Advanced Placement

Proposed course changes for county high school students were made to the Washington County Board of Education during a work session Tuesday afternoon. Clyde Harrell, the school system's supervisor of secondary social studies, suggested that the sequence of high school social studies classes be changed from government being taught in ninth grade to U.S. history being taught in ninth grade. He said students learn about U.S. history in eighth grade and if they take the second part of U.S. history in ninth grade, they'll have a better understanding of government before going into 10th grade.

Martens, Pekar honored by Technical High Sara Martens and Victor Pekar, both seniors, were named Students of the Month for November at Washington County Technical High School. Sara, a senior at the Technical High School, is enrolled in Criminal Justice and Advanced Placement United States History, Advanced Placement Literature, and is on the Yearbook Committee. She was elected this year as SkillsUSA/SGA president and yearbook editor, and also selected for a countywide leadership program.

shappell@herald-mail.com The Washington County Board of Education essentially was preaching to the choir as 10 people, nearly all school faculty members or individuals with ties to the board, attended a public hearing Tuesday evening on the issue of weighted grades. The meeting lasted 35 minutes. Board officials heard little to no criticism of a plan that will, if adopted, increase the importance of Advanced Placement courses in determining students' grade point averages.

Miriam Tasker and Owen Marx were named students of the month for April at Washington County Technical High School. Tasker is a junior enrolled in Tech High's pre-engineering program and doing well in several advanced-placement courses this year. She holds a 4.11 grade-point average. Tasker plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and later study aeronautics. Marx has successfully balanced academics and athletics, and is a junior enrolled in Tech High's pre-engineering program.

The Washington County Board of Education met with the County Commissioners Tuesday at Salem Avenue Elementary School to discuss SAT scores and Advanced Placement courses. Following the discussion, the County Commissioners toured the school with School Board officials. According to the presentation, 734 seniors took SATs in 2005, up from 725 seniors in 2004. In 2000, 574 seniors took the tests. The average score on the college entrance exams was 1,000. The score is the combined average on the verbal and math portions and reflects the students' most recent scores.

The following students have been named students of the month at Washington County Technical High School for November: Kenise Lewis: Health Occupations Kenise is enrolled in Health Occupations II, Advanced Placement United States History, Advanced Placement English Literature, Yearbook Committee and attends Hagerstown Community College for Sociology 101. Kenise is a Skills USA representative at Washington County Technical High School....

Five students from Hagerstown who attend Mercersburg Academy were named AP Scholars by the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. The students include: Daniel Roza was named a National AP Scholar. Mackenzie Riford was named an AP Scholar with Distinction David Roza was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. Chuck Mellott was named an AP Scholar with Honor. Christian Binford was named an AP Scholar.

pepperb@herald-mail.com A plan by school officials to eliminate one of two senior honors English courses has drawn criticism, prompting the Washington County Board of Education to hold a special work session Tuesday. The School Board called the session so members could be filled in on the plan. They had heard concerns that the decision to consolidate two upper level 12th-grade English classes - honors and advanced placement - into one class would limit the options of college-bound seniors.

Developers could fund school projects The Washington County Board of Education conducted a first reading of a plan that would require developers to fund future school construction projects. The plan, which the board addressed at Tuesday's meeting, addresses the strain on public schools facilities that has resulted from recent growth in the county. Possible projects to be considered for developer funding are school additions, new schools, and additions and renovations, according to the document.

pepperb@herald-mail.com WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD. - When the first classroom bell rings, Williamsport High School Senior Phil Taylor knows he has an hour to finish a Physics II assignment. After turning on his stereo and logging onto the Internet, Taylor pulls the cap off a dry-erase marker and begins writing formulas on the white board that hangs in the back of the school's computer lab. Taylor, 17, is participating in Washington County Public School's Virtual High School pilot program, which began this semester.