Unique, New Southington HS Class To Have An Outdoor Feel

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Once upon a time, high school students with a love of the outdoors would often skip school to go fishing.

Now, following the Southington Board of Education's unanimous 8-0 vote earlier this month, they will soon be able to go to school and study fishing, getting credit for it in the process.

But the recently approved new course called "Outdoor Recreation" is much more than what the title of the name implies, something board members discussed when mulling the new course over the past two months.

The class, proposed out of Southington High's agricultural science department, will look into all aspects of the outdoors, namely "the connection between activities and natural resource management in the United States."

According to the class proposal submitted to the school board, students will examine the environmental impacts and "ethical considerations" associated with activities like hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, boating, and off-road recreation.

The class is expected to have hands-on activities and field experiences associated with it, along with guest speakers who are experts in their fields.

"Students will learn about conservation principles, land and water stewardship, wildlife management, and sustainability practices," reads the course language.

The new course is for high school juniors and seniors, especially those taking the "natural resources pathway" to graduation.

With no discussion, school board members easily approved the new course at the April 10 meeting, voting 8-0.

During the March 20 school board meeting, board members discussed the class as part of the first reading of the course.

Southington Board of Education member Terri Carmody said folks should read the course outlines and curriculum regarding the classes.

"I would like to say, if you get a chance. Read these curricula. They are so wonderful," Carmody said about many of the new course offerings, including the outdoor rec class. "What the teachers do ... it's just dynamite stuff."

Board members discussed the class and other new classes in the context of the high school offering courses different from, say, traditional classes people associate with high school.

As an example, board members brought up the recent creation of a video game design class as falling within that category.

School board member David Derynoski March 20 had some questions about whether the class is just about teaching kids to fish and hike, which board members said it was not.

Southington Board of Education Chairperson Colleen Clark said the course was an in-depth class about much, much more, namely, environmental conservation and land management.

"It's not about glamping. It's not about glamping, which is about as close as I get to nature," Clark said about the "glamorous camping" trend in which people camp in luxury.

Said school board member Zaya Oshana, "Don't just read the title. Read the curriculum."

For the minutes of the March 20 Southington Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For the minutes of the April 10 Southington Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For the full proposal about Southington High's new "Outdoor Recreation" Class, click on this link.

From March 10: 'Southington HS To Offer AI, Video Game Design Classes'