With her first year as director of the district’s alternative and adult education director under her belt, Dowagiac Union Schools’ Kara Cox is looking to take the Pathfinders program to the next level.

Cox outlined some of the improvements she and her staff will be implementing for the 2017-2018 school year Monday evening, during the Dowagiac Union Schools Board of Education’s meeting at Dowagiac City Hall. Cox will be introducing several new courses into the Pathfinder’s curriculum next year, which will focus on in-classroom teaching instead of remote instruction.

The Pathfinders program, located nearby Dowagiac Union High School at 501 N. Paul St., provides students 16 years or older with the chance to earn their high school diploma in a more flexible learning environment than what is offered at Union High. In addition, the program offers an adult education program to people 18 or older who wish to obtain their GED.

Around 150 students are currently enrolled in the program, Cox told the board Monday.

Cox, a 25-year veteran with the district who took over as director of the program last summer, helped create a social studies class for the program last year that incorporated group instruction, something that was requested by several students, she said. This is a contrast to much of the programming offered through Pathfinders, in which students learn and do course work through the web-based Odyessyware software.

“It [the computer program] doesn’t provide them with the opportunity to communicate, or have discourse when they disagree with someone and how that should look, and creative thinking, conflict resolution and problem solving — the type of things that happen in a classroom setting that don’t necessarily happen while you are working in front a computer screen, at your own pace, while people are kind of leaving you alone,” Cox said.

In response to the added demand for in-classroom instruction, the program will introduce a group-based math program to the curriculum for this upcoming school year. Cox will also be teaching a music course where students will learn how to play the ukulele, which will help fulfill the visual and performing arts requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum program.

However, students will also be required to show up more often to classes. Students who are frequently absent or fail to communicate with the Pathfinders staff will lose their enrollment, and, in some cases, may have to wait a semester before they may rejoin.

“The idea that you can show up whenever you want and get your work done is a great idea, and is flexible for some kids, but it is also difficult if you enter the work place thinking that is what you get to do,” Cox said. “We are providing some opportunities for them to be accountable as well.”