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Radford High to add Air Force JROTC and dual‑enrollment physics courses
Summary
The board heard a presentation on new high‑school courses: Air Force JROTC (courses 1–4) and a dual‑enrollment physics option. Administrators said the Air Force will supply much of the program support, keeping initial budget impact low.
Radford High School will add Air Force JROTC (course sequence 1–4) and a dual‑enrollment physics option for the coming school year, officials told the board at its June meeting.
Mr. Simpson said 35–40 students across grades 8–12 have signed up for the JROTC offering so far; the Air Force provides an additional officer and most program materials, which administrators said makes the initial budget impact near zero. "It is not a recruiting program for the military. It's a leadership development program that focuses on citizenship," Simpson said while outlining the curriculum's aerospace science, leadership education and drill components.
On physics, administrators said the district hired an instructor qualified to teach dual‑enrollment physics, allowing students to earn college credit without the pressure of AP testing. The board discussed enrollment capacity, year‑long versus semester options, extracurricular activities tied to JROTC (drill teams, Raider competitions, marksmanship and archery) and uniform logistics. Officials said basic uniforms and supplies would be provided by the Air Force and that more advanced optional expenses (fancier uniforms, signage) could be locally funded in the future.
Board members welcomed the course additions and asked staff to provide enrollment limits and staffing plans as hiring progresses. The district expects to finalize instructor hires and scheduling ahead of August onboarding.
