Virginia Advanced Study Strategies

Virginia Advanced Study Strategies (VASS) is a non-profit state organization created in September 2007 by a partnership between Virginia and the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). The mission of VASS is to encourage high school students throughout the Commonwealth to prepare for exciting careers in math and science by enrolling in challenging Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Using seed money from NMSI, Exxon/Mobil Corporation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Texas Instruments, and several Virginia businesses, Virginia Advanced Study Strategies supports the development of new AP classes, and strengthening of existing programs, in a variety of ways.

Businesses throughout the nation are very concerned to find that too few students in the United States are accepting the challenge to become scientists, engineers, and technicians, thus putting our nation's position as an international leader at risk.

Hidden Valley High School, along with the other Roanoke County schools, have partnered with VASS to improve the education of our students The grant funds efforts to improve science, math, and English achievement in our schools. How does this impact our students?

  • A staff of AP content directors in math, science, and English provide training for teachers in curriculum, instruction and assessment to help them prepare for the AP classes and tests. Intensive training each summer is followed-up by continuous communication and support throughout the school year. Hidden Valley High School AP Math, Science, and English teachers receive week long training in the summer as well as two day seminars throughout the school year to help them modify their teaching methods to improve educational rigor in their courses.
  • VASS staff work with local schools to identify and support a lead teacher in math, science, and English at each local project who interact directly with the content directors to secure resources necessary for the local students to have success in their programs.
  • VASS collaborates with Virginia universities to link college professors and resources with the AP classes.
  • Students are expected to take the AP exam. VASS will pay for 1/2 of the $86 fee for taking a math, science, or English AP exam. The student is responsible for the remainder of the fee.
  • Every participating student who passes their AP exam with a score of 3 or above, will receive a check from VASS for $100 and may be eligible to receive college credit for the class, depending on the college and the score.
  • Studies have shown that students who score a 2 or higher on an AP exam have higher average freshman GPAs and higher 4-year graduation rates than students who did not take AP exams in high school.
  • All AP math, science, and English teachers are offering weekly tutorial sessions outside of class time for all their AP students. Students are expected to attend at least one each month for every AP math, science, and English class they are in. See your teachers to find out specific times.
  • There will be 3 review sessions (as posted below) for all AP math, science, and English courses. All AP students are expected to attend all three sessions. Lunch will be provided at these sessions. Sessions will run from approximately 8:30 - 3:30. Exact times will be available from your specific AP teacher as they will vary from class to class. If you attend both the morning and afternoon sessions, you will be entered into a gift card drawing at the end of the session. If you attend all three Saturday sessions, and stay all day, you will be entered into a gift card drawing at our school.
All information comes from the VASS website. See their website for information as to how to contact them if you have any questions.

AP Math

The review sessions for AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Computer Science are on the days as follows:

  1. February 5th, 2011
  2. March 5th, 2011
  3. April 2nd, 2011

All review sessions for Math will be held at Patrick Henry High School (see link for directions).

AP Science

The review sessions for AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics are on the days as follows:

  1. January 29th, 2011, located at Hidden Valley High School

  2. March 12th, 2011

  3. April 9th, 2011

  Both the March and April review sessions are located at Patrick Henry High School (see link for directions).



AP English

The review sessions for AP English 11 and AP English 12 are on the days as follows:

  1. November 13, 2010

  2. January 8th, 2011, located at Hidden Valley High School

  3. March 19th, 2011

Both the November and March review sessions are located at Patrick Henry High School (see link for directions).