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District staff recommend new world‑language textbooks, board asks for cost details
Summary
District presenters reviewed recommended Spanish and French textbook series and online platforms intended to support AP‑level instruction; the board requested cost details and more information on digital features before formal adoption.
District staff recommended a package of world‑language materials intended to support course sequences through AP levels and asked the board to consider adoption.
Why it matters: the recommended materials will shape curriculum, digital resources and AP preparation for Spanish and French across middle and high school levels.
Presenters, identified in the agenda as Gilbert De Geer, Nicole Hanlon and Michelle Craft, told the board they reviewed several major publishers and prioritized texts that align with standards, include robust online components and support progression to AP French and AP Spanish. For Spanish, presenters recommended continuing with the district’s long‑used series for levels 1–3 (referred to in the presentation as “Quechevera”) and adopting Temas for AP Spanish (levels 4–5) because its units closely align with the College Board course guide. For French, staff recommended Temas (French AP edition) for upper levels and a Vista‑published series (packages referred to as “Dakar” and “Chauvin”) for lower secondary work; staff said they favored a single online platform to simplify student access.
For exploratory (short, introductory) language classes, staff recommended keeping a thin workbook title in use districtwide (referred to in the presentation as Discovering Languages) and said the district will continue to purchase exploratory workbooks annually rather than adopt on a six‑year cycle.
Board members asked practical questions about the online components, including whether students can easily enter accented characters. Staff answered that students can change Chromebook keyboard settings to an international (Spanish/French) layout and that online platforms include paper‑activity equivalents.
No final adoption vote is recorded in the meeting transcript. The board requested cost information; staff agreed to provide a detailed cost breakdown via email. At the end of the presentation the district’s business staff was asked to email itemized costs to board members.
