Los Alamos High SchoolScience Department

Presented to the LAPS School BoardSeptember 29, 2011

• Who are we?

• What are we doing and why?

• How is it working?

• What are we doing to improve?

Who are we?

9 Science Teachers

136 15

86 75

What are we doing and why?Goals

School Board’s “100%” non-negotiable goals

Develop skills of observation and analysis

Meet and exceed all state science standards

Prepare students for further study

Increase scientific and mathematical literacy

What are we doing and why?

General Course Sequence

• Physics• Chemistry• Biology

What are we doing and why?

Freshman Year

• Conceptual Physics (Pre-Alg, Alg)• Advanced Physics (Geometry)• Resource Physics (by IEP only)

What are we doing and why?

Sophomore Year

• Chemistry• SOC Chemistry• Advanced Chemistry• Resource Chemistry (by IEP only)

What are we doing and why?

Junior Year

• Biology• SOC Biology• Advanced Biology• Resource Biology (by IEP only)

What are we doing and why?

Advanced Sciences (Jr & Sr Year)

• AP Physics B• AP Physics C• AP Biology• AP Chemistry• AP Environmental

Science

• Honors Anatomy & Physiology

• Forensic Science• Historical Geology• Physical Geology• Oceanography

How is it working?

Biolo

gy

Chemist

ry

Comp Sci A

Eng Lan

g

Eng Lit

Eur Hist

Fre Lan

g

Ger Lan

g

Calc A

B

Calc B

C

Physics B

Physics C

- mec

Physics C

- Em

Psych

Span L

ang

Statist

ics

US Hist

ory

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

AP Mean Scores 2001-2011

Subject

Mea

n A

P S

core

How is it working?Class of 2011 Readiness for College

6471

5345

55

32

44

2117

66

4552

3025

87

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

English Composition College Algebra College SocialScience

College Biology Meeting all 4

Per

cent

rea

dy f

or c

olle

ge c

ours

ewor

k

LAHS

State

National

How is it working?

7th Grade Science SBA

75%Proficient or Higher

11th Grade Science SBA

82%Proficient or Higher

How is it working?SBA 10-11 11TH GRADE (Class of 2012)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

READING WRITING MATH SCIENCE SOC STU

SUBJECT

% P

RO

FIC

IEN

T &

AD

VA

NC

ED

LAHS

STATE

How is it working?

Freshman Pass Rate96.1% Physics

93.4% 4 Core classes

How is it working?

65%

20%

15%

MAP GR 9 SP 11 ALGEBRA85% OF STUDENTS SCORED AVERAGE OR HIGH

HIGHAVERAGELO

What are we doing to improve?

• Weekly PLC Meetings• Common Assessments• Freshman Academy• Saturday School• Academic Time• Textbook Adoption• Vertical Alignment