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MVA Elective Courses

Advancement Via Individual Determination – AVID Grade 7 or Grade 8

AVID's Mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing students for high school and college readiness and success in a global society.

The AVID student is a student with academic potential:

  • Average-to-high test scores 2.0-3.5 GPA
  • College potential with support
  • Desire and determination

AVID students take fieldtrips to several colleges and an amusement park. As an AVID student, you must commit to a challenging and rigorous curriculum. This college track will help you excel in your academics making college an attainable goal.

Arts and Crafts – Grade 7 or Grade 8

In this class, students explore the fundamentals of drawing, color theory, fiber arts, and clay, with a strong focus on process and creative expression. They are encouraged to experiment with different techniques and materials while developing their artistic voice. Students also have opportunities to display their artwork around campus and at school events, including an annual art show.

Associated Student Body (ASB) Leadership – Grade 8

ASB Leadership is an elective class designed for eighth graders who are interested in
learning to plan, organize and carry out student activities such as dances, spirit days, lunchtime activities,
fundraisers, and much more on campus. At the same time, students acquire and develop valuable personal
and interpersonal skills, such as business practices and time management, cooperation and responsibility.
Students must maintain high academic and citizenship marks to remain in ASB. Students must apply to be in ASB and are elected or appointed each spring for the following school year.

AVID Excel – Grade 7 or Grade 8

The AVID Excel course is specific for students who will benefit from instruction to improve and further develop language skills. Students who placed in the AVID Excel course are also introduced to high school AVID and college preparatory coursework.

  • Placement in AVID Excel is intentional. Students are placed in AVID Excel based on their Lexile (reading) score.

Band Band/Band Advanced

Playing in the band is FUN! Come join the band and see what all the excitement is about! It is open to both 7th and 8th grade students. No prior experience is required for Beginning Band. Instruments are provided free of charge. Students learn how to play their choice of the following instruments: 

FLUTE, OBOE, BASSOON, CLARINET, SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, FRENCH HORN, TROMBONE, BARITONE, TUBA, PERCUSSION, and STRING BASS.

  • Advanced Band is open to all students with one or more successful years of band experience.

Gateway to Technology

This course will introduce students to the basics of coding and engineering through hands on activities. They will explore what electrical engineers do as they build circuits with microcontrollers that include lights, motors, and sensors. They explore the role of a computer scientist as they learn the basics of coding (block based and C++) and use it to control the lights, motors and sensors. Then, they put it all together in projects where they build their own robotic creations that solve a problem in their community, building prototypes like a mechanical engineer. As students work through projects, they will practice the engineering design process to solve problems and improve their designs. Many different technologies will be explored throughout this course.

Strings/Beginning/Strings Advanced

Instruments are provided free of charge. It is open to both 7th and 8th grade students. No prior experience is required! Instruments include the following:

VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO, or STRING BASS.

  • Advanced Strings is open to all students with one or more successful years of Strings experience.