Curriculum changes concern students

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 9, 2001

Two Austin High School students, Jennifer McIntosh and Samantha Cummings, addressed the board and expressed their fears concerning the math curriculum to be implemented in the upcoming semester.

Tuesday, January 09, 2001

Two Austin High School students, Jennifer McIntosh and Samantha Cummings, addressed the board and expressed their fears concerning the math curriculum to be implemented in the upcoming semester.

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The curriculum, approved at the Dec. 11 school board meeting, will include three math "paths," and diagnostic testing to assign each student into the appropriate classes for their abilities.

"If I have to change to regular math classes, I won’t be able to attend a four-year college without having more math classes," said Cummings. Speaking while crying, she asked the board why they won’t phase out the Core I through III classes gradually, instead of ending them after the current semester.

Director of Educational Services Sue Roehrich said that she was moved by Cummings’ tears, since the math department does not "want to do anything that is going to hurt kids."

"We’re making every effort so that no one misses the opportunity to go to a four-year school," said Roehrich.

"The core threads continue in the new curriculum," she said later in the meeting. "The new curriculum is not much different in content, but is different in the approach."

When McIntosh asked for an explanation for why the change is taking place, Austin High School Principal Joe Brown was given the chance to speak before the board.

Brown said the school came to the conclusion that, without the change, 100 to 150 students would not graduate if the program stayed as is.

Brown said that he sympathized with the students’ concerns and told them that one-on-one sessions would be scheduled to address the transcript issues of approximately 70 students.

Board member Amy Baskin suggested that the issues be addressed in a large group, besides the individuals sessions. Brown said that "obviously we have a lot of work to do in the next 12 days."

Later in the meeting, Roehrich explained that tutorial sessions, letters to parents and bulletin announcements have and will be used to keep students and their families informed of the curriculum change.

The cost to the district for the textbooks used for the new curriculum is now at approximately $13,400, after figuring in the amount of a textbook buy-back. The selling of additional used books should decrease the amount further.