Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees approves ten new courses

By Lauren Farberman

Staff Writer

The Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees approved ten new courses at their Feb. 3 MBUSD board meeting that will be offered for Mira Costa students during the 2016-17 school year.

The new classes are American Sign Language, Astrophysics, Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture, Computer Science and Software Engineering, Financial Algebra, Advanced placement Human Geography, Principles of Engineering, String Orchestra, United States History Honors and World History Honors.

“Variety in a school is a very good thing,” Costa principal Dr. Ben Dale said. “As a school, I want us to offer as much variety in our classes as we can so that our students have many choices.”

Two of the new courses Unites States History Honors, and World History Honors, will offer a middle ground between the already offered CP and AP classes. According to Bill Fauver the head of Costa’s History department, the courses will follow the same content standards as CP History, but will allow far more depth of study.

“There is definitely a place at Costa for honors history,” Fauver said. “Students who do not want the pressure of an AP class will now have the opportunity to take a class that delves into a deeper meaning of the required content.”

The two new AP classes, AP Chinese Language and AP Human Geography, will broaden the number of AP courses already offered at Costa. According to Dale the addition of these classes will give students new AP options in classes they have never had the opportunity to take at Costa.

“High School unlike college has more rigid boxes of standards that need to be completed,” Dale said. “These new classes open up those boxes for students by offering AP classes unlike anything currently offered on campus.”

New classes such as Computer Science and Software Engineering, Principles of Engineering, Astrophysics, String Orchestra, American Sign Language and Financial Algebra all offer classes with specific interests. Students interested in those fields now have more classes to take part in.

“I think that students should have more freedom with choosing the classes they enroll in,” Dale said. “Adding these new classes helps us as teachers and administrators see what more we can do for students.”

The only factor requiring debate between the Board members before approving the new classes was the need for stricter prerequisites. Board member Karen Komatinsky said that prerequisites need to be more specific, should be revised, and counselors should be up to date on them for scheduling in the spring.

“The courses need to be implemented promptly  so that students can enroll in them for the next school year,” Komatinksy said. “It is important that counselors know enough about the new courses so they can help students pick the best classes for them.”