Curriculum Guide

Business & Technology
Auto Mechanics Instructor: Mr. Fredrick Rush Period: 7 We recognize the interest many students might have in cars and other mechanical devices. We therefore offer an auto shop class, in which students learn to service, repair, and modify cars, motorcycles, and other common road vehicles. Computer Maintenance & Repair Instructor: Mrs. Thelma Stout Period: 3 Tthis course will provide you with a strong foundation of how a computer works. Topics covered include hardware, software, networking, and troubleshooting. Computer Publications Instructor: Ms. Francis Fry Period: 3 This course is a hands-on computer course where students will produce professional quality business and marketing documents. Some example documents might include: business cards, business stationery, brochures, advertisements, newsletters, flyers, order forms, calendars, and much more. Exploring Business Instructor: Ms. Francis Fry Period: 7 Explore possible careers in the world of business and marketing. Several topics will be covered including an introduction to accounting, law, banking and finance, human resources, business ethics, insurance, international business, management, and marketing. Webpage Design Instructor: Mrs. Thelma Stout Period: 7 Students will be able to acquire the skills necessary to perform advanced level techniques in Web Page development as it relates to business and industry.
Creative Arts
Art History Instructor: Mrs. Julia Farmer Period: 3 This course offers an overview of mankind’s achievements in the visual arts from pre-history to the first centuries A.D. Students explore the image-making, monumental sculpture, and architecture of these eras and learn something of the magic, religion, and politics behind them. Our studies range across space as well as time to include the art of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China, and the Middle East. Ceramics Instructor: Mrs. Julia Farmer Period: 7 Students will be introduced to the techniques of hand-building, wheel work, glazing, underglazing, and a variety of other finishing and sculptural methods. Media Arts Instructor: Ms. Dottie Love Period: 3 Students will be involved in multimedia productions. Computer animation, audio and video will be used in creating and editing the various works. Photography Instructor: Ms. Dottie Love Period: 7 Open the darkroom door for an inside look at the techniques of black and white photography in this introductory course. Investigate the camera’s mechanics, the characteristics of film, exposure time, depth of field considerations, chemical processing, and photo ethics. Darkroom work is supplemented by weekly assignments, class discussions, and critiques. Mixed Media Instructor: Mr. Donny Barlow Period: 7 Students explore the concepts of works on paper using pastels, craypas, watercolor, paints, and other media. Students are encouraged to work with non-traditional art media, creating both two-dimensional and three-dimensional works. Traditional Art Instructor: Mr. Donny Barlow Period: 3 Students study techniques of drawing and painting, and create works mimicking various styles. Students study figure drawing, still life, and more. Woodshop Instructor: Mr. Fredrick Rush Period: 3 In this course students learn the art of woodworking. Topics include cutting, sanding, lathing, and shaping, as well as carving and whittling. At the end of the semester, each student will have several small projects to take home as well as a simple piece of furniture, designed and built from scratch.
Consumer Education
Home Economics Instructor: Ms. Valerie Elliot Period: 3 Students learn to prepare meals, keep organized at home, create articles of clothing, and repair damaged articles. The course also covers basic nutrition. This semester-long course is an excellent introduction to all of the Family and Consumer Science careers. Life Skills Instructor: Ms. Valerie Elliot Period: 7 Students taking “Life Skills Training” will gain teaching experience through planning, developing and implementing basic life skills lessons with the EEN students. Students will also learn about various human services professions such as: teaching, physical and occupational therapy, child care assistant, psychologist, group home worker, social work, nursing and other related careers.
English
American Literature Instructor: Mr. Zachery Pearce Period: 2 Students are introduced to the rich and varied multicultural heritage of American literature through a balance of contemporary and traditional readings. Students write frequently and study a variety of essays and other non-fiction forms. This is a full year, required course for juniors. British & World Literature Instructor: Mr. Mike Black Period: 2 This course uses the study of select English and World literature and their authors as a base to continue to enhance the student’s vocabulary, writing skills, formally and creatively, and critical thinking. This is a full year, required course for seniors. Creative Writing Instructor: Mrs. Tamera Giles Period: 3 Students are given a chance to freely explore their writing talents through presentation and critique. Reading each other's and existing literature exposes students exposed to new ideas. Each year, our Creative Writing students put together a literary magazine showcasing their best poems, plays, articles, and short stories. Literary Analysis & Comp I Instructor: Mrs. Tamera Giles Period: 5 Students are encouraged to develop their communication skills through the study of the English language, speech, composition, literature, and reading. Additional major units of study include grammar, usage, sentence patterns, paragraph development, and dramatic form. This is a full year, required course for freshmen. Literary Analysis & Comp II Instructor: Mr. Zachery Pearce Period: 1 Students will study mythology of cultures other than the Greeks, Julius Caesar or another Shakespearean play, and a variety of additional literature selections; while continuing to develop multi-paragraph writing skills, including sentence structure, paragraph development, grammar, and usage skills. This is a full year, required course for sophomores. Journalism Instructor: Mrs. Tamera Giles Period: 7 Students who take this course will learn the elements of newspaper style. They will learn how to gather news and conduct interviews while they prepare articles for the school newspaper. All students will have the chance to tackle a range of assignments from hard news to feature stories, sports assignments to editorials. Public Speaking Instructor: Mr. Mike Black Period: 3 This course is designed to give students an opportunity to express themselves in a variety of speaking situations and to help them feel at ease with oral communications.
Foreign Languages
Foreign Language I French Instructor: Mr. Willis Spence German Instructor: Ms. Amelia Fritz Spanish Instructor: Mrs. Margot Saunders Period: 4 This course emphasizes fundamental grammar, high-frequency vocabulary and pronunciation applied actively in speaking, reading, writing, and listening comprehension. Foreign Language II French Instructor: Mr. Willis Spence German Instructor: Ms. Amelia Fritz Spanish Instructor: Mrs. Margot Saunders Period: 2 This course is a continuation of first-year work with emphasis on further development of basic language skills. Speaking and listening skills continue to be primary objectives, but reading and writing are also stressed. Students will continue to expand their understanding of culture of the country of origin. Foreign Language III French Instructor: Mr. Willis Spence German Instructor: Ms. Amelia Fritz Spanish Instructor: Mrs. Margot Saunders Period: 6 In this course students continue the development of speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing skills. The class is conducted primarily in the language. Emphasis is on advanced language structure and vocabulary development. Students will continue to expand their understanding culture of the country of origin. Foreign Language IV (Par 1 & 2) French Instructor: Mr. Willis Spence German Instructor: Ms. Amelia Fritz Spanish Instructor: Mrs. Margot Saunders Period: 5 This course is conducted primarily in the language and will stress reading, conversation, composition, vocabulary building, and a review of grammar. Emphasis will be placed upon history, cuisine, and art of the country of origin. This class is broken down into 2 parts, one taken During the Junior and one during the Senior years.
Mathematics
Algebra 1 Instructor: Mrs. Lenore Perkins Period: 4 This course provides the foundation for the study of higher levels of mathematics. Emphasis is placed on algebraic symbols and properties, mathematical expressions and statements, functions and graphs, and real world applications. This is a full year, required course for sophomores. Algebra 2 Instructor: Mrs. Lenore Perkins Period: 6 A fundamental course for students interested in postsecondary education. Key elements include mathematical modeling, solving equations, graphing, solving problems, and simplifying and transforming algebraic expressions. This is a full year, required course for seniors. Geometry Instructor: Mr. Jermaine Cleveland Period: 1 This course is the exploration and investigation of various geometric shapes and their properties. Students use geometric models to solve real-world problems. An emphasis is placed on presenting convincing arguments by a variety of logical means. This is a full year, required course for juniors. Pre-Algebra Instructor: Mr. Jermaine Cleveland Period: 6 The course contains units of study on operations, open sentences, solving equations and inequalities, directed numbers, polynomials, statistics, and applied mathematics. This is a full year, required course for freshmen.
Music
Band Instructor: Mr. Kent Mathis Period: 7 Students interested in playing a musical instrument can join the band. They have quarterly concerts in the school auditorium. Members are required to perform at all concerts, and are encouraged to participate in the solo-ensemble program. Students may audition to be part of the full orchestra. Notes: Can be taken multiple times for credit. Choir Instructor: Mr. Kent Mathis Period: 3 The structure of the core choir will be determined by the number of students electing chorus and the balance between men and women. The instructors assign students to the various core choruses once they have auditioned for placement. Notes: Can be taken multiple times for credit. Music History Instructor: Mr. Dalton Walsh Period: 7 Students will study the music of major composers from all style periods from Renaissance to Contemporary. Compositional styles, instrumentation and social/cultural trends will be explored. Orchestra Instructor: Mrs. Marianna Hays Period: 7 Students interested in playing a musical instrument can join the orchestra. They have quarterly concerts in the school auditorium. Members are required to perform at all concerts, and are encouraged to participate in the solo-ensemble program. Notes: Can be taken multiple times for credit. Perspectives in Music Instructor: Mrs. Marianna Hays Period: 3 Perspectives in Music offers the opportunity to sharpen music listening skills using time tested musical examples, along with making music on beautiful sounding English handbells. This one semester nonperformance music course is open to all grades. No prior music training is needed, nor is public performance required.
Physical Education
Adventure Education Instructor: Mr. Kent Mathis Period: 3 Students enrolled in this course will progress through an experiential-based program that emphasizes interpersonal relationships and individual growth. This course encourages students to develop greater self-confidence and, at the same time, acquire a sense of trust and commitment in their classmates. Outdoor education is designed to expose students to a variety of outdoor skills. Outdoor pursuit activities may include: camping, backpacking, survival skills, hiking, fishing, orienteering, sailing, canoeing, and kayaking. Health Instructor: Coach Claudia French Period: 7 This course will cover the required areas of health with the emphasis on applying knowledge and values that affect health related behaviors. Topics covered will be personal health, nutrition, mental and emotional health, prevention and control of disease, substance use and abuse, community and environmental health, accident prevention and safety, consumer health and family life education. Physical Education Instructor: Coach Claudia French (4); Mr. Kent Mathis (5/8) Period: 4, 5, and 8 This course will emphasize the development of health related fitness skills. Students will be taught to design a personal fitness program. They will experience challenge by choice and team building skills through adventure education. They will develop aquatic skills, and acquire dance movements. This semester long course is required by all sophomore, junior, and senior students. Swimming & First Aid Instructor: Coach Claudia French Period: 8 Swimming - Teaches basic swimming skills and awareness of safety in, on, and around the water. Community Water Safety - Provides general water safety information to help prevent water accidents. Teaches how to help self and others in water emergencies. First Aid/AED Awareness - Students will be trained to recognize and react to life-threatening emergencies. This course will enable students to possible be certified by the American Red Cross in First Aid. This semester long course is required by all freshman students. Weight Training and Conditioning Instructor: Mr. Kent Mathis Period: 7 This course provides students with a basic understanding of weight training and how it applies to a healthy active lifestyle. Students will be taught to design a personal fitness program incorporating cardiovascular training and resistance training.
Science
Astronomy Instructor: Dr. Esther Galvan Period: 3 In astronomy, students will study characteristics and life cycles of stars, formation of the solar system, comparison of planets, orientation and placement of the Earth in the Milky Way galaxy, formation of galaxies, and theories about the formation of the universe. This is a lab-based physical science course. Successful completion of algebra is strongly recommended. Biology Instructor: Dr. Esther Galvan Period: 8 This course discusses the natural world. Topics include animal and plant biology, ecosystems, pollution, and reproductive cycles. This is a full year, required course for junior students. Chemistry Instructor: Dr. Albert Hampton Period: 4 In this class, students work hands-on with various chemicals in a monitored laboratory. Chemical and physical reactions are studied, and the interaction of substances is explored. This is a full year, required course for senior students. Earth Science Instructor: Dr. Esther Galvan Period: 6 This course teaches students how the universe works. In the first of three units, covering the first semester, students study the elements, rocks and minerals, and the fossil record, as well as spirit geography (ley lines, world power centers, and so on); the second unit (the first half of the second semester) covers meteorology, helping students understand how weather is predicted and how to read weather maps. The third and final unit is an overview of astronomy, and covers such topics as the sun, the moon, our solar system, and forces in the galaxy. This is a full year, required course for sophomore students. Oceanography Instructor: Dr. Esther Galvan Period: 7 The fundamental principles of ocean science studied in this course will include plate tectonics and the ocean floor, ocean circulation, wave and water dynamics, ocean tides, coastal and deep water processes and marine life and marine environment. Physical Science Instructor: Dr. Albert Hampton Period: 1 A laboratory-centered course, introduces students to basic chemistry and physics. The chemistry topics include matter, atomic structure, chemical reactions and equations, acids and bases, organic chemistry. The physics topics include measurement, scientific method, heat, mechanics, motion, light, sound, and electricity. This is a full year, required course for freshman students. Physics Instructor: Dr. Albert Hampton Period: 7 In this course, students study the forces at work in the universe. Laws written by Newton, Einstein, and others are covered in detail, and students work in weekly lab experiments to understand first-hand the forces of physics.
Social Sciences
Geography & World Cultures Instructor: Mr. Ignacio Sosa Period: 5 This course is provided to students who are interested in broadening their knowledge of the world’s geographic composition. World regions are studied in terms of their physical and political make up, populations patterns, ethnic cultures and history. This is a full year, required course for juniors. Modern World Studies Instructor: Mr. Ignacio Sosa Period: 8 This course investigates various cultures, philosophies, economic systems, political theories and institutions that have shaped the 20th and 21st Centuries. Current events will be integrated into this course. This is a full year, required course for sophomores. Psychology Instructor: Mrs. Joann Calderon Period: 7 Psychology is the social science that studies the mind through the behavior of individuals. The purpose of this course is to give the student the basic understanding of his or her behavior and how that behavior relates to others. Political Science Instructor: Mr. Dalton Walsh Period: 3 Political Science will allow students to investigate and explore the workings of our democratic society including the structure of government, the electoral process and personal economics. Students also will analyze historical documents, examine the influence of media, economics and group process in a democratic society, interpret current events, explore the value of diversity in U.S. society and explore individual rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. United States History Instructor: Mrs. Joann Calderon Period: 1 A study of democracy and its origins is necessary for an adequate understanding of the responsibilities of the American adult. Past events are used to assist them in arriving at conclusions regarding contemporary issues. This is a full year, required course for seniors. World History Instructor: Mr. Dalton Walsh Period: 2 Global studies will focus on the people of the various continents as well as the history and culture of these areas, combining a measure of historical, religious, geographic, political, economic, and cultural analysis of one or more countries in a particular region. This is a full year, required course for freshman students.