Healdsburg High to broaden English curriculum, add engineering, pastry and theater pathways

District instructional staff and teachers presented a slate of course revisions and new offerings designed to expand pathways and increase student engagement at Hillsborough High.

Director of curriculum instruction (speaker 11) said the English 11 revision is the largest curriculum change, integrating an ethnic‑studies lens and reflecting two and a half years of teacher training. Two teachers presented the rationale and reading lists. Theater teacher Monica Chavez (speaker 2) proposed Theater 2 and a Theater Production course to create a pathway for students interested in directing, stagecraft and technical theater. Chef Ben Whitten (speaker 9) described culinary changes: an introductory and advanced culinary progression and a new Baking & Pastry course intended to fold two legacy Global Table Academy courses into a more sustainable model and create project‑based, student‑led showcases. Academic Workshop will be expanded through 12th grade to provide targeted, team‑taught supports to students at risk; teachers described current staffing as two instructors per cohort and requested additional adult supports to scale the program. Board members asked about class sizes, scheduling constraints and how new electives may affect existing offerings; staff said sectioning will be student‑driven and constrained by facility and staffing capacity.

The board indicated support for the proposals and staff said the revised and new courses will return on the consent agenda in December for formal adoption and then proceed to UC/college approval processes as appropriate.