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Watchung Hills Regional High School Watchung Hills Regional High School

Off-Canvas

Curriculum Guides

WHRHS Core and Elective Courses
Modifications for Diverse Learners

On behalf of the WHRHS Board of Education, Superintendent Jewett, and Principal Librera, I would like to thank all the teachers, supervisors and staff who dedicate their energy, expertise and enthusiasm to the task of re-examining curricular offerings on an annual basis. One major change that is evident across the curriculum is the focus on instructional inquiry.These courses across departments also demonstrate a renewed focus on student centered learning and cross-curricular collaboration. This curriculum outlines a clear road map of what our students will know and demonstrate about a given subject. In addition, when read holistically, these curriculum documents illuminate the standards and critical thinking skills which we believe are essential.

At WHRHS, we are committed to helping our present and future parents, community members,teachers and supervisors as they counsel students about building a robust and enjoyable instructional plan that encompasses core course offerings and electives.  The individual guidance counselor helps students balance graduation requirements with student interest and authentic learning. Through immediate online access to the Program of Study, we coach our students to appreciate the breadth and depth of a subject they may know from an introductory survey class, and we also attempt to interest them in a subject they have not previously considered. We hope members of our diverse learning community will begin to comprehend the challenges of building a four year instructional path (and not just a schedule) which not only prepares our students academically, but also helps them to celebrate their individual social, emotional, creative and artistic intelligence(s).

 Every summer, teachers and supervisors come together to edit and create. These curriculum guides are living breathing documents, and updates will continue to be added to the online program of study, and there is support to edit the published courses annually. We continue to refine these documents because we share a core belief in growing the capacity of our  learning community. Sharing these documents with a focus on inquiry helps us think beyond basic problem solving skills to ask what happens when the problem is not solvable by concrete thinking or rote memory. We remain open to continued conversations sharing best practices, effective strategies and new resources, as we continue to embrace 21st century interdisciplinary learning.

Mary Ellen Phelan
Director of Curriculum and Instruction