Electives program
In a traditional high school, an elective class might last from 45 minutes to an hour. This doesn’t give much room for teachers to set up and students to be immersed in a subject.
Palo Alto Prep’s answer is our Friday elective program. Students attend academic classes from Monday-Thursday and on Fridays, we spend the entire school day in our elective classes. This gives us the opportunity to offer electives that extend beyond the walls of the classroom.
Students can learn to fly a plane on our school’s flight simulator before trying out their skills at the San Jose airport or gain their scuba certification in a course that culminates with a dive in Monterey Bay. In our Friday Art elective, students have time to work on a project, visit a museum, or go to paint or draw in a local park.
Some of the electives Palo Alto Preparatory has offered in our Friday Electives program include:
- Horseback riding
- Biking
- Aviation
- Paddle-boarding
- Art in the park
- Digital circuits
- Rock-climbing
- Music
- Gardening
- Arts and crafts
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Stained-glass making
- Sword-fighting
- Field sports
- Woodworking
- Golf
- Weightlifting
These are real life experiences in the planning. He is learning facts, but also learning decision making, goal setting and reaching, organization and working with people. You are a breeding ground for individuals.”