LINN — During her principal’s report at Osage County R-2 School District’s April 16 school board meeting, Erin Sassmann announced that the high school will be adding 11 new courses for the 2024-25 school year. These courses are being offered in response to a survey sent to students.

The new classes include Outdoor Skills, Honors Math, History of Pop Culture, Modern History, History of the Holocaust, History through Film, ACT Prep, Advanced Animal Science, Sports Management, Music Appreciation, and Apparel 1 & 2. 

The course descriptions provided by Sassmann are below.

• Outdoor Skills: This course, which is for physical education credit, provides instruction in knowledge, skill, and application of outdoor pursuits. Students will learn about proper equipment, navigation, fire building, trip planning, hiking, and archery as the weather permits. This course is conducted in a variety of weather conditions and visits parks in the surrounding area.

• Honors Math: This is an accelerated course comprised of one semester of Algebra 1 and one semester of Geometry. This course is designed for students on a college bound track who wish to take Calculus their senior year.

Previously, students who wished to take calculus their senior year could only do so by taking two math courses in the same year. The school currently has three students enrolled in calculus, but anticipates 12 to 14 freshmen in next year’s Honors Math class, which could translate to 12 to 14 kids in calculus when they reach their senior year.

• History of Pop Culture: This course offers an introduction to the history and meaning of American popular culture, from the rise of mass entertainment as a “culture industry” in the nineteenth century to contemporary digital cultures.

• Modern History: This course examines the major historical and social trends of the modern era beginning in the 1980’s to the present.

• History of the Holocaust: In this course, students will study the history of antisemitism; the rise of the Nazi party; and the Holocaust, from its beginnings through liberation and the aftermath of the tragedy. The study of the Holocaust is a multi-disciplinary one, integrating world history, geography, American history, and civics.

• History through Film: This course is designed to teach selected historical themes depicted by popular film. Students will watch and deconstruct popular historical films within the larger context of scholarly analysis of a particular historic period or event. 

• ACT Prep: This course is designed to prepare students to take the ACT. Students will spend time improving skills in math, science, English, and reading comprehension, as well as test-taking skills as they relate to the ACT.

• Advanced Animal Science: This course is designed to teach students about animal production, management, marketing, nutrition, and breeding. Production records, selection, animal health, waste management, and biotechnology may be included in this course.

• Sports Management: This course is designed to give students an introduction into the field of sport management. Emphasis will be placed on the basic management skills necessary in the operation of a number of sporting events. Some after school activities could be required for the course.

• Music Appreciation: This would be another option for a fine art credit. This is more the basics of music and has more variety than just singing or playing an instrument.

• Apparel 1 & 2: Currently only one apparel (sewing) course is offered and fills up with upperclassmen. Creation of a second class will allow the younger students to have an opportunity to take the course.

In addition, high school students were asked to sign up for classes in February this year so administration could create a schedule based on the classes students wanted to take, instead of making the class schedule first, then making students conform to it.

“Adding all those extra courses to give our kids some more options is really exciting,” said Sassmann.