Each of Lyons Township’s courses is assigned an academic ability level (preparatory, accelerated or honors/Advanced Placement) based on the standards and expectations of the course combined with the level of academic rigor that students are expected to meet in class.

All audition-only classes at LT are at the accelerated level. However, these types of classes such as sinfonietta, wind/jazz ensemble, Tabulae, LION and varsity choir and madrigals meet the demanding requirements to be honors level courses instead.

According to LT’s Academic Ability Levels- Standards and Expectations, accelerated classes are “courses for students working at higher, challenging levels and school skills and/or at an accelerated pace,” while honors level includes “courses for students with exceptionally rapid learning abilities [and] advanced school skills.”

Audition-only courses fit the description of an honors level class. All of the audition based classes require out of school participation where the students are required to stay after school. The Academic Ability Level states that “varsity choir performs frequently in the school and in the community with mandatory attendance/participation expected for performances.” For students in the LION newspaper, a journalistic writing course is mandatory for students to even be eligible for staff, of which constant after school commitment is necessary for the completion of an issue. Students in these classes often have to take summer school in order to fit all of their credits in; they dedicate their time and perseverance to pursuing things they are passionate about, but do not get the credit they deserve.

Not only do these classes require intense commitment and consume a copious amount of time, but they also demand extreme responsibility and skill. For example in Tabulae, the LT yearbook, “editors, writers, photographers, and layout-designers are involved in… copywriting and copyediting, interviewing, layout/design, headline writing and headline counting, photography and photo-cropping, proofreading, and yearbook staff organization.” The tremendous work that goes into organizing our yearbook, as well as the art that other classes create, should be recognized and rewarded with honors credit.

LT should encourage students to be courageous enough to audition for a class and award students for being driven and following their passions and finding their niches. These students should receive honors credit for their hard work, skills, and responsibilities that go into the course that they are a part of.