District administration introduced five proposed new courses and modifications to 16 existing classes for the 2026-2027 school year for approval at the school board meeting on Nov. 10. Of the five new classes, three are Advanced Placement (AP), with AP Seminar and AP Research offered as English courses for the Integrated Global Studies School (IGSS), and AP Post-Colonial Literature. Additionally, the proposal includes Personal Training in the Kinetic Wellness department, and Teaching Internship 101 and 102 in the Applied Arts department.

In order to propose new courses, offerings must be thoroughly examined and approved by Curriculum and Instruction staff, and later by the Administrative Team and the Instructional Leadership Team, composed of people like post-high school counselors. The Board of Education will then vote on these courses to determine whether they will be offered next year.

These courses will then be voted on by the Board of Education, determining whether they will be offered in next school year or not.

“In determining which courses would be presented to the Board of Education, Melissa [Dudic] and I evaluated the degree to which each course meets student, departmental, institutional, and strategic needs, while also considering the overall impact on our curricular program,” Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Chimille Tillery stated in the New Course Proposal Report discussed at the meeting. “In light of the review, several courses were returned to departments for further development or were denied.”

In addition to the two new IGSS courses, the school looks to turn level 4 Post-Colonial Literature, which focuses on literature from non-Western authors and introduces students to postcolonial theory, into an AP English elective for seniors. 

In the New Course Proposal Form, current Post-Colonial Literature teacher Kiran Subhani explained that while the course is just as rigorous and preparative as the two AP English options, students have been reluctant to take the class as they feel pressured to take an AP course to make themselves more competitive for college admissions. 

“The AP designation expands access for seniors seeking rigorous, globally focused literature options and complements existing AP offerings—World Literature and Great Books—without duplicating content,” Subhani stated in the form. “It strengthens the senior curriculum by broadening literary perspectives and aligns with departmental equity goals and strategic priorities.”

Senior Post-Colonial Literature student Jordan Novack felt as though the class opened her perspective around American history and her understanding of events like the Vietnam War, which she formerly had a one-sided view of. She is excited at the prospect of more students taking the class under the AP designation due its unique curriculum and classroom experience.

“I feel like this class is really personal to everyone in it,” Novack said. “[Lots of students] do it because of something about their family and I think that’s so special. Our teacher starts the class off by giving her own family history and how they immigrated and experienced all these colonial situations.”

For Novack, the class has affected her way of thinking. The materials they learn challenge her understanding of the world around her, far beyond the classroom. Her experience in this class is what has driven her to want to study English and Psychology in college, with a focus on postcolonial literature. 

“It’s so special,” Novack said. “I truly mean it. I literally go home every day and tell my parents what I learned. I’ve never learned something like this before. It’s really emotional.”

In the KW Department, the addition of Personal Training would give junior and senior students the opportunity to “​​explore the science, strategy, and ethics of personal fitness through the lens of professional certification,” KW teacher Kate Kalnes explained in the New Course Proposal Form. This is different from Individual Wellness, which allows students to have a self-directed personal fitness program, but does not offer opportunities for certification.

This course would also help students earn personal training certification, helping students with their fitness, but also as they work to achieve their career goals and navigate life beyond New Trier High School. 

Of the 16 modifications to existing courses, six switch Dance at Dawn, Individual Wellness, Lifetime Activities, Outdoor Education, Strength and Conditioning, and Team Block to solely one-semester courses, instead of being yearlong. While students are still required to enroll in two semesters of KW, the one-semester classes give Trevians more flexibility when making their schedules, and also go along with administrative goals of offering more single-semester classes. 

Teaching Internship 101 and 102 is another one-semester course proposed by Family and Consumer Science teacher Jennifer McDonough. The class offers an opportunity for students interested in teaching to get hands-on experience as interns in elementary and junior high classrooms and also working with the Senior Instructional Leadership Corps (SILC) program on full-block days. On anchor days, students will meet in small groups to reflect on their experiences and plan for the weeks ahead.

“This pathway supports students interested in teaching but also strengthens collaboration across departments by encouraging students to experience other one-semester courses,” McDonough described in her course proposal. 

While this course will not run until the 2027-2028 school year, it will appear in the Program of Studies so students can plan their schedules accordingly if the class runs.

Of the 10 remaining course changes, five look to change current course names, looking to rename Geometry, Design, and Construction, Strength and Conditioning(S), and Chamber Orchestra; the Applied Arts and Kinetic Wellness Departments look to change both the course names and durations of Introduction to Computer Coding and Introduction to Design Technology and Yoga and the Art of Self-Defense 1/Yoga and the Art of Self Defense 2, respectively. There are also two more courses planning to be changed from yearlong to one semester: Introduction to Fashion Design at Northfield and Makerspace Industrial Design. Additionally, the Social Studies Department proposed a level change from level 2 Civics to level 9. The final modification includes offering Strength and Conditioning to sophomores as opposed to just juniors and seniors.

“The current proposals align New Trier’s strategic plan, especially in the area of experiential learning, access to rich and rigorous course work, and expansion of semester elective options,” Tillery wrote.