Students have the opportunity to broaden their experiences with new classes like Unified Physical Education, cooking, and Japanese. Also, previously offered classes will have a new twist, like Dance and AP Precalculus.
Unified Physical Education (PE) is a new option for PE credits for general ed and Special Ed students alike. In Unified PE, a student mentor will help support Special Ed athletes to compete in sports like basketball and football. At the end of the year, special ed students will compete against their peers at Del Norte High School in sporting events, with mentors helping them.
“Students will find mentoring rewarding. Anyone can be a great mentor. It’s really about making connections among students. Unified PE is really a great social and academic opportunity for all students,” Assistant Principal Gannon Burks said.
Next year, beginning with a selected sample group of students, Titans will improve their cooking abilities in a culinary class. On campus, there are already the facilities for a cooking class, including a classroom with cooking utensils as well as stovetops and ovens. After the trial run, the class will be open as an elective the following year.
“It is my dream. At my previous school, the culinary arts program was top in the state. We hope to get there someday,” Principal Richard Nash said.
To replace Honors Precalculus, AP Precalculus will now be offered on campus. Many other schools in the state have already made the switch that will allow students to take a class with the rigor of a college Precalculus or algebra class and a trigonometry course equivalent. Prospective students see this as a great opportunity.
“It’s better. It is a difficult class, and this way you really get credit for your work,” sophomore Cailin Trusheim said.
Alongside the current French, German, and Spanish classes, there may be a chance for a Japanese language class beginning trimester two of next year. Akane Shibaoka currently teaches the Japanese 5.5 class and admin is looking into expanding the course into the regular school day.
Trimester two may also bring a Dance class that counts as a performing art. No previous experience would be required for this class. The class would meet the visual and performing arts requirement (F) in the A-G requirements for UCs and CSUs.
“I think a dance class should meet a fine art requirement because it involves expressing yourself through movement… It also involves creativity because you can make up your own dances,” Poway Dance Project senior Amelia Myers said.
Although many of the classes are not yet set in stone, the likelihood of the trial classes becoming real courses relies on the resources on campus, teachers available and also the push of interest from the student body.
