District planning to add classes in math, science
By Jamar Younger
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Catalina Foothills High School students could have some different classes to choose from next year if the district governing board approves a math and science curriculum revision this month.
The school district plans to add a variety of classes that will include new Joint Technological Education District courses, math-intervention classes and a new advanced-placement statistics course.
Students also will be required to complete four years of math. The governing board will vote on these topics Feb. 12.
The revision is part of a districtwide curriculum redesign intended to make courses more rigorous and provide more depth in learning, said Mary Jo Conery, assistant superintendent for 21st-century learning.
"We're redefining what learning looks like so we can have a better understanding of what is basic and what is complex, and to meet the local needs of our students," she said.
Teachers will conduct pre- assessments with students to evaluate basic skills and determine what students need to do to reach course objectives, she said.
If the curriculum is approved, the district will integrate the new JTED courses into its math and science curriculum.
The new JTED science courses will include classes in the agriscience field, such as biological systems and environmental chemistry, and the biomedical health technology field.
The JTED math classes will include a variety of engineering classes from the curriculum for Project Lead the Way, a national engineering program for high school and middle school students.
The Joint Technological Education District will pay for the equipment and supplies that will be used in those classes.
A math lab class, as well as Algebra 1 and 2 Essentials classes, will be added for students who need additional math help, Conery said.
The district decided to change its math requirement because most of the district's high school students are already taking four years of math, she said.
The Arizona Department of Education also requires four years of math, but the state is introducing the requirement in phases, she said.
According to the state requirement, current seventh-graders will take four years of math once they reach high school, she said.
● Contact reporter Jamar Younger at 434-4076 or jyounger @azstarnet.com.
All content copyright © 1999-2008 AzStarNet, Arizona Daily Star and its wire services and suppliers and
may not be republished without permission. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution, or retransmission of any of the contents of this
service without the expressed written consent of Arizona Daily Star or AzStarNet is prohibited.
