New Curriculum Director at PCHS

by Andreanna Smith

For many years, students and teachers alike have been dreaming for a new school. For Paris High School plans are coming together to create that new school. With the plans come the thoughts of curriculum. For PCHS, curriculum is coming before the new school.

Ms. Hill, our former full time librarian was added to the administration this year as our curriculum director. With this new job comes new responsibilities. The main responsibility for Ms.Hill is to read all of the course standards for Illinois and for her to work with the teachers to mix the course standards of each class with the course standards of Illinois. Once she is finished with the conferencing, she has to type up course descriptions with the information based on what the teachers tell her. When asked if she would still be the librarian next year, she stated”That depends on whether or not the board rehires a curriculum director. I like being the librarian and also the course director. I am thankful for Mrs. Wegner for taking over the library in the afternoons. She is doing a great job!” In the morning, she is in the library as our librarian, and in the afternoon she works on course descriptions.

With all of the talk of a new school, Ms. Hill says that yes we would have the same courses but it depends on money for the staff and additions into the new school.
Next year, there will be multiple new classes added to the curriculum if approved by the school board. Some of the classes that Ms.Hill would like to see in PCHS are Clothing/Textiles I, Music Appreciation, and Earth Science. The Clothing/Textiles II would be an extension on Clothing/Textiles II. Music Appreciation would be an elective and wouldn’t require for a students to be in band, it also wouldn’t be a dual credit class. As far as dual credit classes, she would like to see dual credit Chemistry II and a dual credit business class. Again, these classes may not be added to the curriculum unless approved by the school board.

Another change to the curriculum for next year would be that the freshman and sophomores next year will have to take English I and II, which will be writing intensive classes. If passed, students will move on to electives. The electives will be semester classes and will include the following Journalism, Creative Writing, World Lit, American Lit, Monster Lit, Composition, Memoirs and Autobiographies.