In the beginning of September, thousands of local students went back to school. And at the East Syracuse Minoa School District, many high school students got the opportunity to be involved in nine new courses that the district rolled out for this fall semester.
According to ESM High School Principal Grenardo Avellino, the school works to introduce new courses and remove dated courses on an annual basis. The addition of courses are considered to help align the curriculum with the district’s mission to be an “exemplary 21st Century learning community whose graduates are prepared to excel in a complex, interconnected, changing world.”
The nine new courses this fall include: computer integrated manufacturing, which allows students to apply for college credit from the Rochester Institute of Technology; forensic science; oral history; energy, power and transportation; advanced art 1; participation in government: law studies; SUNY Latin 4, where students have the opportunity to earn four college credits, SUNY Latin 5/AP Prep; and topics in advanced math.
“We take a lot of time to look at the courses in our high school and see how they align with the career pathways,” said Avellino. “We want to make sure the courses we offer are rigorous and fit the needs of the students.”
The five career pathways for ESM are Arts and Communication; Business and Information Management; Engineering, Industrial and Technological Sciences; Health and Natural Resource Sciences; and Human and Family Services.
Many of the new courses offer an in-depth look at different subject areas, and project-based, hands on collaborative learning are emphasized in the courses, said Avellino. Most of the courses are aimed to upperclassmen, but a few, such as forensic science and oral history, can be taken by freshmen.
The district is one of only 11 comprehensive schools in the country and looks to provide courses that will mimic the possible careers they may have in one of the five career pathways, said Avellino.
“We want our kids to be prepared for the type of work they will encounter when they reach the workforce,” said Avellino. “Four years of high school goes very fast and we want to prepare them for what is after … I think it is important for schools to reexamine their courses because students are going to be our future.”
