Jack Crowley ‘24 | Gavin Schmidt ‘24 | Dylan Unruh ‘24
After the long process of outlining possible courses and presenting them to a committee, many new classes proposed by teachers were approved for the 2021-22 school year. As of now, these classes include Honors Philosophy, Honors American Political Thought, African American History, Psychology, Mobile App Design, Theater for Change, and Honors Woodworking Design and Fabrication II.
The first step in getting a class approved is producing an outline and a list of budget costs and materials. Then, the faculty member proposing the course collaborates with their department head to gain constructive criticism and feedback on the course. Finally, the teacher must present the idea in front of Academic Dean Chris Anderson, Head of the Upper School Michael Letts, and the body of Department Heads.
Matt Memmo, Head of the Upper School Computer Science Department, created the Mobile App Design class, in which students will “dive into the structure of web and mobile app development.” He adds, “The inspiration for the course came when each year, a couple of students would come to me for tips on how to develop apps out of the pure interest of learning. It got to a point where the interest level became overwhelming so it transformed into a course.”
The course is split into two sections. Memmo says, “During the first part of the course, students will learn ins and outs of web development through programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript. We will touch on design elements on the desktop including photoshop as well.” He continues, “During the second part of the course, it transitions into how the websites could look on a mobile device using derivative javascript while touching on how to take advantage of your mobile device’s native features.”
Elizabeth Boruff ‘23 says, “I really like computer science, so when I was forming my schedule for next year, I wanted to know if I could take more classes after AP CSA. I’m glad to know that Mr. Memmo is continuing to create classes like that Mobile App Design one for students who are interested in CS.”
John Binstock, Upper and Middle School Woodworking and Design teacher, developed a new class for the second year in a row. Prior to this school year, students were only offered a semester-long woodworking elective, but last year, Mr. Binstock created an Honors Woodworking Design and Fabrication course which allows students to continue with woodworking.
After the first semester of Honors Woodworking this year, Binstock says, “I knew I needed to create another level of honors woodworking for my students who enjoy the challenge of woodworking and want to continue developing their craftsmanship.” His current honors students have expressed interest in continuing with woodworking at the next level, so he created Honors Woodworking Design and Fabrication II, which is “the next step.”
In this course, students will receive “design and build” challenges with limited materials and specific criteria to demonstrate their creative problem solving abilities. Binstock explains that these challenges “start with idea development, and it ends with presenting their finished woodworking pieces at the end-of-school art show.”
Kelly Bertucci, Upper School Theater teacher, designed the new Theater for Change course. She shares, “I had started thinking about how theater has a responsibility and ability to give people insight on others’ experiences. I began to brainstorm the idea behind a course that inspected aspects of identity, power, antiracism, and culture through a different lens.”
In this course, students will examine various BIPOC and female playwrights, so they can gain various minority perspectives and explore their own identity in the process. Bertucci elaborates, “We will ask questions such as: do the beliefs shown in these playwrights resonate with us? What are the ideas that we consume? How do we orient with these stories? Do we ever seek stories that don’t align with our experiences or belief systems?”
These new courses for the 2021-2022 school year will provide students and faculty with an opportunity to explore and cultivate other interests outside of the current curriculum.