Introduction to Arabic, Italian and Japanese
Students interested in sampling different languages over the course of the year can take an introductory class in Jap- anese, Italian and Arabic with teachers Jane Batarseh and Patricia Jacobsen.
Since Batarseh will not be teaching an AP Latin class, she will be sharing her love of different languages and cultures with students in this class
Each language will be one trimester, so students can pick the ones they want.
Italian and Arabic will be taught by Batarseh in the first and second trimesters. Batarseh was inspired to teach Arabic and Italian by her heritage.
Since she is experienced in cooking Arabic and Italian food, part of her class will be sampling the cuisine and listening to classical and contemporary music.
Japanese will be taught in the last trimester by Jacobsen. “I’m excited because it sets aside time for us to meet regularly,” Jacobsen said. “If there is a lot of interest, then we might be able to extend the class for a whole year.”
After many attempts at forming a Japanese Club, junior Claire Pinson is looking forward to the class.
“It was hard to schedule (the club) around all the other meetings that happen during lunch,” she said. “And lunch wasn’t enough time. Now it’s going be formally prepared, and we will learn a lot more, which will make people more interested.”
Training for the Shamrockin’ Half Marathon
Like the running club Jacobsen introduced six years ago, the Training for the Shamrockin’ Half Marathon elective will teach students about nutrition, hydration and avoiding injury as they run by the American River. Homework will be running 2-3 miles on weekends.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Jacobsen said. “We don’t go fast, and it’s just fun to see how one is able to improve if they just stick to it. And it’s fun to cross the finish line of your first half-marathon.”
This class is meant for everyone, even people who are “non-runners,” she said.
Participation in the race (Sunday, March 15, 2015) isn’t mandatory, and the class doesn’t fulfill the physical education requirement.
Consumer Education
To prepare students for life beyond high school, Jacobsen will also be teaching a class on consumer education, teaching students how to be smart shoppers and be financially independent.
Topics such as online shopping, retirement savings and credit cards will be covered.
“We’re going to be using our awesome math skills to analyze which method of saving would be better,” Jacobsen said.
Guest speakers, such as parents of current and former students who are involved in investment firms, will join the class for discussions.
