Central already offers a wide variety of classes, and for the 2017-2018 school year, several new courses have been added to the mix. With course selection time upon us, it would be opportune to consider those that have been made newly available.

One addition available specifically to freshmen looking for an elective that will help them ease into high school is Tech Tools & Organizational Skills/Freshman Study Hall (#609). This class is worth 1.25 credits and provides students time to complete homework and can help them learn organizational and time management skills. Students learn about technological tools, too, that will prepare them for their increasing workloads. This class aims to reduce the time that students spend outside of school on their homework and to teach them valuable skills for use in high school and college.

Freshman will also have new science courses available to them starting next school year, including standard (#401) or honors (#403) Earth & Environmental Science. Standard discusses topics such as Earth and its place in the solar system, Earth structure and composition, geologic processes and plate tectonics, weather, climate and global climate change, natural hazards, natural resources, and human impact on the environment. Honors teaches the same topics, just at an accelerated pace, and for students who really enjoy the subject matter. Both classes aim to prepare students for their future science classes.

In history, students are now offered Big History (#111). This course will engage students by teaching about powerful ideas and common themes across all of history, from the Big Bang and creation of star systems to Earth’s first microorganisms and the rise of human societies. This course will also teach the necessary analytical, research, and writing skills. After this class, students will be prepared to take U.S. History 1 and 2, or an AP History class. Big History will better prepare students for these classes and help them make connections in other classes.

For upperclassmen, CP French 5 (#251) is now offered. This course will allow French-learners to build upon their previous four years of French education as well as to strengthen speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills to use in practical situations. Students also learn about modern French popular culture and daily life. “Learning a new language helps me appreciate other cultures and build other learning skills. I really enjoy learning French and I plan on taking this course sometime in the future,” says Keely M.

Upperclassmen can also take AP Calculus A over the summer for 2.5 credits. This course is to be taken after Pre-Calculus and paired with AP Calculus BC for a total of 7.5 credits. This class totals 60 hours of online and in-class learning; the AP Exam will need to be taken at the end of the course in order to keep the college credits. “I will definitely consider this choice when I take calculus,” Meher M. said. “This way I can finish this course during the summer so I can focus on other subjects during the school year.”

Finally, upperclassmen can take advantage of a new elective program called AP Capstone. This 10-credit program consists of two courses: AP Research and AP Seminar. This course is interdisciplinary in nature because it doesn’t focus on a specific subject; students answer and research questions that they have and present their findings. At the end of the class, students need to complete a 5,000-word essay, a presentation, and the AP Test to receive college credit. This open class enables students to learn about whatever they choose and build important skills for the future.

With all of the new class options, Central students can explore their interests while challenging themselves. For more information about new courses, visit the Hunterdon Central website to view the program of studies.