By Adam Frank
The Newton South administration is considering changing Curriculum 2 to College Preparatory, while Curriculum 1 will be called Advanced.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has refused to recognize some Curriculum 2 courses, making it difficult for some South graduates to participate in college sports. Although the decision at South was influenced by these standards, it was not the central reason, according to Principal Joel Stembridge.
“We felt that the title Curriculum 2 was not accurate,” Stembridge said. “It was a bit of a deficit model.”
Stembridge said he believes the name change helps change the meaning of the class itself.
“These kids are doing college preparatory work and it was sensible to call the courses college preparatory,” he said.
While the name change is not definite yet, the administration will most likely use the new titles. Needham, a model South looked at, uses titles such as Standard, Accelerated, Honors and AP.
Spanish teacher Helena Alfonzo believes the decision was appropriate.
“Kids doing fantastic in Curriculum 2 classes weren’t getting sports scholarships, but they deserve them because these classes are legitimate,” she said. “These are not easy courses, and they should be thought of as real classes.”
Alfonzo believes that the right decision based on what she sees as sound logic.
“Everyone has different styles of learning, and that shouldn’t be thought of as any less,” Alfonzo said.
While teachers and the administration seem to support the change, some Newton South students think otherwise.
Junior Matt Donovan acknowledges the benefit for future college athletes yet still dislikes the change.
“It’s just another pointless attempt to make South bubble-wrapped,” Donovan said.
Senior Sammi Suga agrees with Donovan.
“Our school sugarcoats everything, so why not one more thing,” Suga said.
Suga and Donovan are ambivalent towards the change. They said that they understand the purpose, but they feel as though “the change is soft,” Suga said.
The administration is almost all positive about the titles, according to Stembridge, and hopes to make it official in the coming years.
