Wachusett High proposes 44 new courses including AP offerings and expanded dual‑enrollment

Principal Michael Pratt presented a broad set of proposed course additions for Wachusett Regional High School at the Dec. meeting of the Wachusett Regional School District Committee, saying the package is intended to ‘‘expand access, eliminate barriers, and broaden opportunities’’ for students.

Pratt told the committee he expects a total of 44 new course offerings if approved, including three Advanced Placement courses — AP Human Geography and AP Physics 1 (an algebra‑based course) and the newly offered AP Business and Finance course. ‘‘According to the College Board, AP Human Geography is recommended for grade 9 students,’’ Pratt said, adding that AP Physics 1 will be limited to students who have ‘‘completed Algebra I very successfully.’’ He said counselors and teachers will meet with grade‑8 students and families to identify appropriate candidates.

The proposal also expands dual‑enrollment options through a partnership with Anna Maria College. Pratt said the dual‑enrollment list touches every department (art, English, math, PE, science, business, world language and social studies) and is designed to give students a college‑level experience that may be less demanding than AP work while still awarding college credit. ‘‘Dual enrollment is a great opportunity for students who might not be that AP student but really want to challenge themselves,’’ Pratt said.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) courses are another element of the plan. The district currently offers introductory PLTW courses in engineering design and human body systems; Pratt proposed adding principles of biomedical science for grade 11, PLTW cybersecurity, and computer‑integrated manufacturing. He said innovation pathway funds and a local foundation grant provide startup support for equipment and materials.

Pratt described new pathway and cross‑curricular electives aligned to industry needs — for example, two one‑semester Spanish courses targeted to healthcare and to service/industry, an ‘‘art and wellness exploration’’ that overlaps with health courses, and a public speaking course the high school has not previously offered. He also proposed German I and American Sign Language I, a ninth‑grade Academic Skills Remediation reading course, and a reorganization of some math offerings (advanced algebra CP replacing fundamentals of Algebra II) intended to increase hands‑on, applied learning.

Board members asked how prerequisites and enrollment would be managed for freshman AP offerings and whether sufficient staffing and resources were in place for PLTW and other new classes. Pratt said prerequisites will be finalized and posted in the program of studies and on the district website; department heads have identified instructors for the new courses and the district expects to be able to offer them despite modest enrollment numbers in some sections. ‘‘We have the teachers picked for who's going to do this,’’ Pratt said, adding that the district is ‘‘feeling pretty good’’ about funding and staffing, with follow‑up planning to determine whether additional sections will be needed.

Pratt emphasized that the pathways are designed to be flexible: students ‘‘aren’t saying that they have to commit freshman year’’ to a pathway and may move between options as they explore interests.

The next procedural steps for these proposals were not specified in the presentation; Pratt said finalized prerequisites and program of studies materials will be published on the district website and discussed during the high‑school open house scheduled for Jan. 8.

What’s next: the committee heard the proposal and asked questions; the district administration will publish the program‑of‑studies details and prerequisites and return to the committee as required by the district’s course‑approval procedures.