Students entering Seymour High School next year will need more classes to graduate.
The Board of Education last month voted to increase the graduation requirement from 22 credits to 24 credits starting with next year’s freshman class.
The board also voted to add five elective courses to the school’s curriculum next year — the bulk of which deal with “green” energy.
Graduation Requirements
Each year-long class at Seymour High School is typically worth one credit. Half-year classes are usually worth half credits.
The required number of credits was changed in part to help prepare students for increasing expectations at Connecticut state universities and, in part, to help the district get ahead of upcoming state-wide changes in high school graduation requirements, according to Seymour High School principal Cathy Goodrich.
The two items have been discussed at a state level for several years because of changing job markets and expectations for students.
There have also been concerns that students entering the state universities need to take remedial classes to get up to speed with college expectations.
Seymour’s new requirements will be spread out among “humanities” courses such as English and social studies, “life skills” courses such as business, and “STEM” courses that cover science, technology, engineering and math subjects.
State High School Reform
The state Department of Education has been working on high school graduation reform to address a low graduation rate and achievement gap in the state.
State education officials want freshmen who enter Connecticut high schools in 2014 to have 25 credits in order to graduate, according to the state Department of Education website.
The push is toward more world language, social studies, math and science courses. The state also wants each high school student to complete a capstone project of some type before graduation.
CSU Requirements
Last year the Connecticut State University system — which includes Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities — made its requirements for admission stricter.
The new requirements increase demands for students in math, science and social studies courses.
For example, where students previously only needed three years of math to be accepted to the state universities, they will soon require four years of math.
New Courses
Goodrich also proposed adding five new courses — all half-year electives — to the high school’s curriculum.
The proposal would require one new technology teacher be hired.
The Board of Education approved the courses last month, with the understanding that if they don’t receive money in the budget to hire the new teacher, the technology classes won’t be offered next year.
The Courses
AP U.S. Government: The high school previously offered a half-year AP comparative government course, but found that a year-long course helped students prepare for AP exams better. The U.S. Government course would be added to the existing comparative government course to create a year-long study on governments in the world.
Banking Systems: The high school received a state Department of Education Innovation Grant for $37,500 to expand a personal finance course already offered at the high school. The grant is funding construction of a functional bank within the high school and text books and materials for the Banking Systems course. Students in the class will learn about how banks operate.
Alternative Energies 1 and Alternative Energies 2: These two courses will “get students exposed to areas of alternative energy,” such as solar, wind and water power, according to Assistant Principal Paul Lucke, who researched and proposed the courses. He said with federal money being invested into green technologies, and jobs opening up in the field, the courses will help prepare students to pursue jobs in the industry.
Energy Conservation: This course is a more hands-on course dealing with the technical aspects of energy efficiency in buildings, Lucke said.
