High school has AP classes up and running

By Dawn Treglown

CENTRE — Cherokee County High School student Jesse Jordan said preparation for college was one of the reasons he chose to join the school's Advanced Placement (AP) program. Fellow classmate Virginia Ann Jordan said she chose to participate in the school's AP literature course to improve her writing skills.

“I hope to be a better writer,” she said. “The class is more in-depth than most.”

Regardless of the reasons, students are expected to gain extensive knowledge and insight through participation in the class.

English literature is one of two AP courses taught at Cherokee County High School this year. Calculus is the other.

The AP classes are part of a nationwide program that allows students to participate in college-level courses and exams. Students may also earn college credit or placement while still in high school. Founded in 1955, the program is now incorporated into the curriculums of about 60 percent of high schools in the United States.

Teachers who teach AP courses are required to attend a week-long workshop before teaching the course.

Gary Davis, who teaches the literature course at CCHS, said he was pleased to see the program finally arrive and was pleasantly surprised by the curriculum.

“I've been pushing for it for years,” Davis said. “It's more comprehensive than I thought it would be,” he said.

Along with the AP courses, the school is also offering Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) courses for the first time this year. The AMSTI program is a statewide program initiated by the Alabama Department of Education to improve math and science teaching. The program provides students with well-trained teachers while also providing the equipment, supplies and resources needed for hands-on math and science education.

Funding for the initiative was initially supplied through a $3 million grant provided by NASA in 2002. The space agency provided another $2.7 million to the AMSTI program the following year, but funds became scarce in 2004-2005.

In early 2005 Gov. Bob Riley urged the state Legislature to provide funding for the Alabama Department of Education for the AMSTI program, and $15 million was allocated for the Fiscal Year 2006 budget to continue and expand the program. Another $35.8 million been approved for the Alabama Department of Education for Fiscal Year 2008.

Gov. Bob Riley told The Post he is believes in the AMSTI program.

"I have always been a strong supporter of AMSTI, because in schools that have AMSTI students score higher in math and science than those that don't have it," he said. "The program is proven to work."

Under the program, an AMSTI service site is selected to oversee qualifying schools in or near a specific area. Qualifications required for a school to be considered include a requirement that each math and science teacher in the school attends a two-week summer institute for two consecutive years.

No direct cost is incurred by a school that participates in AMSTI, and a stipend is provided for all teachers attending the summer institute. In addition, the program provides the teachers with equipment, supplies and materials to teach activity-based, hands-on courses for students. The materials are provided at no cost to the teachers or school and are renewable each year.

Teacher Jane Ann Curry said she's even broadened her skills through the use of the graphing calculators.

“There's a lot of technology-based learning involved,” she said.

Teacher Susan Smith said the AMSTI program helps students in many ways, including “letting the students solve more of the problems and the teachers less.”

Principal Doug Davis said he is proud to provide so many opportunities for the students.

“We've accomplished a lot here with the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP),” he said. “We are no longer under school improvement and are clear on AYP. That's something the school and teachers did.”

He said the Advanced Placement and AMSTI programs will only further the improvements and advancements being made at the school. Davis said the high school is also working closely with the middle school to provide incoming students with a smooth transition into the advanced course work and classes.

Overall, he said he's pleased with the way the school year is shaping up.

“The school year has started great, and the AP and AMSTI courses are going great,” Davis said.