By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Expanded recreation programs to develop more whole-family and adult activities could be in the future for Marion.

At Monday’s school board meeting, recreation director Jimmy Shipman said the recreation commission was pondering trips to observatories, nature hikes, and other programs to benefit entire families as well as adults.

“Family activities to get the entire family out together,” Shipman told school board members. “Once the weather evens out, we’ll start moving forward on it.”

The school has been advertising without success to attract a foreign language teacher.

As an alternative, high school principal Donald Raymer and counselor Max Venable have been discussing adding a communication career cluster. Students could take as many as six semesters of coursework.

At the introductory level, students would learn business essentials and computer applications.

At the technical level, they would learn about journalism, media technology, public relations, audio and video production, photo imaging, graphic design, and marketing.

At the application level, students would learn project management and resource scheduling, video production, and media design and production.

“If this one was filled instead of the language one, you are also adding a half a position to the high school and middle school,” Leiker said.

Board member Steven Janzen noted that the district eventually would need to purchase equipment.

School board president Nick Kraus asked where the program would be located. Raymer said it would be on the first floor of the Hill School.

Kraus said he wanted more information before the board made a decision.