All Things Course Selection Related

IN THIS NEWSLETTER YOU WILL FIND INFO ABOUT.....

Course Selection Information

Course Verification // FINAL Change Request Deadline // March 12, 4p
General Course Request Questions? Get support from the Counseling team!
Off Period Applications
Student Aide Applications
Dual Credit through Austin Community College
Off-Campus PE Application Deadline // June 5th, 4p
Updated Process for Correspondence Coursework // Approval Deadline February 27th

Highlighted Courses

AVID
Viper Tech
Career Prep (Rising Seniors Only)

Note to Current Juniors (Class of 2027)

Newly Available Courses

Course Verification // FINAL Change Request Deadline // March 12, 4p

Next year's course requests have been pulled from Four Year Plans in Naviance and are viewable in Home Access Center (HAC). Click here for instructions on how to view your requests in HAC.

Instructions for requesting updates to next year's course requests are found in the Course Verification Guide. Please review it carefully prior to requesting any changes.

THE FINAL COURSE REQUEST CHANGE DEADLINE FOR

NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IS MARCH 12, 2026, 4PM.

Course Verification Guide

VHS Course Request Change Form // Deadline March 12, 4p

VHS Course Selection Sheets (tabbed by Grade Level)

General Course Request Questions? Get support from the Counseling team!

Students and parents/guardians both have designated times for meeting with counselors regarding pending course request questions.

Course Selection Rush (for students)

During Rush, VHS Counselors will meet individually with students to review courses in HAC for accuracy and answer any remaining questions.

Course Selection Rush Dates:

Freshmen - March 2 & 3 (during English classes)
Sophomores - March 6 & 9 (during English classes)
Juniors - March 10 (walk-in rush - pop into the lecture hall if needed)

Open Google Meets Session (for parents/guardians)

Counselors will be hosting open office hours via Google Meets for parent/guardian course selection questions March 5th from 9a - 11:30a and 12:30 - 3p. A link to the meeting will be sent as we get closer to this date via Parentsquare.

Please note, this will be an open forum style meeting with multiple parents joining together; due to the number of students we are serving, we are unable to host individual parent meetings regarding course selection.

Off Period Applications

Students who will be SENIORS next year have the privilege of applying for "off periods," up to one period each day (TWO total).

JUNIORS have the privilege of applying for up to ONE total off period.

REVIEW THE VHS OFF PERIOD GUIDELINES PRIOR TO SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Juniors/seniors can access the off period application below. Please submit off period requests (including those impacting semester 2) prior to March 12th. You DO NOT need to submit an additional change request form if you are only requesting off periods.

Students may not apply for an off period if they are enrolled in any ACC or OCPE Category 1 classes during the school year due to Texas PEIMS attendance code referenced above.

Though you may see off periods listed in your course requests prior to the start of school, please know they are not guaranteed. You must meet all the qualifying requirements in order to earn your off periods.

2026-27 Off Period Application

Student Aide Applications

Junior and Senior students may apply for a position as a Student Aide. Please access the application below.

Student Aide Application

Dual Credit through Austin Community College

Summer 2026 / School Year 2026–27 planning for current 9th, 10th, 11th gradersStudents who would like to take ACC Dual Credit courses in Summer 2026 and/or the 2026–27 school year should start the enrollment process now. The priority deadline for completing steps 1-5 for Summer 2026 and/or School Year 2026-27 is February 16, with the final deadline on March 12.

New to ACC Dual Credit: Students who are new to ACC Dual Credit must complete enrollment steps 1–4, including TSI testing (step 4), before attending an advising meeting (Step 5).
Returning to ACC Dual Credit : Students returning to ACC Dual Credit do not need to repeat steps 1-4 (unless needing TSI math qualifying scores for Economics) and can schedule their summer/school year 2026-27 advising meeting through this link.

Students taking the TSI for dual credit college readiness can take the assessment once at VHS, offered February 16 (Monday/PD Day) or can take it Mondays-Saturdays at ACC. Details can be found here.

Off-Campus PE Application Deadline // June 5th, 4p

Off-Campus PE Applications are due by June 5, 2026 at 4pm. Please visit the district website for information and application information. Leander ISD OCPE Information

Updated Process for Correspondence Coursework // Approval Deadline February 27th

Students considering pursuing earning credit through an outside provider, please note that major updates have been made to the Correspondence Course Options. It is essential that you understand the new guidelines before enrolling.

Correspondence, Distance, and Virtual Courses (See page 23 of the LISD Course Catalog)
Students may take correspondence, distance, or virtual courses outside of the school day at their own expense. However, credit toward state graduation requirements will only be granted if all of the following conditions are met:

The course is offered through UT High School, Texas Tech University High School, or the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN).
The course must be approved before enrollment using the Coursework Approval Form.

⚠️ Important: Courses taken without prior approval will not receive credit. Be sure to complete the approval process before registering for any summer class. Critical deadlines:

Submit the Coursework Approval Form by the last Friday in February (February 27).
Complete the course by July 25

Join AVID!

Vandegrift High School is very proud of the AVID Program which has supported students throughout their high school careers. AVID stands for Advancement via Individual Determination, which is a college readiness elective course focusing on critical thinking, collaborative learning via twice-weekly tutorials, academic enrichment, organizational and study skills, and motivational activities. AVID's mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.

Using your Leander ISD Gmail account, fill out the AVID Student Interest Form. Questions may be directed to our VHS AVID elective teacher, at Garrett.Pekar@leanderisd.org.

Join Vipertech!

Interested in hands-on problem solving and helping others by sharing your technical knowledge?

Vipertech needs YOU! Whether it’s helping students connect to Wi-Fi, or assisting with technology all over campus, Vipertech students are the front-line defense for any technology battle.

Don’t know a thing about computers? No problem! Vipertech will teach you the skills and give you the tools to succeed. We are looking for individuals who are excited to jump in at the opportunity to help, sharpen their people-skills and tackle technology “down-time.”

Click Here to Submit a Vipertech Application

Have a Job? Join Career Prep! (Rising Seniors Only)

The Career Preparation course lets seniors gain real-world work experience through paid employment while earning up to three high school credits. Students must be employed from the start of the school year through the end and may have additional off periods built into their school schedule to work. Alongside their job, students participate in one class period of instruction focused on essential employability skills, including job-specific training related to their worksite, interview techniques, professional communication, financial literacy and budgeting, human relations, and portfolio development. Teacher job site visits and formal work evaluations support student growth and accountability. This is a great option for students ready to build professional skills before graduation.

Newly Available Courses

Juniors - the following courses were not available for selection in Naviance. However, they are available to choose within the change form. Priority will go to underclassmen, but if there is space available we will be able to seat seniors.