Electives

Unearth your artistic abilities and imagination as you explore and expand your personal creativity through art. During art class, students participate in project-based learning that provides the opportunity to explore multiple mediums such as: drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and fiber art.

Ultimately, our goal for art students is to develop their awareness and understanding of the environment, utilizing critical thought, imagination, and the senses, while also developing an understanding of the elements of art and principles of design, and exploring the historical and cultural relevance of art.

Elective band is open to students who have one or more years’ experience in playing a band instrument or approved string instrument. Students who have piano experience who wish to transfer to a band instrument may also join. Students will develop advanced playing and performance skills and perform music from diverse genres that is both fun and challenging. The band presents fall and spring concerts, and also performs at the Diocesan band festival and the St. Austin Parish Fair.

Book Club is an opportunity for students to explore their reading identity.  Students will select fiction and non-fiction books from a suggested list. Book discussions will help students gain confidence and experience as critical and analytical readers.   

Choir is open to any student who enjoys singing. Students will develop advanced singing and performance skills, sing in parts, learn simple choreography, and learn music from diverse genres that is fun and challenging. The choir presents fall and spring concerts, performs at the Diocesan Choir Festival and the St. Austin Parish Fair, and periodically sings at school and parish masses. 

To fully participate in contemporary culture, young people need to understand how journalism works. Learning by doing, students will create their own broadcast news segments. They will begin with a broad topic, identify a specific angle, and then find newsworthy content through researching the written record, interviewing, and observation. They will learn production skills, including information gathering, video and audio production, and editing techniques. All students will be involved in developing content but will take on specialties for broadcast such as Producer, Assistant Producer, Camera Operator, Audio Specialist, Anchor(s), Script/Prompter Operator, and Editor.

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In today’s day and age, critical thinking and observation skills are a necessity. Forensic Science is the application of these skills through science as they relate to criminology. Students who take this elective will develop their critical thinking and observation skills by working through “crime scenes.” As a class, they will take an in-depth look at some of the basic science techniques and procedures that forensic scientists use to gather evidence at a crime scene, including physical evidence, impressions, blood, and fingerprints, to name a few.

Discover your talent and ignite your passion for theater by participating in One Act Play at St. Austin. In this course, students have an opportunity to learn and practice drama skills, stage presence, public speaking, and how to entertain audiences by performing both a Christmas play for school friends and parents, and by competing in PSIA’s One-Act Play competition in March (District contest) and late April (State contest).

With 19 contest categories covering a wide range of disciplines in 59 academic contests, PSIA provides an exciting opportunity for private school students to engage in academic competition with their peers throughout the state of Texas. Students will have new opportunities in learning, be able to test their skills and knowledge, know the satisfaction of their best performance, and receive recognition for academic excellence. There will be travel to both district and state competitions, generally in March and May. District sites may vary, but the state contests are held at TCU in Fort Worth.

This is a one semester course that will require self-discipline and after-school preparation for March competition.

The study of robotics is an important development in today’s technology age. In this elective, students will use the LEGO Mindstorms robotics kit to design different robotic projects. Students will start to develop an understanding of how simple robots are programmed and coded, as well as how robots are powered in order to complete basic tasks. By the end of this elective, students will be able to design, develop, and code their own simple robots. Available only for 7th and 8th grade students.

If you like working with computers, are creative or artistic, are self-motivated and hardworking, then join the yearbook staff! Students will work with staff members on photography, layout design, and editing of the annual school yearbook. Students take photographs of events such as sports and school events (during and after school), and interview teachers and students for content to add to their pages. In this course students will gain skills in the following areas: print media publishing, page design, copywriting, editing, and photography, as well as gain useful, real-world skills in time-management, marketing, teamwork, and design principles.