performing arts courses
Band - 1295 (Year)
Prerequisite: None
Grade: 9-12
Elective Credit: 0.50
Band students practice and perform instrumental music throughout the semester. Emphasis is placed on developing individual and group performance skills and techniques in preparation for musical performances throughout the year. This course may be repeated for multiple semesters. It is strongly recommended that students participating in marching band sign up for this course.
Choir - 1197 (Sem 1 / Sem 2)
Prerequisite: None
Grade: 9-12
Elective Credit: 0.50
Students in choir sing and perform sacred and secular choral music throughout the semester. An emphasis is placed on individual vocal technique, music literacy, and building community through music. This course may be repeated for multiple semesters.
Piano 1 - 1198 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: One year or less of formal piano training
Grade: 9-12
Credit: 0.50
Students will learn the basics of playing the piano, including reading music and performing melodies, chords, and accompaniments. Through a comprehensive study of piano technique, music history and theory, students will develop foundational skills for lifetime musical enjoyment. This course is for students without piano experience.
Art of Oral Expression - 1171 (.5 year)
Prerequisite: None
Grade: 9-12
Elective Credit: 0.50
Oral Expression introduces the student to the basic skills of public speaking and the four major kinds of speeches. The student learns how to effectively outline and prepare a speech, eliminate problems in speaking, and deliver an effective speech. The student is introduced to the various types and forms of group discussion, and is able to explain the differences between discussion and debate by practicing effective delivery of each. The student actively works on listening skills. Some time is spent in the other associated fields, such as radio and TV broadcasting.
Recommended for all 11th and 12th grade students
Drama - 1181 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: None
Grade: 9-12
Elective Credit: 0.50
Drama exposes the student to the theater skills of acting, directing, and writing. The student is introduced to stage speaking and movement (i.e., projection, articulation, blocking). The students learn stage terminology plus rehearse and perform various presentations (i.e., improvisations, pantomimes, monolog, cutting from full-length scripts, Readers Theater, Vignettes, one-act plays). The student also studies various scripts from different periods of history, connecting drama to reality.
Advanced Drama – 1191 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: 80% in Drama; or signature of teacher with prior stage experience.
Grade: 9-12
Elective Credit: 0.50
Drama exposes the student to the theater skills of acting, directing, and writing. The student is introduced to stage speaking and movement (i.e., projection, articulation, blocking). The students learn stage terminology plus rehearse and perform various presentations (i.e., improvisations, pantomimes, monolog, cutting from full-length scripts, Readers Theater, Vignettes, one-act plays). The student also studies various scripts from different periods of history, connecting drama to reality.
Drama III - 1192 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: 80% in Advanced Drama; Recommendation of Instructor
Grade: 10-12
Drama III takes practices of advanced drama to a heightened level of responsibility and utilization of theater knowledge in hands-on experience and will assume director roles in areas of performance, production, costuming, set design and building. The student will work with advanced drama class to put on a full length play for a paying audience and will follow the course of putting on a production from selecting a script and casting the show to designing the set and promoting the show.
Pop Choir - 1262 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: None
Grade: 9-12
Students in pop choir will focus on learning modern pop music in a choral setting. Students will learn about different vocal techniques and styles through the lens of the top 40 hits. An emphasis is placed on individual vocal technique, music literacy, and group blending. This course may be repeated for multiple semesters.
Piano II - 1262 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: Piano I or previous piano experience (audition)
Grade: 9-12
Students will build on the foundational skills of Piano 1. Students will extend their technique and music literacy skills. Students will further develop their music reading and playing skills through learning and performing melodies, chords and accompaniment patterns.
Music Technology - 1263 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: None
Grade: 9-12
This course explores the art of music creation and production using digital tools and various music software. Students will learn the essentials of creating, editing, mixing and mastering to compose and arrange original works and remix existing songs.
Guitar - 1264 (0.5 year)
Prerequisite: None
Grade: 9-12
This course introduces the fundamentals of guitar playing, focusing on proper technique, basic music reading, essential chords and strumming patterns. Students will learn to play a variety of musical styles, beginning with simple melodies and progressing to accompany popular songs. Students will have the opportunity to learn songs they want to play through individual and group instruction.

