Santa Monica High School Adds Integrated Engineering-English Course

SANTA MONICA, CA — District authorities on Thursday approved a new interdisciplinary English class at Santa Monica High School.

The course, English 12 for Engineering, will enroll seniors beginning in the 2022-2023 school year that to satisfy students' English requirement.

The class is part of the school's new Exploration Building, which will include four different "career academies" including: engineering and computer science; health and wellness; law, government and public policy; and media arts, according to Gail Pinsker, Community and Public Relations Officer, and Devon Smith, Coordinator of Learning and Innovation.

The "career academies" are built around project-based curricula that incorporate multiple different skills like leadership, public speaking and English language arts. The courses will specifically prepare students for their chosen professional industries.

The year-long engineering course will conclude with a writing portfolio and self-assessment, according to a staff report prepared for Thursday's board meeting.

These courses are meant to foster the "critical reading and thinking, research, and writing needed to be successful in college and, ultimately, in the career place," according to a staff report prepared for Thursday's Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board of education meeting.