Board approves new AI elective and Spanish heritage course for catalog pending enrollment
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Summary
The board approved proposals to add an Introduction to Artificial Intelligence elective and an Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers course, which will be placed in the course catalog; both require sufficient student enrollment and teacher curriculum development before implementation.
The North Hunterdon‑Voorhees Board of Education approved two new course proposals at the Nov. 25 meeting: an Introduction to Artificial Intelligence elective (tech ed credit) and an Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers course.
Administrators and curriculum committee members explained the AI course is project‑based and emphasizes practical and ethical uses of AI tools (Google Gemini and similar tools) rather than coding. Participation in teacher pilots this spring will be voluntary; if the pilot demonstrates value and student interest meets thresholds, teachers will develop full curricula over the summer for roll‑out in the 2026–27 school year.
The Spanish heritage course is designed for native or heritage Spanish speakers who are still developing academic literacy and writing skills and could serve as a bridge to honors‑level Spanish; the class may help eligible students earn a seal of biliteracy.
District staff explained that approval adds the courses to the catalog as potential offerings; the district will run sections only if sufficient student demand develops. Board members voted to approve the proposals; curriculum development and staffing decisions will follow if enrollment warrants.