PEMBERVILLE — A forensic science class is just one of the new classes offered this fall to Eastwood High School students.
The school also has added fifth-year Spanish, an Integrated 4 math class, and Honors courses in social studies to the curriculum choices.
The forensic class is “our version of Eastwood ‘CSI,’” said Principal Jeff Hill.
Students will get hands-on experience in forensic science. Hill explained that students could study human biology and work with DNA, as well as analyze substances and chemical compounds left behind at “crime scenes.”
Already teacher Terry McKibben has taken his class to the school library to investigate the scene of a “dead” body — actually, just the tape outline of the body on the floor.
Hill said students will be observing the forensic side of autopsies and talking with criminal justice representatives and detectives during the year.
“The kids have really warmed up to it. The material that we’re using is something I think our kids are really excited about,” Hill said.

Twenty-five students have enrolled in the class, which is open to any student who has taken both chemistry and biology — making it at least a junior-level course.
Fifth-year Spanish has been added this year to accommodate seniors who took Spanish I in the eighth grade.
“These are kids who are considering a job with conversational Spanish, or (considering) teaching it,” Hill said.
The school continues to offer Spanish 1-4 as well as German 1-4.
First-year German is being offered to eighth-graders this year, so Hill expects a fifth-year German eventually will be added.
The new integrated math course helps the school come in line with graduation requirements set forth by the Ohio Core legislation passed in 2007 that increases the rigor of high school curriculums. Taught by Jack Corken, the class is for students not in the typical college-prep math track. There are 29 seniors in the class this year, Hill said.
Eastwood also added some Honors-level courses in social studies for freshmen and sophomores. While the Honors and regular classes will cover the same material, Honors students also will have other enhanced activities such as extra readings, in-depth projects and additional technology.
They will receive a weighted grade for the class.
Currently, freshmen also can taken Honors English and science.
“It gives our kids — even at the younger levels — who need to be challenged a little bit, more variety,” Hill explained.