Mira Costa teacher Lisa Claypoole selected to teach Advanced Placement Government for the 2016-17 school year

By Samantha Sanchez

Staff Writer

Associated Student Body and College Prep Government Teacher Lisa Claypoole will replace current Advanced Placement Government teacher Glenn Marx for the 2016-17 school year.

Marx’s decision not to teach AP Government next year began when Social Studies Department Chair Bill Fauver asked all AP teachers, including Marx, to solicit and market their classes in an effort to get their students involved in AP classes. At that same department strategy session it was noted that Fauver wanted to do this because students that are taking AP government during the year have declined from about 180 students to about 50 students.

“I’m not sure of the reason why kids are no longer taking AP social studies classes. Social studies AP classes used to be the only game in town,” said Fauver. “But now kids have too many options for taking AP classes.”

At the department session, Marx said he was not going to sell his class, and if someone else was willing to market the class like that, then they could have it. Claypoole said she would be willing do that and was consequently given the class.

“I enjoy teaching government,” Claypoole said. “I’m one of the teachers in the social studies department at Mira Costa and I always request to teach government as my first choice.”

According to Claypoole, the social studies department is currently strategizing to keep 21 sections of social studies, including World History, United States History, Economics, and Government, from being taught at summer school. So, Fauver’s request was a marketing strategy designed to keep students on campus to take AP classes rather than taking the CP classes over the summer.

According to  Claypoole, it is unknown whether the news of her new position as AP Government teacher will decrease CP Government enrollment over the summer for the 2016-2017 school year, but the Department predicts she will increase the number of students enrolling in AP Government.   

“I hope that the students come to class prepared and ready to work just like they would in any other AP class,” said Claypoole.