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Overview

Art
Our art program strives to nurture the visual acuity and visual problem solving abilities of all Lower Dauphin students.  We empower students to develop artistic behaviors through a variety of electives at the high school level, designed to address many interests and skill levels. At our program’s core are the multi-leveled course tracks: Digital Photography, Fine Art, Illustration, and Pottery. Additional artistic learning opportunities are found in AP Art History, Fibers, Multicultural Art, Sculpture, and Stage Craft. Our program fosters student artists who are active in the National Art Honor Society, and have consistently won awards regionally, statewide, and nationally. Many student artists have continued to study art beyond high school.

Business Education
The main intention of our business education program is to prepare students in meeting the challenges of tomorrow’s economy and the 21st Century employment market. Whether students plan to enter the workforce or further their education, they can learn marketable work skills that improve productivity while expanding career options and earning power. All courses are geared toward the school-to-work connection. Course offerings are designed to provide students with a fundamental business knowledge in the areas of career planning, entrepreneurial strategies, marketing and advertising, accounting principles, learning the laws of business, managing personal finances, and applying computer applications. In addition, students are offered the opportunity to gain Microsoft certifications.

English
All core courses in English are designed to prepare students for success on state and national standardized tests as well as provide the communication skills essential for excellence in future endeavors. English elective courses are designed to enrich and expand upon certain skill sets and areas of specific interest that are tertiary to core course offerings.

Family and Consumer Science
Our family and consumer science offerings give students a combination of academic and practical skills to succeed as mature adults. All of the course offerings in our department provide opportunities to explore the various careers in FCS. The four sequential culinary courses practice food preparation skills and nutrition. Child Development provides opportunities to observe in local childcare centers and elementary schools weekly and prepare for careers working with children.

Foreign Language
Our foreign language department offers four-year courses in Spanish, French, German, and Latin. Our foreign language staff stresses a modern approach to learning a foreign language, including conversation and varied activities in the classroom. A fifth year course is Advanced Placement.  There are active chapters for all language honor societies.

Health and Physical Education
Students are offered a variety of activity courses over the four-year period.  Courses place emphasis on personal fitness, sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork.  During the freshman year, students are required to take Foundations of Physical Education and grades 10-12, students choose from electives which are sport-based or fitness-based. All students will take health in grade 11. 

Math
Our math courses range from Applied Math and Senior Math through Calculus and Statistics. We recommend four years of mathematics for students who plan on attending post-secondary institutions.  Students planning careers in STEM fields should take Computer Programming and advanced mathematics courses, which may include Precalculus, Calculus, and Statistics.  Math tutoring is available every week after school.

Music
Our high school music program provides opportunities for participation in Concert Band, Orchestra, Chamber Singers, Women’s Select Choir, and Mixed Chorus.  Ensemble classes are focused on preparing music at a variety of levels while developing performance elements such as, tone production, tuning, technical elements, and historical/ cultural perspectives.  Advanced students can take advantage of chamber groups and honor festival opportunities. The department also offers sectional lessons, music theory classes and participation in a chapter of the Tri-M music honors society.  Any student may register for these classes, but new members should consult the appropriate director before singing up.

Reading
These courses are designed for students who have difficulty reading and/or understanding what they read. The Decoding & Comprehension classes focus on decoding and word attack skills. These classes are designed for students who need practice reading words more accurately and fluently. Comprehension classes are designed for students who struggle to understand what they read. All classes learn and use active reading strategies. The Reading Strategies class focuses on both word attack skills and comprehension strategies.  This class is designed for students who need more intense instruction.  All classes learn vocabulary strategies. Students will be expected to read self-selected books throughout the school year. Priority will be given to students who are reading below grade level. These courses require teacher recommendation and/or reading specialist approval. 
 

Science

Earth & Space Science, Environment & Ecology, Biology, Chemistry and Physics are our core science offerings. Inquiry-based investigations are a part of each required course. Anatomy and Physiology, as well as Advanced Placement courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science are offered as electives. Our High School Science Department offers other opportunities for students to enrich their science education through participation out of school academic competitions and clubs.

Social Studies
The Social Studies curriculum has been developed to enhance student appreciation of the arts and sciences. We do this through a comprehensive look at history, government, and social sciences. Students are required to take US History (1.0), American Government (1.0), World History (1.0) and Modern World History (.5) along with one semester (.5) history-oriented elective class. 

Technology Education
The technology education department seeks to provide the "T" and "E" of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education. To that end, it has transformed the typical teacher-centered classroom by implementing a curriculum that is driven by problem-solving, discovery, and exploratory learning, and requiring students to actively engage situations in order to find their solutions. The department teaches independent innovation and allows students to explore greater depths of all other high school subjects by utilizing the skills learned in those subjects; these skills will be required in order for today’s students to become tomorrow’s global leaders. The study of technology requires students to design, create, utilize, evaluate, and modify technological systems to solve problems. While solving these problems, students have opportunities to apply a variety of academic concepts through practical hands-on applications.