Potential Changes on the Horizon for Senior Seminar, Physics

Potential+Changes+on+the+Horizon+for+Senior+Seminar%2C+Physics

Recent rumors have been circulating around school that classes like Senior Seminar may not be an option for students next year, or that two trimesters will be required of Physics for underclassmen, but how many of these rumors are true?

Current CHS classes are being reviewed and changes are being considered, but according to several staff team members, Senior Seminar will still very likely remain. Head of the Social Studies department, Laura Lutz, explains that what exactly will happen is still unsure.

“The Social Studies department is in curriculum review,” Lutz said. “That means we are currently in the process of making decisions about what classes will be required for graduation. We will have our decisions made and approved by the School Board by the end of December.”

These curriculum reviews are organized roughly every five to six years and can last as long as a year to process. During the review, classes are examined and checked to be sure that they align with the standards given by the State of Michigan Education Department. Changes are always possible within these reviews. However, students shouldn’t assume that the class will be removed completely.

Current Senior Seminar teacher, Jason Morris, tells his students not to get worked up because the department is still in the early process. “We never simply state that a particular class of any kind is automatically going to be discontinued,” he said. “It is a group collaboration within the department that takes many meetings and discussions before any types of decisions are made. The curriculum review generally lasts a year or more. So to say a class of any kind was going to be discontinued would be irresponsible to do.”

The rumor about Physics, however, can be confirmed. Starting next year, taking two trimesters of Physics will be a requirement for students to graduate. Though this new rule will take effect, it does not apply for current upperclassmen. Graduating seniors of the class of 2019 and of 2020 are exempt.

According to school counselor Jason Murphy, that isn’t the only change students will be seeing in Physics. In fact, the curriculum will be changing as well. “Right now we have Conceptual Physics A and B,” he said. “And there’s going to be the requirement that kids need two semesters of Physics, but they’re not going to get Conceptual Physics, they’re going to get a different Physics class.”

What students will be receiving for Physics is still uncertain, but faculty members made one thing clear: No matter what changes or revisions are made, for either Senior Seminar or Physics, they intend to keep their students’ best interests at heart.

“A lot of time and effort goes into making sure we are following the standards set out by the State of Michigan and that we make decisions based on the best interest of students,” Morris said. “What I do know is that we will ultimately make the best decision for our department and for our students, whatever we decide to do.”