Board approves three new career‑aligned Spanish courses at Elkhorn Area High School

The Elkhorn Area School District board on May 26 approved three new modern‑language courses at Elkhorn Area High School intended to align Spanish instruction with students’ career pathways.

A district presenter introduced the slate as a departure from the traditional Spanish sequence, saying the courses were designed to emphasize real‑world speaking and listening: Spanish Conversation (targeted at students who have completed Spanish I or II), Spanish for the Workplace (vocabulary and scenarios for careers including construction, food service, law enforcement, landscaping and agriculture) and a second‑level Spanish for Healthcare Professionals to follow this year’s pilot. The presenter said the healthcare course had one section this year and the district expects to start with at least one section of the follow‑up course, then grow enrollment over time.

Board members asked about prerequisites, staffing, scheduling and anticipated enrollment. The presenter confirmed each new course is one trimester long, that Spanish Conversation expects students to have completed Spanish I or II, and that the workplace and healthcare offerings do not strictly require prior Spanish coursework. On staffing, the presenter said no additional hires were needed; the department’s current staffing levels allow the district to offer the new sections without hiring new teachers.

After discussion about implementation timing, scheduling and outreach to students, a motion to approve the EAHS course proposals was moved and seconded. During the roll call one board member recorded opposition; the motion passed.

The courses are slated for scheduling in the next course selection window (students will sign up in January), though instruction will not begin until the 2027–28 school year. The district will provide summer curriculum development time for teachers (the presenter noted 16 hours of curriculum time and additional preparation hours) and said materials and sequencing would be finalized this summer.

The board’s approval allows the district to list the three courses for student scheduling and to proceed with the curriculum work needed for implementation.