II.   HSPA – High School Proficiency Assessment

All students must pass the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) administered by the state of New Jersey.  Passing the HSPA is mandated by the State of New Jersey.

Athletic Eligibility
It is every student athlete's responsibility to check his/her schedule to be sure that they are passing at least 15 credits each semester to meet school board athletic eligibility requirements.

PREPARING FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION TESTS

In addition to academic courses, both schools offer preparatory sessions for college admissions tests. Students should contact their counselors for information regarding these programs.

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PREPARING FOR COLLEGE

Since entrance requirements vary among colleges, we recommend that college bound students take the strongest academic program possible, consistent with their ability to perform at an acceptable level.

PERFORMANCE (THE HIGH SCHOOL RECORD) RATHER THAN POTENTIAL IS STILL THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT INDICATOR USED BY COLLEGES IN THE SELECTION PROCESS.

At many schools the stated minimum entrance requirements are often not sufficient for admission because of the competitiveness of the admissions.

CONSULT THE SPECIFIC COLLEGE CATALOGUES FOR MORE DETAILS

Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, 25th Edition is the College Admissions selector used below to describe the degree of admission competitiveness.  The Selector is not a rating of colleges by academic standards or quality of education; it is rather an attempt to describe, in general terms, the situation a prospective student will meet when applying for admission.

MOST COMPETITIVE COLLEGES
Even superior students will encounter a great deal of competition for admission to colleges requiring high school rank in the top 10% and grade averages of A to B+.  Median freshman SAT scores at these colleges are generally between 655 and 800 and above 29 on the ACT.  In addition, many of these colleges admit only a small percentage of those who apply.

HIGHLY COMPETITIVE COLLEGES
Colleges in this group look for students with grade averages of B+ to B and accept most of their students from the top 20% to 35% of the high school class.  Median freshman SAT scores at these colleges range from 620-800 and from 27 to 28 on the ACT.  These schools generally accept between one-third and one-half of their applicants.

Suggested courses for both of the above are:  

Suggested courses:  

Suggested courses:  

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCED STUDY AND OTHER OPTIONS

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Advanced standing in college via awarding of credit and/or placement may be possible by taking Advanced Placement courses and performing successfully on the Advanced Placement Examinations administered by the Educational Testing Service in May.

Advanced Placement courses are college level courses (not merely college preparatory).  A score of 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 may result in placement and/or credit at the college level.

Many colleges and universities participate in the Sophomore Standing Program, which enables students to bypass the freshman year if they demonstrate pro­ficiencies on Advanced Placement Examinations in three different subject areas.  Institutions vary widely in their requirements for the Sophomore Standing Program. Students interested in the Sophomore Standing Program are urged to contact colleges or universities in which they are interested.  Inquiries should be made during their junior year in order to determine which three Advanced Placement courses they should take.

Due to the exceptional academic and time demands of Advanced Placement courses, no student may ordinarily take more than three AP courses in a given year. Exceptions will be considered only upon a written appeal to the Assistant Principal. Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses are encouraged to take all the appropriate AP examinations.

Please see the course descriptions under the departmental headings for more information.

Independent Study and Cooperatively Planned Units

Students may encounter situations in which a desired course does not meet at a time available in the individual’s schedule.

In these situations, an independent study contract may be written which provides a plan for students to complete requirements for a particular course.  A sponsoring teacher must agree to supervise the independent study project and it must be approved by the department chairperson, guidance counselor, parent and Assistant Principal.

In rare situations, a student may desire a course not offered in the Curriculum Guide.  Cooperatively Planned Units are designed with a specific vocational objective such as a community service project or an apprenticeship sponsored by a teacher within the school.

The procedures for developing Co­operatively Planned Unit contracts are similar to those used for Independent Study.

Independent Study contracts & CPUs will not be approved for required courses.

No Independent Study course or CPU can be weighted as per school board policy.

Tech Prep Program – Raritan Valley Community College

TECH PREP is a specific program with Raritan Valley Community College, which enables students to earn advanced credit for high school course work. TECH PREP links high school courses to community college courses and leads to an Associate’s Degree in the vocational/technical area. The program allows students to develop entry level job skills and earn college credits in their high school program. Students earn dual credit, high school and college, for selected high school courses. Several of Poly tech’s programs have agreements with RVCC for advanced credit.

Students must be matriculated at RVCC within two years of high school graduation. The application for TECH PREP and a transcript are provided to RVCC; there is a small records fee to RVCC to convert the TECH PREP high school courses to college credit.

Students interested in the TECH PREP program should see their guidance counselor for details and an application. Early planning will ensure appropriate course selection in high school and provide information on grade and other requirements.

Weighted Courses

All Honors and AP courses are weighted. This means that upon successful completion a student may obtain a grade advantage for purposes of GPA.  Expectations for student performance in honors and AP courses are much higher than average. 

Early Graduation

It is possible to graduate after the first half of the senior year, but, in most cases, it is not advisable.  Many colleges question the benefits of early graduation because it may have a negative effect on the social growth of the student and the level of academic preparation.

Students must declare their intent to graduate mid-year during scheduling of courses in the spring of the junior year. Parent approval is required.  

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Freshman Electives 
   

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COURSE OFFERINGS BY DEPARTMENT

AGRISCIENCE

The equivalent of any successfully completed semester course in this department can be used to fulfill the graduation requirements for PRACTICAL ARTS.

Agriscience is a growing, dynamic, and exciting industry. The opportunities in this career are especially broad in Hunterdon County.

If you like to explore or experiment, are intrigued by living organisms, and want to understand the scientific events that permit plants and animals to grow and develop, you may be interested in an Agriscience course.  All Agriscience courses offer laboratory experiences in addition to the traditional classroom activities.

No other industry in the United States can compete with Agriscience in terms of the diversity of career opportunities.  No other industry offers a broader array of challenges associated with solving crucial problems.  Exciting careers await you in conservation, ecology, horticulture, plant and animal science, business and mechanics.        

The course is designed to involve the student in the general activities, practices, and procedures in operating a greenhouse business.  The skills required to effectively manage a greenhouse will be studied through group presentations and individual practical activities. Crops to be studied will be seasonal.                             

If growing things fascinate you, this course on the care and raising of plants is for you. A student will spend time in the school greenhouse as well as in the classroom. He/she will study plant reproduction and identification, fruit and vegetable culture, and basic greenhouse management. Insects, diseases, soils, and fertilizers will be discussed.

Each student in this course will inspect, repair, and maintain a small gasoline engine.  An understanding of the basic principles in small engine operation and the proper use of tools will be stressed in this laboratory course. 

Sug. Prerequisite: Small Engines I or with permission of instructor  
This course is designed for a student seeking additional knowledge and proficiency in Small Gasoline Engines.  The two-cycle gasoline engine will be inspected, repaired, and maintained in this course.  A greater depth in trouble shooting small engines will be stressed.

Landscape Design is a course that will direct the student in developing an appropriate landscape plan.  The student will also become able to estimate the cost of various landscapes, from planning to completion.  

Landscape Development provides the student with the skills and knowledge necessary for the installation and maintenance of landscapes.  A great deal of actual hands on experience will be performed in this course. Offered 2005-06 school year at Voorhees. 

Recreational and production animals will be studied.  It is designed to add depth and detail to the students’ understanding of the duties and role of handling animals.  Basics of nutrition, handling, breeding, evaluation, care and selection of animals will be covered.
   
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ART

All students are required to complete 5 credits of the Fine Arts to fulfill their Fine/Performing Arts graduation requirement.

The Arts are important to each person’s overall education. Each discipline in the Visual Arts is a distinct and vitally important way in which students learn about themselves. Participation in the Arts encourages students to be more curious and to become risk takers, which is essential for opening avenues of creativity and critical thinking.  

This introductory art course focuses on basic drawing and design principles through the use of various media.  The media used will include pencil, pen and ink and tempera paint.  Students apply this knowledge to recognize and solve visual problems.   Some basic digital imaging will be experienced.

This course will cover the creative use of construction materials as it pertains to three-dimensional expression. The goal is to develop each student’s ability to create three-dimensional art.  

Students in this introductory course will study various construction techniques exploring clay as a plastic medium. The fundamentals of hand building will be taught. Students will also learn to work on the pottery wheel, to glaze, and to fire their finished products.

Prerequisite: Ceramics I  
Students will continue to develop techniques and skills learned in Ceramics I.  Although students will continue to improve hand-building techniques, emphasis will be on de­veloping skill on the pottery wheel. Design and specialized throwing procedures will be stressed.  

Prerequisite: Students must complete Ceramics II or be admitted by permission of instructor.  
This advanced level course will continue to develop techniques and skills learned in Ceramics II.  Each student will create their own program that will enable them to concentrate on a specific area of interest.  

Prerequisite: Students must complete Ceramics III or be admitted by permission of the instructor.  
An advanced level course that continues to develop more involved techniques and skills. Each student is encouraged to concentrate on a specific area of interest.

This course gives students a broad understanding of past and present cultures through the study of painting, sculpture, and architecture.  Slides, lectures, and filmstrips will be used to illustrate how specific cultures developed and how individual artists contributed to that development.  Students will become familiar with the major artists and art movements.

No prior experience in Art History is necessary for those students taking this course.  Students who have done well in other humanistic studies, such as, history, literature, foreign language, and art are especially encouraged to enroll.

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Prerequisite: Students must submit a portfolio or may be admitted by permission of instructor.  An application must be submitted for this course.
  
The Drawing Portfolio is designed to address a broad interpretation of drawing issues.  Students will be required to produce quality pieces that demonstrate advanced concept, composition, and technical skill.  Students will produce pieces based on realistic, observational drawing as well as abstract and design concepts.  Students will have the option of working in a variety of drawing and painting media.

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Prerequisite: Students must submit a portfolio or may be admitted by permission of instructor.  An application must be submitted for this course.

This portfolio is intended to address a very broad interpretation of two dimensional (2D) design issues.  This type of design involves purposeful decision-making about how to use the elements of design (line, shape, illusion of space, illusion of motion, pattern, texture, value, and color) and the principals of design (unity/variety, balance, emphasis, rhythm, and proportion/scale) to communicate ideas.

For this portfolio, students are asked to demonstrate proficiency in 2-D design using a variety of forms.  These could include, but are not limited to, graphic design, typography, digital imaging, photography, collage, fabric design, weaving, illustration, painting, printmaking , etc.  A variety of approaches to representation, abstraction and expression may be part of the student's portfolio.

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Prerequisite: Color and Design, Drawing I and II, or by permission of instructor.  An application must be submitted for this course.

This portfolio is intended to address a broad interpretation of sculptural and three-dimensional issues in depth and space.  These may include mass, volume, form, plane, light and texture.  Such elements and concepts may be articulated through additive, subtractive, and/or fabrication processes.

A variety of approaches to representation, abstraction and expression may be part of the student's portfolio.   These might include  traditional sculpture, architectural models, apparel, ceramics, three-dimensional fiber arts or metal work, among others.

The final outcome of this course will be a portfolio and set of slides that could be reviewed and rated by the Advanced Placement Examination Committee.

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  Yearbook Production enables the student to gain "hands-on" experience in the following areas: Photography, design, layout, advertising, and writing copy.  students will be involved in working positions as part of the yearbook staff.  Students will also be responsible for making decisions regarding the production of the yearbook.

    Any student interested in becoming a yearbook editor should take Yearbook as a sophomore or junior so they can qualify for an Editor position in Yearbook Production II.

**Note: In order to take yearbook courses, students must complete an application obtained from guidance and be interviewed and accepted by the instructor.  Spaces will be awarded on completed application, interview and teacher recommendation.

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Prerequisite: Yearbook Production I

Students will further develop the desktop publishing skills they acquired in Yearbook Production I including: layout design, copywriting and editing, photography, and digital image editing.  Students will play an active role in the organizational aspects involved in planning and producing the yearbook.  Students taking this course will develop leadership skills through serving in editor positions.  The positions of editor-in-chief, section editors, and photo editors will be awarded to students enrolled in this class.

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Students familiarize themselves with the television studio and the video format. Movement, lighting, editing, and video techniques are emphasized through live action projects.

Prerequisite: Students must complete Video Production I or be admitted by permission of instructor.  
Students will continue to explore and experiment with the video medium through individual video projects. Special attention will now be given to the development of more involved live action video projects.

Prerequisite: Students must complete Video Production I and II or be admitted by permission of the instructor.  

Students will continue to explore and experiment with the video medium through individual and group projects.  It requires the operational mechanics of storyboarding, planning and filming, but emphasis is placed on non-linear editing as a vehicle to produce professional quality productions to be presented on local cable access.  Students will acquire skills necessary to the art of video editing and will become efficient in various non-linear editing software.

Prerequisite: Students must complete Video Production I and Video Production II or be admitted by permission of the instructor.  
Students will continue to explore and experiment with the television medium through teamwork in a professional setting. Students must work together to conceive, plan and execute a format for a television program to be broadcast on local cable access at a regular basis (i.e. daily, weekly, bi-weekly, depending on the complexity of the student devised format). Special attention will now be given to the entire process of pre-production, production and post-production.  

Students will learn to use the 35-millimeter camera to create photographic art. Composition and design will be stressed. Students will also learn the processes of developing and enlarging film. Digital imaging and manipulation will be explored in this class using Photoshop.

Prerequisite: Photography I.  
Using the basic elements of photography, the students will experiment with various creative techniques explored in the darkroom. Special attention will be given to the printing of photographs. Chemical techniques will be used to design, ­compose and alter the photographic image.  Digital imaging and manipulation will be explored in this class using Photoshop.

Prerequisite: Photography II.  
This course offers opportunities for the highly motivated individual to work on an advanced level in photography.  The students will experiment with advanced techniques, in lighting and composition.  Digital imaging and manipulation will be explored in this class using Photoshop.

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Prerequisite: Photography III.  
An advanced level course designed for students who want a vigorous and challenging experience in photography.

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Prerequisite: Photography I or permission of instructor.  

Students use digital cameras, scanners, imaging software, printers and computers to explore the artistic potential of new imaging technology and solve visual problems.  Students will learn how to plan and produce digital images that demonstrate an understanding of composition, light, color, visual impact and art history.  Hands-on projects include digital painting, digital photography, image capture, image manipulation through photoshop and graphic design problems.

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BUSINESS
Independence, pride, money.  You can gain it all through the courses offered in the Business Education Department.

The main objectives of Business Education are to develop, in each student, the knowledge and skill needed for college, entry-level employment and for advancement in a business career.

All students should have the opportunity to gain the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to be effective in their personal money management and in their understanding of our economic system.

Business education has a great deal to offer you – relevant, challenging and exciting classes taught on computers using Microsoft Office. Business Education-it makes sense.

Any successfully completed course in this department can be used to fulfill the graduation requirement for PRACTICAL ARTS.