Thursday, March 27, 2025
South Side Middle School eighth grade students recently explored the variety of elective courses available to them as they prepare for high school. They visited South Side High School for a series of presentations by high school teachers to learn about their options.
Last year, teachers from the high school went to the middle school and gave presentations during the students’ lunch period. This year, for the first time, presentations were held at the high school, blending the seminars with the building in a way that was designed to give students a taste of the what’s ahead.
“The goal is to help our current eighth graders be informed about course offerings and electives at the high school,” Patrick Walsh, South Side High School principal, said, “and also to welcome them into the building so that when they arrive as ninth graders, they’re more comfortable and know the building and have more familiarity with it.”
The day was divided into five seminar groups, with each session focusing on electives in different subjects. In each 20-minute presentation, teachers explained the classes they teach and what they would provide for students. Counselors also spoke about how these electives would fit into students’ schedules, highlighting the addition of two extra elective periods this year.
One set of seminars centered on English electives. Lisa Ries, who teaches creative writing, emphasized the creativity and imagination involved in her class, encouraging students to explore different writing techniques through short stories, poetry, and creative nonfiction. For those interested in learning American Sign Language, Camryn Ryder presented her introduction to deaf culture, focusing on deaf history and society.
Public speaking, taught by Christine Brown, emphasized its value in developing leadership skills. Some of Brown’s former students expressed their appreciation for the class and their personal growth stories.
“It definitely strengthens your confidence, especially when you come up here,” Damien D’Antonio, a sophomore who took the class this past fall, said, “because obviously that takes a lot of guts to get up here and speak in front of a lot of people.”
Freshman Sadie Tallarico told the eighth-grade students that it’s a good idea to take the class “because when you’re coming in, you want to be able to talk to people. When you get into high school, you’re in classes with older grades and you want to be able to meet new people.”
Science electives were also on the agenda, with a presentation from the computer science department. Students learned from Christopher Bennett that computer science is far more than just coding.
“It is a field that focuses on collaboration and working together in teams, and it spans all fields of study,” he said..
Students can take courses that offer college credit starting their freshman year, including classes in Python programming and prompt engineering, which explores artificial intelligence. For those interested in a more advanced path, the department offers an Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles and Advanced Placement Computer Science course.
The arts were also highlighted, showcasing a wide range of opportunities for creative expression. Theater teacher Russell Dembin emphasized that theater isn’t just for actors.
“There’s really room for everyone, people from every skill set, every talent and every inclination,” Dembin said.
Dembin explained that there are winter and spring shows, student-directed performances, and the drama guild, a professional theatre organization at the school that all theatre students can join.
Other art classes were outlined by the arts department. They offer students a creative outlet through courses in studio art, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and digital photography, with a variety of skill levels. Students looking for an advanced challenge, International Baccalaureate Visual Arts and Advanced Placement Explorations/Portfolio provide a deeper dive into art while also earning students’ college credit. With both full-year and half-year options, students can find the ideal fit in their schedules for their artistic interests.
Students also explored music electives, with options ranging from band, choir and concert orchestra to music theory and production. Students can use the Apple Mac Lab and soundproof booths to create their own music, learning how to mix, produce and track songs.
“A thing that I really remember about middle schoolers is that so much of what your life is like is trying to figure out how to find friends and build a community and feel like you fit in and that you belong,” Doreen Fryling, a music teacher, told the students. “A big path of your high school journey is going to be to try out classes and to figure out where your strengths are, so that when you go to college, you have a pretty good idea of [them].”
