Peters School Board tweaks curriculum
With the end of the school year slated for June 5, the Peters Township School Board began laying the groundwork for next year by approving 13 new courses, including offerings in the high school art and media departments, at its May 18 meeting.
Also included in the new courses is a new critical analysis of text class for seventh-grade students, a move to help children who are beginning their secondary education.
Shelly Belcher, district spokeswoman, said the board tweaks its curriculum for the upcoming school year about this time each year. The board also approved renaming several existing courses to the content and to be in line with changes made by the College Board for Advanced Placement courses. For example, Art III will now be known as Studio Arts, and Physics Honors has been renamed AP Physics I: Algebra Bound.
In other business, two music teaching positions were eliminated at McMurray Elementary for the new school year because of a scheduling change that now includes time for orchestra, band and chorus ensembles during the school day. Those activities had previously taken place before and after school.
Superintendent Jeannine French said there will be no reductions in music offering at any level in the district.
“The staff worked very hard to create a schedule that provided increased time for music and related arts, while maximizing instruction in the core academic subjects,” French said.