
Mr. Mocnik speaks about the dissolved classes: “We dissolved three classes—two in the math department: one Precalculus and one Algebra class. The third class dissolved in a different department. This decision was made primarily because the teachers involved coached sports during the second semester.”
The decision was mainly influenced by the need to accommodate teachers who coach sports during the second semester. As these teachers changed their schedules to coaching sports, the administration restructured some students schedules to help align with staffing availability and student demand for the classes.
The second semester has also welcomed the addition of four new classes, two of which are golf and track & field with Mr. Werner.
The students who were enrolled in the dissolved classes were reassigned to different classes. The administration did try to accommodate the students’ needs; however, many students were upset to be put in classes that would disrupt their work schedule or change their free periods.
Diana Ghassemiyeh (12) states her opinion on dissolved schedule changes: “Honestly, I was kinda upset because I didn’t want my schedule to change, but I guess it wasn’t much of a deal that I was planning to leave. Also, my schedule did change for the first time in the four years I was here, so it was kinda weird. I feel like maybe they could have done something at the beginning of the year that wouldn’t have made all the students’ classes change because by these changes, many of the students outside of school activities, like jobs and volunteer work, also have been affected.”
Diana adds, “I know some people didn’t have a fifth or sixth so they would choose those days to work and by taking their fifth or sixth free period, it might have messed it up. For me, it may have not personally changed much but from the things I heard in class before the semester ended, it seemed like some had a hard time trying to fix up their other schedule again. So I think it is possible to prevent this but I am not too harsh about it because things like this happen and I am not bothered by it anymore.”
