Almost all freshmen will have to take biology next year because the science department will stop offering the matter and energy class.

The science department is eliminating the class so they can transfer students between regular and honors biology with more ease. This is simpler than switching students between two entirely different curriculums, science resource teacher Donald DeMember said.

The students who aren’t ready for biology as freshmen will take applied science, a class  currently offered as an alternative to matter and energy.  Science teachers said this class is a better option for students not ready to take biology in ninth grade.

“It’s a pre-bio class,” science teacher Janice Bauroth said.“Initially, if you weren’t ready for biology you went to matter and energy, which doesn’t prepare you for biology.”

Junior Kenny Wesley, who took matter and energy as a freshman, said he felt as though the class was unnecessary because most of its subject matter he already knew or he later learned in chemistry and physics.

“I think it’s a good decision because most of the stuff we did in matter and energy we did in eighth grade,” he said.  “Most of the stuff you can just pick up.”

DeMember said he hopes eliminating the class will give students more freedom to take science electives,  which he hopes to offer more of in the next few years.  The department is considering offering astronomy, molecular biology and a physical science class.