electives

ART STUDIO

MUSIC LAB

CAD/3D PRINTING

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

CRAFTS

PERFORMING ARTS

MINECRAFT

BOOK CLUB

YEARBOOK

COMMUNITY SERVICE

INDEPENDENT LIVING

STRATEGY & COMPETITION

CREATIVE WRITING/POETRY

MATH WORKSHOP

VOCAL LAB

PHOTOGRAPHY

ART STUDIO

Every human has the ability to be creative; it's just a matter of finding the medium or inspiration. Trying new things helps our students find their artistic voices.

The art room is where magic happens and mistakes turn into happy accidents in the blink of an eye. Whether it's the creation of "senior selfies", wooden block face sculptures, or hand-printed quilt blocks, it's one place where happiness resides at HPS.

VOCAL LAB

Vocal Lab adds another component to our musical repertoire. This class works with students interested in broadening their musical experience through vocal training. Students in the class support each other as they explore and develop their capabilities. This elective has inspired a regularly scheduled "Vocal Showcase" where our vocalists can share their talents with other community members. 

3D PRINTING

Printing consumer goods on-demand is an exciting new area of technology requiring a unique set of skills. This elective combines an introduction to 3-dimensional design using CAD software, with hands-on projects. Students work collaboratively to gain the theoretical and practical knowledge they need to master this technology, share ideas and experiences, and generate real world 3D objects. In addition to learning the basics of 3D design, students will gain exposure to the operation and maintenance of 3D printers. 

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

In the Dungeons and Dragons elective, students engage in a guided role playing game that facilitates and encourages problem solving, teamwork, creativity, and relationship building. It is also tons of fun!  The game was invented in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Ameson and was the first fantasy role playing game of its kind. At HPS, D & D is accessed on school computers. Students are expected to follow Community Rules as they interact in order to create a story where heroes vanquish antiheroes in the never-ending contest between good and evil. Students can take turns assuming leadership or support roles as their collective story unfolds.  Dungeons and Dragons is an excellent way to foster the social and emotional goals we have for all of our students at HPS.

CRAFTS

Crafts class gives students an opportunity to creatively express themselves through short-term craft projects. Some of the projects include: decoupage candle holders, bracelets, weaving, and fuse bead magnets. Students are also introduced to hand and machine sewing.

CERAMICS

Hand building, slab rolling, and wheel throwing keep our students busy with clay throughout the year. Unloading a recently fired kiln can be the highlight of the week when the colorfully glazed pots, mug, and plates make their debut.

FILM STUDIES

In this elective, a variety of genres of films are examined, looking at different patterns, character development, symbolism, and themes. Students watch films, record observations and discuss primary roles, supporting roles, and the their findings in a collaborative environment.

MINECRAFT

Minecraft is an elective for students who enjoy technological challenges. The class collectively builds structures out of textured cubes where they may experience multiple game play modes such as creative mode, adventure mode and survival mode. Players must acquire resources to build and maintain a healthy world. Minecraft helps build students analytic and coding skills.

MUSIC LAB

Music Lab provides students with instruction on drums, bass and guitar. Students are introduced to a broad range of musical styles including classical music, rock, folk, blues, country western, bluegrass and jazz. Music Lab students are invited to explore solo and ensemble performances and digital multi-track recording. Music Lab introduces students to the idea that playing a musical instrument can be a rewarding, lifelong leisure activity or vocation.

"Music gives us a language that cuts across the disciplines, helps us to see connections and brings a more coherent meaning to our world."

- Ernest Boyer, President, Carnegie Foundation

INDEPENDENT LIVING

This popular elective teaches students how to plan and shop for a variety of simple and economic recipes. Students learn how to safely use cooking tools and implements, convert measurements, and meet sanitary guidelines. Students are also taught formal and informal table settings and dining etiquette. Instruction is given in the use of washing machines, dryers and ironing.

PERFORMING ARTS

This elective gives students the chance to express themselves through live and recorded performances such as plays and movies. Students can participate by being actors, singers, costume/set designers, and video editors. Each year the students perform a live production of a classic Winter Holiday play for the student body, staff and invited guests.

BOOK CLUB

Book Club is an elective that meets in the HPS library. Students who choose Book Club as an elective are usually our avid readers. These students have a quiet and comfortable environment to enjoy the written word and to share this life-long hobby with like-minded peers.

CREATIVE WRITING/POETRY

Creative Writing is an elective for those students who wish to expand their writing ability beyond traditional English classes. Students produce work in an array of different genres which are then shared with their classmates for supported and constructive review. An off-shoot of Creative Writing class is the increasingly popular "Poetry Cafe", a venue for all HPS students to present both original and professional poetry for appreciation and encouragement.

STRATEGY & COMPETITION

Strategy and Competition offers a variety of games and interactive activities for students to engage in. Students practice working as a team, communicate effectively and develop leadership skills.

MATH WORKSHOP

Math Workshop is designed to meet a variety of different goals.  For some students, Math Workshop can be a strategy to reinforce their daily instructional objectives. This is especially helpful for students who have difficulty retaining and mastering mathematical concepts.  Math Workshop is also a place where students preparing to take the SATs or ACTs can review math topics and test taking strategies prior to their specific test dates.  In addition, students who need to recoup math credits can work towards getting on track to graduate by taking a required math course for whatever length of time necessary. There are also students who elect to take Math Workshop just because they love math!

BOWLING

BASKETBALL

YOGA/AEROBICS

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

GAMES

FISHING

TOUCH FOOTBALL

FITNESS WALKING

FITNESS/WEIGHTS

COUCH TO 5K