Year course open to grade 9 Eligibility: Placement in this class is determined by multiple criteria: qualified teacher recommendation, ASD Oral Reading Assessment, SAT 9 scores below the 10th percentile or San Diego Quick Assessment Meets graduation requirement: Elective (10 credits)
Students selected for this class receive specialized fundamental reading instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, and writing. The students use multi-sensory strategies that integrate the language art strands of reading comprehension, expositoory and narrative writing, grammar, vocabulary, literature, and pragmatic and figurative language.
Reading 2
Year course open to grade 9 Eligibility: Placement in this class is determined by multiple criteria: qualified teacher recommendation, ASD Oral Reading Assessment, SAT 9 scores between the 10th and 25th percentile or San Diego Quick Assessment Meets graduation requirement: Elective (10 credits)
Students selected for this class receive small group teacher-directed and individualized reading instruction in word study, vocabulary, comprehension, and spelling. Students read leveled reading passages with activities on CD-ROMs, leveled audio books, and high-interest paperbacks in all genres to build reading and writing skills and develop fluency.
Reading 3
Year course open to grade 9 Eligibility: Placement in this class is determined by multiple criteria: qualified teacher recommendation, ASD Oral Reading Assessment, SAT 9 scores between the 26th and 35th percentile or San Diego Quick Assessment Meets graduation requirement: Elective (10 credits)
Students selected for this class receive specialized direct reading instruction in word study, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and critical thinking. Student-centered instruction in reading is interactive, sequential and emphasizes developmental reading skills and strategies.
Creative Writing 7/8 (CSU, UC)
Year course open to grade 12 Prerequisite: English 5/6 and teacher recommendation Meets graduation requirement: English (10 credits)
This course offers students the opportunity to create written texts of varying lengths in their own areas of interest. They will be given an opportunity to experiment with poetry, the short story, and drama. Above all, creativity will be stressed.
Journalism 1/2
Year course open to grades 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: teacher recommendation Meets graduation requirement: Practical/Vocational Arts (10 credits); Elective (10 credits)
This course introduces students to the field of journalism in theory and practice, including the technical, production, and business aspects. The fundamentals of basic journalism and publishing are learned, refined, and used in this activity-oriented setting. Students learn the place of newspapers in our society, survey career opportunities in journalism, and learn the basic skills necessary for writing and producing a newspaper.
Journalism 3-8
Year course open to grades 10,11,12 Prerequisite: Journalism 1/2 Meets graduation requirement: Practical/Vocational Arts (10 credits), fulfills Computer Science requirement
The work in these courses consists entirely of writing, editing, publishing, and distributing the student newspaper Aztec. Student editors are assigned on the basis of ability and experience.
Yearbook 1-8
Year course open to grades 10,11,12 Prerequisite: English 1/2A, teachercounselor recommendation Meets graduation requirement: Elective (10 credits)
Students design, prepare for publication and promote the school's yearbook, Teocalli. In this class students work together, develop consistent work habits, and meet publishing deadlines. Student assignments include theme layout, picture schedules, sales promotions, financial accounting, copy writing, art design, photography, and record maintenance. Desktop publishing skills are learned and used extensively.