Havre ups credits for AP chemistry

At their Tuesday night meeting, the Havre school board voted unanimously to update the number of credits students receive through an advanced placement chemistry course.

Craig Mueller, acting assistant superintendent and Havre High School principal, brought the request to the board's attention, presenting members with a letter by Carol Pleninger, the chemistry teacher for the class.

In past years, students taking the third-period, two-credit course would receive one credit for the daily chemistry course and then during fourth period obtain another credit in a period where they would alternate between an extended chemistry course and a government class, receiving half a credit from each. This year, however, a shift in schedule required the instructor of the government course to instead teach a history class during fourth period, thereby giving the students two full periods of chemistry each day.

“The bottom line is they earned two credits for two class period (sic) of work,” said Pleninger in her letter. “Thus I believe they should be earning two full credits of AP Chemistry for two full periods of work throughout the course of the year.”

Pleninger said rather then filling that fourth period with a study hall, the extra time will likely be utilized to complete material she had trouble fitting into existing class time.