Course List Changes at BCCHS

As the 2022-2023 school year comes to a close, the Billings Central staff has been working hard to update the curriculum to meet the needs of next year’s students. The current plan for the 2023-2024 course list includes some of the most dramatic changes Central has seen in years, with updates to art and history offerings and a substantial rework of the science curriculum. One of the biggest reasons for these changes is the considerable growth in class sizes that Central has experienced in recent years, making the old curriculum no longer viable.

“Our building next year is going to have one small class and three really big classes…that will probably have between 85 and 100 [students] in them,” said assistant principal Jim Hawbaker. “The biggest thing to do with these changes is to try and fit the numbers in.”

According to Hawbaker, the history curriculum will likely be one of those most affected by the class list changes. History teacher Tony Derrig is slated to teach two new courses, including an AP World History class for sophomores and a Current Events elective, in addition to his current World History classes. Hawbaker hopes that Central history teacher Shane Fairbanks can more or less keep his current course offerings, with the plan being to have him teach US History, Dual Credit World History, and Film, Editing, and Design. However, Hawbaker also made sure to clarify that the current plan is not set in stone. “We still have hiring to do, so we’re not sure what’s going to happen as we’ve expanded with numbers in the building,” he explained.

The science curriculum is also planned to experience a large rework, which science teacher Krista Cunningham thinks is important for two key reasons. The first, as previously mentioned, is the large size of the upcoming freshman, sophomore, and junior classes compared to those of previous years. The second reason, she explained, is that the updated system will allow students to “maximize their time at Central,” an important consideration given the variety of science classes and often limited number of offerings. According to Cunningham, under the updated system, students will be able to choose a new Integrated Physics and Chemistry course after finishing freshman-year Biology. This course will allow students to “get their feet wet… in both chemistry and physics” and “get a foundation in both.” Additional changes to the science curriculum include the reintroduction of AP Biology after a three-year hiatus, which will likely be rotated yearly with the current AP Chemistry offering, and the continued rotation of Cunningham’s Human Anatomy and Physiology class with an AP Environmental Science course.

According to teacher Krista Cunningham, finding a good balance was an important consideration when redesigning the science curriculum. “We’re really trying to balance courses as much as possible and still be able to offer that upper division,” she explained.

Ultimately, the goal of the BCCHS administration in redesigning the curriculum revolves around the learning experience of Central students, and both Hawbaker and Cunningham are optimistic about the changes. “This offers more opportunities, more tailored to what students specifically want,” said Cunningham.” Hawbaker agrees, remarking, “It’s always good to try to figure something out to get kids a chance to take some different classes.”