Here at Pentucket Regional High School, there are several class requirements that each student must fulfill before he or she can receive a high school diploma. Although it may be hard to balance several different classes at once, all students have a little say in what classes they take.
When asked what he thinks about having to take four years of English in order to graduate, Senior Dan Stiles says, “I think if you know you’re going to college for something in math or science, then you should be able to focus on those classes in high school instead of English, or history.”

Senior Allison Thornell, on the other hand, agrees with the graduation requirement of four years of English. She says, “There are a lot of essays… and writing… and work in general… but, grammar is good, so I don’t mind.”

Even though students must take four years of English, they can choose what level class they take, for the most part. When asked if levels of classes, such as CPS, CP, Honors, and AP are necessary, Pentucket sophomore chemistry teacher, Mrs. Lentz says, “I believe that they’re needed in order to maximize class time. When students are placed in the correct classes according their learning ability, it allows everybody to learn as much as they can.”

She then went on to say that if she taught her CPS, CP, and Honors kids all at a CP pace, then the CPS kids would be lost, and the Honors students would be bored.

Sophomore, Jesse Rhudick agrees with the idea of different level classes, saying, “There are stupid people, like myself, and then there are smart people; this is why we need classes with different intensities.

Not only are there main course requirements, but students also must take a certain amount of varying ‘electives.’

Should they be called electives if you are forced to take certain ones? Sophomore Marisa Labadini argues that, “You should be able to take what you want when it comes to electives because that’s the point of an ‘elective.’ I don’t think that art and technology should be necessary.”

Kids are always told to ‘use their time wisely,’ so what is the school doing making us take courses that mean nothing to us?

Pentucket sophomore and class president, Mikey Labrecque feels that Theater was pointless to his high school education, as he says, “It was fun, but I wish I took a different class that would’ve bettered by education.”

Mikey goes on to say that he wishes he just took the elective Public Speaking, so that it could’ve been more worthwhile.

Pentucket Gym teacher, Mrs. Kelley agrees that requirements should be altered.   She says that, “The main goal of gym class is to help students maintain physical activity. So if there are students that play three sports a year, then they shouldn’t necessarily have to take gym all four years.”

Each student here at Pentucket Regional High School is different, so why are we all having to fulfill the same requirements?