Courses
Freshman Level
For Freshmen, high school is a tremendous step. STTA uses a three class block
schedule
and team teaching to facilitate student learning and to foster a community
feeling.
Students stay with each other throughout the morning as they transfer from
class
to class. Using this middle school-esque approach, youngsters are brought into
the high
school culture in an easier, more caring atmosphere.
Working as a group, the students begin to develop a community. They know that
they
are safe, and can therefore take risks. Risk taking is a fundamental step in
learning.
Without it, students will never stretch to the next level and are unwilling to
try
new things or to contemplate new ideas.
At this level, students are enrolled in 9th Grade Language Arts, 9th Grade
Integrated
History, and STTA Arts Studio. Students are required to enroll in all three
School
Through the Arts classes.
Sophomore Courses
As they mature, students take fewer classes as a group. But by this time, the successful
community
connection has been made. Students have formed a link to the school culture
and are
happy to express themselves in any of a variety of ways.
At the Sophomore level, class requirements reflect this concept. Students take
a 10th
Grade Language Arts and 10th Grade Integrated History class as a group. They
are
also required to take an arts class of their choice. This may be any of over a
dozen
arts classes offered at West Anchorage High School, including Pottery, Dance,
Acting,
Orchestra, Music History or Painting.
Junior / Senior Courses
By the Junior year, students are beginning to branch out and become
specialists in
their own artistic areas. Course requirements are even more relaxed,
reflecting the
maturation process, but still function to fulfill graduation provisions set
forth
by the Anchorage School District.
In the Junior and Senior years, STTA students are required to continue taking an arts
class of
their choice. By this time, we expect students to begin to specialize in a
certain
artistic area and to develop advanced skills in their chosen area of
expression.
In addition, students take a two year long Language Arts class
that fulfills
high school graduation requirements, including a full credit of composition, twice the required level. Within the course, students focus on four rotating themes which include expository writing, creative writing, Shakespeare and the humanities.