Administration cancels classes

Changes in staff numbers and student interest have left a few holes in this year’s class schedule at LHS.

At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 14 teachers left LHS for a variety of reasons including retirement, medical reasons, or moves to other employment. While many teachers have come in to replace them, there are still some positions unfilled.

This is part of the reason for cancellation of some classes — such as honors courses and Consumer Math — in the 2022-2023 school year. The administration had reportedly been discussing a few of these changes for some time.

But some students feel angry that these classes are unavailable this year. Some feel it forces them to learn at a slower pace and does not allow them to get a deeper understanding of the curriculum.

“The pacing [in Algebra 2] is very slow,” said Olivia McDermott, a junior. “I feel like in Algebra 2 Honors I would be able to actually work better and faster, and challenge myself more than I can in normal Algebra.”

This shortage of teachers is not only affecting students, but also some teachers, who have undergone difficult changes in their work load.

For example, Brent Jacobs has moved up from teaching Algebra 2 Honors in order to teach Pre-Calculus. Both Jacobs and Mike Murphy have given up one of their prep hours to cover needed math classes.

“You just allocate more time to it,” said Murphy. “Yes, it adds extra [work], but as Mr. Jacobs and I are both professionals, we make sure all the homeworks are done and work [is] prepared for every class. So it adds a little bit extra but [it’s] not major.”

Other classes are not offered this year for lack of teachers, but for a lack of students. In order for a class to operate, 15 to 20 students need to have signed up for it. This fall, Spanish 4, a dual-credit class, only had seven students sign up to take it.

Students who want to find out if a class is still available for second semester can meet with their counselors in the Counseling and Career Center. Counselors are sorted by student last names.
• Kaylin Roby: A-D
• Christina Cahill: E-K
• Olivia Wilson: L-R
• Leslie Halliday: S-Z