painting outside of class time.
Honors Pottery
1 credit
Grades 10, 11 and 12
Prerequisite: Successful completion of
Visual Arts I
This is a hands-on course that
concentrates on various handbuilding
and wheel throwing construction
methods. Students will learn about the
technical aspects of working with clay
and glazes to create functional and
well-designed pottery. Clay bodies,
the stages of clay, tools and glazes are
important topics that will be covered.
Advanced handbuilding techniques
will be employed and students will be
introduced to the art of throwing clay
forms on the wheel. Research, creative
problem solving, and group critiques
are all integral components for projects.
Regular homework is assigned in
this class, which includes spending
additional time developing projects in
the clay studio.
Honors Fine Art Portfolio Preparation
0.5 credit
Grades 11 and 12
Fall Semester Only
Prerequisite: Successful completion of
Visual Arts I and two studio electives
What constitutes a successful portfolio
of artwork? Learn to create a fine
arts portfolio to present to art college
review committees. Art Schools will
be invited to present their programs to
the class, and to answer any questions
students may have. Students will create
and organize their best artwork for
the application process in digital form.
A variety of media will be explored
to benefit the breadth of individual
student portfolios. This class is highly
recommended for the student bound
for art school and should be taken
sequentially with Honors Visual Arts.
Honors Visual Arts
0.5 credit
Grades 11 and 12
Spring Semester
Prerequisite: Successful completion of
Visual Arts I and two studio electives
This is an advanced and rigorous course
designed for the serious artist seeking
to create a sophisticated body of work.
A variety of media will be explored and
may include drawing, painting, ceramics,
sculpture, printmaking, bookmaking,
photography, and mixed media. The
elements of art and the principles of
design will be emphasized, as well as
art history, art criticism and aesthetics.
12
Students are expected to dedicate
time in and out of class researching,
creating independently, and critiquing.
Intense pace and high quality work
creation is expected. This class is highly
recommended for the students bound
for art school, and should be taken
sequentially with Fine Art Portfolio
Preparation.
AP Studio Art (2D Design, Drawing or
3D Design)
1 credit
Grades 11 and 12
Prerequisite: Successful completion of
Visual Arts 1 with a B or higher, three
studio electives with a B or higher, and
portfolio evaluation with Instructor
before scheduling
Advanced Placement Studio Art is a
course designed for the student who
plans to major in visual art after high
school. AP Studio Art is not based on a
written exam; instead, students submit
portfolios for evaluation at the end of the
school year. The AP Studio Art Program
consists of three portfolio options —
2-D Design, 3-D Design and Drawing,
which correspond to the most common
college foundation courses. Students
must meet prerequisites, schedule a
portfolio evaluation and gain instructor
permission prior to enrollment in the
class. Summer coursework is assigned
upon acceptance in the spring, and is
due the first day of school in the fall.
Coursework during the school year
is rigorous and requires an advanced
skill set in diverse media, technique
in the art-making process, complex
concept and ideation, and high-paced
sophisticated work production. Students
must submit a portfolio and written
commentary in May to the AP College
Board.
ENGLISH
All English classes for underclassmen
will include direct vocabulary instruction
and SAT preparation. A formal writing
program is provided for all freshmen and
sophomore classes to introduce literary
analysis and writing the five-paragraph
essay. Writing instruction in the junior
year is focused on the mastery of the
research paper, writing and analytical
skills introduced during freshman and
sophomore years. A varied program of
challenging electives is offered to seniors
which allow students to choose a genre
focus for both writing and literature.
The English Department has determined
that all underclassmen are better served
in year-long courses to ensure mastery of
the skills required in writing and reading
comprehension for success beyond high
school, as well as an awareness of our
culture’s canon of literature.
Instruction and discussion of what
constitutes original thought and
composition will be consistent through
all English classes in order to assure that
all students understand the meaning of,
and know how to avoid, plagiarism.
Courses in order that they appear in this
section
(* fulfills requirement, 4 credits are
needed for graduation, # NCAA
approved)
Honors Freshman English *#
Freshman English *#
Foundations of Freshman English *
Honors Sophomore English *#
Sophomore English *#
Foundations of Sophomore English *
AP Language and Composition *#
Honors Junior English *#
Junior English *#
Foundations of Junior English *
AP Literature and Composition *#
Honors Senior English *#
Foundations of Senior English *
Composition Writing *#
Creative Writing *#
Dark Days, Dystopian Fiction *#
Journeys in Short Fiction *#
Literature of American Sport*#
Memoir and the Personal Narrative*#
Monsters and Misfits*#
Senior English A*#
Senior English B*#
FRESHMEN
Ninth grade English is an introduction
to composition and literature. There
will be heavy emphasis on grammar and
developing writing skills, with special
emphasis on paragraph structure, topic
sentences, writing an introduction and
conclusion, thesis, and transitions;
facility with the five-paragraph essay
format is a goal. An important
component of ninth grade English is
the short stories unit, which develops
students’ comprehension and analysis
of literature. All ninth grade students
will study Romeo and Juliet and read
a variety of novels. Direct vocabulary
instruction through the online program
Membean is mandatory for all freshman
English classes.