Academic committee recommends Hilton Head Island High School honors dance course to full board

Miss McKenzie presented an honors dance course application from Hilton Head Island High School and explained how the syllabus, portfolio requirements, performance rubrics and assessment components meet South Carolina standards for honors coursework.

McKenzie said the state requires coursework to demonstrate added rigor in content, methods and assessment; the proposed course emphasizes research, project‑based learning, student portfolios, self‑assessment and reflection alongside performance rubrics and guest professionals. "Students... will develop a portfolio" and staff described the portfolio and assessment requirements as aligned to the South Carolina visual and performing arts standards and the district's graduate profile.

Board members asked whether genres such as pole dancing would be part of the course and whether syllabi would be separate for each dance style; McKenzie said student portfolios determine focus and teachers will set specific parameters. She also said the Hilton Head application is expected to serve as a model and the district anticipates demand across other high schools once teachers have access to the honors course framework.

A committee member (Speaker 4) moved to approve the courses for honors levels 5‑8 and forward the academic committee's recommendation to the full board; the motion was seconded by Andrea Murray (presenter). The Chair and staff confirmed the recommendation will go to the full board for approval.

The committee also thanked McKenzie for her work on the course development and discussed timing for implementation and review by senior staff before presentation to the full board.