Advanced math available to NL middle schoolers

By Karyn Spory, Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? Middle school students at New London Community School District will be able to take advanced math classes next year.

?We?re going to start allowing some eighth-graders to be able to take Algebra I,? said school board president Lindsay Porter. ?This will allow them to take more upper level math courses once they get into high school,? she explained.

Although eighth-grade students will be able to take Algebra I, a high school course, they will not receive high school credit.

Superintendent Chad Whals said he wants to ?continue to challenge kids?, but he fears if the students are given the credit early, they will not continue onto those more intensive math courses later in high school.

Whals added parents and students would be made aware the courses would not garner high school credit.

In other business, the board approved an asphalt bid from Cessford Construction Co. The bid came in two parts, for resurfacing the playground and the school?s parking lot/driveway. Resurfacing the playground will cost the district $43,662.50 and the parking lot/driveway will run $27,917.50.

When asked, Whals said the bids were the same as the estimate previously given.

In another action item, the district approved a bid from Storage and Design to purchase and install lockers for the school. The total cost approved was $34,300, and included adding new lockers to all of the school?s locker rooms as well as completing the project to add new lockers to the high school area.

The New London School Board will meet again on Monday, June 19, at 7 p.m.