New classes have been added to the curriculum for the 2022-2023 school year. Some of these classes include Advanced Algebra Lab, Teaching as a Profession and Intro to Special Education.

The classes offer new academic opportunities for students in areas such as English, math and education.

Principal Jay Opperman said that one focus of the new classes is to help students interested in pursuing a job in the education field after high school.

“We’ve been very intentional about trying to create opportunities and also just looking at different career path opportunities,” Opperman said. “One of our district strategies is growing our teachers. As a result, you’ll see in there there’s some additions in terms of an education pathway.”

Several of the new courses also offer dual enrollment credit at Metro Community College, UNO and Nebraska Wesleyan. 

“We do dual credit with UNO and Nebraska Wesleyan, these are a nice fit because it gives the option, as well as dual credit, with Metro Community college,” Opperman said. “I think it’s cool because hopefully it will broaden the range of student interest that will actually earn dual credit. More of our dual credit is kind of catered towards a student who is thinking of [attending a] four-year [college].” 

“I think that the dual credit opportunities will be able to help me with my possible careers after high school,” Santo said.

Participating in dual enrollment also decreases the cost of college in the future for students that choose to take these classes.

“I don’t know if we’re going to see huge differences [in classes], but we’re going to have the ability for students to work on some of the same skills that we’re already learning here,” Opperman said. “[They] may be just a little more rigorous, and it [will] give them an advantage because they will be taking a college level class, and they’re going to take it at a reduced cost.”

Freshman Izabella Santo said that the new classes being offered, especially the teaching courses, could potentially be of interest to her in the future.

“I feel like I would be interested in education classes, because being a teacher as a career in the future could be something that I might want to do,” Santo said.

“I think that the dual credit opportunities will be able to help me with my possible careers after high school,” Santo said.The chances for dual credit also makes the courses more appealing to students like Santo who might not have considered those paths before.

“I think that the dual credit opportunities will be able to help me with my possible careers after high school,” Santo said.