Starting this year, Rockcastle County High School has changed its science course curriculum. The change started with the introduction of a course designed to combine different aspects of the science core curriculum including chemistry, astronomy, geology, space science, and meteorology.

This change was brought about by the science and math departments and agreed upon by Principal Mattingly and the S.B.D.M. (Site-Based Decision Making Council). They changed the curriculum of the juniors’ science class due to the hopes of a higher test score percentage in juniors tacking the ACT.

The change in science curriculum was due in part to the State of Kentucky’s view that high school juniors throughout the state have not been meeting the level of science knowledge needed. R.C.H.S. teachers and administrators felt that a change was also imperative so that our students would reach the level of mastery necessary for science.

Sciences such as chemistry, space science, weather, geology and meteorology are covered somewhat in the grades prior to the junior year, but teachers and administrators were concerned about the amount of time between the instruction and the testing as well as the overall comprehension of students. The new course requirement was seen as necessary to help students retain the core content required by State law and necessary for students throughout their lives.

"I think (the change) is going to be very beneficial to students to help them understand how the world works," Mrs. Mattingly stated in reference to the new required Earth Science class. "It was important."

Mr. Bussell, a science teacher at R.C.H.S. said, "Many people often think this course is an added course, but it is designed to help teach the content students need to master." According to Bussell, the Earth Science course is, in actuality, meant to provide this school with a class that helps teach what the State requires. Instead of adding an additional course, which would make the workload too difficult, teachers and administrators attempted to combine aspects of different areas of science into one course that could better serve students at R.C.H.S.