BY ALICIA FEYERHERM<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hays High Principal Shawn Henderson and Assistant Principal Becky Hickert presented during Monday\u2019s Board of Education meeting about changes to course offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Henderson emphasized these changes help leverage students\u2019 IPS or Individual Plans of Study. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The administration has held course guide meetings with teachers to discuss these changes – starting with Advanced Placement or AP social studies teachers. Hickert noted a disparity in enrollment between Honors level courses at lower grade levels and the enrollment in AP classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hickert said teachers believe the drop in enrollment is because the AP designation requires adherence to a certain curriculum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt kind of binds them to this specified outline of content that doesn\u2019t allow them to necessarily reach students\u2019 interests, connect with the community in the way that they would like to, \u201dHickert said. \u201cWe would like to pursue more IPS connections in those curricula.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other AP teachers were consulted and they agreed to instead call these courses Honors courses. Students would still have the opportunity to take the AP exams and pursue concurrent credit, but the course curriculum could be more flexible since it would no longer be bound by the College Board distinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Henderson then addressed changes to the science curriculum. Currently, all Hays High students are required to take Integrated Science, Biology and Chemistry. The Science Department decided not all students should be required to take Chemistry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Henderson mentioned that when looking at 11 other 5A and 6A schools, Hays High was the only school to require Chemistry. State Science requirements can be met in those first few years without needing students to enroll in Chemistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, students would take a science elective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The department has yet to decide on electives, but some of the ideas include genetics, astronomy, zoology, crime lab forensics, geology and electronics. Those elective courses would be offered on a rotating basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is a lot of opportunity for a student to find their possibility and opportunity in what they\u2019re interested in and take it and run,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hickert said that many students will still take Chemistry, even with the other options available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re going into engineering or medicine or Ag, you\u2019re going to need Chemistry and a lot of these can be concurrently enrolled,\u201d Hickert said. \u201cSo we know that Chemistry isn\u2019t going away for a lot of students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another change would be the order of the classes. Currently, Biology is a sophomore class, but under the new format, Biology would be the freshman science class, followed by Physical Science during students\u2019 sophomore year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Board Member Curt Vajnar is a retired Hays High teacher who taught BIology for several years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do have concerns about Biology on a freshman level,\u201d Vajnar said. \u201cYou\u2019re going to have some kids struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additional courses would also be offered, such as an English as a Second Language (ESL) Learning Lab, which would add additional support for students who speak limited English, and a teaching as a Career course, which would partner with Fort Hays and place students in the classroom as an introduction to teaching course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, a new series of four courses would be offered for juniors. This series would count for junior English, US History, Math and a Music Appreciation credit. According to Hickert, these courses would be taught through a more project-based approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some other items addressed at the meeting included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on February 6 in the Rockwell Administration Building.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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