Special Courses and Services

Prerequisite: None

This course is an alternative to the regular physical education class. It will contain conditioning, weight training, developmental activities, games, sports, and reports (when student can participate in absolutely no physical activities). The course will be individualized to meet the interests, capacities, and limitations of students with disabilities/medical restrictions who may not safely or successfully engage in unrestricted participation in the vigorous activities of the general physical education program. Unless stated in an IEP, the student will participate in the regular health and driver education classroom.

Prerequisite: Formal evaluation and determination of eligibility

The Adaptive Resource curriculum is for students who demonstrate severe cognitive impairments and adaptive skill deficits. The emphasis is on basic life skills.

Prerequisite: None Strongly recommended for 11-12 grades; available in 9-10 grades with principal approval

Students learn how to navigate the personal financial decisions they must face and to make informed decisions related to career exploration, budgeting, banking, credit, insurance, spending, taxes, saving, investing, buying/leasing a vehicle, living independently, and inheritance. Development of financial literacy skills and an understanding of economic principles will provide the basis for responsible citizenship and career success. This course is required for graduation for 9th grade students entering in 2011-2012 and beyond.

Prerequisite: None

This course teaches students to make informed career and continuing education choices as they transition from school, gain technical skills, and adapt to the workplace. Students are taught ethical behaviors and career-research, job-acquisition, workplace-communication, self- awareness, self-advocacy, customer-service, and life skills.

Prerequisite: 9085

This course continues to teach students to make informed career and continuing education choices as they transition from school, gain technical skills, and adapt to the workplace. Students are taught to apply ethical behaviors and career-research, job-acquisition, workplace- communication, self-awareness, self-advocacy, customer-service, and life skills.

Prerequisite: None

This course is designed to focus on managing resources to achieve individual goals; making informed consumer choices; creating and maintaining a lifestyle that supports the well-being of individuals; living in a global environment; making decisions related to nutrition, clothing, and housing; and managing a household. Teachers highlight the basic skills of mathematics, science and communication when appropriate in the content.

Prerequisite: Administrative approval is required along with an individual agreement that will be developed between the student and the school.

This course is characterized by being a classroom-without-walls experience directed primarily by the student and the expert consultant with support from a faculty advisor. Students will complete a mentored project that reflects their own interests and meets the requirements as outlined in the Signature Capstone Project Handbook.

Prerequisite: 9824

This course is characterized by being a classroom-without-walls experience directed primarily by the student and the expert consultant with support from a faculty advisor. Students will complete a mentored project that reflects their own interests and meets the requirements as outlined in the Signature Capstone Project Handbook.

Prerequisite: None

Students develop competencies in identifying individual aptitudes in relation to effective leadership skills, understanding organizational behavior, using effective communication in the workplace, handling human resources and organizational problems, supervising and training employees, resolving conflict, and planning for the future. Continuing education in leadership is emphasized as well as practical leadership experiences in cooperation with school and community leaders.

Prerequisite: Application Process

This course is designed as an elective class for students enrolled primarily in advanced level classes. It is by design that most tutoring would be at the elementary and middle schools but may be approved or some 9th and 10th grade students. The students enrolling for this course are expected to provide their own transportation (with parental permission) and would meet tutorial expectations of a cooperating teacher at the “home school”. The goal and purpose of this service type class is to provide additional and remedial instruction in areas of difficulties for students. It is only logical to schedule the tutoring during the regular school day requiring release time for the student to travel and tutor. The cooperating teacher is responsible for assigning a grade of pass/fail for each grade reporting period to the high school coordinator. A pass grade is a credit earned, however, without quality points for GPA. The cooperating teacher is also responsible for documenting the tutoring hours and lesson plans for the student tutor. 140 hours are required for one credit.

Prerequisite: Application; Interview; 10th graders must have completed Honors English (with a B or better); 11th graders must be enrolled in Honors or AP English

Students enrolled in this course are responsible for operating the school's peer tutoring center. They will learn a variety of pedagogical approaches and practice leadership skills that will serve them in their future professions. In addition to tutoring, students will strengthen their own knowledge in areas such as study habits, resume writing, and research skills. All students are required to tutor for approximately 45 minutes outside of class, once per week.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Peer Tutoring I and be tutors in good standing; 11th graders must be enrolled in honors or AP English

Students in this course apply the knowledge they gained in Peer Tutoring I to take on an enhanced leadership role in the peer tutoring center. They will contribute to managing center operations, mentoring new tutors, and heightening school-wide academic achievement. They will make at least one significant contribution to the wider peer tutoring community; for example, by presenting at a conference or publishing a scholarly article.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Peer Tutoring II and be a tutor in good standing

Building on the leadership skills they established in Peer Tutoring II, tutors in this course apprentice with a sponsor teacher for the duration of the school year, engaging in a deep study of that educator's approach to instruction in his or her academic field. These seniors will also work with a consistent group of clients on an ongoing basis. They will report on their learning via regular reflection logs, and both create a portfolio of their learning across their three years as a tutor, and innovate a permanent learning tool for the benefit of the school.

Prerequisite: None

This course is designed to help students claim their self-esteem, identify their talents, create internal motivation and drive to expand those talents, assume responsibility for themselves and interact responsibly with others. Students develop specific skills enabling them to internalize and use, in all aspects of their lives, the abilities learned in the lessons.

Prerequisite: None

This course is designed to help students claim their self-esteem, identify their talents, create internal motivation and drive to expand those talents, assume responsibility for themselves and interact responsibly with others. Students develop specific skills enabling them to internalize and use, in all aspects of their lives, the abilities learned in the lessons.

Prerequisite: None

This course is designed to help students claim their self-esteem, identify their talents, create internal motivation and drive to expand those talents, assume responsibility for themselves and interact responsibly with others. Students develop specific skills enabling them to internalize and use, in all aspects of their lives, the abilities learned in the lessons.

Prerequisite: None

This course is designed to help students claim their self-esteem, identify their talents, create internal motivation and drive to expand those talents, assume responsibility for themselves and interact responsibly with others. Students develop specific skills enabling them to internalize and use, in all aspects of their lives, the abilities learned in the lessons.

Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation

Students learn how to navigate the financial decisions they must face and to make informed decisions related to budgeting, banking, credit, insurance, spending, taxes, saving, investing, buying/leasing a vehicle, living independently, and inheritance. Instruction in personal finance prepares students to function effectively as consumers, savers, investors, entrepreneurs, and active citizens. The course incorporates all personal living and finances objectives included in the Code of Virginia §22.1- 253.13:1.B.

Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation

This course is designed to provide eligible students with academic support, skill reinforcement and enrichment activities.

Prerequisite: Successful Completion or Co-Enrollment in 3135 and 1150. 1195 Recommended.

This course is designed to prepare students for the SAT. Students will be taught the strategies and skills required to perform their very best. Students who take advantage of SAT test preparation typically score higher than those students who do not. The SAT covers core content areas deemed essential for success in college—reading, writing and language, and math. The SAT provides an ongoing, grade-level picture of a student’s progress. The SAT is designed to be a challenging yet appropriate and fair assessment of what students know and can do.

Prerequisite: None

To apply the skills and knowledge acquired throughout their high school careers and to create a product that will enable potential employers or selection committees from institutes of higher learning to fairly assess the work of each student, seniors at Central High School will complete the Signature Capstone Project in their chosen field of study as a requirement for graduation. Fulfillment of the Signature Capstone project requirements may be through the research project at Massanutten Regional Governor’s School, the capstone independent project for any approved specialized academy, or the product and/or panel presentation for the Independent Study.

Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation

This course is designed to teach students techniques that will assist them in organizing and processing information. Students will learn and apply self-advocacy skills and be able to increase their understanding of their strengths, accommodations and compensation strategies needed to be successful in a high school setting. Students will learn strategies in studying, test taking, expressive writing, and vocabulary development. Students will demonstrate the mastery of strategies and techniques in lifelong personal development in financial management, stress management and time management. These techniques are applied to all content area material so that success is measured by improved performance in all academic areas. This will satisfy the sequential elective requirements of the standard or modified standard diploma, if Transition II is also taken.

Prerequisite: Transition I and Teacher Recommendation

This course is designed to help students make an easier transition from high school to an independent life as an adult. Students are introduced to the world of work and career planning as well as post-secondary education options. Emphasis is placed on exploring career options, career assessment, career research, pre-employment skills training, communication skills, and life skills needed to become a successful worker and citizen. Skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, decision-making and organization are integrated into the class. This will satisfy the sequential elective requirements of the standard or modified standards diploma, if taken in conjunction with Transition I.

Prerequisite: None This course would include student’s learning about themselves and their strengths and weaknesses, setting goals for growth, exploring career options through career assessments and counseling, completing a personal plan for transition goals, and participating in community experiences. Guidance counselors and community resource personnel, such as the Department of Rehabilitative Services staff, would work closely with the teacher of the course.

Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation

Instruction in this elective introduces students to the many facets of yearbook production using desktop publishing software. Activities seek to develop students who can use a variety of journalism skills, produce journalistic material of high quality, understand legal and ethical issues that affect journalism, and realize the importance of mass communication to modern life. Students also receive hands-on experience and learn from field trips and guest professionals. Additional course requirements are: designing layouts, meeting deadlines, selling ads to local merchants, fundraising activities, helping with all school photographs, selling and distributing yearbooks, and planning for the next year’s activities.