A new Curriculum, College Preparatory Mathematics (CPM), was added to the NHS math department at the start of the 2021-’22 school year. 

Students become fully immersed in this curriculum when attending math classes: Algebra 1, 2 and Geometry. 

Director of Curriculum, Timothy Kachur said, “Just prior to our pandemic experience we started the adoption process with a variety of stakeholders from NHS. There were a number of members from the math team trying to figure out which curriculum works best for Algebra 1, 2 and Geometry students.” 

Kachur and other staff members wanted to go about this adoption process with an open mind, but also coincide with the progress at NHS. Looking through eight different programs, researching and reviewing their characteristics, it came down to CPM. They received feedback from the math department as well as feedback from other districts that are familiar with CPM to help confirm the decision. 

The head of the math department, Nathan Koenecke, said he has been getting positive responses in regards to how CPM worked this year, “A lot of students are struggling with this. But again, I can see what it’s going to look like and it’s going to be really good,” Koenecke said. When starting a new curriculum it can be hard for students to adjust, but growth is expected in the future. 

Change is hard to grasp for many students, but adapting to the new curriculum will elevate learning in the classroom. 

Parents and staff were informed of the curriculum change; a handout was given to them to further explain the update in the math department. 

A student of Algebra 2, junior Bella Jones, expresses her concerns with CPM. She finds difficulty in teaching concepts to other students who may not fully grasp the curriculum. Jones’s expressed concerns that her learning style is not met in the classroom; however, growth is necessary for development in education. As time progresses, intention of comprehension and understanding of CPM is prioritized by the math department. 

Since the curriculum is brand new to NHS it’s important to conduct many trials so proper feedback can be consumed by the math department.

“Anytime you adopt a new curriculum you need to allow for exposure to our staff and students. You always want to get feedback from folks and you want to look at achievement,” Katchur said. 

With anything new, adjustment is needed and expected. 

Many teachers in the math department see the new curriculum as a place of growth and new beginnings, “For the most part getting responses that the future of this is gonna be really good and they like what CPM is looking like. It’s gonna pay off in the long run. However, right now we are just starting it and just getting into it, it is quite difficult,” Koenecke said.

As the year progresses students will develop the skills needed for success in these math classes. Learning to adjust and create new habits will benefit future learning.

Algebra 2 teacher, Mrs. Andrea Peterson-Longmore said, “I think that it is a drastic improvement of what we did previously. In my opinion, it is a move in the 21st century. I feel like a lot of what we did was not what is the best practice for students.”

Peterson-Longmore has conformed to this new curriculum and has enjoyed the first couple months teaching it. Even though it is a big adjustment to NHS, she has allowed her students the ability to better understand new ways of learning math. 

As CPM continues, growth will arise. The curriculum will continue to run at NHS as students need ample time to adjust. Evolution will appear in the upcoming years as staff and students familiarize themselves with the curriculum.