For the Class of 2016, graduating from Old Rochester Regional High School now means you have to more well-rounded with a balance of courses in academics and in the arts.

On Wednesday night the Old Rochester Regional School Committee approved a plan submitted by High School Principal Michael Devoll to incorporate more arts oriented courses in to the curriculum to encourage students to look beyond the basic academics such as Science and English for their education.

“We hear from college boards every year and every year they tell us that having well-rounded students is as important as students just taking academics,” Devoll said.

Devoll said that courses such as Music Technology, Photography, Philosophy and Ceramics would give the students a chance to broaden their education, as well as bettering their chances for college acceptance.

The new plan will incorporate 1 full-year and 2 half-years of Arts related courses into the school’s graduation requirements.

Changing the graduation requirements comes with the school’s desire to meet the standards of the Massachusetts High School Program of Studies, Devoll said.

The program, also known as MassCore, is a recommended course of study for high schools in the state, testing each school on the rigor of their course offerings.

After graduation every year, Old Rochester Regional is scored on how well the school has met with these requirements.

MassCore is a state recommended program for high schools, but Devoll said he is confident that by meeting the requirements of the program, the students will be well prepared for life post-high school.

In 2010, 62 percent of the graduating class met with the MassCore requirements.

Last year that figure fell to 60 percent of the senior class. Statewide, high schools generally score over 70 percent Devoll said.

In addition to more Arts courses, Old Rochester Regional will also increase the number of required years students must take of academics - 3 years of lab science, 4 years of mathematics and 2 years of foreign languages.

Currently, the school only requires that the graduating seniors have 2 years of lab science and 3 years of mathematics. Foreign languages - French, Spanish and Latin -  are optional courses offered to the students.

Elise Frangos, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the district, said the new graduation requirements will open more doors for the students by preparing them for a competitive world after high school.

“We want to get the students 21st century ready for what’s next which may be a great number of scholarships and opportunities for the kids,” Frangos said.

By incorporating more arts-related courses in with academics, Frangos said the students can have a better chance of being awarded scholarships should they choose to continue their education in college.

Devoll also said he would like to see the new graduation requirements limit the number of free or study periods for the students.

He said he hopes to have seven of the eight class blocks being time spent by the students in an arts or academic course.

Devoll added that the courses will be taught by the current Old Rochester teaching staff and will not require nay additional hires for the school.

The new graduating requirements will not take effect until 2016, after the current freshman through senior classes have graduated.