Plymouth High School Principal Jake Singleton came before the Plymouth Community School Board last week with teachers in the Math department at Plymouth High School to discuss a change in curriculum they would like to undertake in the coming years.
Singleton said that student scores on the SAT in math had been down around the state and said that the corporation had been exploring the reasons why and along with that the subsequent ways to improve those scores.
He pointed out that currently Algebra, Geometry and more advanced Mathematics were taught in sequence starting with Algebra as freshman and Geometry as sophomores, etc. Juniors taking the SAT were several years from having had Algebra in the classroom and scores for Algebra questions on the test were low as a result.
The Plymouth High School Math department will be going to a Math 1, Math 2, and Math 3 course pathway that would include elements of each of the Math disciplines at each level to make them more balanced and keep the material fresher in the minds of those taking the test.
Plymouth High School Assistant Principal Ken Olson came before the board to outline new classes that will be offered in the coming year at the high school.
Olson said the hope was to be able to make more opportunities for more students to receive college credit courses along with career path courses for more students.
Plymouth will expand its Computer Science course offerings as well as those in Agriculture, Culinary Arts, and Early Childhood Education. He also said the school would begin offering courses in Fashion, Textiles, and Marketing for those seeking a fashion industry career.
The school will also begin to offer classes in Entrepreneurship for those who look towards starting their own business after graduation.
Olson stated that the classes would be offered in a way to make it possible for students to take the courses whenever their schedules would allow instead of having to take them in a specific “block” that limited students’ ability to fit them into their regular academic schedule.
