Multi-Cultural Project Proposal for HS Students

This is a Graduate Class Project Only

Dear High School Parents,


It is with great pleasure that I announce the addition of several new classes that will be added to our 2009-2010 course selection as Electives in a variety of areas such as Foreign Languages, Home Economics, History, and English. This new subject matter is focused on the diversity within our community as well as our country. Our approach is two fold to introduce a multi-cultural presence within our student body as well courses to allow each student, if they so choose, to enhance their understanding of a new culture.

The board has increased our Foreign Languages to include Mandarin, Cantonese, and Russian which will be added over the next two years. Our history department has added the following electives for students to choose from: Latin American Studies 1 and 2, African Civilizations 1 and 2, and Asian Dynasties 1 and 2; with “1” classes being offered only in the fall and “2” only being offered in the Spring, exceeding New York State Requirements for outlined curriculum with an award of one half credit for each class. Our English department has partnered up with our History department and we are pleased to announce the compliment English courses to the above History courses for student students to choose. These classes are only offered during the “2nd” session and are only during the Spring as a semester long class being awarded a half credit.

The most innovative of our additions (and the one that I am most proud of) is the revitalization of our Home Economics department which has now become “the Cuisine and Culture Department: A mix of culinary expertise with a splash of concepts within each distinct culture. These classes are offered as a quarter elective and will explore not only recipes of the studies are, but will also explore family traditions and customs of the area studied. These classes are made available in the following sequence (recommendation is a 2 year sequence with strong consideration for those to enter into the Culinary field.) First year: Italian, Irish, Greek, and French Cuisine. Second year: African, Latin, Eastern European (Czech, Russian, and Polish Cuisine) and Asian Cuisine. A scholarship has been procured for a graduating senior in the amount of $2,500.00 as an entering freshman into a 2 year culinary institution. This program is with the assistance of the Culinary Institute of America (where their students become our student teachers.)

We must continue to grow and expand ourselves in every way we possibly can, these courses will allow us to give our students an opportunity to expand themselves as well. In addition, we are bringing back our Summer Exchange Program to the following countries: Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Hong Kong* and Africa*. We hope that all students with a grade point average of 85 or higher will make their application for a 6 week journey beyond our borders.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me office at your convenience. I hope everyone is as excited as I am about these new changes and truly hope that this is just the beginning of more things to come.