Beginning next school year students will be able to learn about modern and contemporary works of modern literature and media, and practice producing technical and professional writing content.

“This is quite an undertaking to write brand new classes that are of this nature,” Superintendent Jay Curtis said. 

Powell High School English teachers JoEllen Varian and Logan Burns spoke to the school board Tuesday to propose the two classes which were approved unanimously. 

Varian’s modern media class was created based on student input.

“They want more contemporary literature choices … that the English department doesn’t always have time to cover exclusively,” Varian said.

The class would look at literature from the past 30 years and study storytelling techniques in film, podcasts and other modern formats. It would also cover reading and writing skills that apply to career readiness.

“(The technical and professional writing course is) focused a bit more on workforce development rather than analytical writing,” Burns said.

It will “dovetail” off the resume writing in the modern media class and teach skills that include writing product pitches, copywriting and social media writing. He noted that all of these skills could help small businesses.

“I think these are going to benefit our students,” Powell High School Principal Tim Wormald said. “We added some PE classes last year, and it's been a great success and I see these courses doing the same thing and meeting students' needs and giving them some more options there.”