By Christine Garcia
Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) has added two new science courses for the 2026-2027 course guide: Honors Chemistry and Honors Physics. These new additions will expand FVHS’ science program and create better transitions between regular and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
The Huntington Beach Unified High School District approved the additions of these classes to expand the range of science options available to students. With these changes, Students will now be able to choose between regular, honors and AP level courses in both chemistry and physics.
“[FVHS] didn’t get approval from the district until just recently,” physics teacher Michael Collins said. “Honors Chem just got their approval. Physics got their approval for Honors Physics a year ago. We’re doing both at the same time.”
HONORS CHEMISTRY
Honors Chemistry will build onto the school’s existing chemistry curriculum. The only difference is they’ll be adding more depth so that the class is academically rigorous. The content will remain relatively similar to how it is taught now, in addition to newly added content such as Bohr model calculations, higher-level rate law and thermodynamics. Due to the increased difficulty of the course, it will be weighted.
As part of the update, Chemistry in the Community will be renamed Chemistry. Chemistry teacher Lauren Cook explained that the courses themselves — Chemistry in the Community (Chem Com), Chemistry and AP Chemistry — will remain largely the same only with minor reorganization
“[FVHS] did change the name, but that’s more for [students’] transcripts. It benefits them for colleges to see chemistry instead of Chem Com, but the content is the same,” Cook said. “[Chemistry in the Community is] viewed by colleges a little differently.”
Honors Chemistry will primarily be taken by sophomores, though juniors and seniors can also enroll. Students must have completed biology and be enrolled in Algebra 2 to take this class.
HONORS PHYSICS
Honors Physics will be introduced as an option between regular Physics and the two AP Physics courses that FVHS offers (AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2).
“Honors Physics is harder,” Collins said. “More is asked of [students], more projects to do … the math is going to be harder,” Collins said.
The course will cover a full year of physics content, including mechanics, waves, electricity and magnetism, with the possibility of additional topics if time allows. Like Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics will be weighted.
Honors Physics will primarily be taken by juniors, though seniors can also enroll. Students must have completed biology and be enrolled in Algebra 2 to take this class.
Collins added that the new course gives students more flexibility when planning their science schedules and it allows them to choose a class that better matches their academic goals.
With Honors Biology already being offered, the addition of honors chemistry and honors physics completes a full honors level pathway at FVHS by maintaining its AP science programs. Honors Chemistry and Honors Physics will become a part of FVHS’ standard science offerings beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
