Partnership with Notre Dame improves AP classes

Donald Arbuckle

Sports Editor

Scottsburg High School offers a large number of Advanced Placement courses with the intention to help students with post-secondary education. Now, through a partnership with the University of Notre Dame, SHS has reached new heights with AP science test scores much higher than state and national averages.

As part of the AP Teacher Investment Program, Notre Dame supplies resources and professional development to help teachers provide students with better and higher quality AP classes. They have done this to improve students’ understanding of the curriculum and to improve student performance on AP tests.

“Notre Dame is giving us resources and support to better our classes,” said Robert Deirth, AP physics teacher. “Notre Dame has funded and paid for training and seminars to help AP teachers at SHS.”

All the classes that Notre Dame is improving include the AP science classes (chemistry, physics, and biology), the AP math classes (calculus and statistics) and the AP English classes.

“The partnership between Notre Dame and our AP teachers gives our teachers opportunities for professional development,” said Deonna Puckett, AP chemistry teacher. “This professional development then results in our students being more successful on AP exams and a better understanding of the content.”

In the spring, AP students will take a mock exam to see what their strengths and weaknesses are on the test. The mock exam will help them prepare for the actual AP exam in May.

“New AP teachers are being taught to help our students,” Derith said. “Notre Dame is giving us materials that will be used by our students. The resources we are being given are to let [students and teachers] know what is going to be on the AP exams. I attended a week-long seminar about AP classes that Notre Dame paid for during the summer.”