Electives: The electives at CJHS consists of nine weeks of art, music, and student choice of either family consumer sciences or web design. Furthermore, students may choose to take 18 weeks of a foreign language. All students take Modular Technology. These courses are intended to develop the higher level thinking skills necessary in today’s world. Below you’ll find a brief overview of the arts courses:

Art - Students get hands on experience and reinforce concepts learned in the core academic subjects, especially science.

Foreign Language - The 7th grade course will begin the full year exposure to the Spanish or French. Students will complete the second half of the foreign language choice in thier 8th grade year. At the culmination of the program students are eligible to take a proficiency test at the high school.

Modular Technology-This course allows the students a interactive experience in many interdisciplinary areas. All students will be exposed to this course.

Music– The music curriculum is mainly a music appreciation course. Students will have an opportunity to sing, dance, and play an instrument, along with other components.

Family & Consumer Sciences - In family & consumer sciences students learn to cook and sew.

Web Design-Students have an introduction to Internet use and then develop the skills to create an exciting web page.

Language Arts: Students will have one language arts teacher that teaches both reading and English. In the schedule, reading and language periods have been blocked together in an attempt to develop a more wholistic approach to the language arts and allow greater flexibility in the language arts teachers’ instruction. Students will still get a language grade and a reading grade.

Math: There are general math courses for 7th and 8th grade. An accelerated math class is offered for students that qualify according to the following criteria. (standardized test scores, report card grades, and teacher recommendation.) Accelerated 7th grade math students take Pre-Algebra. We have two accelerated 8th grade math courses, algebra and pre-algebra.

Physical Education & Health: Physical Education is offered daily. Three quarters are spent in physical education and one quarter is spent in health. Students are required to wear a CJHS P.E. uniform, white athletic socks, and tennis shoes. (Tennis shoes should not be their street shoes and should be kept at school.) Each student will be provided a locker and combination lock. Assigned lockers should be kept locked and the combination should remain private. Students are required to be excused from P.E. with a Doctors’ excuse if they have stitches, a splint, or a cast. Also, students will not be allowed back into P.E. until they are released from their doctor and bring in a note to verify this. Showering after gym is optional for students. Good personal hygiene habits are emphasized in health as well as P.E. Uniforms need to be taken home every Friday, cleaned, and brought back to school after the weekend. An unwashed uniform will NOT be an excuse for not participating in P.E., even with a parent note.

P.E. Excuses: If a student is unable to participate in physical education, an excuse must be provided. A doctor’s note is needed for a long-term condition (i.e. something longer than 2 days). A parent may excuse a student for illness that doesn’t necessarily warrant medical attention for one day, three times per quarter. Cases such as these require parental discretion as to the seriousness of the illness. Excuses for minor illness such as a cold or aches and pains are not acceptable. The student is responsible for bringing a note from home to the school nurse.

Science: The science courses at CJHS are general science courses. 7th grade science is a life science course and the 8th grade science course is an earth science course. Our science teachers have emphasized and continue to emphasize a hands-on approach to teaching science.

Social Science: Our social science curriculum consists of geography and United States history in 7th grade and U.S. history and government studies in 8th grade. An Illinois graduation requirement for 8th graders involves learning about the U.S. and Illinois Constitutions and passing the constitution tests.

Lunch: All students have a 30-minute lunch period.

Study Hall: Study Hall is to be utilized for quiet study and students need to come prepared for the entire time frame. Students may receive passes to the library from the study hall supervisor. Those students who received an "F" on their report card from the previous quarter will be on "No Pass Status" and not allowed to leave the study hall without specific direction from a teacher. Supervisors may assign peer tutors (through the Beta Club), structure study groups, etc. in an effort to help students achieve passing grades. During this time, a student may be assigned to an adult at-risk aide to assist with schoolwork.