When students at Broken Bow High School pick up their schedules for the new academic year, they will find several new courses available this semester. These additions aim to offer a more diverse and enriching academic experience for students, preparing them for the future with modern skills and knowledge. Students interested in enrolling in any of these new offerings will have an opportunity to do so by contacting their counselor during the schedule change period.
Fresh Opportunities for Students
Some of the new classes available are additions to subjects already in the current curriculum, while a few others are entirely new to Broken Bow Public Schools. Art Instructor Kelly Persinger will teach a new class in digital art this year and newcomer Lacey Tolison will offer instruction in animation for the first time. Additionally, Rebecca Clowers will offer a new course in creative writing to help students advance their language arts and writing skills. These subjects will allow students to explore an area of the arts which are becoming increasingly relevant in today’s world.
Other exciting additions are classes aimed at preparing students for immediate entry into the workforce. Gary Qualls will teach a safety course designed to prepare students for firefighter or emergency responder certification. Ashley Ross will offer instruction in hospitality and tourism this year designed for students interested in finding employment in the local tourism industry. Michael Hall is adding another hour of aeronautics which prepares students for a license exam to operate a drone in public spaces. Kaitlan Anderson is also expanding her instruction in culinary arts. These courses promise to be both enlightening and immediately useful to students.
Additional expansions to the existing curriculum include another hour of E-sports taught by James Kiper, an additional hour of Audio and Video Production taught by Skip Copeland and Chris Chandler, English ACT Prep taught by Josee Vaughn, Math ACT Prep taught by Brandy Brannan, Honors Spanish 3 taught by Jennifer Ramirez, and Concurrent Pre-Algebra taught by Andrea Skelton (who is moving from the front office to the classroom this year). Dustin Lasell is expanding his wrestling program to include younger grades, and Todd Sharp takes over carpentry instruction and offers it in shorter class periods. Wanda Wood will also have a dedicated class period for her student council this year.
"We are constantly looking for ways to expand the variety of classes we offer," said BBHS Principal of Instruction Michael McGee. "These new courses reflect our commitment to preparing our students for success in both college and the workforce. We want to make sure they are well-equipped with skills that will serve them in the years to come."
A Wider Range of Interests Covered
In addition to these new courses, students will also find more opportunities to explore these offerings with Broken Bow High School’s new class schedule. The new school day will begin and end at the same times as last year but will include eight periods of instruction rather than the previous seven. It also includes a longer lunch period in the middle of the day. These changes are designed to alleviate scheduling conflicts which previously hindered a student’s ability to enroll in multiple elective classes that might interest them.
“We believe this new schedule allows our students to broaden their studies and explore new elective opportunities,” said Mr. McGee. “It also allows us to offer athletics during the school day rather than as an after-school activity.”
Students will have an opportunity to modify their class schedules during the schedule change period at the beginning of each semester. Counselors will provide further instructions on this process soon.