Optioning can be a stressful experience for underclassmen, but have no worry, The Chatterbox is here to help! Here is a step-by-step guidline to ace the optioning process.
Things to know Ohio law requires each student to have two seals on their diploma. You get them by completing different classes or tasks, and there’s no additional merit in getting more than two seals. Some seals include community service, honors diploma and so many more; in total, there are 12 seals that you can earn.
For junior high students, you are required to have a fine arts, gym and a health credit at some point. If you are optioning for freshman year, keep the new requirement of financial literacy in mind.
If you play two or more seasons of a WHHS sport, you have the option to get a PE waiver, which you can get from the athletic department office.
How to option?
Optioning on Focus officially opens on Feb. 9 and lasts until Feb. 20. Once you change the year to 2026-2027 in the top right corner of your screen and select class requests, you can pick your classes.
What to do next?
On March 23, you can see your schedule and check for errors. Any errors should be reported on a Google form; corrections are due on April 3.
Who to contact?
Talk to your teachers if unsure about what level course to take, especially for core classes like science, math and English. Your counselor is also available to guide you; don’t hesitate to visit their office with questions.
Resources to help
Peter Stefanou, math teacher at WHHS, created a website called WHHS Pathways which provides information on the classes and extracurriculars that can help you with your college application. WHHS Pathways also tells you about salaries and different programs to do in college. You can find WHHS Pathways on our website under 2026-2027 optioning materials.
The biggest thing colleges look for in a student is meaningful community engagement. That means being involved in clubs important to oneself, whether or not they seem directly connected with one’s future plans.
In most cases, students tend to perform better when they are interested in their classes. When you are intrigued to learn more, it pushes you to keep learning more about the topic and therefore score higher.
It is important to pick classes that will help you down the road. For example, AP Research requires the prerequisite AP Seminar. You also have to fulfill particular requirements to graduate or get an honors diploma.
If you are having trouble figuring out what classes to take or finding something that interests you, check out the WHHS Optioning Assistant or the 2026-2027 Course Guide; both resources are on our website.
The 2026-2027 Course Guide has everything from graduation requirements to a catalogue of WHHS’s course offerings. It also has information on required prerequisites for classes you may be interested in, as well as summaries each classes’ curriculum.
Don’t forget to email your counselors if you have any questions. The counselors’ contact information can be found on the WHHS website and the Student Body Page on Canvas.
If you are confused while optioning in focus, there is a video that walks you through it on our website.