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Board approves expanded high-school program of studies with additional dual‑credit and CTE options
Summary
The board approved a revised high-school program of studies that adds multiple Iowa Western dual‑credit courses, new electives (including critical thinking and film studies), math sequence renaming, and expanded career/technical offerings such as welding and criminal-justice courses.
On Dec. 16 the Lewis Central board approved the high‑school program of studies for the coming year, endorsing a slate of course-name changes, new electives, and increased dual‑credit opportunities in partnership with Iowa Western Community College.
Key curriculum changes include:
- Arts: Art 1 will be restructured into Foundations of Art taught by two teachers (students split to receive drawing/painting and pottery exposure). Advanced Art Projects will move toward an independent-study model.
- English: Addition of a Critical Thinking and Writing course framed around philosophy, and a humanities-to-English conversion that presents cultural and societal transformations across Western history.
- Dual credit: New Iowa Western offerings proposed include Writing for the Workplace and Technical Math; the district will also pursue Iowa Western General Biology 1 and 2 for dual credit in sciences.
- Math: Course naming clarified (Algebra 1A/1B, Algebra 2, Geometry) and transitional algebra being replaced by Advanced Algebra with Financial Applications to better serve applied-learning students.
- Performing arts, social studies and career/technical education: New courses include Advanced Intro Instrumental Techniques, Film Studies, AP U.S. History, AP Human Geography, Developmental Psychology (Iowa Western), and a Criminal Justice course.
Administrators highlighted the welding program’s enrollment gains and the internship and CTE expansion that connects students with employers. The board voted to approve the program of studies as presented.
Quote from the presenter: "We're gonna change that art 1 to foundations of art..." (Speaker 10). The presenter also noted that new course approval for NCAA/RAI coding is pending external approval before final coding for state and college credit.
Next steps: staff will submit eligible courses for external codification (NCAA/RAI) and incorporate final approvals into student registration materials.
