Humanitas program inception	Manual Arts implemented the Humanitas program through School Based Management in the Fall of 1990. The program, which began with 140 students, is now in its fifth year and continues to provide an interdisciplinary, thematic, writing-based curriculum to its 258 students. Teams of teachers from different disciplines work with groups of students and, using a specific theme, students begin to see the connections between different subjects (Science, English, Social Studies, and Art).
Student selection	Students are randomly selected for the 9th grade ESL and 10th grade programs. Juniors and seniors continue with the program, open spots filled by teacher referral and student self-selection. By the time students enter the 11th grade program the students are quite attached to their peers, as well as the program, and classes are filled to capacity.
Team teaching   Program expansion	Humanitas has four teams of teachers, one team for each grade level, each team sharing a common conference period and using that time to plan thematic units, curriculum, discuss student problems (programming, discipline, attendance, etc.). Six teachers are currently participating in the Humanitas program, of which three teachers are working on two teams. In the Fall of 1995, a small Humanitas unit was added to Track B.
Classes offered	9th Grade. ESL 3/4, World History 10th Grade English, Biology 11th Grade English, U.S. History, Art 12th Grade English, Gov't./Econ.

Academies and Special Programs