Science department proposes semester engineering elective for high school

Science teachers asked the Jenkintown school board on Dec. 15 to add a semester‑long engineering elective to the high school course catalog beginning next academic year.

"The science department would like to offer a new elective starting next year, a semester long engineering course," said the teacher introduced as Jackie Gardner, noting that standards revisions increased engineering‑like content and that the district could deliver the course with existing staff by shifting current semester offerings.

Why it matters: Trustees said project‑based engineering would give students hands‑on exposure to engineering practices and could strengthen college and career readiness for students entering engineering programs.

Implementation: Presenters said the course can be run at little or no extra cost by using free or low‑cost project kits from a program they trialed, and by scheduling the class in place of an existing semester course. Administration said curriculum scope and sequence will be finalized over the winter so the elective can be offered during course selection in January.

Board response: Members praised the concept as a valuable, project‑based complement to science coursework and asked logistics questions about staffing, summer curriculum development and kit procurement. The district indicated it would work with teachers over the winter to match the course to the Next Generation Science Standards and finalize scheduling for the coming school year.

Next steps: Administration asked board permission to proceed with curriculum writing and to include the offering in the January course selection materials; no formal vote was required at the meeting.