Career Technology Education (CTE)

Business Enterprise (semester) - Grade 8 - The Business Enterprise AB course introduces students to entrepreneurial concepts, business terminology, and fundamental business principles. Students participate in a simulated business experience while incorporating computer application software. Students explore careers in entrepreneurship throughout the course. (PTB102)  

Computer Applications (Grade 6: quarter ;  Grades 7,8: semester) - An introductory course to many of the skills students will need to master to be successful in school and beyond in the 21st century. Focusing in using Microsoft Office, students have fun working together to build digital citizenship skills and how to be constructive in a discussion board. Basic computer science principles are also covered including binary, computer components, and their function. In this project-based course, students also practice typing, managing folders, creating tables and graphs using spreadsheets, formatting colorful reports in documents, saving screenshots, and collecting and analyzing data.

Family and Consumer Science (Grade 6: quarter ;  Grades 7,8: semester) - A course that teaches students that the economic and political well-being of our country depends on the well-being of the family. Learning to make decisions and solve problems based on values, goals, and standards along with working collaboratively and communicating effectively with others are skills that students need as family members now and in the future. Middle school students participating in family consumer science learn effective methods for shopping, sewing, clothing care, food preparation, nutrition and careers in the hospitality industry. The mission of family consumer science is to empower the students with the knowledge and skills to manage with reason and creativity the personal, family and community challenges across the lifespan of living and working in the global society.

Introduction to Programming (semester) - Grades 7, 8 - Designed to introduce students to the incredible world of computer programming. Students develop skills in logic to create and diagram algorithms for identifying patterns and solving problems with computers. In this project-based course, students learn to harness the power of computers to bring their creative visions to life. Before long, students are writing their own code to design and create programs and games such as 10-key calculators, interactive stories, tic-tac- toe, and many others.

Journalism (semester) - Grade 6, 7 - The Journalism AB (semester) course is aligned with College and Career Ready Learning Standards and designed for students who are interested in learning the basics of news writing. The course will introduce students to the fundamental skills needed to produce a publishable product, including adherence to ethical values affecting journalists. Students will refine and put to practical use their thinking, writing, and critiquing skills as well as differentiate between fact and opinion and practicing assigned staff responsibilities in an efficient manner. The focus will be on writing objectively and correctly according to the type of article assigned.

Path to Careers (semester) - Grade: 7 - The Pathways to Careers AB (semester) course is designed to provide middle school students with a broad overview of the world of work through self/career awareness. (VEZ103E)

Problem-Based Learning (semester) - Grade: 6, 7, 8 -  (INS101) - PBL, or Project Based Learning course, is a course that engages students actively in learning by asking them to investigate an interesting and complex question, problem, or challenge, and then to create something in response. Students will engage in large, meaningful projects that require creativity and will challenge them to bring skills and knowledge from multiple disciplines to solve real problems or build something for the benefit of the community. This course is hands-on, collaborative, and challenging, and gives students a real-life or personal perspective of what they are learning. Projects may vary in length; some may take a week or two, others a month or more. Projects in the course may be done individually, in teams, or by a whole class. Students will learn the PBLWorks Gold Standard Approach in this course. (INS101)

Health and Physical Education

Other Electives

AVID (year-long) - Grades 6, 7, 8

AVID is a college readiness program designed to help students develop the skills they need to be successful in high school and college. The AVID program prepares students for the future by equipping them with specific strategies that develop their writing, critical thinking, collaboration, organization, and reading skills. (LAV101)

AVID Application

Peer Facilitator 7/8 (only open to current Ambassadors from 23-24) -The Peer Facilitator (yearly) course allows Student Ambassadors to provide new students with useful information of what to expect during their first few months at the school as well as a network of support from upper-class students or returning students who, not long ago, were new to the school. Student Ambassadors will introduce new students to our school community by providing initial walk-throughs of the school including common areas such as the cafeteria and library, and show them their classrooms based on their schedules. Student Ambassadors will plan, develop, and deliver face-to-face onboarding sessions to all incoming students. These sessions include discussing information about the transition program, transition resources, and providing welcome materials to new students. Additionally, throughout the course, Student Ambassadors will be matched with new students based on common interests to help students get involved in YMS events and clubs. Student Ambassadors will also be responsible for coordinating events such as ice cream socials, special lunch events, and reaching out to students who have yet to arrive and preparing gifts/cards for departing students. (PPS101)

Student Ambassador Application

Creative Thinking (yearlong) - Grade: 6, 7, 8 - Creative Thinking is designed to provide challenging learning experiences and extend DoDEA curriculum content standards. This rigorous course incorporates self-awareness, self-advocacy, diverse ways of thinking, perspective, leadership, and project-based learning, The course provides students with supplemental learning experiences that focus on critical thinking skills, advanced research skills, and in-depth presentations to an authentic audience. (AACE04)

Environmental Studies (semester) - Grades: 6, 7, 8 - Students explore how naturally occurring and man-made processes contribute to environmental change. The course provides students a holistic understanding of environmental issues of local, national and global significance. Students focus on observational skills, environmental analysis, population dynamics, and interactions in communities and ecosystems. They will use science skills to gain an understanding of earth's history and how humans play a role in the health and well-being of our planet's life forms, habitats and natural resources. (SCBE03E)

Study Skills (semester) - Grade: 6 - The Study Skills program is designed to assist students in learning, understanding, and reinforcing concepts and/or assignments presented in the general curriculum. Students can develop and strengthen good study habits and learning strategies through various instructional methods and strategies. The skills and strategies that are taught in the Study Skills course focus primarily on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading. These skills and strategies provide a foundation to better prepare students for success in their academic experience and help them become more college and career ready. (AAS101) 

Yearbook Production (yearlong) - Grade: 7, 8 - (AAY101) - Students must gain ELA teacher approval to enroll in Yearbook.

Yearbook Application