The Palo Alto Board of Education discussed the proposed graduation requirements for the class of 2012 and the Paly field project during its meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
The proposed graduation requirements will raise the number of English credits necessary for graduation from 35 to 40 in order to meet University of California English requirements according to members of the board. The requirements have prompted the possible implementation of collaborative course classes– classes that supply credits for two different subjects.
“[The collaborative course would be] really phenomenal to be able to do that [create a collaborative course] and give students that option,” board members Melissa Baton Caswell said, of the possibility of a collaborative course. “Also, it’s a good way to prepare students for life because very few jobs are only in one subject area.”
The collaborative course has yet to be submitted for UC/CSU approval, but is being mirrored after a similar course that has been successfully implemented and approved in a southern California high school, according to members of the board.
While discussing the proposed English graduation requirements, the board members decided to look into fixing the math graduation requirements as well. Board President Dana Tom suggested that a section regarding math requirements be added to the current report of graduation requirements.
The Palo Alto Unified School District math credit constraints currently require students enrolled in Palo Alto high schools to complete 20 credits of mathematics, while UC/CSU schools call for at least 30 credits.
The board is set to vote on the new English graduation requirements at its next meeting; if passed, the measure will take effect beginning with the graduating class of 2012.
The board also discussed the Paly field project, a renovation program set to remodel the soccer field and the baseball field and create basketball and tennis areas in place of the small gym.
The board plans to sign a business contract with construction company, Verde Design, to carry out the renovations.
The plans include a new soccer field, which the company plans to create with synthetic turf grass. The plan for the soccer fields include the construction of bleachers, sports field lighting, stairs leading up to the elevated soccer field, and a scoreboard.
The plans for the baseball field consist of new fencing around the field and a possible split between the baseball field and softball field to lend space to a soccer field between the two.
“We’re going to introduce a netting system with sideline fences and a 30-feet-high netting system to assist with foul balls,” said Bill Julius, a construction representative from Verde Design.
In addition to discussing building plans for the field project, the board approved the 2009 summer school program. The board expressed some concern about the tightening budget and economic crisis with regard to the summer school.
“The state budget is in dismal shape; it [school funds] could possibly be a target for budget cuts,” Tom said.
For information on the summer school program, see http://voice.paly.net/view_story.php?id=7357