Elective CoursesIndustrial Arts
Library Science and Technology Skills
Outdoor Education
Photography
Electives, or Specials as they are known at The Norman Howard School, are offered on a quarterly rotation to all students. Every special is required in the Middle School to give students an opportunity to experience the many different activities offered. Specials are offered as electives in the high school so students can concentrate on those subjects of particular interest to them. High School students are required to take at least one elective each quarter.
Industrial Arts
Industrial Arts provides a hands-on experience that allows students to enjoy the art of creation using physical materials such as wood, steel, glass, and paint. Once students enter the Creativity Center they are encouraged to take risks and explore their creativity as they build objects of their design and choice. Through the course of the creative process students gain confidence in their ideas and abilities to create. Students are expected to complete Project Planning Sheets which includes researching the history, people and cultures that led to the original development of the project they are planning to complete. Students also create projects that tie into their other classwork, such as stage props for Literature classes or models for Social Studies class, and work in groups to create items that will assist the school (i.e. benches in the courtyard) or the community at large (i.e. toys for needy children). Contact teacher Paul Wagner for more information.
Library Science and Technology Skills – Middle School only
Students in the Middle School learn how to make the most of the resources available in the Library in this five-week Library Skills Course. Students are taught how to conduct research, where to find materials, how to search databases and more. The second half of the course is dedicated to learning how to best use the technology offered at The Norman Howard School. Students are taught the basics of the main computer programs used throughout the school (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel) and they learn about the many programs available to assist them in overcoming their individual learning disabilities such as Thinking Maps software and Kurzweil 3000 text-to-speech software. Contact Librarian Sindy Cunningham or Instructional Technology Coordinator Edina Fitzpatrick for more information.
Outdoor Education – High School only
Monthly activities coordinated by Pack, Paddle, and Ski are designed to build self-confidence as well as effective listening and leadership skills. Team building is an important part of the program. Students work together to plan annual overnight trips as diverse as white water rafting, canoeing, hiking and sea kayaking. These much looked forward to trips give students the opportunity to practice the skills they have acquired in class and the chance to interact with their peers outside of school. Contact teacher Phil Humphreys for more information.
Photography
The NHS Photography Program, under the direction of renowned photographer Bruce Bennett provides students a safe place for creative expression as well as a place to learn personal responsibility and foster leadership skills. The goal of the class is to provide instruction in basic camera use, black and white developing techniques and digital photography. Encouraging a love for the art of photography and developing photos is more important than producing technically correct photographs. Students are encouraged to take creative risks and experiment with the artistry of photography. Students are also expected to demonstrate a certain level of personal responsibility in terms of handling equipment and classroom behavior. The careful balance of artistic freedom and personal responsibility has been the foundation of this very popular program for more than a decade.
The Darkroom also offers an after-school program for students to further explore the art of photography and enjoy the social camaraderie that the club is known for.
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