As Bernards High School continues to find new ways to improve academics and enhance in-person learning following the COVID-19 pandemic, a pondering question has become the formatting of the electives.

     Both Financial Literacy and Technology and Research are graduation requirements for all students, with course offerings in 21st Century Life & and Careers and Visual and Performing Arts. In order to earn a New Jersey-endorsed high school diploma from Bernards High School, a pupil must successfully complete 121 credits in high school and/or receive the recommendation of the High School principal.

This list of graduation requirements includes One semester (2.5 credits) of economics and financial literacy, One year (5 credits) in the Visual & Performing Arts, and One Year (5 credits) in 21st Century Life & Careers. The NJ Department of Education requires that students complete 5 credits in these areas.

     Following Bernard’s High School’s decision to reformat and follow a rotate-and-drop schedule, the administration has continued to find new ways to enhance students’ learning in the classroom. With an additional 15 minutes added to each period, BHS felt that this exact move could expand students’ ability to obtain information being taught in class. 

     Vice Principal Dr. Corbett says “the longer blocks allow for more formative assessments, deepery inquiry, and more class discussion.” 

    Students within the school district have begun to feel frustrated over the years with Bernard’s elective format, and have felt that they aren’t given enough leeway to pursue and enroll in classes they have interest in. With graduation requirements broken up into three different categories, students are obligated to learn subjects through Arts, 21st Century Life, and Economics.

    While it may be required for students to take electives in these courses, it also limits their ability to take classes they have a growing interest in. It is understandable as to why the state of New Jersey enforces these requirements for students to try different electives, but placing kids in classes they don’t have interest in reflects poorly on their efforts. Dr. Corbett believes that the High School should be offering “as many electives as possible” to give students ample opportunities to pursue courses of interest.

     Although the state requires students to take electives in required areas, the student body feels a change in the electives format could enhance their learning experience at the High School. 

     Senior Jake Clark says “I think that if we were to change the current elective formats into one that allowed students to pick and choose the electives they were most passionate about, that would lead to better grade averages, along with an overall excitement in each student’s schedule.”

    Junior Scarlett Campbell adds, “I think that schools already dictate enough of the curriculum, so students should be able to pick electives that excite them and find classes that they can be passionate about. Schools need to encourage students to be more excited about their classes and by allowing kids to be more independent, it will give them more room to grow as individuals.”

    If students were given the time to experiment with the courses they’d like to take, they’ll have a better understanding of a career path they want to pursue in college. Students would be given the opportunity to have a basic knowledge and understanding of what they would potentially like to do in the future.

Although this kind of change is out of the curriculum’s control, the state of New Jersey would see students from all different townships passionate about their course selections.

     Understanding the basics of financial literacy, and certain 21st century skills classes can be very important, but so is having the ability to pursue a course load that excites us as students and individuals.

For example, if a student is passionate about digital journalism and broadcasting, they should be given ample opportunity to add courses like Introduction to Journalism and Multimedia to their schedule. They’d be given the opportunity to write articles and construct a newspaper, along with learning how to present in front of a camera.

     Bernards High School continues to look for new ways to enhance the excitement of learning for students and has always remained open to adding new electives to the curriculum. Courses have been added and dropped based on the student body’s interest in each course.

      Dr. Corbett says “There have been many changes to our offerings over the years and these changes are driven by students and teachers.”

     To enhance students’ learning and excitement about school to the fullest extent, the state of New Jersey should change its current elective format to students having the opportunity to select the classes they remain passionate about.