With well over 50 electives, Lakeland High School offers a wide variety of classes to keep students engaged.
These electives offer a massive variety of classes for students to choose from.
They also are a very effective way to show students the importance of school, give them a break from core classes and give them a reason to attend school. Electives serve as practical semi-academic classes that students must attend.
16 elective credits are needed to graduate from LHS.
Elective classes are chosen by the student and are primarily used to provide a semi-informational class. Most elective courses are hands-on or can be taken for dual credit or even college credits.
Most electives do the majority of the work in class, so there is little homework to take home. They also provide a break in between informational core classes.
In electives, students don’t have to crunch down on an overload of information; they get some information and some fun. They also learn skills they can use outside of school or trades.
Categories of electives
LHS offers loads of categories of electives.
“Some of the most common electives are physical education classes like weights or athletic conditioning,” Frank Viera, LHS counselor, said. “The most difficult classes are Family and Consumer Science courses, Art courses and KTEC.”
Physical Education classes like weights and athletic conditioning are some of the most common electives taken at LHS.
“Weights class offers a different diverse class compared to other classes that I have,” Ben Bixby said. “ I feel like the class pushes me to be better, and it makes me want to go to school. If I don’t go to school, Schroeder will ensure I hear about it.”
As students progress through high school, they will have more opportunities to take electives. Students have two electives each year during their freshman and sophomore years. They will have three electives each year during their junior and senior years.
Students can take the elective Kootenai Technical Education Campus (KTEC) during their junior and senior years.
KTEC is a free trade training center for students, where they will learn skills needed for specific trades.
Some classes offered at KTEC include Diesel Mechanics, Nursing program, HVAC, and construction. KTEC takes up all three electives and can be taken in the morning or afternoon session. KTEC is offered to junior and senior students.
There are four different categories of electives offered at LHS.
There are humanities, science electives, math electives, and general electives. A handful of electives can be taken for college credits to help lower the cost of college, and they also look good on college applications.
Humanities electives
Humanities electives offered at LHS are mostly for artistic people. Most of these electives are continuous classes that can take up to four classes to fully complete the skills and lessons taught in the class. Art, stagecraft and Spanish are some humanities electives that are offered.
Thirty-four general electives are available to take to fulfill elective credits needed to graduate high school. The general electives offer a wide variety of genres of classes to take. From weightlifting to computer science, LHS has a class for everyone.
Online School
The Idaho Digital Learning Association (IDLA) is a program that offers electives and core classes online.
classes that students can take during school. One of the most significant benefits of IDLA is the opportunity to take classes earlier online and graduate early.
It offers a diverse system of classes that may not be provided in person, but can be taken online. IDLA has classes for kids PreK through postsecondary. Over 300 classes are offered by IDLA. College-level, dual credit and credit recovery courses are offered.
Many students take online courses through IDLA during the summer to graduate earlier or be able to take more classes.
Science Electives
Chemistry, Earth Science and physics are some of the science electives that are offered. There are only five science electives, and three of them are college-level classes. These college classes are not for the faint of heart, for they are only allowed for Juniors and seniors to take because they are very difficult classes.
The most critical and complex classes to choose from at LHS are the science and math electives. However, four math classes allow students to receive college credits for free.
College credits mean that if students go to college, they do not have to pay money to take some classes that they have already completed.
Math Electives
LHS offers Elementary Statistics / Math 2240, Math 1300, Math 1400 and Math 2510. Most of these classes are challenging, but you have the opportunity to take the courses for college credits.
On test days, students are often seen in class studying, sometimes over an hour before the class even starts.
LHS has a massive variety of electives that students can take. From Athletic Conditioning to Art to Personal Finance. LHS’s elective courses offer a vast and wide variety of classes to undertake for the total amount of elective credits needed to graduate high school.