Derry Area SD presents proposed high‑school curriculum changes, new CTE and broadcast courses

District curriculum staff presented a proposed High School Curriculum Planning Guide that would add several new career and technical education (CTE) courses, adjust credit counting and expand scheduling flexibility for students.

The presentation was delivered by Miss Gardner, a district staff member responsible for high‑school curriculum planning. Gardner said the planning guide — included in the meeting packet and linked on the agenda — would, if adopted, allow approved floral design courses to count as a humanities credit, add multiple new course offerings in the Ag/CTE suite (small gas engines, animal care lab, hydroponics, golf‑course turf management, agricultural business foundations), and split the existing full‑year veterinary‑science course into two semester half‑credit classes (vet science anatomy/physiology and vet science parasitology/disease) to give students more scheduling flexibility.

Gardner said the guide lists 23 college‑level dual‑enrollment opportunities the district currently offers and recommended sequences for grades 9–12. She also flagged proposed future work on AP weighting and a revision of the district’s 4.0 conversion scale to make students more competitive for college and post‑secondary opportunities.

Board members asked about partnerships for dual enrollment with Penn State; Gardner said the district has pursued options but that many Penn State credit arrangements currently require the student to be an official Penn State registrant, so no formal Penn State dual‑enrollment agreement was in place at the time of the presentation. Board members praised the expansion of CTE offerings and the district’s use of grants (identified in the packet) to support Makerspace, new kilns, and other hands‑on learning resources.

Gardner said the curriculum planning guide will return to a future meeting for formal consideration and review.