This year, West Linn High School is one of just three high schools in the state to be named to the College Board’s second annual Advanced Placement district honor roll. Schools qualified if they have expanded access to AP courses and test scores have not gone down.

“Our teachers have really helped to improve access for all students by encouragement and really “tapping students on the shoulder” to encourage them to move into AP courses,” Lou Bailey, principal, said. “Our AP teachers are phenomenal teachers and really work above and beyond to support all of their students to believe they can do well on the AP tests.”

Teachers like Nancy Monson, AP Biology teacher, help to make West Linn’s AP courses desirable to students, according to Gabriel Weitz, junior.

“She makes it fun, which gives us motivation to succeed,” Weitz said.

It is this teacher support and encouragement that may have put West Linn-Wilsonville School District on the College Board’s honor roll with only two other school districts in the state of Oregon; the Archdiocese of Portland and Corbett School District 39.

“If you want to take an AP class you can take an AP class but it is a personal choice,” William Beckett, senior, said.

West Linn offers 15 AP courses in a wide variety of subjects, from AP Chemistry to AP Music Theory. According to Monson, this wide variety of AP courses is a good thing.

“I think it provides a lot of opportunities for students the AP classes they are interested in, challenges them and prepares them for college,” Monson said.

To be listed on the honor roll next year, West Linn High School needs to continue to expand availability of and achievement in AP courses.

“I think we can open the AP coursework opportunities more at grade 10 and even grade 9. We are also looking at adding some additional AP courses for next year, including AP Computer Science and AP Art History,” Bailey said.