This week and next middle school students will sign up for their "choice" specialist classes.  Specialist classes meet once per day for 53 minutes.  All Middle School students will have Physical Education and Health class (example, Monday and Tuesday).  Wednesday is a "choice" day.  Students can choose from one of the following: Art, Advanced PE, STEM, Rock Band/Guitar (we won't know until after students sign up), and Study Hall.  Students also select whether or not they will be in a non-Wednesday music class such as band, choir or orchestra (for example, if a student picks choir that meets on Thursday and Friday).  If a student chooses not to be in a music program the other two classes available are STEM and Art.  The following message was sent out in the Newsletter this week:

“We will continue to offer students a choice of classes on Wednesdays.  The choices this year will be Art, Advanced PE, STEM, Rock Band/Guitar (depending on music sign ups), and Study Hall.  All students should be prepared to rank order their preferences.  Please note that because band and choir meet for two days of the week a student who chooses band or choir only has Wednesday "choice" day as an option in his/her schedule.  The other two days will automatically be PE and Health.

Music - Band and choir will continue to be held two days a week next year.  Orchestra, rock band and guitar will probably be one day a week, however, the final schedule will depend on the number of students indicating an interest in the different musical groups.  Students interested in music should be prepared to pick one music option.  A sample music schedule could be Mon - Band, Tues - Band, Wed - Art, Thurs - Health and Fri - PE.  Another example could be Mon - Art, Tues - STEM, Wed - Guitar, Thurs - PE, and Friday - Health.

No Music - with the addition of the required health class, a student can also choose to have a schedule with no music.  An example schedule would be Mon - Art, Tues - STEM, Wed - Advanced PE, Thurs - PE, and Friday - Health.

All specialist sign ups are for preferences only.  It may be necessary to adjust schedules based on student responses or staffing conflicts.  Final schedules will be created over the summer.  If you have questions please call the Upper campus office at 668-3310.”

Wednesday Class Descriptions: Study Hall will be a quiet time to catch up on homework.  Advanced PE is a more intense version of PE that culminates with a Triathlon in June.  Rock Band or Guitar will be based on sign ups for music.  Art and STEM will be either the same or similar to the normal Specialist curriculum.  Students who have Art or STEM twice (as Wednesday choice and during the week) will use the Wednesday class to perfect and explore the projects they are working on.

Walter Schleisman

Principal

Lake Harriet Upper Campus

612-668-3310