CARTERSVILLE, Ga., March 6, 2015 –

Two Bartow County high schools, Adairsville and Woodland, were named Top AP Honors Schools by the State School Superintendent Richard Woods. The designation came as a result of the advanced placement (AP) courses and exams taken by students in 2014. Advanced placement courses are one of the opportunities students have to achieve college-level learning while in high school. Students who complete an AP class and score at least a 3 on the AP exam can earn college credit. The 2015 AP Honor Schools are named in five categories with both Adairsville and Woodland high schools recognized as AP STEM Schools, AP STEM Achievement Schools and AP Humanities Schools. Teachers at both AHS and WHS attribute the success of the program to the hard work of students and teachers alike. Kris Norris, AP math teacher, said, “The AP math and AP science students at Woodland are what makes this program so successful. The time and energy the students put into these difficult college-level classes is commendable and the test results reflect their dedication and hard work. These students go on to be successful in college, often in STEM related fields, and it is exciting to help them lay that foundation upon which the rest of their studies are based.” At AHS, the effort to help students succeed in AP coursework goes beyond the work of the classroom. Amy Asbridge, social studies department chair and AP psychology teacher, said. “We have dedicated teachers who work very hard to make sure that the work in these AP courses are both rigorous and challenging. We also create a scholarship committee and pay for the exams of students who can’t afford to take the tests otherwise. Staff members often pay for these exams.” Advanced placement coursework not only allows students the possibility to earn college credit while in high school, but also gives them the opportunity to experience the “rigors and expectations of college and university coursework,” Venita Bruton, AHS assistant principal, said. Kelly Hunter teaches social studies at WHS. She believes the knowledge gained by AP students helps mold them into better leaders. -moreBartow County School System 65 Gilreath Road NW Cartersville, Ga. 30121 | bartow.k12.ga.us | (770) 606-5800 “As an AP world history teacher, I am a huge fan of the curriculum. By the time the course is over, my students know a great deal about all parts of the world. They know the history that has shaped today’s cultures,” Hunter said. “They are prepared for a globalized economy. Also, I am confident that the curriculum of all AP courses delivers the same kind of depth. Since we offer numerous AP classes, in all disciplines, the AP program of Woodland High School educates the whole student and they are well prepared because of it.” In a press release by the Georgia Department of Education, the categories are defined as the following: AP STEM Schools are schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses in AP Calculus AB, AB Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, AP Physics C or AP Computer Science. AP STEM Achievement Schools are schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses and at least 40 percent of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams earning scores of 3 or higher. AP Humanities Schools are schools with students testing in all of the following AP courses: at least one ELA course, two social science courses, one fine arts course and one world language course. A