Saint Joseph Regional High School announced the addition of three new courses to the curriculum for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school will offer a Communication Arts class, under the direction of new teacher Richard Todd Adams, who joins the faculty after serving as SJR's choral director for several years. Adams, a Broadway veteran and Juilliard graduate, has formulated a curriculum to best prepare Green Knights for college and beyond with strong communication skills.
"In almost all fields of work, higher education and life in general, strong verbal communication skills and the ability to speak in public are keys to success," reads the curriculum summary. "This interactive class will introduce students to the value of strong communication skills and help them become more comfortable with speaking in public and making presentations. Based on the premise that 'creative thinking' is not just a personality trait, students will also be taught and challenged to learn and develop how to think more creatively."
Mary Ellen Grillo will incorporate elements of our STEAM class into a new Media Arts and Technology course for freshman and sophomores.
"Media Arts is an interdisciplinary course designed to engage students in the real world, utilizing hands-on, collaborative learning while mastering core algebraic and physical science," according to the curriculum guide. "Students will use the Creative Process to problem solve using critical thinking skills. Students will use a variety of tools including TinkerCAD, Studio Web, Voice Thread and Thinglink. Students will work collaboratively to join visual arts with engineering to create 3-Dimensional solutions to real world problems. These learning experiences allow students to discover, create, and implement solutions to real-world problems while using cutting edge technologies."
Joseph Mazzarello joins the faculty in a full-time capacity, handling a new Italian language offering for Green Knights.
"Students will express themselves in presentational, interpretive and interpersonal modes of communication through reading, writing, listening and speaking activities,' according to the curriculum guide. "Reading moves toward a variety of authentic selections discussed in Italian; writing skills are expanded to include analytical and creative formats. In addition, translation skills and extensive discussions will be encouraged, along with more of a focus on grammar and writing. This implementation in real life situations is the number one goal for the program."