Every school year, there are a few new classes that get added to the Course of Study or a few that dissolve due to lack of interest. However, this year there is a significant addition to KO’s course offerings: the IMPACT Lab program.
The slate of new classes in the IMPACT program includes three classes for this school year. In the fall, “We the People” is taught by history teacher Steph Sperber. In the spring, “Eco Design and Construction” will be taught by Head of the Upper School Lisa Loeb and Director of Technical Theater Michael Bane. “Game Makers” is the third IMPACT course and will also be offered in the spring semester.
Another change to KO’s course offerings is with AP U.S. Government and Politics. In previous years, it was taught at KO as a year-long course, but it has now been condensed to just a semester. The change allows seniors looking to take the course to have more flexibility in their schedules and also allows students who are particularly interested in government to take AP Comparative Government and Politics in the fall and AP U.S. Gov. in the spring.
Director of Academic Planning Carolyn McKee shared that semester-long electives are typically more popular than year-long electives, as students aren’t locked into the same schedule for a year.
Before Mrs. Loeb arrived at KO last year, the school had put into place its strategy for the coming years to guide the direction of the school. The strategic plan contains many components surrounding the educational experience at KO, like providing real-world experiences and understanding how disciplines work together. When she arrived, Mrs. Loeb was tasked with creating a proposal that would help KO reach all these goals in the strategic plan, and that proposal became the IMPACT Lab.
Similar to the Middle School’s Skills Incubator program that emphasizes collaboration, communication, and creative problem-solving, the IMPACT lab also has specific goals. The four criteria for an IMPACT are that the classes must be: interdisciplinary, connected to the community, prioritize student choice and voice, and centered around understanding of an authentic question or problem.
Mrs. Loeb also shared the effect these classes can have on students. “It’s not necessarily just the content, although that’s important,” Mrs. Loeb explained. “It’s about creating an educational experience that allows students to see the impact they can have on the world.”
Ms. Sperber’s We The People class is leading the way as the first IMPACT class of the year, and the students are already tackling the core goals in unique ways. For example, leading up to this year’s presidential election, students taking the class will use Tuesday assemblies as an opportunity to educate KO. Students will choose different topics to present about to help the KO community prepare for and be educated about the upcoming election. These topics will cover the different candidates candidates, major issues, and how elections work.
Mrs. Loeb shared some of her aspirations for Eco Design and Construction’s first year as a class offering. “I want kids to walk out of that class every day, and say ‘Wow, I had no idea. I learned something new,’” Mrs. Loeb shared. “I have a new skill. I understand that problem better. I want to make a difference in the world. I can have an impact on the world.”
Currently, KO is in the process of exploring the possibilities of the direction the IMPACT Lab courses could take. One way to further incorporate IMPACT Lab courses into the education of KO students could be to make taking at least one IMPACT course a graduation requirement.
There’s the hope that more classes will be added to the program in the coming years. The next phase of the project is deciding what next year’s IMPACT courses will look like, including what classes might be added and who will be teaching those classes. Some possibilities for future IMPACT courses may focus on KO’s greenhouse or propaganda.
As we get back into the new school year, KO students are both taking advantage of the new learning opportunities provided to them with these new courses and excited to see the direction of new courses in the future.
