Welcome to the SHS Mathematics Department

The program in mathematics is designed to meet the needs of students preparing for a variety of objectives. The college preparatory sequence aims toward the integration of related mathematical concepts for those planning to continue their training in this area beyond the secondary school. There is a program for those students who wish to remedy mathematical deficiencies and who will later pursue the college preparatory sequence in mathematics. In addition, this program offers the students enrolled in other curricula mathematical training which will be of value in certain technical institutions and trade apprenticeships. Other courses are offered for those students not planning to attend a college or technical school but who need a background of general or applied mathematics to function in their future employment and as useful members of an educated society.

Students planning to attend state colleges and universities are reminded of the requirement of three years of college mathematics. This includes Algebra I (or Algebra I Part A and Algebra I Part B), Geometry (or Investigative Geometry), and Algebra II (or Intermediate Algebra).

Students planning to attend four year colleges or universities are urged to take four years of college preparatory math and it is recommended that they take the integrated math approach. Studies have shown that students who do not take math in their senior year of high school and are required to take mathematics in college, experience difficulty on placement exams, and in freshmen math courses.

Students are reminded that many technical, nursing, and other vocational schools require college mathematics for entrance.

Honors (H) Curriculum Honors math courses are conducted for mathematically talented students. Through reorganization of the content of mathematics in these grades and in the selection of advanced students, more time is available for additional advanced topics during the senior year. Although most of the students in these programs are selected in Middle School, there is an opportunity for students who show excellent ability in the college preparatory courses to be integrated into the program, with the approval of the Director.

College Preparatory Curriculum

The college preparatory curriculum is designed for those students who desire to continue their education beyond high school. Two different levels of instruction are offered.

The first sequence is Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and either Precalculus with Trigonometry or Discrete Math. It is important that students planning to attend competitive private or public colleges take this sequence in order to prepare themselves for rigorous college work.

The second sequence is Algebra I Part A, Algebra I Part B, Investigative Geometry and Intermediate Algebra. This sequence is designed for students who have trouble in mathematics and who are interested in attending a less competitive four-year school, a two-year school or a technical school.

Changing levels and doubling up on math courses is encouraged in order to meet the needs of individual students.