February 11, 2026

Multi Year Academic Planning Guide

For High School Students, Parents, and Guardians

Choosing high school classes is a process that may raise many questions.  The following steps will assist you in selecting courses for the 2026-27 academic year as well as build your academic plan.  

Tools:

  • Graduation Audit Worksheet:  Holland High School requires the successful completion of the Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) and three general elective credits to earn a high school diploma.  A total of 22 credits are required for high school graduation.

  • Holland High Course Guide and HHS Course List: View all courses offered at Holland High 

  • Academic Planning in students’ Infinite Campus Portal account:  Plan your classes for next year.

How to Complete the Academic Planning Tool:  

This guide will walk parents and students through the process of planning and requesting courses for next year. This tool will be open and available to students in March. If your child is choosing to attend Holland Early College, please choose courses with  “HEC” after the course name.  For example EN100HEC - English 1A or MA201HEC - Geometry A

Step One:         Login to Portal

Step Two:         Click on Academic Planner

Step Three:      Select a Post-Grad Location from the dropdown box.  This is identifying your

                           intention to live In-State or to move Out-of-State after high school.

Step Four:        Select a Post-Grad Plan from the dropdown box.  This is identifying what your

                           plans are, as of right now, for life after high school.

Step Five:         Select Next

Step Six:           Choose your four core classes.

  • English:  

    • English 1 goes to English 2 or Honors English 2.

    • Honor’s English  goes to English or to Honors AP Language.

  • Math:

    • Algebra 1 goes to Geometry.

    • Geometry goes to Algebra 2.

    • Talk with the teacher for appropriate courses beyond Algebra 2.

  • Science:

    • Biology goes to Chemistry.

    • Chemistry goes to Physics or other third science credit.

  • Social Studies:

    • U.S. History goes to World History or AP World History.

    • World History goes to Government & Economics

    • 9th Grade AP Govt goes to World History or AP World History.

Step Seven:

  • Foreign Language:

    • Choose to take or continue with the next level of ASL, Spanish or French.

      • Note:  Two years of the same foreign language is required in the MMC. It is highly recommended that all students, especially those considering a four year college/university option, take 3 to 4 years of the same foreign language.  Other foreign languages can be taken online (very difficult).

Step Eight:

  • Visual, Performing, Applied Art (VPAA)  

    • Choose: Current Band, Orchestra or Choir placement.

      • Note:  Band, Orchestra, or Choir placements are made by high school instructor after an audition.

    • Or, Choose Art: Intro to Art is the foundation for all other Art Electives.  See the course guide for full descriptions or talk with one of the art instructors.

    • Or many other VPAA options as found on our HHS Course List

Step Nine:

  • Health (state required health course)

  • PE (state required course or you can complete a PE Waiver for outside activity)

Step Ten:  Save your plan!

******************************************************************************************

Please know that your child will walk through the above steps the week of February 16 in their core content and advisory classes.  As you and your child go through this process there are bound to be questions. If you or your child still has questions after he/she has gone through the guided activities and sought recommendations from the teachers that know them best, please feel free to reach out to your child’s counselor using the email addresses below.  They will be happy to assist you!

Mrs. Hemmeke: (A-E)                      shemmeke@hollandpublicschools.org        616-494-2076

Mrs. Siegel (K-Sa) and HVRT          rsiegel@hollandpublicschools.org                 616-494-2031

Mrs. Ashby (F-J); (Sc-Z) and HEC    kashby@hollandpublischools.org                  616-494-2074