New Art, Teaching and AP Classes Come to High Schools

When students at Hanover Park and Whippany Park high schools return to school next Thursday, they will start the year off with new additions to the curriculum.

The district revamped its art and family and consumer science departments this year, and added an AP human geography course. In addition, Hanover Park has a new AP Italian 5 course.

In the family and consumer science department, one of the classes the district added is called tomorrow's teacher, which allows students who are interested in becoming teachers to take the course and get field experience by working in schools.

Hanover Park High School Principal Thomas Callanan said there's also a new child development class this year that is geared toward students interested in teaching Pre-K and elementary education. Callanan said school officials would like to bring a Pre-K school to the high school in the future.

Some of the new changes to the art program involve new digital classes using new programs on Mac computers for digital art.

The first day of school is Thursday, Sept. 6, but Freshman Day is held next Wednesday.

On Sept. 5, the freshmen will have a half day to get their schedules, meet the students and faculty, and get an overall introduction to the school.

"With Florham Park and East Hanover coming together it gives them a day to meet some new kids and to get used to each other, and it gives them at least a day of head start," Callanan said about Hanover Park.

Both schools participate in Freshman Day where the students are first greeted by upperclassmen and listen to faculty and staff introduce themselves.

Some of student leaders in the clubs and groups are also going to introduce themselves to the freshman class.

"We really try to push them [the freshmen] to get involved in activities—in sports, in clubs, the musical—whatever it might be because I think it's really important for them to be involved in the programs here in the school," Callanan said.

Callanan said the student population is very active in clubs and sports, and estimates about 95 percent are involved with some type of activity.

After NJ Monthly Magazine in the state—up 39 spots from 2010—Callanan anticipates a great year ahead.

"We're starting off on a good note already, we're expecting a nice school year ahead of us," he said. "We had a great year last year overall academically and athletically. Our music program and everything is blooming and we expect that to continue."

Whippany Park also improved in its rankings, going up four spots from 2010 to 38th.