Starting as of next year, students will no longer be able to take honors courses due to the replacement of dual credit courses. Due to this change, there has been many different perspectives from both students and faculty.
Previous English honors classes read books such as Things Fall Apart, Night, and To Kill A Mockingbird.
Photo by: Chandy Schuler
Starting as of next year, students will no longer be able to take honors courses due to the replacement of dual credit courses. Due to this change, there have been many different perspectives from both students and faculty.
Students have recently been notified that starting next year, classes of 2018 and younger will only be able to take regular or dual credit courses. In the past, students have been offered the option to enroll themselves in honors classes. Some of the classes that will be taken away include: English honors, Pre-calculus honors, and Economics honors. Junior Sophia Smith gave her view on the taking away of honors classes. She said, “I think that withdrawing honors classes is pointless and unnecessary.” Neutrally, Senior Jordan Kelly gave her opinion on the withdraw by saying that the removal of these courses doesn’t bother her. Relating back to Smith’s view on the withdrawal, Sophomore Destiny Schoff said, “My view on withdrawing honors classes is that all the time and hard work I have already put into making sure that I am a high honors student will be wasted. My goal of an Honors Diploma will be thrown in the trash. I have always wanted to graduate with an Honors Diploma, and by withdrawing the honors classes that will be nothing.”
Schoff also gave her opinion on previous honors courses and her enjoyment of them by saying, “I’ve taken many honors classes. I enjoy the fact that I have earned my way into my honors classes.” Similar to Schoff, Freshman Rose Miller said, “I took ICP in 8th grade and I enjoyed it because I was with fellow students who took their school work seriously (not that my other classmates didn’t. I just feel like since I’m mixed in with everyone else, we’re all at different levels and some students don’t try and they distract the class by goofing off). I also developed attachments to my teachers.” Contrary to these students, Senior Nat Hiatt said, “yes” he has taken previous honors courses but he “didn’t enjoy a thing” about them. From these students, it can be inferred that a few students have similar perspectives.
Conclusively, students had relatively similar views on if this change would have an impact on students’ grades. Junior Andrew Miller said, “Yes, because dual credit classes are typically harder than honors classes.” Giving more of a neutral response, Freshman Autumn Wilson said, “Well of course there are ups and downs to this change. I think that students won’t have to worry as much because of the new grading scale and there is no longer an A+. It won’t be as competitive for the students at the top of their class, but it is also a disadvantage for these students because they would be used to working for that A+ and now they only have to get a grade in the mid 90’s to have an A which is now the highest grade.”
This schedule contains some of the few honors courses that will soon be replaced with dual credit courses.
Photo by: Chandy Schuler
Sophomore Kyndel Grove said she didn’t think the ridding of honors classes would help students with improving their grades, while Senior Sal Bustamante said that students would “most likely” be more successful after the transition. Similarly, Smith said, “I think that getting rid of honors classes will propel the GPAs of students who should be in the honors classes.” Freshman Trevor Pletcher gave his perspective on the removal of honors classes. He said, “No, I don’t think students will have improved grades. They will not try as hard because they are not getting things in return.”
Collectively, students are maintaining various perspectives based upon the upcoming changes at PHS. Though students feel both positively and negatively towards the removal of honors classes, it is evident that forthcoming events will catch both student and staff attention.