SHAWANO, WI – The Shawano School District is moving forward with a $65,000 investment in updated Spanish and French textbooks, but not without raising questions about how students will access those materials.
At a recent school board meeting, district officials approved the purchase from Vista Higher Learning after learning that their current publisher would no longer support the existing curriculum. The new resources aim to modernize language instruction for middle and high school students.
However, concerns were raised about the district’s plan to rely primarily on digital materials. Under the approved model, each classroom will receive only one physical textbook, with students expected to access content electronically.
“I can’t read a manual off a laptop. I never have,” said board member John Arens during the meeting. “I have printed copies, and I can get through them faster than my colleagues can on a computer.”
Elisha Wagenson, the district’s Director of Instruction and Personalized Learning, presented the proposal and defended the digital-first approach. Drawing on her own experience as a third-grade teacher, Wagenson noted, “I taught all subjects and had just one teacher edition for each of those. It worked.”
Despite differing opinions, the board ultimately approved the purchase to ensure that students have access to updated language learning materials. The investment reflects a growing trend in education toward hybrid learning tools, even as some community members remain cautious about shifting away from printed textbooks.
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