by Veronica Hayward-Mildish
Next year several courses will be added to the 2018-2019 program of studies. These courses range from technology to art.
These new courses represent subjects that interest students.
“We try and listen to what courses the students want,” says Principal Brian Reagan.
The teachers choose the courses that they think will interest students. Teachers may get these ideas from what students say or what they feel will be a good selection for the students.
The new classes available for next year are as follows:
- Computer Science
- Public Speaking
- Songwriting and Music Technology
- Principles of Biomedical Science
- Adobe Illustrator
- AP Physics 1
- Mindfulness & Movement
- H. Adv. Portuguese for Heritage Speakers IV
Computer science is a Project Lead the Way-based class offered to eighth graders and freshmen. In this course students will study mobile apps, programming, and the basics of computer science. This is the first level for computer science courses offered, and it is worth two credits.
Public Speaking will be available to all grades next year. This will be a project-based class where students will learn how to become better public speakers. They will use visual aides to help strengthen presentations, and there will also be a focus on ways to lessen speaker anxiety. This class counts as an academic elective and is worth two credits.
“This course will teach students that with a little hard work and prep, anyone can speak in front of people,” says Drama teacher Kathleen McKenzie, “and that it really isn’t as scary as they may think.”
Another course for all grades is Songwriting and Music Technology. This course will study many music types and how they were composed using computers. Students will study songwriting and how music is formed. This class counts as an academic elective and is worth two credits.
The school wanted to add this course last year but could not because of the high price of the equipment needed for the course, such as computers and keyboards.
Students who are going to be freshman and sophomores can take another Project Lead the Way-related course called Principles of Biomedical Science. In this course students will study ways to determine health conditions, using biology and medicine. This course is an academic elective, and it is worth four credits.
If there is a high interest in this class, then more courses may be added in the future to further students’ studies in biomedical science.
Adobe Illustrator is an elective offered to students who are freshman or older. In this course students will study how to use Adobe Illustrator, and they will be able to create art using the program. This class counts as an academic elective and is worth two credits.
“For the Illustrator class next year,” says technology teacher Arianna Silva, “we’ll be examining how we can use Illustrator to digitize sketches, doodles, and drawings.”
AP Physics 1 is a new option that juniors can take. They will study both the basics of physics and go more in depth. This counts as a lab science, and to be eligible for this class students must have a grade B or higher in Honors Chemistry. They must also have a current enrollment in Honors Precalculus, Honors Calculus or AP Calculus. The course is worth four credits.
The course Mindfulness and Movement will be offered to juniors and seniors. This course will consist of exercise sessions that focus on flexibility, balance, and body alignment. Students will learn breathing and relaxation techniques for stress management. Students expressed an interest in this class through a survey that they took. This counts as an academic elective and is worth two credits.
An H. Adv. Portuguese for Heritage Speakers IV course will be added for those that are eligible. It will count as an Honors language course with four credits. This course will encourage language, not only within families of those that speak Portuguese, but in the Portuguese speaking community as well.
To find more information about these courses go to the HHS Program of Studies.