DHS Rolls Out Two New Courses

A journalism course, as well as an acting and performance course will be added to the program of studies for 2012, approved unanimously by the at their Dec. 12 meeting.

Both courses will be offered for all grade levels as elective courses.

While theater and journalism courses have been offered in the past, curriculum director Peggy McElhinney said student interest has shown that these programs would be well received if they were offered again.

"We have two thriving co-curricular activites, the Danvers Academy Theater and the Flying Onion, and we're wondering if there might be interest from students to offer that during the day," she explained to the School Committee.

Journalism will be designed to teach students the fundamentals of print journalism, including interviewing skills and research techniques, as well as editing and design skills. Students will be contributing to the Danvers Herald, contributing with the student run Flying Onion.

Acting and Performance Techniques will not only be geared toward actors, but also students interested in becoming more comfortable with public speaking. Students will work both individually and collaboratively through monologues, speeches, improvisation and scene work.

McElhinney said since the program of studies had a major overhaul last year, this year's changes were minor in comparison. 

The two courses that were removed from the program of studies, the Project Challenge II and D.R.I.V.E Support, will both still be available to students, but either as a full-day option, or it will be embedded into another course.