Thursday, December 17, 2015

OHS Undergoes Course Changes


By Sierra Priebe
    Next year the Olympia High School course catalog will undergo some significant changes; with new classes being added, names being changed and new requirements, the students will face tough decisions.
    A major change in scheduling next year is the emphasis on STEM related fields. Students will be required to take four science credit classes. All students are required to take Physical Science and Biology, after that they have a choice of either BSAA, Environmental Science or Advanced Bio. After completing one of those three classes students must take one of the following classes, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering Design (formally called POT class) or a new class called STEM Research.
    STEM Research is a class designed to motivate creative, inquisitive students. This class is more flexible, allowing students to conceive and design their own experiments. One main goal of the class is to give the students experience controlling and manipulating variables.
    OHS Guidance Counselor Alex Castillo said, “The idea of more STEM classes is because STEM fields are expanding and have lots of available jobs.”
    Next year more dual credit options will be available for students. Computers, which wasn’t a dual credit class in previous years, will be offered as a dual credit next year. A new class called music appreciation will also be added for dual credit.
    A few classes will be returning next year just with new names. Principals of Technology will be changed to Engineering Design and Drawing and Design will be changed to 2D art. Drawing and Design is being changed to 2D art because that is what it is called most places and on the college level.
    Junior Jenna Wood said, “I’m really excited about the changes being made next year. I want to take some of the new classes if my schedule allows.”
    New classes will offer the students more opportunities to take classes on things they’re interested in. Hopefully the new classes will help prepare students for college or even future careers.

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