OJAI : Nordhoff High May Get Core Programs

Students at Nordhoff High School in Ojai may have a choice next fall of signing up for two-year core programs in either humanities or technology.

Up to 260 of Nordhoff’s 600 students in the 10th and 11th grades would participate in the programs, Principal Ron Barney said.

Trustees of the Ojai Unified School District approved the new concept this week, subject to review by faculty, students and parents.

Each core program would have 120 to 130 students who would meet for four of the seven periods each day with a team of four teachers.

Teachers would act as advisers rather than lecturers, and students would be required research individual projects. The humanities program would include English, art, science and Spanish, and the technology program would include English, math, science and a new technology class.

Eight teachers who initiated the program would form the two core teaching teams.

Students in each of the programs would also take two or three classes in the conventional curriculum to meet graduation requirements.

The program will cost about $250,000 for a new laboratory with state-of-the-art laser discs and other materials, Barney said.

Trustees pledged classroom space, but warned that expected state budget cuts will preclude additional money other than current allocations for salaries and materials.

Barney said he will seek grants and business partnerships for funding.

“The program isn’t for everyone,” Barney said. “We think it will appeal to the self-motivated, under-scheduled student.”