As the school year presses on, students are completing their applications for the 2009-2010 schedules. Many students wonder what classes will be held and which ones will no longer be offered. With a budget cut in progress for the upcoming school year, Middletown High School’s students and faculty will be feeling the pain.
Every school year, a projection is made as to how many students and teachers will be attending and how much money the school will need.
This school year, there were approximately 700 fewer students then projected. Due to this misjudgment, there are several teachers whose services are no longer needed. As a result, four Middletown teachers will not be returning next year.
Some teachers will be combining classes. Mr. Shearer for example, will be incorporating orchestra and wind ensemble to allow for a percussion class.
Officially, there have been several class cuts. For example, there will be no AP Language, AP Art History, Chinese, Digital-Communications and Technology or SAT Prep classes. A
lso, there will only be one AP Physics class and only two sections of National and Global Issues for only a half credit. With classes leaving, however, new ones will arrive.
Creative writing and a full credit computer class are examples. Bill Muldoon’s 1945 to Present and World War II class will also be held.
“To create a class, you need to have a reasonable number of students apply, usually twenty,” said Middletown High School Department Chair Sue Mentzer-Blair.
Students pose the question however, why did some classes run this year that had ten or less students?
“[The school] said there weren’t enough people, which made me mad because other classes ran way under 20 people,” said Middletown High School junior Brooke Ritter.
“In Frederick County, classes are offered for kids. They sign up and a simple tally is run to determine the number of kids who want to be in the class. Then Principle Berno and Assistant Principal Burcker decide what classes we can have,” said Blair.
Fresh faces, new classes, and inviting memories are expected to appear during the 2009-2010 school year. Although class changes will occur during the first week of school, next year looks to be a promising year.
