From Pathways to Passions
New High School Courses Aim to Engage, Educate, and Empower
For the 2025-26 school year, SSP High School offered nine new courses, which expands student opportunities designed to engage, educate, and empower. At a February school board meeting, Principal Chuck Ochocki and a few high school teachers shared early updates on the courses, which are already midway through their first year of implementation.
History comes alive through film with the addition of “Reel History." Rather than relying solely on textbooks, students examine the historical context behind movies. Throughout the units, students complete guided activities and demonstrate their understanding through creative final projects. Each trimester, the class begins with a study of the Holocaust using Schindler’s List, but then shifts into student-selected topics. This year, students chose to explore the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, and World War II, watching films such as Mississippi Burning, Bridge of Spies, and Saving Private Ryan. Additional films like Forrest Gump and Unbroken have helped broaden discussions. After each film, students select from 20 different final project options, ensuring each assessment reflects their individual interests and learning styles.
Physical wellness is also a focus with “Gym-azing Aerobics and Fitness,” a course combining aerobics and weight training to improve both physical and mental health. Students learn how to set goals, build endurance, and overcome personal challenges, skills that extend well beyond the gym.
In the arts, “Play Production” gives students full control over the theatrical process. From writing scripts to performing on stage, students take on every role from director to actor and choreographer to technician. During the first trimester, the class chose to create performances for younger audiences, bringing original productions like The Boy Who Called Woof and The Mouse and the Lion to Kaposia and Lincoln. Two additional student-written plays were featured in the high school’s One Act Plays Festival. For the second trimester performance, the class prepared a student-written murder mystery titled Til Death Do Us Part.
For musically inclined students, “Intermediate Guitar” builds on foundational skills by introducing chord harmony, accompaniment techniques, and the use of equipment like capos, while also exploring influential figures in guitar history.
Several courses are designed to prepare students for life beyond high school. “Personal Finance” focuses on essential financial literacy skills such as budgeting, saving, investing, and understanding credit. Meanwhile, “Mathematics for the Trades” connects math concepts to real-world careers like construction, electrical work, and plumbing, helping students see the practical applications of what they learn in class.
Technology and business pathways are also expanding. “Coding 3: Mobile Apps” allows students to design and build smartphone applications, giving them hands-on experience with real-world programming tools. “Social Media Marketing” examines how platforms are used strategically in business, teaching students about branding, data analysis, and ethical communication while applying those skills to real school and community projects.
Also new this year is a course through the TriDistrict Centers for Advanced Professional Students (CAPS) called “Cultivating Our Future.” This program blends science and sustainability. Students explore food systems, natural resources, and environmental chemistry, gaining insight into how sustainable practices can shape the future of communities. Students must apply for this course in the spring and be accepted into the CAPS program for the following school year. More information can be found on the website.
Together, these nine courses represent a shift toward more personalized, career-connected learning that aims not only to educate, but to truly engage and empower students as they discover their interests, develop real-world skills, and prepare for life beyond high school.