Doniphan West Schools USD 111 Curriculum
by Rex Bollinger
Doniphan West Schools USD 111 offers an outstanding, engaging, fun, and relevant curriculum for all students Preschool through the twelfth grade. Access to this curriculum stands alone as a model for other schools in Northeast Kansas and Doniphan County.
The Preschool program at Doniphan West Primary School started in 2009 and provides a program for students who come from young families. Three year old students (Preschool) meet twice weekly on Tuesday’s and Thursdays and receive instruction utilizing the HighReach curriculum. Kinder Prep students (4-year olds) meet three times weekly for three and one-half hours every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and use the Saxon Early Learning and Handwriting Without Tears curriculum.
Kindergarten through second grade students enjoy not only the exposure to a regular curriculum of Reading, Mathematics, Writing, Spelling, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education, but also an enhanced specials curriculum. Each student receives one hour per week (twice weekly) instruction in Art and Spanish; one and one-half hours per week (three times weekly) in Music and Technology; and one-half hour weekly with the Guidance Counselor (Character Education) and Library instruction. Doniphan West Elementary Students in grades three through five receive the same exposure to this excellent curriculum. Fifth grade students can also receive instruction in Band.
Doniphan West Middle School students in grades six through eight receive an enhanced curriculum as well. In addition to core curriculum classes such as English, Math, Social Studies, Science and Physical Education, they also receive instruction in Technology, Spanish, Library, Art, Music and Band(grades 5-8), Introduction to Agriculture and Family and Consumer Science.
In addition to offering special education services to those students that qualify at
Doniphan West Primary School and Doniphan West Middle School we provide services for those regular education students that need assistance in their classes through our at-risk program at the middle school.
At Doniphan West High School students are offered a large variety of options to complete their high school experience. There are 74 course options. Courses offered at Doniphan West High School are as follows:
- Agriculture Education (11 courses) - All students have a Supervised Agricultural Experience, Leadership Development and Financial Education in all classes. Courses include: Agriscience; Animal Science; Horticulture; Agricultural Mechanics; Soil Science/Environmental Resources and Wildlife; Agribusiness; Agricultural Communications; Nursery and Landscape; Ag Fabrications; Ag Structures; and Agriscience Internship (OJT-On the Job Training). By completing specialized pathways in a) Agribusiness Systems and b) Power, Structural, and Technical Systems; Agricultural Education students can gain incentives at Highland Community College such as scholarships and class exemption in certain cases.
- Art (7 courses) - Courses offered in Art are: Art 1 – Introduction to Art; Art 2 – Exploration of Art Media; Art 3 – Advanced Art; Art 4 - Advanced Art/Portfolio Preparation; Photography; Design; and Metalsmithing/Jewelry. Art students complete portfolios and projects.
- Business/Computer (7 courses) – Business/Computer courses have two vocational components in which students have the opportunity to complete two separate pathways in Business/Computer vocational education. Those pathways are Networking and Accounting. Courses are: Computer Applications 1; Computer Applications 2 (Multimedia and Web Design); Accounting 1; Computerized Accounting (Accounting 2); Web Design; IHT (In-House Training); and IT Essentials.
- Family and Consumer Science (5 courses) - Family and Consumer Science courses have one vocational component which allows students the opportunity to complete a vocational pathway in Family and Consumer Science. In addition, ninth grade students are required to complete the Career and Life Planning course for financial education and career planning. Courses included are: Introduction to FACS/Career and Life Planning; Parenting; Meal Management; Nutrition and Wellness; and Resource Management.
- Foreign Language (8 courses) - Foreign Language has offered three different languages in at Doniphan West High School and one course in American Sign Language. Courses are: Spanish 1; Spanish 2; Spanish 3; Arabic 1; Arabic 2; Japanese 1; Japanese 2; and American Sign Language. Arabic, Japanese, and American Sign Language courses are IDL courses that are only offered if interest is shown by the student body.
- Language and Communication Arts (10 courses) – Language arts are an integral part of the course work at Doniphan West High School. Courses offered are: English 1; English 2; English 3; English 4; Dual Credit English 4/College English; Senior Project; Speech; Creative Writing; Journalism-Newspaper Production; Journalism-Yearbook Production. Senior Project is the culminating experience for all students to graduate from DWHS and provides a student with a research base to take into the job market or college.
- Mathematics (6 courses) - Doniphan West High School offers a full slate of Mathematics courses: Pre-Algebra; Algebra 1; Geometry; Algebra 2; Advanced Math/Trigonometry; and Calculus.
- Music (2 courses) - Music students receive instruction in Band and Choir/Swing Choir. Band students participate in parades and competition. Choir/Swing Choir students participate in tours of Doniphan County schools and competition.
- Physical Education and Health (3 courses) - Students are allowed to take Physical Education courses all four years while at DWHS. In addition, the weight room is open in the morning during the school year for additional weights and conditioning. Courses are: Physical Education and Health; Physical Education 2; and Strength and Speed.
- Science (6 courses) - Doniphan West High School offers science courses on a yearly basis. The courses include: Physical Science; Biology 1; Biology 2; Human Anatomy and Physiology; Chemistry; and Physics.
- Social Studies (6 courses) - Every year Doniphan West High School offers the following Social Studies courses: World History; World Geography; American History; Sociology; Economics; and American Government
- 2) Other Program Options (3 options) - In addition to the courses listed above Doniphan West High School offers 2 additional options for students. Peer Tutoring is a course in which students tutor primary school students in the regular education classroom. College/Vo Tech Classes- students that qualify may attend Highland Community College or the Northeast Kansas Technical College for additional credits. At-Risk services is a new option for the 2010-2011 school year and offers to students the opportunity to be successful in the academic environment by offering additional support.
Athletic activities at Doniphan West High School and Doniphan West Middle Schools are as follows: Football; Wrestling; Basketball; Volleyball; Cross Country; Track; Baseball; and Softball. Baseball and Softball were added for the 2010-2011 school year and we are looking forward to having these sports for our Doniphan West High School students.
Activities include Scholar’s Bowl, FFA, FCCLA, Student Council, Forensics, and Music and Art Competitions. Educational field trips are scheduled throughout the year for all grades K-12.
As can be seen, a student has unequaled access to many educational, academic, and athletic experiences at Doniphan West Schools USD 111. Check out our website at www.doniphanwest.org for further information regarding Doniphan West Schools USD 111 and the curriculum offered. Enrollment is August 17, 2010 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Doniphan West High School Commons.
Doniphan West Schools