Monroe Central’s curriculum will be offering new programs during the 2020-21 school year. These program pathways are offered through “Project Lead the Way” and will allow students to explore topics of interest more in-depth than they were previously able to do. 

Project Lead the Way is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for PreK-12 students and teachers across the country. The pathway curriculum is designed to help students develop and apply in-demand, transportable skills by exploring real-world challenges. Students learn technical skills, how to solve problems, think critically and creatively, communicate, and collaborate. Project Lead the Way also provides teachers with the training, resources, and support needed to implement these pathways. 

Principal Joe Semple says, “The faculty are to be commended for their willingness to attend training and add more courses to their schedule to provide these new opportunities for our students.” 

This is only the beginning – there will be more pathways offered in the near future to engage students with hands-on lab equipment and real-life problem solving. 

“Associate Superintendent Cyndi Brill has been instrumental in helping us get these programs off the ground,” Principal Semple states. “Her knowledge and assistance has allowed us to correctly select and implement courses appropriate to our students’ interests.” 

Courses to be offered during the 2020-21 school year are listed and described below. 

Pathways offered for 2020-21 include: 

• Arts and Communications courses
  • Photographic Compositions: Aesthetics and techniques are essential to producing a good photograph. This course focuses on capturing and manipulating images in digital photography with some skill development in printing and enlarging. Topics include camera functions, mechanics of image capture, image manipulation, and print production. Students shoot photographs in various studio and indoor and outdoor settings.
    • Taught by Kayla Ruble
  • Media Arts Primer: In this first course of the Media Arts pathway, students will learn the basics of how to convey messages through journalism, commercial advertising and marketing. They review the accuracy and impact of words and visuals used in news, advertisements and commercials. They learn essential terminology and basic tools for delivering messages. They understand the content length, deadlines and responsibilities of various delivery channels.
    • Taught by Kayla Ruble
  • Digital Image Editing: This course focuses on manipulating images for final output through print and Web-based production. Students obtain a brief perspective on analog image editing and delve into the world of editing digital photos, illustrations and other artwork. They learn to adjust resolution and exposure, modify color, compress data and format and manage files. Students will use problem-solving strategies and work collaboratively to complete the creative process with artists, printers and Web developers.
    • Taught by Teresa Schuerman & Julie Casto
  • Video Production: This course focuses on video production for commercial use.  Students plan and coordinate work with clients to produce projects on a tight timeline. They learn how to read and interpret a script, select and maintain equipment and combine graphics, text and special effects. Skills attained include pre-production documentation and planning, in-production audio and video recording; and post-production editing and distribution.
    • Taught by Teresa Schuerman & Julie Casto
  • Photography Production: Students advance their digital photographic knowledge and skill using camera raw files with a focus on commercial use and knowledge of production software. Emphasis is on creative expression and client communication to increase marketability of product. Topics include white balance, saturation, contrast and color correcting. Students apply copyright and fair use guidelines.
    • Taught by Teresa Schuerman & Julie Casto
  • Multi-Media Web Production: Students advance their digital photographic knowledge and skill using camera raw files with a focus on commercial use and knowledge of production software. Emphasis is on creative expression and client communication to increase marketability of product. Topics include white balance, saturation, contrast and color correcting. Students apply copyright and fair use guidelines.
    • Taught by Teresa Schuerman & Julie Casto
• Biomedical Science courses – both taught in a hands-on manner, allowing students the opportunity to use and become familiar with equipment and lab techniques not typically seen in high school labs. Participation in these courses may also allow students to earn seals for their high school diplomas. 
  • Principles of Biomedical Science: This course will review and extend upon concepts covered during Biology from the perspective of someone training to one day enter a field related to Biomedical Science. 
    • Taught by Derik Shirley
  • Medical Interventions: This course will cover topics involving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various disorders, including cancer, genetic disorders, and bacterial and viral disease. 
    • Taught by Derik Shirley
• Expanded offerings in our Vocational Agriculture program, started in 2019-2020 by Kayla Ruble