The Site Based Decision Making council met December 7 to discuss the possible implementation of two additional classes to students’ choice of electives for the following school years.

The first of the two proposed classes was a culinary course taught by Ms. Laura Spiegelhalter that could be taken as a senior with the prerequisite of the Foods and Nutrition class that would be taken as a sophomore or junior.

“I would be interested in taking the class,” Aaron Jessie (11) said. “I want to learn how to cook and I think it would be a good way to expand on the Foods course.”

The second class would be a new science or math, energy modeling class that is being considered as an optional senior year course or as part of the MST curriculum. The class would apply heavily to both physics and mathematics content, while also including biology, chemistry, environmental science, global issues, trade, and finance as it applies to energy choices and infrastructure.

Mr. Christian Jensen (math) taught the course at a previous school before coming to Manual and feels that the course would be beneficial to the student body, “Energy dynamics are paramount for students’ future,” Mr. Jensen said.

The course would provide interesting new perspectives on the production and consumption of energy on both a local and global scale.

“I think energy education is important to preserve in the United States,” Kathryn Hardesty (11) said. “I think we offer so many classes at Manual and that an energy class would be another really interesting course to take.”