ORANGE : Latin to be Taught at Middle School Level
To give high school Latin students a head start, the Orange Unified School District this week unanimously approved teaching the language at the middle school level.
For the last year, Latin has been taught before regular classes begin at El Rancho Middle School. The program will now be expanded for students at all five of the district’s middle schools.
High school officials wanted first-year Latin taught to students earlier so they could be eligible to take advanced placement courses for college credit by their senior year, said Tom Schrodi, director of instructional services for the district. French and Spanish are already offered at the middle-school level.
Latin courses are popular with students and parents, Canyon Principal Jack Fox said, largely because of their application to modern languages like French and Spanish. Latin also “teaches good discipline,” he said.
“The parents really went for it,” Fox said. “I think also, for kids who are taking SATs, the Latin really helps.”
After pre-registration for the middle school courses, the district will evaluate whether or not additional teachers are needed.
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