BY IAN MCGEE
Staff Writer

Freshmen and future Baldwin students will face fewer gym, math, and history requirements, but will take additional classes in media technology and STEM courses like science, technology, business, or math in a curriculum update approved by the school board in February.

These new requirements are the backbone of a restructured curriculum that aims to focus more on preparing students for college or the workforce.

One of the biggest changes will be that freshmen and future students will only be required to take two semesters of physical education, rather than four. Students who want more gym classes will be able to take physical education electives.

“Adjusting the credit requirements in physical education allows students to take more elective courses in Phys Ed or other areas that interest them,” Principal Walter Graves said.

Also, the math requirement will drop from four credits to three – but students will have to take one credit in STEM courses. Baldwin joins other schools nationwide that are emphasizing STEM courses, an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Business classes also will fulfill the new STEM requirement at Baldwin, Graves said.

“Research done by our own math department shows that students who wish to take additional math credits are already doing so,” Graves said. “Classes such as those included in STEM will allow our students to gain an edge in the competitive global job market.”

The history requirement will drop from four to 3.5 credits. The current Senior Seminar I and II classes will be replaced by a one-semester class called Contemporary Societal Issues, which will have an emphasis on research and presentation. Students also will

complete their graduation project in the CSI class.

As before, students can instead choose to take an Advanced Placement class senior year. Those AP classes will continue to include the graduation project.

“The reduction in the credits for social studies provides more time to take courses that interest students – whether they are in social studies or other curricular areas,” Graves said.

Additionally, starting next year all freshmen will take a class on using technology and media applications. This course will teach students about presentation software other than PowerPoint, giving Baldwin students an edge over others in the business world, Graves said.

Health class, meanwhile, will move from freshman year to sophomore year.

Another change will cover the courses offered in English and biology.

Starting with next year’s freshman class, the lowest, or “core,” level of English is being phased out. Students who traditionally took the “core” level will be moved up into the class currently called College Prep English 9, which now will be called simply English 9. Similarly, next year, “core” biology will be phased out, with two classes remaining: Biology and Honors Biology.

Next year only ninth grade “core” English will be eliminated. Tenth grade “core” English will disappear the year after that, with junior and senior “core” being eliminated over the two years that follow.

“There has been research that shows students who struggle will improve when put with students who excel, and their learning abilities will be bolstered,” Graves said. “There will be supports available for students who struggle, to help them succeed in these classes.”

Eliminating the “core” English classes also could be beneficial to the behavior of students, and reduce the number of disciplinary incidents, he said.

The changes in English follow similar changes in the math program, which have proven successful, he said.

Perhaps predictably, student reaction to all of these curriculum changes was mixed.

Sophomore Anthony Gruber said he believes the changes could be beneficial, and that he was disappointed they will not apply to current sophomores.

“It would be a real opportunity for the kids, and I think it’s a great idea for the school to change things a bit,” Gruber said.

Freshman Chris Collins also said he was optimistic about the changes, but believes that most classes should stay the way they are.

“I don’t think that they should be taking credits away for classes like math, but the new technology applications class could give students an edge,” Collins said.

Senior Douglas Coburn, however, said he was skeptical of how beneficial some changes would be.