By Oliver Gable
Contributing Writer
The Mira Costa High School administration is considering implementing a new online health class as a substitute to the semester long class currently offered.
The course may be available to students of all grades for the 2013-14 school year. However, many specifics have not yet been released.
“The requirements will be the same as the current class,” health teacher James Beaumont said. “It will be a semester class, offered to free up room in your schedule to take another class or elective.”
Mira Costa has been looking into an online health option since 2010, but the idea has come closer to being a reality in recent years. Dale believes the additional online health class will add to Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s goal of “21st Century Learning”.
“Blended models are the future of secondary education,” Dale said. “This is only going to help technology take off more than it already has within MBUSD.”
Beaumont believes that implementing an online health course may lead to negative consequences.
“I fear this could be a step towards eliminating the program as a whole,” Beaumont said. “The first things that get cut in schools are the health and physical education departments.”
Students interested in the new course believe taking the class at home will be more effective than the previous summer or semester class.
“I feel the online course would be a very beneficial option,” sophomore Skylar Caputo said. “I have a very busy schedule which doesn’t allow me to take a zero period. The online option would allow me to take the class in my free time and on my own time.”
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