Are You Interested in Learning a New Skill?
Our elective course offerings supplement students' core academic and technical studies. When selecting your courses each year, one elective course is required, which counts toward the total number of credits needed to complete each year of study. Students can use electives to explore topics that interest them outside of the required curriculum or to prepare for specific career paths.
When choosing an elective, consider taking the appropriate coursework that aligns with your academic curriculum level and increasing the course difficulty level each year. This is your opportunity to focus on subjects that interest you while expanding your skills. Learning new things can also help you stand out when applying for a job and support post-graduate course requirements you might be considering.
Take a look around and see if you find something interesting.
GRADE 9
Writer’s Voice
This course will provide a vehicle for grade 9 students to learn to shape facts, theories, beliefs, and opinions into cogent, compelling communications. Students will investigate different styles and forms of writing that provide a range of models for approaching thinking, writing, and speaking. The course will integrate a review of writing conventions such as subject-verb agreement, use of transitions, run-ons vs. incomplete sentences, and proper punctuation. Students will apply these grammar conventions to writing assignments, including urban legends, poetry, journalism, and blogging. This course allows students to improve grammar standards while providing an outlet for their creative writing aspirations. Emphasis will be on learning to refine thinking and discovering one’s own voice through editing, rewriting, and publishing.
Literary Lab
(Enrollment in this course requires the recommendation of School Counseling.)
Literary Lab offers our freshmen a supplemental course that focuses on process. Emphasis is placed on strengthening comprehension and fluency. This course employs a variety of fiction and nonfiction reading materials, classroom experiences, individualized instruction, and the opportunity to review the writing fundamentals to improve written language skills.
Wilson Reading
(Enrollment in this course requires IEP team recommendations.)
The Wilson Reading Program directly and systematically teaches students to fluently and accurately decode. The instruction is very interactive and multi-sensory and teaches “total word construction,” not just phonics. Students learn to encode (spell) as they learn to decode. Students will learn word construction according to six types of syllables. Comprehension is strengthened using a variety of reading materials along with individualized instruction in the computer reading lab. Depending on the student’s needs, this program is delivered in several models: one-on-one, small group, and JUSTWORDS.
GRADE 10
Vision & Revision
This course is designed to help grade 10 students develop their writing voice utilizing description, narration, and exposition. Students will expand their writing styles through critical thinking and the logical development of ideas. The course includes short story writing, ancestry research for historical fiction writing, writing children’s books, blogging, and an introduction to film analysis, enabling students to write more thoughtfully and critically. Emphasis will be placed on the writing process to improve the student’s ability to communicate in writing.
Accelerated Algebra II
(Prerequisite: Completion of Honors or College Prep Algebra I with a grade of 90 or better.)
This accelerated supplemental course is designed for grade 10 students who showed above-average achievement in Honors Algebra I and would like to obtain the skills necessary to be prepared for Pre-Calculus in their junior year. This course emphasizes modeling as it expands upon the topics developed in Honors Algebra I. Students will study various functions with both a graphical and algebraic approach, including quadratic, polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, rational, and radical functions. This course also investigates essential concepts in data analysis and statistics. The use of the graphing calculator is emphasized throughout the instruction. Applications include problems relating to the students’ technical areas and everyday life.
Literary Strategies
(Enrollment in this course requires the recommendation of School Counseling)
Literary Strategies is offered to sophomores as a supplemental course that focuses on process. This course assesses and reinforces comprehension required to analyze literary and informational texts in preparation for MCAS. Additional emphasis is placed on organizing information via the writing process.
Wilson Reading
(Enrollment in this course requires IEP team recommendations.)
The Wilson Reading Program directly and systematically teaches students to fluently and accurately decode. The instruction is very interactive and multi-sensory and teaches “total word construction,” not just phonics. Students learn to encode (spell) as they learn to decode. Students will learn word construction according to six types of syllables. Comprehension is strengthened using a variety of reading materials along with individualized instruction in the computer reading lab. Depending on the student’s needs, this program is delivered in several models: one-on-one, small group, and JUSTWORDS.
GRADE 11
College Bound Writing
This class will introduce grade 11 students to the many elements of rhetoric and style typically taught in college freshman writing seminars. Topics will include rhetorical analysis, argument writing, critical analysis of media advertising, and speech and debate. This course will address aspects of college admission, such as preparation for the SAT I verbal and essay sections, expanding college-level vocabulary, researching and evaluating colleges of interest, and improving reflective entries and personal narratives within the student’s portfolio.
AP Psychology
Prerequisites: Students need to have a 90 average or above for science courses taken in previous grades to be eligible to take AP Psychology, as there are strong correlations to the course content, specifically Biology.)
This course is designed for highly motivated students who are proficient, prolific readers with strong writing abilities. Independent reading is expected in this class. AP Psychology is an advanced-level course designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. Students will explore the major subfields of psychology, including biological, cognitive, developmental, social, and clinical psychology. This course aligns with the curriculum of a college-level introductory psychology course and prepares students to take the College Board AP Psychology Exam. The course emphasizes active learning through discussions, projects, simulations, and case studies. Students will engage with primary and secondary source material, including psychological research and theoretical readings. Students will understand and apply psychological theories and concepts, analyze scientific research methods and ethical practices in psychology, develop critical thinking skills by evaluating psychological phenomena, and synthesize information across diverse psychological perspectives.
This course allows students to earn college credit, depending on their performance on the AP Psychology Exam and college acceptance policies. Students are encouraged to dedicate significant time to independent study and review.
Current Events
This course, offered to grade 11 students, investigates events in recent history and what is happening in the world today. With an increased awareness of current events comes a better understanding of world affairs and national and state government issues. The fundamental focus of this course is to prompt and encourage the habit of following current events with particular attention to the value of the internet, newspapers, news magazines, and broadcast media. Students will be able to discuss and present their views on global topics. Students should expect to become more responsible and knowledgeable consumers of news information and opinion.
Literary Workshop
(Enrollment in this course requires the recommendation of School Counseling.)
Literary Workshop is offered to juniors as a supplemental course focusing on process. This course builds upon the skills needed to analyze literary and informational texts. Additional emphasis is placed on organizing information through research projects to build background knowledge, strengthening overall comprehension.
Wilson Reading
(Enrollment in this course requires IEP team recommendations.)
The Wilson Reading Program directly and systematically teaches students to fluently and accurately decode. The instruction is very interactive and multi-sensory and teaches “total word construction,” not just phonics. Students learn to encode (spell) as they learn to decode. Students will learn word construction according to six types of syllables. Comprehension is strengthened using a variety of reading materials along with individualized instruction in the computer reading lab. Depending on the student’s needs, this program is delivered in several models: one-on-one, small group, and JUSTWORDS.
GRADE 12
Workplace Writing
This course is designed to help grade 12 students develop practical and informational writing skills for the workplace. These non-fictional topics include writing conventions in concise instructions, e-mail etiquette, online media, and refining college application essays. Additionally, the course will introduce students to various writing career paths, including advertising, marketing and branding, and critiquing (books, film, music, television, food, and art). This course is ideal for students bound for the workforce and beneficial for those pursuing post-high school educations.
AP Psychology
Prerequisites: Students need to have a 90 average or above for science courses taken in previous grades to be eligible to take AP Psychology, as there are strong correlations to the course content, specifically Biology.)
This course is designed for highly motivated students who are proficient, prolific readers with strong writing abilities. Independent reading is expected in this class. AP Psychology is an advanced-level course designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. Students will explore the major subfields of psychology, including biological, cognitive, developmental, social, and clinical psychology. This course aligns with the curriculum of a college-level introductory psychology course and prepares students to take the College Board AP Psychology Exam. The course emphasizes active learning through discussions, projects, simulations, and case studies. Students will engage with primary and secondary source material, including psychological research and theoretical readings. Students will understand and apply psychological theories and concepts, analyze scientific research methods and ethical practices in psychology, develop critical thinking skills by evaluating psychological phenomena, and synthesize information across diverse psychological perspectives.
This course allows students to earn college credit, depending on their performance on the AP Psychology Exam and college acceptance policies. Students are encouraged to dedicate significant time to independent study and review.
Culture & Civilizations of the Spanish-Speaking World
This course, offered to grade 12 students, examines the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries, specifically Spain, Central & South America, and the Caribbean. Students will delve into the geography, history, food, music, dance, literature, and modern culture of countries in these regions. Students should expect to keep an open mind as they learn about a world much different from their own. Students will read works written by Latin American and Spanish authors, listen to music, try different foods, work on cultural projects, and possibly communicate with students from these countries. Please note that this course is not credited as a language course and does not fulfill the language requirement of most colleges and universities.
Literary Roundtable
(Enrollment in this course requires the recommendation of School Counseling.)
Literary Roundtable is offered to seniors as a supplemental course that focuses on process. Literary and informational texts are discussed and analyzed using comprehension strategies developed and reinforced over the duration of this supplemental program. Additional emphasis is placed on organizing information via the writing process.
Wilson Reading
(Enrollment in this course requires IEP team recommendations.)
The Wilson Reading Program directly and systematically teaches students to fluently and accurately decode. The instruction is very interactive and multi-sensory and teaches “total word construction,” not just phonics. Students learn to encode (spell) as they learn to decode. Students will learn word construction according to six types of syllables. Comprehension is strengthened using a variety of reading materials along with individualized instruction in the computer reading lab. Depending on the student’s needs, this program is delivered in several models: one-on-one, small group, and JUSTWORDS.