District proposes middle‑school related‑arts overhaul to expand language access and create parallel schedules
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Administrators proposed a 2027–28 related‑arts redesign to give every middle‑school student exploratory exposure to French, Spanish and Mandarin, to remove high‑school credit for middle‑school world language/STEM, and to create parallel schedules between Indian Crest and Indian Valley; plan includes hiring two full‑time world‑language teachers.
Souderton Area SD presented a proposed redesign of the middle‑school related‑arts schedule that district leaders said is intended to increase access to world language pathways and resolve staffing challenges created by the current staggered schedule. Dr. Kennedy Riley said the changes—targeted for the 2027–28 school year—include a 45‑day exploratory world‑language course for sixth graders; semester or sequential language choices in seventh and eighth grade; the removal of middle‑school high‑school credit for world language and STEM; and parallel schedules at Indian Crest and Indian Valley so shared staff can operate without conflicting rotations.
Under the plan, roughly 120 students (between the two middle schools) would have the opportunity to preview Mandarin instruction before high school; the district proposed two full‑time world‑language teachers (one French, one Spanish) who would rotate between the buildings in alternate years to maintain consistent offerings. "The exploratory course will build global awareness, cultural understanding, and foundational language skills to prepare students for high school pathways and beyond," the presenter said.
Administrators said the redesign addresses low participation in some language options (Mandarin had low middle‑school uptake under the prior schedule) and seeks to give students better information before choosing a high‑school language. Board members asked whether students could take two languages concurrently in eighth grade; administrators said scheduling could allow semester‑based choices but detailed sequencing remains to be finalized during curriculum revision work.
The related‑arts changes also include reimagining 8th‑grade STEM into separate business and technology‑education courses, and moving some guidance content into advisory and business courses so counselors have time for targeted counseling work. Administration said curriculum‑revision work and projections for staffing and credits will be returned to curriculum council and the board for the 2027–28 approval cycle.
Committee members generally praised the access and exploratory approach and commended teachers for their engagement in pilot work and professional development. The committee received the proposal as a detailed plan and asked administration to proceed through curriculum‑revision steps and return with course proposals and staffing details.