Freshman Registration Set for Saturday

Gioia Cumicek, Staff Writer, Advanced Journalism

Freshman registration for the 2019-20 school year will take place Saturday, January 26, from 8 a.m. to noon in the library and commons of NDA.

Accepted freshman applicants are assigned a time where they are able to schedule classes with an adviser. Each student’s profile is reviewed prior to registration.

Based on the student’s standardized testing scores as well as past and current grades, a sample schedule is produced. The process takes a total of thirty minutes.

“One of the things that I love most about my job is meeting so many wonderful students and their families,” said Sarah Van Grunsven, director of admissions.

On the day of registration, the students and parent(s)/guardian(s) meet with one of the multiple staff members who help students select the classes for their freshman year based off the recommendations of NDA counselors, recommendations of  eighth-grade teachers and input from the student and parents(s)/guardian(s).

“I volunteer to advise at freshman registration because I feel like it is part of my duty as a teacher. I often know siblings of the incoming students, so I feel like I Walmart greeter welcoming them to NDA,” said Carolyn Brown, veteran English teacher..

This is Van Grunsven’s eleventh year working freshman registration day. Although there is a slight time crunch and she feels as though she hasn’t completed everything she has wanted to get done, she enjoys getting to know the incoming freshman.

As the parent(s)/guardian(s) and students wait for an available adviser, they are able to browse displays and learn about the various clubs and athletic opportunities offered at NDA.

Van Grunsven has witnessed the excitement that the freshmen have when entering the school registration day. Most students are ready to start their high school career and for some, it is the first time they are able to actually make choices about the classes they will take.

Registration day is also a day for incoming students to see new/familiar faces that they will soon be spending many hours a day with. This allows students to branch out and calms some of the nerves they have for the first day of freshman year.

Around forty students outside of GRACE are currently planning to attend NDA.

“I enjoy meeting the students as incoming freshmen and getting to know them better over their years at NDA,” said Van Grunsven.