New Southington HS Classes Pitched In AI And Video-Game Design

SOUTHINGTON, CT — If all goes as Southington High School educators plan, two new courses with high-tech and modern applications could be available next school year.

The Southington Board of Education last week conducted the first readings regarding a new high school course on artificial intelligence and another new SHS course on video game design.

School board members Jan. 23 listened to a report from board member Jasper Williams of the school board's curriculum and instruction committee on both new courses.

According to Williams, the AI course would be an elective for students in grades 10-12 and would involve teaching "programming concepts that enable the use of artificial intelligence in computer science and society at large."

Meanwhile, the video game course would also be for students in the 10th and 12th grades.

That elective would help students "develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills" needed to program and create video games.

Neither of the new courses would require hiring more staff in the math department, Williams said, with no additional costs as well.

No action was taken on Jan. 23 on the courses, as they were first reads.

Southington Board of Education Chairman Colleen Clark lamented that such courses were not available to her video-game-loving sons.

"I think both my sons would have taken that," she said last week.

School board member Robert Brown praised the subcommittee for their work developing these new courses.

"I love this committee," Brown said. "The relevance of what these people bring to us, the usefulness with the connection to everyday life is amazing."

Williams said such courses would better prepare students for both college-level study and careers in these fields.

"It kind of shows sort of the evolution," Williams said. "We look at what's new, what's important technology. For students, we talk about being career-ready, ready to enter either schools or into the workforce and these are the types of course offerings that I'm proud to see."

The new courses are now being reviewed by board members with second readings slated at future board of education meetings.

A final school board vote will ultimately determe the fate of the courses.

Williams said the curriculum committee could soon have another new course proposed, one dealing with cybersecurity.

For the minutes of the Jan. 23 Southington Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For more information on the AI and video game course proposals, click on this link and scroll down to Page 210.