New Dist. 158 classes cover everything from film to job training

High school students in Huntley Unit District 158 will have a wider range of courses to choose from starting with the 2012-2013 school year.

The district plans to introduce eight new courses designed to prepare students for college or the workplace.

School board members at a committee of the whole meeting on Thursday supported a proposal to add classes to the curriculum at Huntley High School ranging from art to mathematics. The six courses the district plans to implement are: life skills job training, basic 2-D and 3-D art, Advanced Placement environmental science, discrete mathematics with data analysis, intermediate algebra, forensics III, Chicago literature and film study.

Superintendent John Burkey said the additional courses will not require additional staffing or costs.

“The high school will need more staff without these courses,” Burkey said. “This doesn't make it go up or down one way or the other.”

Board member Michael Skala voiced concern that the courses were not geared toward students who may have fallen behind.

But Burkey said the district's philosophy is to provide interventions to those students instead of offering lower level classes.

“It's not that we're not doing more and more for students who are struggling,” Burkey said. “But creating more lower level courses is not going to increase our standards.”

William Geheren, chairman of the district's curriculum and instruction committee, said the proposed courses will keep students interested.

“This broadens what we offer to students in different areas,” Geheren said. “Each is a little different and might fit a student's schedule better. A couple also fill gaps in the curriculum in some areas.”

For example, intermediate algebra will meet the needs of students who do not take college-level algebra, while discrete mathematics will allow students who do not want to enroll in an advanced placement math course to take an upper level, rigorous math course.

In addition, the English department will offer Chicago literature, which will examine Chicago authors, journalists, and historical accounts.

Furthermore, the proposed art classes will enable students to split the course into two semester-long classes. Mike Moan, the district's chief academic officer, said some students are currently unable to fit a yearlong art course into their schedule.

“We want to engage students in a number of ways,” Moan said.

The board is expected to approve the proposal at its regular board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19.