This is the way science should be taught! Kudos to Mr. Widmark and the entire MVHS science dept.

Totally agree with Mr. Harding on Mr. Widmark's work. Parents should note that this IS NOT the standardize AP PATH to learning and collage acceptance. Completely non-standardized and project based. Many colleges, including (I still think) San Jose State & Stanford for instance do not take AP Chemistry as a substitute for a first year college level hard-science class.

Why? I heard directly from the Chem professors at SJSU that the AP high school course was deficient in "hands on lab work" and so did not prepare students for actually 'doing science' at the college level. Science and engineering is not a text-book process. Teacher Widmark's approach more realistically shows the approach of science and engineering. As do the two high school Robotics clubs and MVHS introduction to engineering classes.

[Teacher Wiechec retirement article - June 12 ]
Web Link

Note - ELECTIVES are Important. Both the engineering and Widmark's classes do not fit on the generic A-G California public college "science track" list. They are ELECTIVES under that system.


SN is a retired trustee of MVWSD, a credentialed secondary science teacher, the holder of 4 US patents related to physical science (Xerox PARC and ThermaWave->KLA) and a former R&D development engineer for several university astronomy programs.

A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Hawthorne for taking the initiative and the time to make the eclipse information available to all teachers to share with their students.