Students at Grady and in the Atlanta area will register under the new
quarter system in the fall of 1968.
Some differences are obvious, such as the fact that each student will receive
a grade on his permanent record every quarter instead of twice a year. Three
quarters will constitute a full Carnegie unit (now two semesters).
This system will eliminate honors and remedial classes, although some courses will necessarily function as such.
For example, when students enter the eighth grade, they will be placed in English according to their reading ability. Some students will have Reading courses or Communications Skills Lab (CSL). Students who are on or near their "prescribed reading level will be taking courses such as Mass Media, Myths and Legends, Communications: Sentence Patterns, or Literary Types and Themes.
The quarter system was designed to provide for the individual needs of the student. In this way, a student will not be stuck in a class where he cannot progress or where he does not need as much instruction as his grade level indicates.
The purpose is not to push students through school faster, although some students may finish earlier, but to present courses which they do not now have the opportunity to take.
Individual schools will have leeway in academic or activity credit on such courses as journalism. They will also have some choices even among required courses as well as more electives.
In all departments the curriculm has been revised, presenting in-depth as well as basic courses. Each area of study contains certain prerequisite courses and a large number of electives.
According to Mrs. Ruth Sanders, head of the science department and member of the science curriculum committee, the committee has advised drastic changes in science requirements. Nine quarters of science will be required, six of which must be completed by the end of the second year. A total of fifty science courses were submitted to the principals' committee, but not all of these will be offered at Grady.
Mrs. Sanders explained these changes saying that many students drop out of school before they learn to properly care for their bodies, having had only one year of physical science. Therefore six quarters will be required before the legal withdrawal age,
So far, the English curriculum committee has designed thirty courses. All of these will not be offered at any one school or any one time. Depending upon the beginning reading level, each student will have at least ten outlined courses of the fifteen required for graduation.
If a student decides to take a foreign language, nine quarters of the
language as well as advanced study will be available.
The Math department is requiring six quarters, which is also the state requirement.
Various electives are available including more concentrated indepth studies
as before.
The Social Studies department has broken down their large over all courses to fit the length of the quarter. All depths are included as well as basic courses.
Grady faculty members who are participating on the curriculum committees for their respective fields are Mrs. Helen Taylor, English; Mrs. Ruth Sanders, Science; Mrs. Elizabeth Barnes Math; Mr. Alfred Hildebrand, Social Studies; Miss Betty Smith, foreign language; and Mr. Roger Derthick, who is on the principals' committee.