WINONA, Minn. – The chair of the Winona School Board, Nancy Denzer, said that the Board’s decision to change graduation requirements liberates students who have no interest in schooling beyond high school. The current post-secondary thrust of the curriculum may be what some students want, but they shouldn’t be forced to take it just to graduate, Denzer said. About the new requirements, Denzer said: “Kids can navigate a little bit better at every level.” Students can take electives that really meet what they are interested in, she said. Board member Stephanie Smith also praised the new flexibility. She noted that that her son may be interested in a history class or that her daughter in art. “You’re learning about what you want to do in real life,” Smith said. “This is giving them that opportunity to do that their entire high school career.”
Denzer. Retired Rochester middle school principal.