Dear Parents & Students:
As a math department, we encourage all students, whose math trajectory allows them, to take Calculus while in high school. Students planning to pursue STEM related careers including mathematics, computer science, data science, sciences, medical field, and engineering will definitely need Calculus. However, there are also many benefits to enrolling in Calculus even for students who do not intend to pursue STEM related degrees.
The Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education recommends four years of high school mathematics. The KHS Orange Seal Diploma, which students receive if they have taken rigorous, college preparatory classes in high school also requires four years of mathematics.
Approximately 80% of students change their major in college. By taking Calculus in high school, it will fulfill any math related requirements at college. In addition, it will leave the door open for pursuits that require additional mathematics.
College is expensive. Dual credit is not expensive. A five-credit hour Calculus course taken at a Missouri Public University costs approximately $1800. The same course taken in high school through dual credit costs $415. In addition to saving money on dual credit courses, students receive support above and beyond what is available at the college level. The high school offers small class sizes and tutoring opportunities before and after school. Your student is not just a number to us. We want to help them succeed!
There are a handful of classes at KHS that offer the academic rigor to truly prepare for college. Calculus is one of them. Calculus prepares students for other challenging classes they will face in college. It helps students learn how to study effectively and advocate for themselves. Students learn the benefits of hard work, time management, using resources to succeed, and how to think critically.
When students go outside of their comfort zone and do hard things, it helps them realize their strength and capacity that had not yet been revealed.
A 2018 KHS graduate who majored in communications in college said, Calculus “taught me how to work hard and how satisfying the payoff was. That’s the class that gave me confidence in my ability to try new things. I have had several jobs and none of them in STEM, and in all those situations there was always something I fell back on that I learned in Calculus.”
I hope that parents and students will consider the advantages and benefits of taking Calculus in high school. As a math department, we want what is best for the students and that includes taking Calculus.
Sincerely,
Tracy Vorkink
KHS Math Department Instructional Leader