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Ossining High School proposes new courses including Python, printmaking and ‘Math & Careers’
Summary
School counselors and department leaders outlined new course proposals for 2025‑26 — printmaking, a career‑oriented math course, AP precalculus, Python and a Spanish home‑language arts offering — and listed several low‑enrollment classes under review.
Ossining — Counselors and high‑school staff presented the high school’s proposed course offerings and low‑enrollment list to the board on May 7, describing a slate of new electives and a handful of classes that currently fall below the district’s low‑enrollment threshold.
Scheduling and outreach: Jeremy, who led the scheduling presentation, said course selection began with family nights and a course fair, followed by counselor meetings with students. The high school released a course guide to families and used small‑group counseling sessions to help students make choices and meet diploma requirements.
New course proposals the high school described include: - Printmaking (half‑semester; includes monoprinting, relief printing and screen printing techniques). The presenter said 54 eighth‑grade students listed printmaking on their requests, often as a third choice while they learn more about the course. - “Math & Careers” (full year, fourth‑year math pathway): a career‑focused math class that connects mathematical concepts to occupations such as HVAC, engineering and other technical fields; the presenter said most initial requests came from 12th graders. - AP Precalculus (new AP designation for an existing precalculus course that staff said already teaches AP‑level content in preparation for calculus). - Python (full year): an introductory programming course intended to prepare students for AP computer science and post‑secondary pathways; the presenter reported 14 initial requests and expects growth. - Fashion 3: an advanced, year‑long course for students pursuing portfolio work and fashion industry pathways. - Spanish home‑language arts: a course to develop literacy in students’ home language (Spanish) to support English proficiency and biliteracy pathways.
Low‑enrollment courses: district policy flags courses with fewer than 20 students as low enrolled. Presenters listed several classes that met that threshold at the time of scheduling, including some SUNY‑articulated offerings, ASL and several arts electives. The presenters said numbers are fluid and that course requests often change in June and July; they expect some low‑enrollment classes to meet thresholds once schedule conflicts are resolved.
Why it matters: several proposed courses are explicitly designed to broaden post‑secondary pathways or to provide targeted support for multilingual learners. The Spanish home‑language arts course was presented as a way to increase Seal of Biliteracy eligibility and support newcomers; presenters noted 57 students currently qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy.
Statements and sources: the course proposals and enrollment figures were presented by Jeremy and the counseling and department teams at Ossining High School. Jeremy described the scheduling timeline, outreach and initial request counts; other department presenters described curriculum and enrollment context.
Next steps: course requests will be finalized in June/July as the counseling team completes the master schedule and resolves conflicts. Low‑enrollment courses will be rechecked and combined or adjusted as needed under district policy.
