Core Courses
	Arts Infusion
	Technology Lab
	Exploratories
	Physical Education
	The Advisory Program
	The Life Experiences Program
	Successful Learning
	Beacon's Extended Year
	Middle School: A Sample Schedule
	Print Version

Core Courses
Core courses at Beacon are taught in blocks. Block scheduling allows enough class time for multiple learning activities with extensive supervised practice. Core teachers use a team approach to teaching language arts and social studies. Language arts includes the skills of written and verbal communication; interpretation of communication and texts; reading for pleasure, information, research and reporting. Social studies covers the skills of history, geography, demographics, economics, sociology, and civics.

Beacon's Mathematics and Science courses build core skills with broad organization of content and skills competency requirements. The Mathematics program covers arithmetic, prealgebra, and algebra, statistics and probability; calculation, computation and practical (life-skill) applications; as well as related computer database programming. In Science students develop the skills of scientific methods, laboratory procedures, measurement, computer literacy, data compilation and problem solving.

Arts Infusion coordinates the teaching of expressive skills with the integration of the arts into the core curriculum. Middle School students gain confidence from arts immersion as they assess their work, plan the next step, take risks and reassess an essential life-skill.

Technology Lab experiences develop mastery of hardware and software skills while teaching critical analysis, organization and presentation of information.

Exploratories are classes of shorter duration that stimulate or build upon interest, talent, leadership skill and inquiry. Mini-courses may include arts, student publications, study skills, teen life, student government and community awareness.

Physical Education and after school team sports address issues of adolescent health, development of large motor skills and team building.