MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro High School Principal Paul Branagan proposed changes to the school’s curriculum for the 2024-25 school year at the Middleboro School Committee’s meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4.

Branagan said the changes are meant to improve personalized success for all students and help students engage in collaborative, data-informed problem solving.

According to Branagan, history and social studies classes will be realigned the most. Incoming ninth-grade students will no longer be taking World History. Instead they will take United States History classes until they reach 11th grade, when they will study World History. The change will only affect incoming ninth-graders.

In the field of mathematics, the elective class “History of Mathematics” was removed due to trouble filling the class, and another elective, “The Numbers Game,” will no longer be offered to freshmen.

“Anatomy and Physiology” will no longer be offered to 11th and 12th grade students. “You’re probably thinking why would you get rid of such an important course,” said Branagan. “We have a course that almost has the same exact scope and sequence in curriculum, and that is “Human Body Systems.”

“Computer Program and Design” has also been removed from the curriculum. Branagan said that the faculty has found that students entering the high school level are skilled enough to the point that the class has become “antiquated.”

“There’s really no need to be teaching a course that students are coming in already advanced in,” said Branagan.

The school’s Physics program has added an honors level course for 11th and 12th grade students. There will now be three levels of Physics classes offered: college-preparatory, honors and Advanced Placement.

A course titled “Comparative Zoology” has been added to the curriculum and will be offered to upperclassmen next year. “We’re finding that we have a significant number of students that are interested in the study of animals,” said Branagan.

The former Physical Education class mandated for all freshmen, “Fit for Life” has been “revamped” into a new course called “The Freshman Experience,” which is meant to help teach students study skills, organizational skills and leadership skills, according to Branagan.

A manufacturing class has also been added to the curriculum, titled “Introduction to Innovation Manufacturing.”

The Middleboro School Committee unanimously voted to approve Branagan’s proposed changes to the school’s curriculum.

The scheduling portal for students to start enrolling in classes for the 2024-2025 school year will open on Feb. 5.