Many juniors and seniors have already taken some form of chemistry class. In previous years three levels were available: AP Chemistry, Honors and Base Level. However, for the 2019-2020 school year, the Chemistry Course options have changed. 

Honors Chemistry is not the only class over the years that seems to vanish in a summer’s time. Although some students believe this elimination is random and scattered, there is a process. 

In January, after returning from break, students choose their classes for the next school year (2020-2021), and the counselors then receive this information and forward it to Dr. Gwyn, the principal in charge of the master schedule. 

All course selections are then put onto a spreadsheet listing the number of students requesting the class, teachers that are available and more. The number of students requesting a class has a major effect on the following school year’s master schedule.

For example, if 300 students requested to take English II, but only 15 requests to take Honors English II, the Honors class would be eliminated to ensure that class sizes are at a manageable rate. 

Honors Chemistry was affected by this process because of the Principles of Physical Science (or PNPS) class, taking the place of Biology as the freshman base science class. So, the teachers that usually taught honors chemistry were changed to teach PNPS. 

Also, with the freshman base being changed to PNPS, the needs of Honors Chemistry changed as well. Before, Honors Chemistry was a 10th-grade class; but now it is a mostly 11th grade class, since the base class changed with last year’s freshman class (class of 2022). The students of the class of 2022 are now taking Biology. So, the need for Honors Chemistry has drastically gone down. However, one question remains:

Will Honors Chemistry return next year?