Thomas Jefferson will be adding several new classes to help students prepare for college.
Students get a chance to take college classes in a high school setting thanks to ACC and TJ.
Artwork by Henna Danek
Next year, Thomas Jefferson will be adding several college preparatory classes to its current offerings in an effort to make students ready to take college classes after graduation, including new AP classes and classes that are specifically designed to prepare students for their freshman year in college.
Assistant Principal Scott Lessard says that many TJ students are ready to jump right into college classes when they graduate, but not all. “We have some kids who score 55, 65, 75, 85 on the Accuplacer. They would qualify for a prerequisite. Now, unfortunately, these prerequisites don’t earn college credit, and they’re not college-ready if they have to take a prerequisite in college. We know by all the data that’s collected that less than 20 percent of college freshmen who take non-credit bearing classes will actually graduate in five years . So, by giving the kids college coursework or the prerequisites here, they can walk onto any college campus in Colorado and, by law, qualify for the entry-level credit-bearing course in Math and English.”
To determine who will take these classes, Lessard says that all current Juniors will take the Accuplacer test online in April. “They get automatic scores, and that score will give us an indication of where they are as far as college readiness. Many of our students will score above what it would take to get into college, so, for instance, in Math it would be a 23 on the ACT, and in English it would be a 19. Those students who use the Accuplacer and don’t qualify for college-level coursework-in other words, Math or English 121- we will put in Math or English college prep courses here at TJ,” explains Lessard.
The classes that will be added are called English 060 and 090, and Math 060, 090, and 099. Math 060 is designed for students who scored a 17 on their ACT or between 57 and 120 in the Arithmetic section of the Accuplacer, and less than 45 in the Elementary Algebra section. Math 090 requires an ACT score of 18 or between 45 and 60 in the Elementary Algebra section of the Accuplacer, and the English section is similar. English 060 requires an ACT score of 16 and an Accuplacer score of 50-69, and English 090 requires an ACT score of 17 and an Accuplacer of 70-94. Students who fall into these categories will be placed in the appropriate classes, and will be able to jump right into credited classes when they reach college.
These classes will be offered right on TJ’s campus, and all classes will be taught by current teachers. “We are fortunate to have two math teachers, Mr. Hardy and Mrs. Doyle, and two English teachers, Mrs. Hudson-Raila and and Mr. Santambrogio, who all have Masters degrees and have been accepted as adjunct professors for ACC. They are qualified; they could teach classes at ACC campus, and they’ll be teaching those here on our campus, so kids can get that college experience without leaving the TJ campus,” says Lessard.
These ACC classes aren’t the only ones that will be added to TJ’s selection. As a result of the Legacy Grant, a grant created to help give students the incentive to take advanced classes, TJ will be able to offer more AP classes, like AP Environmental Science and AP Statistics. Another part of the grant is a reward for students who do well on any AP test they take. “The cool part about it for students is that the test is half paid for automatically, and if you get a 3, 4, or 5, they’re going to give you a hundred bucks. In any Math, Science, or English class that you take in AP, you’re going to earn a hundred dollars for getting a 3, 4, or 5,” states Lessard.
Another perk of the Legacy Grant is that the fee for the AP test will be paid for. Students taking AP classes will not have to pay for their tests, which usually cost $89. Essentially, students in AP classes will not have to pay for their AP tests, and if they get a passing score, they’ll be profiting.
These new classes will complement the already successful implementation of the eight ACC classes offered by the CCT Magnet and Business departments. These students are already receiving college credit for photography, programming, web, journalism, and business classes. “I think it’s amazing and wonderful that we are able to send so many students off to college with real college credits in the bank,” said Matt Spampinato, CCT teacher and adjunct ACC professor.
Math teacher Tim Hardy says, “This semester was like a pilot start for the Math 090. We’ve had little hitches here and there, but I’m really looking forward to the whole program… I think it’s really going to help a whole number of students out.” English teacher Matt Santambrogio also stated, “By taking on the ACC classes here at TJ, it gives us the pretty amazing ability to get all of our students actually college ready for in-state colleges when they leave TJ…This is a way we can ensure that they’re ready for those college-level courses, so I think it’s great.”
TJ has taken advantage of resources and added classes that will benefit all students to its already diverse selection. With new rewards that give students the incentive to do well and college prep classes that can jumpstart a student’s college career, all students will have the opportunity to take their education to new levels.
