Thompson schools weigh modern band and advanced psychology courses

The Thompson School District Board of Education on Nov. 4 considered two new high school courses for 2027-2028, Introduction to Modern Band and Psychology in Everyday Life, with a proposed $15 fee for the band course that the board would need to approve.

Staff said the proposed Introduction to Modern Band course would serve students in grades 9 through 12 and count for a 0.5 fine art elective credit. The $15 fee would pay for music and other supplies not already available at the school, staff said, and would not cover instrument rental. Staff said the course would include opportunities to explore orchestra, guitar, piano and other music components.

Mountain View High School is fed by three K-8 schools whose students do not have the same sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade band progression available at other district middle schools, staff said.

Mountain View has the greatest current need for the course, staff said, but it would be available to all high schools if approved. Staff said it would give students without prior experience in orchestra, choir or band a way to begin studying music, including students who transfer into the district.

A board member said Mountain View has students with years of orchestra or band experience as well as students who did not have those opportunities in district programs, and described the course as a way to address that inequity. "Really about equity," the member said.

The member said the fee was more affordable than other music options and supported changing the repertoire to keep up with the music teenagers listen to. The member said one school's programming had primarily been modern rock and argued that playing music students choose can help engage them in learning instruments.

Another board member said Introduction to Modern Band would offer recording, sound mixing and other technical training in addition to playing music. "It's not just kids jamming to rock songs or whatever," the member said. The member supported the course as a fun outlet that could give students different opportunities and help them feel more engaged with school.

A third board member said music helps the brain with reading and math and suggested that music exposure could help ninth-graders with their other academics.

Staff said several district high schools already offer Psychology 1 and Psychology 2, and that Psychology in Everyday Life would provide a higher-level step in that sequence. Staff said the class would likely be senior-level and would count for a 0.5 social studies credit. Students had requested a higher-level psychology course, staff said, and the district wanted to keep students interested in psychology in its own schools rather than have them seek other opportunities.

Staff said a teacher had reached out to CU Succeed about pairing the course with Psych 2060 as a concurrent-enrollment opportunity. Staff said concurrent enrollment would depend on whether the teacher in front of the class had been approved through a university or partner. A board member said the requirements for the course would be "pretty challenging" and that it could let students earn college credit within the district rather than go elsewhere.

Director Denise Chapman asked how the proposed courses would produce measurable academic outcomes and connect with other courses. She asked staff to "explain to me how each one of these would lead to more measurable academic outcomes," and said the district should provide opportunities in electives and the arts.

Under policy IG, the board reviews and approves course proposals for the upcoming school year and can approve or deny any new course proposed for 2027-2028. Staff said both proposed courses had been approved by teacher leaders, principal groups and the instructional leadership team.

The district brought these two new courses to the board for consideration. Staff said the only other course proposals submitted this year were for courses the district had already approved.