Region 15 board advances six new course proposals including expanded culinary pathway and wilderness PE

The Region 15 Policy and Curriculum Committee presented six new course proposals to the full board on Jan. 3, expanding career and technical and elective offerings at the high school.

Committee chair Heather Dwyer said the proposals include an introductory culinary arts course, a bakery course, a restaurant‑management course, a continuation culinary course, an e‑sports offering and an Early College Experience (ECE) course. "We have 6 new course proposals," Dwyer said, noting the district has grant funding available to support some curriculum writing costs for the ECE pathway.

District staff said the curricular sequence is intended to create a structured program so more students can access the renovated culinary space. The district plans to offer an entry‑level course covering food‑safety and kitchen basics before students enroll in intermediate or specialized classes. Culinary teacher Ms. Meskeen (spelled in the transcript as Meskeen) invited the board to visit the new space and staff said the facilities and two‑teacher staffing model will allow more students to rotate through the program.

Certification and cost: staff said the restaurant‑management course is intended to include ServSafe food‑safety certification; the board discussed whether the district would subsidize the certification fee. One board member noted that the current capital and staffing additions have already eased previous enrollment bottlenecks in the culinary program; the district confirmed budgeting includes a per‑student line of $179 for certification where offered.

Scheduling and access: board members and staff discussed how the district will stage course offerings. The superintendent noted that board approval is for course creation, not for running specific sections. Courses will be scheduled based on student enrollment; some one‑semester specialized courses (for example baking or pastry) may run alternate years depending on demand.

Why it matters: the proposals expand career and technical opportunities and create clearer pathways for students seeking post‑secondary credit or industry certification. Board members said they want to ensure broad access so the additions do not simply shift limited seats to more advanced classes and leave introductory students without access.

Ending: The committee moved the proposals forward; the board will consider course adoption and any budgetary implications in upcoming meetings.