Several new curriculum initiatives are in the pipeline for Huntington High School. The Huntington School Board has approved a set of new courses that are scheduled to be implemented for the 2020/21 school year.
“These new courses will further enhance Huntington High School’s already robust academic offerings,” said Assistant Superintendent Beth McCoy, who presented the new courses to trustees for their approval.
Students interested in Computer Science will have an opportunity to learn the basics of coding and programming in Computer Science Essentials along with Advanced Placement Computer Science, a college level introductory course. “In this course, students will learn about computer design and solve problems by writing programs using a subset of the Java programming language,” Mrs. McCoy said.
Another new course that has been approved is Introduction to Statistics. “This course will help students understand the use of statistical reasoning and models relevant in the real world,” Mrs. McCoy said. “Students will design experiments and analyze data in a project based learning model. They will discover the many applications of statistics and the relevance in an increasing number of occupations.”
As students take standardized tests for college admissions the district is hoping to give them an edge by offering an SAT/ACT math prep course and an SAT/ACT ELA prep class, “which will review mathematics and ELA topics while discussing test-taking strategies and methods of improving performance on those exams,” Mrs. McCoy said.
Students interested in earning college credit during high school will also have the opportunity to enroll in a pre-calculus course through Suffolk Community College’s Beacon Program.
“Students will take the pre-calculus course during the school day and for a reduced fee of $57 per credit, they can earn four credits upon the successful completion of the class,” Mrs. McCoy said. “This is especially attractive to students not interested in majoring in a STEM related field, as this may satisfy their math requirement at college.”
Huntington UFSD regularly reviews its course offerings. The new classes approve by the Huntington School Board were previously vetted by the district’s Educational Development Committee and the appropriate Subject Matter Council.
“We hope these new offerings will increase students’ interest in mathematics and help all students showcase their talents throughout their high school experience,” Mrs. McCoy said.