Not every class can be offered every year at MHS. For example, the “Math Class for College Bound Students,” has been in the class list some years, but it never actually happened. If a class can’t get enough attention from MHS students, the class isn’t taught.

That was the case for Fashion III, which was not popular enough to be taught this year, while Semi-micro Qualitative Analysis and Organic Chemistry, abbreviated as Qual/Org, becomes the third different type of chemistry available at MHS.

Qual/Org has been available for all district high schools except MHS.

Ed Bolton, Chemistry teacher, teaches the class for his first hour block this year.

“The class is an option for a third chemistry class; a college level course for those interested in medicine, engineering, and other science related fields,” Bolton said.

While the class is considered college level, it is not an AP class and therefore does not have an AP test.

Bolton said the first semester is semi-micro qualitative analysis, in which he gives students samples containing some of a group of possible ions, and the students identify the ions through laboratory procedures.

The second semester of the class is organic chemistry, which ties into information that students may have learned in AP Biology and AP Environmental Science.  However, Qual/Org is not your typical science class.

“The class is completely different. It is entirely lab based and very student driven on basis and topic,” Bolton said.

Ancient Greek, taught by Tim Abney, world language teacher, is another new addition to the MHS curriculum.

Abney said the class was brought up after curriculum revisions several years ago, but student interest in classics made it possible.

“The main goal is to teach students to read Ancient Greek,” Abney said. The class covers language, culture, history, and daily life.

Abney said there is a prerequisite of two years  of language, which is highly recommended, but not necessary.

“I have the authority to waive it,” Abney said.

While chemistry and languages took a step forward this year, fashion took a step back.  Susan Hamlin, fashion teacher, began her first year at MHS this year, just as Fashion III disappeared.

“I’m sad.  It was something that I was looking forward to teaching,” Hamlin said.

While the class disappeared for now, that doesn’t mean that there is no hope for it in the future. Hamlin thinks that plenty of the roughly 75 students in Fashion I and II will sign up for Fashion III.

“I think it will work out fine because I can develop a good relationship with these kids,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin also said social media sites like Pinterest spread the popularity of fashion and design through sharing of trends. She hopes that social media’s focus will grab the attention of students.

The class is much more different than the average class at MHS, with less paperwork and a more creative basis.

“When you finish a design you have something tangible in your hands when you’re done,” Hamlin said.

Assistant Principal Paul Burns said decisions about whether to have a class require balancing the number of teachers available and number of students who want to take the class.

“It’s a complex issue that we face every year,” Burns said. “We gave to consider several pieces of information including enrollment. Sometimes it is easy to make the decision if we only have two students.”