Elective Programs

Carmen DeBack &  Jacob McMonagle

Digital Design is intended for middle level students to gain an understanding of digital print media. Students will learn principal concepts of photography and graphic design while designing and creating original works using industry ready software. This course will focus on the use of the Adobe Suite for the creation of digital print media. Students will demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and processes using digital photography and computer technology. Students will communicate information and ideas effectively using a variety of digital print media.

Mr. McMonogal's Website

Carmen Deback

e-Pub focuses on capturing and telling the story of our community journalistically for our yearbook publication. The award-winning Crusader staff learns elements of publishing (page layout, graphic design, digital photography and journalism) and is trained to use the Adobe Creative Suites. Students who apply for this course should have the ability to work independently as well as part of a team. Those who apply and are accepted to the yearbook staff have an opportunity to travel and attend both the state convention in Ft. Collins and National convention in DC.

Paula Wills

eMedia class makes the school newscast where we tell stories using video, movie making software, and writing. We decide the stories that will most engage our school, its students and staff and learn how to tell them in a journalistic style. Many student projects have won awards at both the district and state level! A great class for those that like to use video combined with writing to tell fun and engaging stories.

Jacob McMonagle

This is an inclusive class for all students and is intended to provide an avenue where students can be creative while using and learning technologies that shape our world. The course inspires students as they design their own websites, code games, stories and scenes, and explore physical computing devices including circuit boards and robots. Student projects may include html art and photography portfolios and websites to showcase their passions. Students work with circuit boards and create innovations that solve a problem such as interactive toys that comfort children or interactive night lights. In the coding and animation unit, students create full interactive games, stories, or interactive greeting cards, all of which can be shared with family and friends.

Mr. McMonagle's Website

Paula Wills and Jacob McMonagle

The IT Apps and Design will focus on developing student creativity, design, inventive, and technical skills. Students will be provided authentic experiences and design challenges in which they will interact with the Design Thinking process. Through authentic experiences, students will individually and collaboratively learn to: Define, identify, communicate, and test a problem. Explore, empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test their innovative solutions. Determine the importance of perspective. Learn to be resilient learners. Utilize the design process to enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills. Enhance the development of modern technological skills. Students will be provided a multitude of interest-based experiences through programming, graphic design, leadership, robotics, woodworking, rocketry, flight, architecture, engineering, and a variety of other mediums.

Paula Wills

This course will focus on producing media such as short films, commercials, animation and more. Students will use Premier Pro, GarageBand, video & DSLR cameras to create innovative Videos. Students will use Design Thinking to communicate information and ideas effectively to successfully demonstrate audio and video production techniques.

Julia Singleton

The level 1A course will prepare students to speak, read, write and listen in the chosen language as well as learning cultural information that will help them to get along if they are visiting foreign countries or are meeting foreign visitors. Students will study simple grammatical structure, which include present tense verb conjugations, gender of nouns, adjective use and sentence structure. Vocabulary study is an integral part of language learning and students are expected to continually practice their vocabulary words so that they will be able to communicate on a variety of topics. All skills will be practiced through speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Students entering 7th grade will need a signature from the 6th grade teacher in order to take this class. Students must pass this class with a C or higher to move onto Spanish 1B and pass an end of year exam.

Julia Singleton

In level 1B, students will continue to learn the grammatical structures, which will allow them to communicate on a simple level in the foreign language. The students will begin to use the past tense and talk and write about events that have already happened. The study of vocabulary continues to be of utmost importance through all levels of language study. Students will practice all skills through speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Students must pass this class with a C or higher to move onto French II at the high school and pass an end of year exam. Teachers will not sign a recommendation for high school if they do not maintain a passing grade.

Helen Ramirez

The level 1A course will prepare students to speak, read, write and listen in the Spanish language as well as learning cultural information that will help them to get along if they are visiting foreign countries or are meeting foreign visitors. Students will study simple grammatical structure, which include present-tense verb conjugations, gender of nouns, adjective use and sentence structure. Vocabulary study is an integral part of language learning and students are expected to continually practice speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Students entering 7th grade will need a signature from their 6th grade teacher in order to take this class. Students must pass this class with a C or higher to move onto Spanish 1B and also must pass an end-of-year exam.

Rocio Meli and Helen Ramirez

In level 1B, students will continue to learn grammatical structures, which will allow them to communicate on a simple level in the Spanish language. The students will begin to use the past tense and talk and write about events that have already happened. The study of vocabulary continues to be of utmost importance through all levels of language study. Students will practice all skills through speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Students must pass this class with a C or higher to move onto Spanish II at the high school and must also pass an end-of-year exam. Teachers will not sign a recommendation for high school if the student does not maintain a passing grade.

Rocio Meli

This class is for students who are native Speakers to strengthen their skills in reading and writing in both Spanish and English. They also learn the vocabulary and skills to reinforce the content of core classes:  Math, Geography, Social Studies, and Science. Students use textbooks from the Mexican Department of Education.

Jill Beauregard

This semester long course will focus on art elements and principles of design as well as a historical, contemporary and cultural aspects of visual arts. Students will work in both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional mediums. Units will include drawing and design, sculpture, painting, ceramics, and printmaking, writing about art and their art process, art history and aesthetics. A variety of art mediums, techniques, tools, and genres will be explored with a goal of developing and refining skills to aid in personal growth and self-expression

Brenda Romanello

Band is for students who have taken a previous band class for a year or more. Classes will study from a method book and learn to read and perform quality band literature. Some of the larger instruments are available for rental through the school. A rental fee will be charged for those students who use school instruments including percussion. Smaller instruments must be provided by the students.

Brenda Romanello

Performance Choir is for students who want to develop and practice singing skills. Students will sing all styles and forms of music. Emphasis is placed on a quality music education experience and performance.

Kendra Kaufman

The drama course will emphasize dramatic activities. Students will build an appreciation for the Theatre Arts and enhance their self-concept by developing an awareness of and use of imagination, focusing and concentration, movement, and voice. Activities will include an emphasis on the acting skills and theatre games with learning experiences in improvisation, characterizations, vocal exercises and interpretations, and class performances using skits, scenes, and short plays. Students should be prepared for daily physical and vocal activities.

Brenda Romanello

This is an introductory course to acoustic guitar for beginning learners. Topics will include tuning, note reading, basic chords and playing techniques. Students will need to provide their own acoustic guitar and purchase the method book.

Alyssa McCollum

Brenda Romanello