This information is to acquaint students and their parents with South's curriculum in order to plan a program that meets the student‘s individual needs.
Use this information for the upcoming school year and to assist in your four-year high school plan. The courses you choose will play an important part in helping you decide your future direction. Be sure to check prerequisites for advanced courses which you may want to take at a later time.
Seek the advice of your parents, teachers, and counselors. Although you must take final responsibility for your course selections, they can help guide you to make wise decisions.
Please remember that program changes after final registration are rarely granted. This is because classes are formed and staff is assigned based on the number of students registered. Courses will not be offered if insufficient numbers of students enroll in a particular course.
South has three academic programs: All Nations, Liberal Arts and Open. All programs provide core programming and preparation for college and opportunities beyond high school.
Designed for American Indian students, All Nations incorporates resources from the American Indian community to help students graduate in four years and prepare them for a post-secondary education. The program assists students to gain a clear vision of themselves as they develop goals beyond high school. Courses include: Ojibwe Language, Native Arts, American History from a Native Perspective, Native American Humanities and Economics/Government from a Native Perspective.
Liberal Arts is a nationally recognized program with students attending colleges across the US. Students make connections in interdisciplinary humanities courses where they study ancient to contemporary ideas from a variety of cultural perspectives. Students learn to think creatively, critically, and analytically, to communicate effectively, and to actively participate in the larger community.
The Open program focuses on interdisciplinary learning, social issues, and students’ exploration of their place in the world. Students develop their critical thinking skills through exploration, student initiative, and personal responsibility while valuing teamwork, intellectual curiosity, diversity, and community.
ELECTIVE: Not required; a course that may be taken to earn credit toward graduation. PREREQUISITE: A course that must be taken or conditions that must be met before a student may enroll in the class. REQUIREMENT: Must be taken. Refer to specific departments for listed requirements. This also refers to the number of credits necessary for graduation.
LENGTH: Semester (2 Quarters) or Year-long (4 Quarters).
The total minimum number of credits required for graduation from a Minneapolis high school is as follows: ENGLISH: 4 years. (12 credits) SOCIAL STUDIES: 4 years. (12 credits) MATHEMATICS: 3 years of high school level mathematics. (9 credits) SCIENCE: 3 - 4 years. (9 – 12 credits) Must take Environmental Science, Biology, Physics AND Chemistry (or Physical Science instead of Physics AND Chemistry). Rigorous course waivers may apply. See your counselor. FINE ARTS: 1 year. (3 credits) A year-long or 2 semester classes in the following will meet the requirement: Music, Art, Digital Photography, Design Theory, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Digital Photography, Adobe Photoshop, Digital Video 1, and Project Lead the Way - (1 year class = 1 semester fine arts credit), G.A.T.E. and Theater Production. Not all classes are offered every year. PHYSICAL EDUCATION: One semester each of PE 1 and PE 2. (3 credits) HEALTH: One semester each of Health 1 and Health 2. (3 credits) ELECTIVE CREDITS: additional credits to equal the number required for graduation. TOTAL REQUIRED CREDITS: 64.5 credits are needed to graduate.
Often, students are advised by their counselor and/or teacher about particular course choices that help the student stretch and become better prepared for college success.