The 4x4 Block Schedule at Jackson High School

We received many responses to our last newsletter where we discussed the 4x4. Two of our members addressed the School Board on this issue at the last School Board meeting. We hope to meet with the Board in the next few weeks to discuss in detail the problems with the 4x4 at JHS and some alternatives. More to follow.


Weighted GPA

At many universities, such as the University of California campuses, a weighted GPA is calculated and used in the admissions process. For example, at Berkeley, the average weighted GPA for the most recent freshmen class is 4.2.  Berkeley gives an extra point to AP, IB, and Honors (those that meet UC requirements) courses. So yes, GPA is important. And AP courses can give it a substantial boost.


Northwestern University

Occasionally, we will highlight a university and their policy on encouraging high school students to take a risk and enroll in AP or IB level courses.

The following is an excerpt from the Northwestern University's web site.

"Each year over 90-percent of the University's incoming freshmen receive advanced placement credit. Northwestern acknowledges the educational value of AP courses by granting credit and/or placement as indicated in the chart below. In some fields—primarily in the sciences and foreign languages—advanced placement and/or credit can be earned through appropriate performance on examinations administered by Northwestern departments, usually during New Student Week.

Northwestern does not offer credit for AP results in comparative government or music."

http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/freshman/credit/index.htm


Guest Author: Mr. Fred Dahlem: Principal of Jackson High School

Our master schedule is designed to meet the needs of all students to the best of our abilities.  We try to honor each student's requests for classes but know that there will be conflicts with any schedule.  My experience with the master schedules in a six period day had no fewer conflicts than the JHS four period day.  The more specialty or singleton classes a school tries to offer the more conflicts there will be for students.

We attempted to schedule AP classes away from known conflicts.  We do know that many students that want an AP class are in band so we avoid 1st and 2nd period where band is scheduled.  Since we have two AP US History classes we know we can schedule one AP US during band as long as we have one that is not at the same time as band.  Since AP US is an 11th grade course and AP Chem is, for the most part, an 11th grade course and we thought that there would be a significant number of 11th grade students wanting both.  Therefore we placed AP Chem so it did not conflict with AP US.  To accommodate the 11th grade AP US students wanting AP Cal, we placed AP Cal 4th period.  What about the 11th grade students who wanted all three?  True there is a conflict.  They might have to wait and take either AP Chem or AP Cal the next year.  Our schedule did not work if we moved either to first period because of the other classes that are needed first period to balance the schedule.

Although it appears that we have too many AP classes fourth period, please remember that they are, for the most part, targeting different grade levels or different types of students.

To give you some idea how successful our schedule is and keeping in mind that any singleton, whether AP or not, will always have fewer students actually take the class than have requested it.  Students change their mind and there are conflicts created by other classes they want and in some cases with teachers they want or don't want.

AP World --   33 requested   29 signed up
AP Chem  --  32 requested   25 signed up
AP Calc  --    21 requested   17 signed up
AP Art  (Studio and History)  21 requested  15 signed up

Compared to
German 3 + 4  --25 requested  16 signed up
French 4 + 5  --  36 requested  25 signed up
Creative Writing  --30 requested 23 signed up

I want you to know that we really did try to create a schedule that would allow the greatest number of students to get their requested classes and that we really do want students to be able to take as many AP classes as they wish.  We approach the building of the master schedule from years of experience and a desire to create the very best schedule for all students.



Link to AP/IB Boosters Scholarly Events listing

http://www.apibboosters.org/events/Events.html

Link to latest JHS PTSA newsletter

http://www.jhsptsa.org/news.html

Thank you,

Todd Aagard
ChairpersonAP/IB Boosters
Advanced Placement Opportunities for All Students
www.apibboosters.org
info@apibboosters.org