Urbandale proposes nine new middle‑school electives including medical detectives and cybersecurity

District curriculum leaders presented a package of nine middle‑school elective courses for adoption, saying the slate is aligned with the district’s strategic plan and career/academic pathways.

Presenters said the recommendations include six new district offerings and three revisions that lean on existing vendor or district materials. Notable additions: Medical Detectives for sixth grade (hands‑on investigations and exposure to medical careers), Cybersecurity for seventh grade (using Cyber.org materials), and Code HS game design for eighth grade (replacing an existing app‑creation course). Eighth‑grade students will also see Forensics, Animation and Digital Production, Healthcare Explorations and World Language Exploration as part of the catalog. The required eighth‑grade course on career and postsecondary planning will rely on Junior Achievement and existing partnerships.

District staff discussed instructional materials and costs: some materials are proprietary and non‑consumable (one‑time purchases), while consumables were priced and compared across vendors. Teachers and leaders said consumable costs should be manageable over time because consumables are not replaced every year. Board members asked about ongoing costs and supply logistics; staff said many consumables will be procured efficiently and that shipping and ordering practices are being centralized to avoid repeated small orders.

The board received the presentation and asked for any additional fiscal or staffing detail needed before full implementation. No final curricular vote was recorded in this segment; materials and implementation plans will proceed through the curriculum approval process.

Ending: Staff said they would continue work on materials and staffing alignment and return any required formal approvals in future packets.