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Waterloo board approves 2025–26 high school program of studies with veterinary science, IB film and course adjustments
Summary
The board voted to approve the 2025–26 high school program of studies, adding veterinary science and IB film, adjusting EMT course blocks and consolidating some low-enrollment classes while directing staff to publish clearer plan-of-study pathways for families.
The Waterloo Comm School District Board of Education on Oct. 14 approved the 2025–26 high school Program of Studies (course catalog), authorizing new offerings and structural changes intended to expand career and college pathways.
Sharice Ortman, secondary curriculum and advanced programs coordinator, presented the annual revisions and said approval is conceptual: the district will continue minor edits such as schedule coding but will move forward with new and revised courses. Among the additions noted were veterinary science at the career center and IB Film at East High School; deletions were generally due to low enrollment or the departure of a staff member who had championed a course.
Ortman described a change to EMT sequencing that shifts to a two-block model (EMT1 and EMT2 across fall and spring blocks) to better align practicum scheduling and state Carnegie-unit requirements. She also explained that "Intro to Health Professions" and medical terminology were reworked into a blended full-year structure so students receive the required advanced health credit and better pathway alignment.
Board members asked about gaps in coding and engineering courses; presenters acknowledged the district has cyber and Microsoft-application offerings through the WCC but said a more traditional, language-based coding course (C++, etc.) is currently limited and could be pursued through the career center or concurrent partnerships.
Several members requested that program-of-study pathways — a single, family-facing guide showing which courses to take and when — be made clearer in the catalog; administrators said those pathways exist for counselors and will be added visibly to the program-of-studies document and website.
The board approved the superintendent’s recommendation; a recorded vote was taken and the motion carried.
Next steps: staff will finalize course codes and publish the program-of-studies pathways for families and counselors ahead of scheduling windows.
