MONROE - The Monroe school board won't be granting students a "Passport to Germany."
The board on Monday rejected a proposal to offer a credit class that would prepare students to travel to Germany as exchange students as part of class or for future work or study exchanges. The course was to be offered in addition to traditional German 1, 2, 3 and 4, and prepare students for the cultural differences they would encounter in travel to Germany.
School board members had several concerns with the proposal. The course included a planned trip to Germany during spring break, including several school days before and after the break. The school district, however, has a written policy that forbids overseas travel study programs anytime other than summer vacation.
There also were questions about what students enrolled in the class who did not travel to Germany would do while the rest of the class was gone. German teacher Karen Fowdy said one possibility would be to pair a traveling student with a non-traveling student so the student returning from Germany could share observations and experiences.
The proposal, while advanced from the curriculum committee to the board, also failed to earn an endorsement from administration.
"I'd prefer to work toward fifth-year German and Spanish over this class," said Jennifer Thayer, director of curriculum and instruction.
The proposal failed on a 6-1 vote.
MHS students will, however, be able to get credit for learning about things closer to home - the board approved "Home Maintenance and Repair" in the technical education curriculum as a semester-long elective for juniors and seniors.
MHS Tech Ed instructor Dan Saunders said the course is aimed at non-traditional tech ed students. Basic home repair and maintenance would be emphasized. Automobile and small engine repair and maintenance also would be included in the course.
The course is designed to offer life skills so in the future, students will be able to have the basic knowledge and confidence to handle small repairs themselves. They also will learn which jobs are best left to a professional, Saunders said.
School board member Bob Erb questioned whether the course material was something the school should be focusing on. "I'm not sold on throwing resources at this," he said.
But board President Scott Schmidt countered that argument could be made about many course offerings, and used band as an example. Board member Brian Keith also supported the course concept, saying he would encourage his own son to take it.
The proposal was approved 5-2.
The board also accepted changes to the middle school and high school Social Studies curriculum.
Freshmen and sophomores will be able to choose two courses from Early World History, Modern World History and World Studies. This Morning in the News and Issues in American Society will be offered for sophomores, juniors and seniors. U.S. History for juniors will change from three semesters to two. Juniors and seniors will be offered Advanced Placement U.S. History and AP Psychology. Seniors can select Social Psychology, American Government and Economics.
Sixth-graders' World Geography will include Canada, Mexico, Central America, West Indies, South America and Europe. Seventh-graders' World Geography will cover Southeast Asia, India, South Africa, North Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Eighth-graders will have U.S. History and Government.
An additional proposal to bring back the Capstone program was not considered by the board after it failed to be forwarded from the Finance Committee. The proposal sought to resume the program in which students construct a house and then sell it to a private party, but construct smaller three-bedroom homes than it had previously.
At the committee meeting immediately before the board meeting, Brown recommended the committee not advance the proposal. "There's no question that it's a really good program for the kids," he said. However, because of a troubled economy and weak housing market, he said he could not recommend the district resume the program.
The board on Monday rejected a proposal to offer a credit class that would prepare students to travel to Germany as exchange students as part of class or for future work or study exchanges. The course was to be offered in addition to traditional German 1, 2, 3 and 4, and prepare students for the cultural differences they would encounter in travel to Germany.
School board members had several concerns with the proposal. The course included a planned trip to Germany during spring break, including several school days before and after the break. The school district, however, has a written policy that forbids overseas travel study programs anytime other than summer vacation.
There also were questions about what students enrolled in the class who did not travel to Germany would do while the rest of the class was gone. German teacher Karen Fowdy said one possibility would be to pair a traveling student with a non-traveling student so the student returning from Germany could share observations and experiences.
The proposal, while advanced from the curriculum committee to the board, also failed to earn an endorsement from administration.
"I'd prefer to work toward fifth-year German and Spanish over this class," said Jennifer Thayer, director of curriculum and instruction.
The proposal failed on a 6-1 vote.
MHS students will, however, be able to get credit for learning about things closer to home - the board approved "Home Maintenance and Repair" in the technical education curriculum as a semester-long elective for juniors and seniors.
MHS Tech Ed instructor Dan Saunders said the course is aimed at non-traditional tech ed students. Basic home repair and maintenance would be emphasized. Automobile and small engine repair and maintenance also would be included in the course.
The course is designed to offer life skills so in the future, students will be able to have the basic knowledge and confidence to handle small repairs themselves. They also will learn which jobs are best left to a professional, Saunders said.
School board member Bob Erb questioned whether the course material was something the school should be focusing on. "I'm not sold on throwing resources at this," he said.
But board President Scott Schmidt countered that argument could be made about many course offerings, and used band as an example. Board member Brian Keith also supported the course concept, saying he would encourage his own son to take it.
The proposal was approved 5-2.
The board also accepted changes to the middle school and high school Social Studies curriculum.
Freshmen and sophomores will be able to choose two courses from Early World History, Modern World History and World Studies. This Morning in the News and Issues in American Society will be offered for sophomores, juniors and seniors. U.S. History for juniors will change from three semesters to two. Juniors and seniors will be offered Advanced Placement U.S. History and AP Psychology. Seniors can select Social Psychology, American Government and Economics.
Sixth-graders' World Geography will include Canada, Mexico, Central America, West Indies, South America and Europe. Seventh-graders' World Geography will cover Southeast Asia, India, South Africa, North Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Eighth-graders will have U.S. History and Government.
An additional proposal to bring back the Capstone program was not considered by the board after it failed to be forwarded from the Finance Committee. The proposal sought to resume the program in which students construct a house and then sell it to a private party, but construct smaller three-bedroom homes than it had previously.
At the committee meeting immediately before the board meeting, Brown recommended the committee not advance the proposal. "There's no question that it's a really good program for the kids," he said. However, because of a troubled economy and weak housing market, he said he could not recommend the district resume the program.