The Department of Art teaches visual literacy skills with the intention of preparing our graduates for a lifetime of creative activity. We educate both majors and non-majors to develop students into critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, compassionate human beings, and life-long learners. These qualities will not only ensure success in education but also provide flexibility when these skills are used to make personal or professional choices. Moreover, these skills provide the basis for fulfilling and culturally enriched living. Our students will be guided and trained in the necessary technical and conceptual skills needed to become successful professional artists and art educators.
The primary mission of business education is to provide instruction for and about business. The discipline of business education prepares students to become contributing citizens who are capable of making astute personal economic decisions. In business education classrooms, students learn the basics of personal finance, develop techniques for making wise consumer decisions, master economic principles, and learn how businesses operate. In addition, business educators play a prominent role in developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for students to succeed in the workforce. Further, business education courses provide the impetus for students to successfully complete college programs in several business areas.
At Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School, the Business, Computer Management Services and Career Technical Education programs are designed to expose students to basic concepts and possible career opportunities in the field of business and technical education. The curriculum allows students to learn and develop skills in computer software application, entrepreneurship, accounting and business management.
The English Department's role in Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School is to provide multiple and varied opportunities for student to hone their communication skills – thinking, reading, writing, speaking, listening – to ensure academic and social success in all aspects of their lives.
The WHS English Department's goals are consistent with those of the school in that we hope to achieve the following:
The ELD/ESOL Program of Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School will develop College and Career Ready students in a culturally-diverse community by promoting a culture of Preparedness, Respect, Involvement, Dependability and Excellence.
The vision of ESOL Program of Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School is to establish a culturally engaging environment, provide rigorous academic instruction to community of diverse learners and foster College and Career Readiness.
The Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Department seeks to empower students with skills to meet the financial, employment, and technological challenges of the future, strengthen families, and make significant contributions in the formulation and achievement of goals in their communities and society. Focus is place on the acquisition of knowledge and technical skills regarding workplace readiness in the restaurant and hospitality industry, financial literacy, food and nutrition, human development and career exploration.
The mission of the Mathematics Department is to provide a mathematical sequence of coursework for all students, which is consistent with the mission of Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School, which ensures all students will learn mathematics, as measured by standardized tests such as HSA, MSA, AP and SAT, as well as by authentic assessments created within the department and by individual leaders.
In order for students to gain higher achievements in academics as well as their own self-fulfillment as an individual, the relationship between art disciplines is needed. These relative experiences give the student a connected understanding to their larger world. These disciplines are in two categories: Music (piano, guitar) and Performing Arts (Band, Choir, Dance and Drama).
When the arts come together to produce joint projects these students gain a wider knowledge base, which gives a firmer foundation for all of their academic ventures. The department will promote a strong foundation to create and communicate a working cooperation for the various faculty, students, parents, and community.
The Physical Education program will provide diverse student-centered instructional activities and provide students with feedback that reflects their progress toward the mastery of the indicators and the mastery of the indicators and objectives found in the Physical Education Curriculum Framework.
The mission of the Science Department is to provide a scientific sequence of coursework for all students, which is consistent with the mission of Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School, which ensures all students will learn science, as measured by standardized tests such as AP, SAT, MSA, and HSA, as well as by authentic assessments created within the department and by Individual teachers.
The Social Studies Department of Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School shall focus on the content strands of political systems, peoples of the nation and world, geography, and economics in order to provide our students with the skills for success that will emphasize life long learning, higher order thinking, communication, analysis and interpersonal skills. Our department is dedicated to creating future members of society that will understand other cultures, human behavior, global interdependence, civic ideals and responsibilities, and develop historic perspectives. It is our intention to provide students with knowledge of the past so that they may examine problems and their solutions therein in order to not repeat the past but to learn from it and improve society for a better tomorrow. Our ultimate goal is to produce graduates that are civic minded and culturally aware who will have the tools to make our country a stronger nation in the future.
The mission of the Compliance and Special Needs Department of Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School is to prepare students to accept responsibility for their own learning by gaining an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and the ability to articulate their learning success strategies. In addition, we will promote standards, which challenge students to continue to strive for excellence, including integration into general and advanced academic classes. Lastly, we will provide individualized academic, social and emotional assistance to prepare students to function independently and responsibly in their community and workplace as productive citizens.
The world languages program at Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School is committed to the development of proficiency in the target language through the use of communicative situations and National Standards as a Framework. Our purpose for learning a second language is to be able to communicate with the people who speak it and to understand their cultures in this global society.
The modern foreign language program is committed to objectives that develop communication skills. Teachers focus on the Foreign Language National Standards and the 5 C’s: Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons and Communities. Grammatical concepts and vocabulary are taught in the context of real life situations as students develop accuracy in communicating. Students are also made aware of the career possibilities open to persons in many fields if they have knowledge and skills in a foreign language. Students are encouraged to speak the target language from the beginning through many student-centered activities.
