Oswego School District 308 plans to expand high school technology offerings next year by creating a comprehensive pre-engineering program.
The District 308 Board on Monday approved a five-year partnership with Project Lead the Way, a Clifton Park, N.Y.-based non-profit group that promotes engineering and technology courses in middle and high schools.
Already under way at more than 1,000 schools nationwide, the PLTW program is designed to raise interest in engineering as a career choice. It features pre-engineering courses and hands-on applications.
The program, based at Oswego East High School, would be open to as many as 50 students from both District 308 high schools.
It would be the first PLTW program in the western suburbs. Chicago’s Kenwood Academy and south suburban Thornton, Thornridge and Thornwood High Schools implemented the program this school year.
Total costs for PLTW courses could be between $74,000 and $125,000 for the program’s first three years, with up to $60,000 offset through a grant from the Waukesha, Wis.-based Kern Family Foundation.
Also Monday, the board bid farewell to three veteran members and welcomed two newly elected members.
Departing members Elizabeth Summers and Lee Hoffer chose not to seek re-election, while board President Joe Guinane lost his bid for another term.
They were replaced by Andrew Wood, Andrew M. Young and Lynn M. Cullick. The new board named veteran member Dave Behrens as president, John Graff as vice president and retained Joe Kluessendorf as secretary.
