AP Calculus BC is known as one of SHP’s most demanding courses, yet it consistently equips students with the necessary understanding to succeed on the AP exam. Over the last few years, Calculus BC students have consistently achieved the highest average AP scores in the school under the instruction of Ms. Courtney York. Last year’s average was a 4.97, with only one student scoring below a perfect 5. However, behind those test scores is a teaching philosophy that goes beyond just simple test results.
York’s goal as a teacher is clear: to create a course that was so academically demanding that it forced students to constantly evolve and develop positive habits for life in the process. Her passion for calculus stretches back to her own graduate years at the University of Oregon. She recalls, “I developed a true passion for calculus and knew I always w anted to teach it, because I had really interesting ideas of how I wanted to approach the topics.”
Her commitment to constant growth has become a vital aspect of her teaching. York has redesigned units from the ground up. “The series unit is completely redesigned. That was three years in the making process for me. I actually did professional development with the professor who taught me advanced calculus in order to allow for a different approach to an otherwise tough unit,” York explains. “If I’m not leveling up, how are you going to level up? I need to model the behavior that I want from my students.”
In the classroom, York describes her strategy as “the art of asking questions” to get the student to “build connections over time [and] make those “aha” moments” themselves. She would rather guide students to make their own insights independently rather than hand them answers. This reflects her broader philosophy. “High challenge and high support,” York explains. “I have to be able to sit with [students] struggling, but we have to ride that wave out. [That’s] when growth is actually happening.”
For Ario Hamrah ‘26, taking AP Calculus BC with York was both intense and rewarding. “I had a good day every time I went into class,” he said. “Each packet looked like hieroglyphs at first, but within the class period, it started to click.” What stood out most to Hamrah was York’s dedication to the subject. “Ms. York spoke with so much passion and energy—she really cared about the material, and that energy made everyone super attentive,” he explained. Hamrah also appreciated the supportive environment she created through motivational quotes and class check-ins. When it came time to study for the AP exam, he felt more than well prepared: “The AP exam was a piece of cake. I didn’t even study because the prep for the final was more than enough.” Hamrah offered one piece of advice for students this year: “You get out of it what you put in.”
Mark Shen ‘27, who is currently taking the class, shared a similar view. “I think AP Calc BC is the hardest but also the most rewarding class I’ve taken at SHP,” Shen said. Despite the intense workload, he explained that “going to office hours and not falling behind with homework helps [him] manage.” He noted that York’s “teaching style offers a lot of support, and I feel she is determined to do what she can so all her students can succeed.”
For York, that is exactly the point. “I don’t like the word success,” she admits. “I have to know what success means from the student point of view first, before I can know what it is, so I can help you to get there. I’m your biggest cheerleader, I’m here for you and I’m going to do whatever it takes to help them.”
However, her philosophy goes beyond mathematics. She doesn’t want students to just leave with calculus skills but become “a better person, a better critical thinker and problem solver, in order to be prepared for life.” In the end, York sees teaching as her contribution to the world. “I got into education for the students—what can I do to make sure [how] the next people that come up the line can improve our country,our lives, and our systems?” she reflected.
