Palmerton Area School District plans to revamp its high school program of studies in time for the 2015-16 school year.

Paula Husar, high school/junior high school principal, informed the school board of the new course offerings at a workshop session held Tuesday.Husar told the board changes will be made to the technology, mathematics, and social studies curriculums that will go into effect by next school year.She said courses that will be offered at that time in the technology include computer information processing, computer applications I and II, web and desktop publishing; and Photoshop.As for mathematics, she said the district will add prerequisites to the honors and advanced placement courses. So, if students want to take honors algebra II, they would need to achieve a 90 percent in the class before it, Husar said. Similarly, to take honors geometry, they would need to achieve an 87 percent score, and to take honors precalculus, they would need to attain an 85 percent, she said.Also, Husar said the district has added a course, AP calculus, primarily for grade 12 students. To qualify, students must achieve an 85 percent in the class before it, as well as a teacher recommendation, she said.The district this year added this year AP economics, and will add AP American history for ninth-grade students, Husar said.For the 2016-17 school year, she said the district will be working toward Microsoft Office Specialist Certification.