Summary
The district reported that Lowell High School’s master schedule was built in Aspen with no fatal errors and that guidance counselors will handle individual schedule-change requests; administrators said the new process reduces past errors and better supports students who want multiple AP courses.
The district reported to the School Committee that Lowell High School’s 2025 master schedule is loaded in the Aspen system, contains no “fatal errors,” and is further along than in previous years, administration leaders said. Assistant or lead administrator for scheduling (identified in the meeting as Miss Crocker) described a summer of focused scheduling work with the software vendor Aspen and a week-long schedule-build workshop. “Compared to past years, the high school is significantly ahead in the scheduling process,” she said, and staff are now refining individual student change requests such as dual-enrollment or AP conflicts. The scheduling changes were made in part to prepare for an anticipated expansion of Chapter 74 technical programs and to reduce the clustering of AP courses in the same period. The administrator said the new schedule structure allows students to take multiple AP classes more easily and that DESE reporting errors tied to incorrect course codes have been reduced because course codes were built to match state requirements. Committee members asked what the process will be for students whose schedules are incorrect or who request changes after the school year begins. The administration said guidance counselors have returned and will meet with students who need schedule changes. “What is different, mister Conway, is that you’re not seeing an auditorium full of kids with no schedules,” the administrator said, adding that the number of students needing changes has diminished significantly. The committee had requested an update on schedules earlier in the meeting; the administration said it will provide a written report at or before the next meeting so committee members can follow up as needed.
