Starr’s Mill cuts AP Chem for 2019-2020
Typically, Starr’s Mill has a low number of students taking AP chemistry every year. While AP chemistry will not be taught next year, there will be a full-time chemistry teacher hired to fill this year’s vacancy.
April 29, 2019
Starr’s Mill offers a variety of Advanced Placement courses that students can take. However, for the first time in school history, AP Chemistry will not be an option next year.
“[Starr’s Mill] did offer AP chemistry. It was on the [AP] application,” Assistant Principal Krystin Glover Hall said. “We had kids apply for it.”
However, applying for it and choosing to take it after being accepted are not the same.
In January, 30 students applied and 24 students were accepted for AP Chemistry. However, in the end, only seven students decided to take the class. Starr’s Mill typically makes a class with a minimum of 14 students.
“I can understand that kids don’t want to sign up for the course when they have other choices,” science department chair Dan Gant said. “It was just the lack of interest for next year.”
What one class lost, another gained.
Next year, AP Physics 2 will be taught for the first time at Starr’s Mill. Due to the high number of interest in the class, there will be two section of the class.
No AP Chemistry for 2019-2020 could be a blessing in disguise. Long-term substitute teacher Deb Mittelman stepped in to complete this semester, while administration looks for, interviews, and selects a certified full-time teacher who will begin in August.
