Hollister
– The San Benito High School Board of Trustees will consider
eliminating several elective classes and adding a new advanced
placement course tonight.
Hollister – The San Benito High School Board of Trustees will consider eliminating several elective classes and adding a new advanced placement course tonight.
The SBHS school board will discuss, among other things, what classes will be offered in 2007-08.
San Benito High School is attempting to get approval from the board of trustees to eliminate three courses due to a lack of student interest.
A journalism course, a drafting course and an art course could all potentially be cut next year.
“Every year we modify the programs to meet the needs of the kids,” said Michael Potmesil, director of human resources. “What we have to do is identify those programs that are going to need to be reduced.”
Adam Breen, who teaches the journalism course at the high school, said he was not sure what this would mean for him.
“From the way I understand it, it’s going to be dependent on sign-ups,” Breen said.
He said he may have to do some heavy recruiting, or try to get additional credentials so he can teach a different class. But Breen stressed that this is an indication of a larger issue.
“It’s more about the impact on elective classes. If it’s an issue of students don’t have the option to take anything other than solids, then that’s something the school wants to address,” Breen said.
Potmesil said he didn’t foresee any teacher layoffs, but those who teach classes that are being cut could be reassigned to different courses.
He pointed out that overall the school would probably not see any change in the number of full-time staff positions, because the classes eliminated would be replaced by another courses.
One course that has been proposed is an honors course for juniors. The high school has asked the board to approve its proposal to add an advanced placement U.S. history course.
Advanced placement courses are designed to prepare students for college – and can sometimes count as college credit. While SBHS offers several advanced courses, the school does not offer an honors history or social studies course for juniors.
Cindy Cordova, director of educational services for the high school, said this kind of offering would provide an excellent opportunity for students.
“It gives the kids an opportunity to take an additional rigorous course their junior year,” Cordova said. “It’s really just a positive offering.”
Cordova said the only potential problem with the addition of this course would be getting enough students to sign up for it. However, Cordova said she is not too concerned about generating interest.
“(U.S. history) is a required course, so this would give students a chance to get a college requirement out of the way,” Cordova said.
Alice Joy covers education for the Free Lance. She can be reached at 831.637.5566 ext. 336 or at [email protected].
