Calculus

Beginning in the fall, Carroll County high school students who take tough classes could be rewarded for their academic initiative if the school board adopts a new rating system.A committee that has studied the issue recommended to the board Wednesday that schools should offer students the option of selecting weighted or nonweighted grades in the calculation of grade-point averages and class rank.The school system appointed the committee last year at the urging of student government leaders concerned that those who take the most challenging courses -- designated level 4 in Carroll schools -- sometimes have lower grade-point averages and class rankings than students who take easier courses.

It was hard to tell whether his eyes were actually open when Derek Jones shuffled into his dimly lit kitchen at 5:45 a.m., the smell of bacon in the air. The 16-year-old didn't speak, but took directions from his mother who whispered: "I have your coffee made and your breakfast sandwich ready. " Within minutes he had munched on a banana, downed a cup of java, grabbed his egg bagel and backpack and was in the car on his way to the bus stop with his father. By 6:12 a.m. he was boarding the bus, and by 7:17 a.m., whether ready to learn or not, Jones was in his pre-calculus class at South River High School in Anne Arundel County.

The AP says Colorado is the No. 1 college football team. UPI says Georgia Tech is. Some fans say this proves the need for a last-man-standing playoff system like the NCAA basketball tournament. We say the last thing college football needs is a longer season. Besides, it's fun to have these arguments. (We could say Maryland is No. 1. The Terps beat N.C. State, which beat North Carolina, which tied Tech. UM beat Virginia, which beat Clemson, which beat Illinois, which beat Colorado.) But seriously, our editorial board is as divided as the wire services.

Ryan Scott, Perry Hall SPORT LACROSSE BOYS STATS -- As the Gators' premier defender, Scott, a fourth-year varsity player, always is assigned to the opposition's best offensive threat by coach Brian Moen. Scott, who has participated in every game of his varsity career, will play college lacrosse at Mount St. Mary's. SIDELINES -- A member of the National Honor Society, his courses include honors calculus and English. Scott has served as a reporter for the school's newspaper and as a peer counselor.

Ralph Wood has joined the faculty of Carroll Community College as a full-time mathematics instructor, teaching college math, calculus and trigonometry.Before taking his new position, Mr. Wood was principal of Johnnycake Middle School. He spent 29 years in the Baltimore County school system before retiring.He received his bachelor's degree in math from Case Institute in Cleveland and a master's in education from the Johns Hopkins )) University in Baltimore. Mr. Wood also completed additional graduate work at the University of Maryland College Park.

The following is a list of valedictorians and salutatorians for county public schools for the 2005-2006 school year: Aberdeen High Valedictorian: Michelle McVey Age: 18 Hometown: Aberdeen College plan to attend: George Washington University Major: International affairs Career aspirations: CIA counterintelligence threat analyst Favorite subject: Government Least favorite subject: AP Spanish Biggest issue teens face: Being responsible Advice for...

Students applying to state universities would have to take a fourth math course and take math during their senior year of high school under revised requirements to be considered this week by the university system's Board of Regents. Math skills atrophy in students who don't take a course their senior year, and those students are more likely to need costly remediation in college, said Chancellor William E. Kirwan, a strong proponent of the tougher application requirements. "Math is not a spectator sport," said Kirwan, a one-time math professor.

We are in the midst of a paradox in math education. As more states strive to improve math curricula and raise standardized test scores, more students show up to college unprepared for college-level math. In Maryland, 49 percent of high school graduates take noncredit remedial math courses in college, before they can take math courses for credit. In many cases, incoming college students cannot do basic arithmetic, even after passing all high school math tests. Recently, it was reported that student math achievement actually grew faster in the years before the No Child Left Behind law. Much of the problem arises from a blind focus on raising test scores instead of teaching students to understand math.