The Rolla Board of Education meeting on December 12, 2024, focused on significant updates to the course description book for the upcoming academic year. The meeting highlighted various new and revised courses aimed at enhancing student learning and career readiness.

Dr. Chapman, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) director, was recognized for his leadership and passion, particularly after receiving the "Rising Star" award. The course description book is an annual project that helps students plan their educational pathways, whether entering the workforce or pursuing higher education.

Key proposed changes include the introduction of a competitive speech and debate course, aimed at advanced students, and a revised creative sewing course that will now encompass interior textile design. Additionally, a new course titled "Functional Service Careers" is being created for special education students, providing them with essential skills for post-high school pathways.

The meeting also discussed updates to existing courses, such as renaming video production classes to better reflect their content and reactivating a girls' weights course, which had been previously suspended due to space constraints.

In the realm of Career and Technical Education, the board is considering expanding Project Lead the Way (PLTW) offerings, including a new capstone course that will serve as a culminating experience for students in engineering and computer science pathways. The board aims to improve enrollment in computer science courses, which have struggled to meet the minimum student interest requirements.

The introduction of new courses, such as "Technical Career Shop 1 and 2," is designed to provide ninth and tenth graders with early exposure to career pathways, allowing them to develop foundational skills before advancing to more specialized programs in later grades.

The board plans to finalize the course description book and communicate these changes to stakeholders over the next few months, setting the stage for the master schedule and staffing needs for the next academic year. The meeting concluded with a call for questions and comments, emphasizing the collaborative effort involved in shaping the educational offerings for Rolla students.