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East Penn presenters propose AP African American Studies and new half‑credit science electives at Emmaus High School
Summary
District administrators presented proposals to add a College Board AP African American Studies course for fall 2025 and multiple new or restructured science electives (half‑credit botany/zoology, microbiology/genetics, honors physics and split AP Physics C) to broaden student choice and scheduling flexibility; the board heard questions and will act at a future meeting.
District leaders and high‑school department staff presented to the Eastern School District Board of School Directors on Oct. 14 proposals to expand Emmaus High School’s curriculum, including a College Board AP African American Studies course and a suite of new or restructured science electives.
Dr. Thatcher introduced the social studies proposal, saying the AP African American Studies course is "a College Board AP course" proposed "for student enrollment of fall of 2025" and that teachers on the team attended an AP Summer Institute to prepare to teach the course. Dr. Melissa Moxley described the course structure as "organized into 4 different units" covering the origins of the African diaspora through movements into the 2000s, and said it is "truly interdisciplinary" with art, literature, music and primary sources; presenters noted a Smithsonian linkage for course materials.
Mr. Brian Pum said the course emphasizes "demonstration of skills in 3 categories: applying disciplinary knowledge, source analysis, and argumentation" and described a yearlong, student‑driven research project that can play a role in students’ AP assessment. Presenters said the College Board ran a two‑year pilot nationally before the course became a formal AP offering. On credit, board members asked whether the course would replace required U.S. history or government credits; presenters said it would most likely satisfy a humanities elective and "does not replace either American history or world history or government." (The administration said counseling had advised limits on substitution for core social‑studies graduation requirements.)
In a single presentation that followed, the science department outlined programmatic changes intended to increase student choice and scheduling flexibility under upcoming state science standards (referred to in the presentation as "Steels" and compared to NGSS). The department proposed converting existing one‑credit offerings into half‑credit options—splitting botany and zoology, and splitting microbiology and genetics—adding an honors physics course, splitting AP Physics C mechanics and electricity & magnetism into two separate one‑credit courses, and offering two conceptual half‑credit courses called "Physics Matters" and "Chemistry Matters." The presenter said the district already has the staffing and that running these options "doesn't exceed what we already have budgeted for."
Board members asked practical questions about scheduling, prerequisites and student access. One board member raised concerns that honors classes can sometimes be as rigorous as AP work and urged care in setting appropriate rigor; presenters said the AP options remain distinct because of the AP exam and different topic coverage. On the research project, the presenters said student presentations would most likely take place after AP exams in May so classmates and the community could view student work.
The curriculum presentations were for information only; the board will take formal action on the proposed courses at a future meeting. Presenters recommended further engagement with counselors, teachers and community partners for field trips and course promotion.
