COURSE SELECTION OVERVIEW
- Course information videos released Feb. 7
- Course Q&A through Zoom, during tutorial Feb. 15 and Feb. 18
- Students select courses via Informed K12 online form March 2 through 8
- Course selection makeup days will be on March 8, 9 and 11
Similar to last year's course selection model, this year's process will take place virtually through viewing course selection videos and Zoom Q/As, guidance counselor Derek Chan said.
"On Monday, Feb. 7, we're going to be posting course information videos where students will spend some time looking at classes that they can take next year," Chan said. "They have about a week to week and a half to look at them on their own."
Chan said the next step will be a course information Q&A session held during tutorial where students can log into Zoom sessions with teachers for courses they are interested in. They can ask questions and learn more about the class during this time. After this, students will officially select their courses through Infinite Campus from March 2 through 8, he said.
Chan said to be mindful when requesting classes as there is no guarantee students will be able to move to a lower level course after they select an AP or honors level one.
"I know that a lot of students want to overload and challenge themselves with the amount of APs and honors classes," Chan said. "I strongly encourage you to really consider the classes that you want to take and not take [a class] because your friend is taking it, but because you want to take a specific class and learn from that specific subject area."
NEW COURSES Q/A
SENIOR CORE
During the upcoming course selection fair, rising seniors will have the option to choose a senior core class. This class is a combination of literature and history. The Epitaph interviewed AVID, world literature teacher James Ratti, one of the teachers who helped create the class.
How would you describe the class?
We're just trying to do something different honestly. We have different courses, but they're all honors and AP. We're just trying to experiment very openly with a new class structure and new class content.
What interested you about starting this class?
It started with me and Mr. Neese talking about how it could potentially be a co-taught class by two openly queer men, which has definitely never happened in our district. But then, as the planning got serious, it just evolved into all non-fiction books, it evolved into community involvement and it evolved into social justice — all things that I'm passionate about.
What skills do you want students to learn in the class?
I want students to learn how to take their passion for social justice and social issues and apply it. I've had a lot of students who [show allyship and support for social issues], but they don't know what to do with that energy. So we're moving from allyship to activism.
What kind of readings will you be doing in the class?
We have five nonfiction core texts. There is no textbook. All of our supplementary materials are primary source documents, podcasts or documentaries.
Approximately how many people are going to be in the class?
It is a double class, like the way that American Studies is, so we expect about 65 students.
Who will be teaching senior core?
As of now, Mr. Neese is going to be the social studies teacher, Ms. Rivera will teach fall semester and I will teach spring semester. There are always things that change, but that is currently what we are preparing for.
Will the senior core class fulfill A through G requirements?
Yes. Since the class is technically contemporary literature along with the pre-established government/economics class, it fulfills all A through G requirements.
SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
The science and society course is a project-based science class that is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors and will be implemented on a district level next year. The Epitaph interviewed science teacher Joanne Quan to get more information on the course.
How would you describe the science and society course?
The science and society course is a heterogeneous course that links current scientific material with a lens of project-based learning, so students will be working in teams to design end products that will be used to improve their community.
What interested you about teaching this class?
I love that this class is going to be open to all students from 10th through 12th grade, and I'm very enthusiastic about having a wide range of students in this new course.
What skills do you want students to learn in the class?
We're hoping they're going to improve their scientific literacy, critical thinking and data analysis.
What are some units the class will cover?
Some of our sample units include waste management, water, energy, humanity of genetics, space and addiction.
How will it be different from other science classes offered at HHS?
It will be different in that there's going to be a greater emphasis on the end projects rather than day to day assignments. We're really using the project-based learning model.
Will the science and society class fulfill A through G requirements?
It is pending UC approval [which will satisfy the D requirement]. It will be considered a lab science once we get the final approval.
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