By Savannah Sorensen

With the opportunity to get dual credits, some students are a little hesitant on whether they want it or not. Iowa Western Community College has given AHS students the chance to take college classes and get the college credits, but with it interfering with their schedule some students are becoming hesitant with signing up for them.

IWCC has offered this for around 10 years, although this is the first year that Atlantic High School has had the chance to take classes there and currently have 100 students enrolled in classes. Although this isn’t just offered to  AHS, surrounding schools such as CAM, Griswold and EHK-Exira are also commuting to Atlantic to take classes at Iowa Western. This is giving students the opportunity to enter college with freshman credits or even as a sophomore. The district pays $146 per credit hour per student for the class if it is being taken at the center and $66 per credit hour for classes that are offered at the high school.

But is the conflict with schedules on IWCC? AHS Guidance Counselor Craig Fredin commented that the schedules here at the high school are mainly a problem, with the Wednesday schedule and shorter classes it’s causing students to not get back on time and are late to 7th and 8th periods. Some students aren’t able to attend some afternoon classes on Wednesdays due to our schedule not corresponding with theirs.

Junior Macey Schmitt says, “I like them a lot. I like that I am getting some of my college classes out of the way and starting to get the feel of college classes.”

Junior Ashleigh Waltz states, “They are great for dual credits but lock your schedule up and make it hard.”

According to AHS Principal Heather McKay, the conflict with schedules is with our schedule and IWCC’s schedule. Beginning next semester, it will be difficult with Friday labs for certain classes such as anatomy. McKay also stated, “I think its so case by case, some situations its our schedule and some is their’s. It also might be between classes offered here at the same time and students going there. It’s our first year and we are learning how to operate and what to work with. It’s just how it is.”

WIth next semester becoming an issue with afternoon classes, McKay comments that students will have to make choices and at this point we aren’t going to adjust the schedule, although some teachers are working with students on the college credits.

As said, surrounding schools commute to Atlantic to Iowa Western to attend these classes including Griswold. According to Griswold High School Principal TJ Dunphy, their students have had the opportunity to attend the IWCC here in Atlantic since 2006 and have had anywhere from 20-30 students typically being juniors, “It is their first taste of freedom and being upperclassmen and they are anxious to leave the building. But as seniors most students take the courses offered in house.”

As for AHS having troubles with schedules, Dunphy also comments, “We have had few issues with scheduling. Over the years we seem to have adjusted enough on our end and theirs to accommodate a better schedule. Not every school involved has the same schedule nor do we have the same travel time to Atlantic. Through discussing and compromise we feel we have a schedule and offerings that works for kids and schools.”