New Classes Coming to Darien High Next Year

If you're a student at Darien High School, get ready for some exciting new courses in the 2025-2026 school year! The Board of Education has given the green light to three new classes: astronomy, American Sign Language 3, and cybersecurity. Science Coordinator Christian Dockum shared that the astronomy class will be open to 11th and 12th graders. It's a STEM elective that will explore the universe and our place in it. The great news is that some existing science equipment can be reused, so there's no immediate need for a new telescope. The class might even include night sky observations or a fun field trip to the planetarium at New Canaan High School! World Languages Coordinator Scott Webster added that American Sign Language 3 follows the current ASL program and will be offered as a 300-level credit for 11th and 12th graders. The course is popular among students and won't affect staff numbers. Plus, there's a plan to propose ASL 4 next year, allowing students to complete a full four-year sequence. Lastly, a half-year cybersecurity course will replace the outdated computer animation class. It's a 300-level STEM elective for 10th to 12th graders. The course will teach students about protecting against cyber threats and complement the half-year computer science class.