CHSD 94 staff present six new course proposals and a healthcare-pathway change for 2728

At the Committee of the Whole meeting for Community High School District 94, a district staff member leading teaching, learning and professional development told the board that staff are proposing six new courses for the 2728 school year and one modification to the district's introductory healthcare offering.

The staff member said the proposals are intended to support the district's strategic plan and expand students' personal pathway options. "We do have 6 new courses for next year," the presenter said, and asked the board to consider approval for implementation in 2728.

Key items discussed: - A double-block course pairing algebra with a manufacturing/business component intended to provide contextual learning and help close achievement gaps in algebra. Equipment for hands-on projects such as laser engraving and sticker production would be required; the presenter said Nick Kemski, who is in charge of postsecondary success, expects to fund those components through the Perkins grant. - A second course in an education pathway (named the same as an existing College of DuPage course) designed to extend sequence options for students interested in elementary, special education or secondary teaching; the course would supply fourth, fifth and sixth credit hours needed to formalize a pathway. - AP Seminar taught with a journalism focus to support student journalists involved with the Wildcat Chronicle. Leslie Fireman of the English department has researched the option and consulted with Lauren Stewart, English division chair; the presenter said the only projected cost would be professional development to prepare teachers for the AP curriculum. - An asynchronous physical-education course proposed by Connor Zapital that would allow students to complete PE outside the school day using heart monitors already purchased by the district; the presenter said the district has enough devices to support a 40-student section in the first semester and another 40 in the second semester. - A blended physical-development offering and a delivery adjustment for driver education that shifts how classroom, simulator and behind-the-wheel components alternate to make better use of in-class time. - A set of health-sciences additions, including plans to reintroduce dual-credit human anatomy (dependent on faculty certification) and a modification that consolidates four separate semesters of Intro to Health Care into a single, year-long foundational course to better fit an emerging healthcare pathway. Scott Albright, who has worked on health-care programming, described the proposed capstone athletic-training component that would pair students with the district’s athletic trainers; that option would include sim-module fees that the presenter said cover individualized feedback from the module vendor.

Board members commented positively about several proposals on the record, including the algebra/manufacturing pairing, the AP/journalism option and changes to the healthcare sequence. One board member called the list "an impressive list of classes," and another described the asynchronous PE as a creative way to free schedule space for electives.

No formal approvals or roll-call votes on the course proposals were recorded during the Committee of the Whole meeting. The presenter identified funding and certification dependencies for some offerings (Perkins grant funding, faculty certification for dual-credit, and available heart-monitor devices) that will affect final implementation.

The district plans to bring specific approval requests and, where applicable, any required funding motions to the full board for action at a later meeting.