Specials

The Specials department consists of the classes and programs that are offered to our students as electives.

What are Specials classes?

The schedules for specials classes are established following the general rotation schedule for each academic department. Elementary students rotate through the classes on a 3-week schedule.

Middle school students rotate through these classes on a quarterly basis.

High school students are assigned as a yearlong elective.

Even though every student might not have the opportunity to take every specials class, every year, we strive to offer a variety of experiences for each student outside of their core class schedules.

If you would like more information, please contact Beck, Lequia  (602) 771-5186 / email: [email protected]

FINE ARTS

According to the Arizona State Standards, the arts are essential in education for they provide students with the means to think, feel, and understand the world around them in ways unique and distinct from other academic disciplines. These skills have been recognized as essential to lifelong success both in and out of school by a variety of education and civic leaders, including the National Association of State Boards of Education, the Education Commission of the States, the Arts Education Partnership, and BusinessWeek.

Arizona has recognized the importance of arts education for its students in a variety of ways, including:

  • Requiring music and visual arts be taught in grades K-8
  • Creating high quality certifications (endorsements) for teachers in the areas of dance, music, theatre and visual arts
  • Requiring a fine arts high school credit for admission to our state’s universities
  • Adopting Academic Standards in the Arts, with rigorous, sequential guidelines for creating quality arts education for Arizona’s students.

PDSD is excited to have the fine arts class as part of our instructional programming! This is the second year of creating this one class to address and teach all of the areas within the arts: music, dance, theater and visual arts. This class is able to offer instruction through a variety of lessons that include visual arts, ASL chants, dance movements, etc. Curriculum and instruction for fine arts is aligned to the Arizona Art Standards, Literacy Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as well as the National Coalition for Core Art Standards (NCCAS)

A teacher walking with student.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), 10 reasons why children need physical education:

  • Improved Physical Fitness
  • Skill Development
  • Regular, Healthful Physical Activity
  • Support of Other Subject Areas
  • Self Discipline
  • Improved Judgment
  • Stress Reduction
  • Strengthened Peer Relationships
  • Improved Self-confidence and Self-esteem
  • Experience Setting Goals

The PE department at PDSD follows the general guideline (click below) that outlines the instructional approach and alignment with the Arizona Physical Education Standards, Literacy Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as well as the National Association for Sport and Physical Education standards. PDSD requires one year of PE at the high school level with electives being offered in Lifetime Fitness and Recreational Activities.

PDSD strives to provide and promote the play 60 initiative, which encourages students to get active for at least 60 minutes everyday. Although all students do not have PE everyday at school, they can be encouraged through recess time, lunch time, after school activities and activities that occur at home with their friends and family. Can you help us reach our play 60 initiative for each kid in and out of school?!

Boy presses button and plays arcade game with intense concentration

TECHNOLOGY

The New Media or Information age is both exciting and frightening. Our students are able to maneuver and create digital files, graphics and find information in ways we never thought possible. This creates an environment where instruction in technology struggles to keep up with the technology itself. PDSD offers a vast variety of technological devices and two great instructors to lead our students through learning technology skills to prepare them for the future. Students now want to be able to find information from anywhere, at anytime, on any device. They want immediate responses and the opportunity to participate in creative ways through digital means.

Technology education is aligned with the Arizona Educational Technology Standards , Literacy Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as well as the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS).