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Beginning in the fall of 2012, East Peoria Community High School students will only need to pass two years of science to be eligible for graduation.
The change, approved at District 309’s Jan. 23 meeting, lessens the requirement by one year.
“To the best of my knowledge, the requirement to pass three years of science was originally set in an effort to improve performance on the PSAE test,” said superintendent Dr. Chuck Nagel. “Over time there is no documented correlation existing between taking a third year of science and improving performance on the PSAE.”
Nagel said the current requirement of successful completion of three years of science causes the district to pay for “teaching overloads” when students who have failed a semester are forced to repeat a class.
Other problems associated with the requirement of passing three years of science include growing class sizes and not being able to determine whether a student will graduate until the very end of his/her senior year.
“Requiring a third year just pollutes a teacher’s numbers with several students who have no interest in taking a greater amount of science and causes a few issues,” Nagel added.
Despite the change, it is recommended that college-bound students would take a third year of science in order to be up to date.
EPCHS students will be required to pass two semesters of life science and two semesters of physical science.
In other business, the board:
• Approved new evaluation tools for the district’s social worker, guidance counselors and teacher assistants.
• Approved the 2012-13 school calendar.
The first day of student attendance is planned for Aug. 16. Second semester will begin Jan. 8, with the last day of second semester final exams, assuming there are no snow days, set for May 23. The date of the 2013 graduation has not been determined, Nagel said, in an effort to accommodate a later discussion regarding holding the ceremony on a Sunday afternoon at EastSide Centre.
• Approved a contract with Heart Technologies for a new security and phone system at a cost of $492,020.
• Approved the resignation of bus driver Richard Thompson, who is retiring effective Jan. 17.
• Approved the employment of Josh Childs as girls head soccer coach, Jake Yocum as girls assistant soccer coach, Bennett Riber as girls assistant soccer coach, Brian Disney as head girls cross country coach and Monica Siebenthal as English teacher.
• Learned from school architect Jim Lemon that Building “A”, the school’s older wing, is in “relatively good” condition for a building of its age.
No major structural problems were discovered during a survey of the building.
The portion of the school is 100 years old and is being considered for potential renovation.
Beginning in the fall of 2012, East Peoria Community High School students will only need to pass two years of science to be eligible for graduation.
The change, approved at District 309’s Jan. 23 meeting, lessens the requirement by one year.
“To the best of my knowledge, the requirement to pass three years of science was originally set in an effort to improve performance on the PSAE test,” said superintendent Dr. Chuck Nagel. “Over time there is no documented correlation existing between taking a third year of science and improving performance on the PSAE.”
Nagel said the current requirement of successful completion of three years of science causes the district to pay for “teaching overloads” when students who have failed a semester are forced to repeat a class.
Other problems associated with the requirement of passing three years of science include growing class sizes and not being able to determine whether a student will graduate until the very end of his/her senior year.
“Requiring a third year just pollutes a teacher’s numbers with several students who have no interest in taking a greater amount of science and causes a few issues,” Nagel added.
Despite the change, it is recommended that college-bound students would take a third year of science in order to be up to date.
EPCHS students will be required to pass two semesters of life science and two semesters of physical science.
In other business, the board:
• Approved new evaluation tools for the district’s social worker, guidance counselors and teacher assistants.
• Approved the 2012-13 school calendar.
The first day of student attendance is planned for Aug. 16. Second semester will begin Jan. 8, with the last day of second semester final exams, assuming there are no snow days, set for May 23. The date of the 2013 graduation has not been determined, Nagel said, in an effort to accommodate a later discussion regarding holding the ceremony on a Sunday afternoon at EastSide Centre.
• Approved a contract with Heart Technologies for a new security and phone system at a cost of $492,020.
• Approved the resignation of bus driver Richard Thompson, who is retiring effective Jan. 17.
• Approved the employment of Josh Childs as girls head soccer coach, Jake Yocum as girls assistant soccer coach, Bennett Riber as girls assistant soccer coach, Brian Disney as head girls cross country coach and Monica Siebenthal as English teacher.
• Learned from school architect Jim Lemon that Building “A”, the school’s older wing, is in “relatively good” condition for a building of its age.
No major structural problems were discovered during a survey of the building.
The portion of the school is 100 years old and is being considered for potential renovation.
