Expo Team

Art: A trimester course offered at each grade level based on the elements and principles of art. The students will focus on the process of building their artistic behavior through specific arts standards: creating, presenting, responding, and connecting.

Band and Choir: Any student may enroll in Band or Choir regardless of musical proficiency. A two-week trial is permitted at the start of the year only, though students may also join or drop prior to the start of any trimester. Rehearsals are held during study hall, and grades will be earned. Attendance at all lessons, rehearsals, and performances is mandatory. Students must be passing all core courses to be eligible to participate. The director should be notified in writing to drop band at the end of any trimester. Failure to do so could result in a failing grade. No audition is required to join band or choir, but students may elect to audition for the elite touring groups: Jazz Band and Singing Raiders.

ESL: English as a Second Language offers instructional support for identified students who either first spoke a language other than English, come from a home where a language other than English is spoken, or speak in a language other than English. The ACCESS test scores are considered for identification and/or placement. The goals are to provide English Language Learners (ELLs) with instructional support and to develop proficiency in the language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The support emphasizes pronunciation, language usage, decoding, comprehension, and vocabulary strategies; and assists students in using English in socially and culturally appropriate ways. Informal and formal assessment consisting of curriculum-based assessments, teacher observations, and completed coursework are used to monitor the student’s achievement and for course exit.

Health: A trimester course for 5th (required) and 6th grade which helps students understand that good health affects school performance, their friendships, their looks, and their lives. The importance of avoiding risky behaviors and guidelines on how to do so will be discussed.

Media Arts: A 7th grade trimester course which involves mixing different creative mediums to create work that incorporates two or more art forms. In this course, students will learn to use a variety of traditional and non-traditional materials to create 2-d and 3-d works of art. Students will also learn about historically significant and contemporary mixed media artists and their work.

Physical Education is mandated daily by ILCS, Article 5/27-5. Once enrolled in PE, a written notice from a physician (specifying the duration of non-participation) is the only excuse accepted for extended exemption from P.E. (BP 7:260). The following rules apply to daily physical education at Parkside: 1.A parent may excuse students from P.E. for up to three days with a written note. 2.Chewing Gum is NOT allowed in PE. 3. Students must use a school issued lock and all valuables should be secured in their locker. 4.Adequate care should be taken by students who wear glasses. 5.All injuries must be reported to the teacher immediately. 6. Students must wear a uniform purchased from the school, which should be laundered weekly. Failure to dress for PE may result in disciplinary action.

Sculpture:  A trimester course offered to 8th grade students that focuses on learning various tools and techniques to create 3-dimensional art works with papier mache, clay, wire, and other various sculpture building materials. Students will apply the knowledge of the elements of principles of design to create functional and nonfunctional sculptures. Additionally, students will learn about important movements in art history and of important artists who contributed to them.

Stagecraft: An 8th grade trimester course designed to help students become more comfortable, expressive, creative, and articulate when presenting in front of people. Students will learn and engage in public speaking, theatrical performance, debate, literature reading, and improvisation activities.

Spanish: A trimester course offered to students to take once during their 7th and/or 8th grade year. It is designed to introduce students to Spanish culture, vocabulary, and grammatical structures through active participation in reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities.

STEM: A modular curriculum program which emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Each of 15 modules engages students for seven sessions of computer-assisted learning. Content is delivered through zSpace, video segments and hands-on activities. Topics include Electronics, 3-D Printing, Video Production, Home and Fashion Design, Drones, Robots, and more.