Contents

• Jackson High School's Participation in the May 2004 National AP Exams

• The Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Recommended 10 Steps to Develop an AP Program
• AP Studio Art Presentation at the Upcoming Heatherwood Middle School PTA Meeting on Tuesday, May 4^th 2004
• Seattle Times Article: APs for all: Every student deserves a top-notch education

The 3 hour Advanced Placement exams for 2004 take place from May 3^rd through May 14^th, 2004. For special circumstances, late exams are offered from May 19^th through May 21^st.

Subject, Number of Jackson HS students taking the May 2004 national exam

AP Calculus/AB, 2

AP Calculus/BC, 7

AP Chemistry, 6

AP English Language & Composition, 5

AP English Literature & Composition, 5

AP Government & Politics: United States, 7

AP Government & Politics: Comparative, 1

AP Studio Art (Portfolios), 9

AP United States History, 39

AP World History, 26

In 2002 there were less than 10 AP test takers from Jackson HS. Last year, 2003, there were approximately 40. This year, there are about 100 - the most ever in the school's history. Jackson High School is ramping up. Best of luck to all the participants at Jackson as well as Cascade and Everett HS.

http://www.k12.wa.us/AdvancedPlacement/suggestions.aspx

Suggestions for Developing an Advanced Placement Program in your School

1. Trained teachers are the most essential component.

Summer Institutes are 4-5 day trainings for subject area AP and Pre-AP teachers.

There are three locations in Washington State each year. Pacific Lutheran University, Newport High School, Bellevue, Washington, and Ft. Vancouver H.S. in Vancouver, WA sponsor these trainings.

There are one-day workshops each fall and spring for subject area teachers, counselors, and administrators.

Excellent information is available at the College Board website (www.collegeboard.com)

Prospective AP teachers and coordinators will find outlines of each of the 35 AP courses on the College Board AP website (www.apcentral.collegeboard.com)

2. Administrative support is critical.

While the program is in its infancy, the administration may need to deal with class size issues, student and parent concerns about the demands of the course, staffing issues, and money for training and materials.

The administration will also need to provide moral support to teachers, students, and parents.

Administrators may need to address the myth that Advanced Placement is elitist and help teachers open the gates to encourage more and more students into the AP program.

3. Counseling support is necessary.

Counselors will need to help recruit and support students in the program.

Counselors will need to advise students and parents about the value of taking rigorous course work in high school.

Counselors may be involved in setting up tutorials after school to help students who are dealing with the challenges of AP courses.

4. Money will need to be available:

For training teachers.

For the purchase of appropriate texts and materials for students.

For the purchase of appropriate materials for the teacher.

5. Internet access for the teacher is critical.

It is helpful for teachers to be on their subject area list serve.

Access to these groups may be made through www.apcentral.collegeboard.com

6. Internet access would be helpful for students.

There are many web sites that help students study and prepare for the AP exams.

7. Building support within the departments that offer AP courses is important if the AP program is to be sustained and expanded.

Departments need to develop vertical teams of teachers that understand the demands placed on students when they enter the AP program. Preparation for students cannot fall only to the teacher in the actual AP course. Students need to be developing a continuum of knowledge and skills from the 7th grade on.

8. Working with the feeder schools will help increase the pool of AP students.

Challenging students in younger grades prepares them for rigorous academic work.

Teachers from the high school, middle schools, and elementary schools can work together to develop an aligned curriculum and raise expectations for students.

9. Educating parents is important.

Starting in elementary and middle school, parents need to be aware of what programs are available and how their students can prepare for AP.

Parents need to understand that taking rigorous courses in high school is the best preparation for high school graduation and college.

10. Success of the Advanced Placement program should be based on participation in AP courses.

Encourage students to take AP classes and AP exams.

Success should be measured by how many students take the classes and are exposed to rigorous college level work, not the exam pass rate.

Britt Barer, Jackson High School teacher, is giving a brief presentation on AP Studio Art at the Heatherwood PTA meeting - Tuesday, May 4^th, at 7 PM. The OSPI recommendations 8 and 9 above as well as the Washington State PTA position paper on AP and IB encourage this type of work with the feeder schools. Planting the seeds if you will. Our hats off to Britt Barer.

The Sunday, May 02, 2004, Seattle Times Opinion Section has a nice article on AP and IB at the Bellevue School District.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/next/2001916883_nextap02.html

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

http://www.apibboosters.org/NewslettersSchedule.html

Thank you,