The new Government curriculum is “in the final stage of adoption right now,” one of Dimond High School’s Government teachers, Missy Nurmi, said.

The committee is doing a final revision of the new curriculum and then “it goes in front of the board in about three weeks, I think. Same with the books,” Nurmi said.

Senior Lilly Bee took the required Government class last semester. She said, “I think some of [the curriculum] could be changed, like the books that are assigned. Other than that, it seems fine. I think it could be a little more challenging, I think.”

Breanna Jingco, a senior, also took Government last semester. She said, “I did like the Government class. I learned a lot and I think it was really educational.”

Nurmi said there weren’t really any major changes to the curriculum.

“As a matter of fact, it is kind of the same stuff we have been working on for about six years.”

The Anchorage School District is adopting a new curriculum because it should be “updated every once in a while. Just really for the new ideas in education, the method of teaching things, it also is kind of adapted for Common Core stuff, and we are getting a new book,” she said.

Nurmi does not yet know what book is going to be used with the new curriculum.

“I don’t know which one. We had three to choose from, so I don’t know which one is going to be chosen. I wanted the TCI Interactive Edition, which is an online textbook.”

Nurmi did not get to make any decisions about the curriculum.

“It was all input about what should be in the curriculum and so I was involved in the original committee and then I was just input here at the end.”

One of the decisions that will be made is whether students will be allowed to use their own devices for the textbook, classwork and homework.

Nurmi said if we have online textbooks, students can use their phones and even submit their assignments online at that webpage.

“So having your own device would be absolutely beneficial,” she said.

Bee thinks it is “very useful” to be able to have a textbook on your own phone.

“But then again, some people don’t have that benefit sometimes. Personally, I do like books because it is like there and you can flip back and forth. It is more real, I guess you would say,” Bee said.

Jingco likes the idea of actually having a textbook in front of her. “I think it is important to try and get away from technology in school, but if it comes to the point where it has to be on a device, then I guess it is okay.”

Nurmi does not yet know whether that function will be available. “It is still up in the air. It is whether or not that was the selected text. I don’t know if it will be. The final selection comes from the board.”