Rockville High School Students Rack Up College Credits with Special Courses through UConn, State and Community Colleges
When the Rockville High School Class of 2024 graduated in June, many of its members moved on to the next stage of their lives with much more than a high school diploma. More than half had earned college credit through their dual enrollment courses with area colleges and through more traditional Advanced Placement classes and tests.
Those numbers are expected to increase when the current senior class graduates in June. More and more students are taking classes that earn them college credit while also fulfilling high school graduation requirements. Some students will have earned so many credits in high school they’ll begin college as sophomores.
Other students will earn professional certifications and experience that will enable them to immediately go to work in manufacturing or the health care field as certified nurse assistants.
“The most important thing we want for every Rockville High School graduate to be a critical thinker,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said. “In addition, we want every student to have a pathway to a meaningful post-secondary experience. For some that will be college or a two-year program. For others it will be the armed forces, work or an apprenticeship program. Our job is to create pathways not just for students headed to college, but for all students.”
Rockville High School and the Vernon Public Schools have embraced programs that help students get a jump-start on their post-high school life, whether it be the long-established AP courses or more recent innovations, such as the Early College Experience program that earns them credit at UConn, Eastern Connecticut State University or Southern Connecticut State University, the College Career Pathways Program in partnership with Manchester and Middlesex community colleges, and the Early College Advanced Manufacturing Pathway in partnership with Goodwin University.
In the past, classes that could earn students' college credit typically focused on science, technology or math. And while Rockville High School offers AP courses in biology, calculus, chemistry, computer science and statistics, there are opportunities in the humanities as well. Students can take AP music theory or 2-D art and design. The 51 Early College Experience course offerings include science and math, but also Contemporary Social Issues in Sport, Introduction to Human Rights, Environmental Science, American Studies, Biotechnology, Digital Media Design, Spanish, French, Public Speaking, Advanced, Creative Writing, Plant System Fundamentals and Animal Behavior.
The district worked to expand college credit offerings beyond STEM because not all students are focused on science, technology and math, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Testa said. The humanities-focused college credit classes have proven popular and attracted a range of students.
“Some of the courses are so popular there are multiple sections,” Testa said.
Among them is Introduction to Human Rights, which is taught by English teacher Amy Matyseck and Social Studies teacher Brian Forte and has three sections this semester. There are rigorous assignments, but also class discussions on difficult topics during which the teachers work to get all students involved.
“The course is about awareness, allowing students to see different human rights issues that affect the world and them,” Matyseck said. Topics include contemporary and historic examples, such as redlining, internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, apartheid and genocide. Students are asked to contribute issues that affect them, their families or communities.
“This is the perfect school for a human rights class,” Forte said. “Every kid is a stakeholder. These issues hit home for a lot of these kids. What’s going on in Gaza, the Uyghurs in China. These are kitchen table issues.”
Selena Claudio, a junior, said the Human Rights class seems to have attracted the type of student who is more willing to talk about issues and be engaged in the class. She also likes the idea of getting college credit and moving more quickly through college. She has a long way to go as she wants to earn a doctorate and work as an art director at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Aiden Lang, another junior, has taken advantage of AP or early college experience classes.
“Assuming all goes well, I can graduate here with over 50 credits,” he said. “At UConn, that could cut off a year or two of school.”
The Human Rights class has opened his eyes and made him view current events in a different light. “There’s a lot more going on in the world, and has gone on,” he said. In addition to the Rwandan genocide and apartheid, he sees the stealing of Ukrainian children by Russia as cultural genocide.
Tyler Matula, a junior, said taking Human Rights moved him out of his comfort zone and forced him to join conversations in class, something he thinks will benefit him in college and throughout his life.
“Public speaking, that’s a pretty important life skill,” he said. And while he views himself as better at STEM courses such as science and math, Matula said Human Rights has given him historical knowledge he lacked and an appreciation of the views of others.
“I think it’s important to be open minded to different views people have, and that’s one of the reasons I took this class,” he said. He also likes earning college credit and expects to graduate with about 35 credits.
“Depending on the college I go to, it will allow me to knock out some of the general education requirements and start focusing on my specific major, engineering,” he said.
Advanced Placement and Early College Experience classes are increasing at Rockville High School and expanding opportunities for students. ECE courses have increased from 20 during the 2021-22 school year to 38 last year and 51 this year.
The number of AP courses and students taking AP exams and earning credit has increased as well. During the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years, 26 students earned AP credit. In the 2022-2023 the number was 25. In 2023-2024 the number more than doubled to 60.
During the 2023-2024 school year, 261 Rockville High School students earned a total of 1,595 college credits through the dual enrollment programs.