For some students, basic math is hard, but there are a handful of students – currently 13 – who are ready to face Calculus, the most challenging math offered at Armijo High School.

“This is my third year teaching the class,” said Mr. Casey Towner. “To teach, I went to a weeklong summer institute training at Sac State to learn about AP grading and the specific AP course (Calculus AB).” This class is offered to students who have passed either pre-calculus, or Math 2/3 accelerated.

The first year that Mr. Towner taught, there were 40 students and last year there were 28. Distance learning and other challenges have led to the lower numbers because the class can be very challenging, even in the best of times.

“During COVID, there are some pretty strenuous lectures due to the fact that we get 3.5 hours in class per week instead of five full hours,” said Mr. Towner. “We practice a lot of AP test problems throughout the year to prepare students for the AP test in May.”

Investing time in this class is important for students who are planning to major in business, Biology, Physics, Engineering, or Math in college. “If you pass the AP test with a score of 3 out of 5 or better, you earn credit for your first semester of college Calculus, which is what the course covers, essentially,” said Mr. Towner. In other words, doing well on the AP test, after doing well in the course, can be a financial investment for students who have to pay for their education.