School board approves revisions to 2025–26 high school course guide

The Moore County Schools Board of Education on Feb. 10 voted to approve revisions to the district—s 2025–26 high school course guide, a document counselors use to help students plan academic and career paths.

Superintendent Dr. Kevin Locklear summarized the action for the board and recommended approval. He said the board had reviewed the proposed changes at a work session the prior week. "This does come with my recommendation that we reviewed those changes at the board's work session last week," Locklear said.

Curriculum director Cindy Gifford told the board there were relatively few changes but highlighted several substantive updates. "One of the biggest did occur with our new arts standard course of study," Gifford said, describing new naming conventions in band and chorus that create "novice" and "developing" levels to allow students with less prior experience to begin high-school-level arts courses. She said the district renamed the "proficient" level to "accomplished" and retained an "advanced" level; the accomplished and advanced arts courses are honors-level coursework.

Gifford also described changes in Career and Technical Education (CTE): the district removed a standalone financial-planning CTE course because personal finance is taught in a required social-studies course, added Family and Consumer Sciences, and introduced Hospitality and Tourism 1 and 2 at Pinecrest High School. She said JROTC courses will be housed under the CTE framework to allow credentialing opportunities for students. Gifford said the guide now includes a dedicated section for Connect Virtual Academy and a front-facing outline for the Moore County Innovative High School to clarify course offerings for families.

Board members asked procedural questions and requested a brief presentation so the public could see the specific changes. Board member Benway moved to approve the revisions; board member Pauline Bruno seconded. The board voted to approve the course guide revisions.

The approved guide will remain on the district website under Curriculum and Instruction; Gifford said the posted copy remained in draft form until the board—s vote. She noted counselors will use grade-by-grade planning sheets to help students map course sequences as they progress through high school.

The board took the action as part of its regular-business agenda and did not change the enrollment or graduation requirements themselves; Gifford described the revisions as updating course names, adding elective and CTE offerings, and improving access to information for virtual and innovative-school students.