Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
Clintonville High School students will be able to take four new agriculture classes as science credits next year.
The Clintonville Board of Education this week approved a proposal from school administrators to apply to the state Department of Public Instruction for approval of the courses.
The classes are Ag Processing, Veterinary Science, Dairy Science and Genetics.
The board discussed the proposal Feb. 9, but delayed a vote after member Jim Schultz asked that the science department be consulted as part of the process. He said he was not opposed to the plan, but wanted more discussion and research on the plan, which he said had not, to that point, included the science department.
“We want to encourage our teachers to be leaders,” Schultz said. “We have to be open enough to include them in the process.”
Principal Lance Bagstad told the board that ag teacher Crystal Retzlaff has taught the courses in the past.
Bagstad said the courses were designed to meet the criteria needed for DPI-approved science credits. He also said that sometimes course offerings are determined by the number of students who sign up. In most cases, at least 15 students are needed before it becomes scheduled and available.
The proposal was tabled until Monday, then passed by the board.