Trenton High School Students Fire Back About Incomplete Schedules

Several seniors at Trenton High School are struggling to figure out their class schedules because the final schedule detailing all available classes for the 2011-12 school year—including foreign language and advanced placement classes—is not yet available.

Senior Tori Hart said the lack of a deffinitive class schedule could hurt her chances of getting into a top-end school.

Hart has applied to schools like Yale, the University of Michigan and Cal Berkeley; she feels the more difficult her classes are, the more likely she will get into these schools.

Because the district hasn't finalized what classes will be offered, Hart will have to wait until the first day of school before she can get her class schedule. She says by that time it will be too late to get into the classes she feels will better her chances of getting into the college of her choosing.

"I'm looking at top-notch colleges that see 4.0 students as the standard...now they are asking 'What are you doing senior year?' and 'How are you continuing your education?'" Hart said. "I want to say I'm taking all AP (advanced placement) classes. I want to say I'm continuing my education further. I want to say those things, but I'm not sure if I can because I'm not sure if those opportunities are going to be provided to me like they were provided to last year's seniors or the seniors before them."

So far, no teachers have been called back and the number of advanced placement classes has not been determined.

Recent at the state level forced the Trenton Public Schools administration to reduce the number of classes.

Ann Deneroff, director of curriculum, said the same number of AP classes will be available this year as last year. There will be 10 AP classes available, but the district administration has not selected which classes will make up the 10.

Some students find this unfair and don't like the difficulty of having to try to rearrange their schedules after the school year has begun.

Trenton senior Tara Kurtzhals plans to pursue art as a career and is concerned with the availability of art classes at the high school.

"Colleges and universities ask for your transcripts, but they also have a specific section for what classes you are taking your senior year," Kurtzhals said. "I would like to have the opportunity to focus on my school work during the year, and finish my college applications now. I cannot because of the unknown schedule. I have waited all of my high school career to take intense, career-oriented art classes."

The University of California, Berkeley, admissions process states that the "number and rigor of courses taken and grades earned in those classes" is considered, among other areas, when selecting students for enrollment at the college.

"Consideration will be given to completion of courses beyond the University’s A-G minimums; strength of the senior year course load; and performance in honors, college-level, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IBHL) courses, to the extent that such courses are available to the applicant," according to the admissions process.

Hart and Kurtzhals are not the only students at Trenton High School concerned with class availability.

Here are comments emailed to Trenton Patch from other THS students:

• "I am in french, but I didn't sign up this year because I couldn't fit it into my schedule this year, so I was going to take french 2 my junior year. but now i hear that they aren't offering it any more, after french 2 THIS year. so, I don't have a second language course, and id rather not take Spanish, just because I really enjoy french."—Erin McCaffery

• "I was signed up to take my fourth year of German (something that looks good for college) and now I probably won't get a chance to. In addition, I might not get to take my AP classes, namely my science AP classes, which I sort of desperately need, since that's going to be my major in college."—Nicki Feld 

• "I signed up for French 3, and I absolutely love french. They need to at least finish what they started instead of promising us four years of french then taking it away. Also, it doesn't look too good on a college app to take two years of one language, then switch to a different one halfway through. It makes it seem like you couldn't handle the harder courses."—Victoria Dodson

• "I signed up for AP Lit and Mrs. P got pink slipped. The class was also at risk of not being able to run. I really want to take Lit because it will prepare me for college writing/reading. I also think that Mrs. P is a great teacher and shouldn't be let go. Mr. Clements got pink slipped. I didn't sign up for any of his classes, I don't think, but he is a fantastic teacher and shouldn't be let go either. His class was so much fun and at the same time I learned so much."—Allyson Nelson

• "I think the thing that is most frustrating for me is the situation with the AP classes, because of the budget problems and the contract problems I am going to have to waste thousands of dollars in college taking classes that I could have taken in high school. But, because of the situation the school district is in, i will not be able to take certain AP classes and save myself some money and time. I'm sure others of you who are paying for their own college will agree that this is kind of a big deal."—Katie Davis

• "Besides not having provided schedules which causes various problems as already stated and still not having anything set in stone with teachers even as we enter the beginning of the school year. I am particularly annoyed with the dropping of the entire CAD program. I want to go to college for mechanical engineering and have been able to take but 1 CAD class, a Computer Aided Design program involved in many engineering careers, last year. In addition, AP Physics and AP Chemistry have previously been cut down to being offered every other year taking turns with each other. AP Chem would've been a great thing to have on a college app and even to be able to not take in college and get ahead of the game, not to mention saving the money. I can't take CAD courses or AP Chem now, two major pieces of the back bone of what could have been a great position to go into college in the program I plan for straight out of high school. Because of this, many students including a number of personal friends and myself, are at a disadvantage."--Louis Scola

• "I want Mr clements to be back with history teacher cuts, there will be less history classes. I plan on majoring in history! I love how the old choir room was turned into a little weight room as if there is a need for a another weight room!"--Michael Cunningham

• "I want to go to college for mechanical engineering and have been interested in it since I was young, due to my father being one. I haven't taken a single CAD class because I wanted my senior year to be as enjoyable as I could possibly make it. So I spent 3 years waiting for my moment, to be able to take the class I held so dearly. Then I got the news, half way through my junior year, not long after I signed up for my senior classes. The CAD program was being cut. I was honestly devastated. I had 10 of the 12 or so CAD classes on my schedule, that's 2/3rds of my whole year and they gave me a new class sign up sheet and told me to pick new classes. I don't even recall getting an apology for having what was supposed to be the best year of my life so far ruined before it even began."—Brandon Bailey

•  "I have signed up for Electronic Media 3 and Ap Psych. I really don't want these classes to get cut! I've already had German 4  cut, and I really wanted to take four years of German but i cant now. Students at Trenton High School need AP classes and as many foreign languages as possible to help them prepare for college!"—adison Byard
  

• "Mr. Clements is a teacher that shouldn't be cut. He is dedicated to his job and his students. He always finds time to answer questions and explain notes and assignments to his students. Not only does he dedicate time and effort during the school day, but he also puts time and effort into helping students with after school activities as well. He is the sponsor of the Interact Club and has helped coach the THS hockey team to become state champions 3 consecutive years.   I am also angry with Miss Kelley being pink slipped. I can guarantee many of the other choir students are just as angry as I am. I am also angry that the school board is combining the choirs. The advanced choir has had to fight at every turn to get funding and to participate in competitions which make the school look good. Just when the THS Advanced Choir is gaining a reputation the school board rips it away from us. I have worked hard for the last 3 years, a four year run in Advanced Choir was supposed to be one of the highlights on my college application. It was supposed to show I am dedicated and hard working and that I have put effort into reaching an advanced level. How is the chorus supposed to compete at festival when we have too many students to be able to concentrate and work and people coming and going at the change of each trimester? How are we supposed to have the concerts the board likes so much if we are too distracted to learn our songs?"—Victoria Kesler

•   "I don't understand, it's not fair to let the French and German kids not continue learning French and German!! Yeah you are letting the sophomores finish their two years of a foreign language, but most colleges won't accept you because you don't have four years of a language! I don't want to start all over in Spanish. Yes we live in America, and we have a lot of Mexican immigrants, but I don't care! Who says I'm going into a field that says I need Spanish over French or German. Ughh I hate Trenton and the USA for it's budget cuts!"--Hana Mitsusada-Boylan

The Trenton School District and the Trenton Education Association have recently agreed on a contract. Look for information regarding changes in class schedules on Trenton Patch.