Rio Norte Electives

Specialty Electives for the 2025-26 School Year
(application and/or interview/audition required)

APPLICATION/AUDITION PROCESS AT A GLANCE

6th Grade Jamboree will be Thursday March 20, 2025 - 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Join us to see our campus and talk to students and staff! Parking will be very limited so please plan to walk or carpool wherever possible.

ASB

Course Description: Associated Student Body, Rio Norte ASB takes great pride in gathering together a group of hard working seventh and eighth graders committed to making their school a better place by serving others. ASB works during summer, before school, during breaks, after school, in the evenings, and on weekends organizing activities for both the school and the community. Students in ASB work a minimum of twenty hours outside of class time per quarter in service to the school and community.

CONCERT BAND

Course Description:  is the major instrumental ensemble at Rio Norte and is a one year commitment. This group represents the school at all major school functions including the open house, back to school night, 6th Grade Jamboree, Valencia Showcase and the Turkey Bowl game. The ensemble also joins the Valencia High Marching Band to play for a VHS football game. This ensemble performs at both local and national music festivals, including the Disneyland Music Festival, with an overnight stay at the Disney hotels. The Advanced band has two major performances. One in the Fall and the other in the Spring.

Audition Information:
The Music department at Rio Norte Junior High is proud to announce the upcoming auditions for the Intermediate Band, and Concert Band, on the campus of Rio Norte Junior High School. Auditions will be in room G-4, located behind the Gym building.

 The concert band, which plays at all major events for the school, performs 4-8- concerts a year on and around the campus of Rio Norte. In the past, the concert band has played at Valencia High school football games; Barnes and Noble Bookstore; local schools; Festivals with Music in the Parks, Disneyland Resort; Southern California Student Band Orchestra Association festivals; as well as winter, spring and fall concerts. Due to the many extra-curricular activities this ensemble does, each student is expected to keep a minimum GPA of 2.2

 Auditions consist of:
Winds and Brass: B-flat concert scale
Playing: Play a short piece showcasing your skills
Percussion: Mallet: B-flat concert scale
Snare: Basic rudiments

Interest Form

Band Audition Form 

CONCERT CHOIR

Course Description:  is one ­year commitment to vocal ensemble performance. Members of the concert choir develop skills in vocal performance. Students are introduced to musical notation and basic vocal techniques. The concert choir performs various styles of choral literature for school concerts, community programs, and local choral festivals. Requirements include exemplary citizenship and a positive attitude. An audition is required for this ensemble.

Audition Information:
The Music department at Rio Norte Junior High is proud to announce the upcoming auditions for the choral ensembles on the campus of Rio Norte Junior High School. Auditions will be in room G-4, located behind the Gym building.

The concert choir, which performs at all major events for the school, performs 4-8 concerts a year on and around the campus of Rio Norte.

In the past, the Concert Choir has performed at Valencia High school choir concerts; Barnes and Noble Bookstore; local schools; Festivals with Music in the Parks, Disneyland Resort; Southern California Vocal Association festivals; as well as winter, spring and fall concerts.

Due to the many extra-curricular activities this ensemble does, each student is expected to keep a minimum GPA of 2.2

 Auditions consist of: Tonal Memory (the singing of a given group of four pitches) Short -Capella song of your choice

Interest Form

Choir Audition Form 

Jazz-Hawks Audition Form

PRODUCTION DRAMA ~DRAMA HAWKS

RIO TV

Instructor: Mr. Ippolito

 [email protected]

Web Site

Please see website for important dates

Course Description: Rio Norte Advanced Video Production brings our daily morning show, Rio TV, to over 1,400 students and staff on YouTube each day. Producing a daily broadcast is a lot of fun, but it's also hard work. If you visit riotv.org, you'll see all the fun things that happen in front of the camera, but there is so much more that happens behind the scenes--script writing, filming, graphics, editing, organization, communication, leadership, and teamwork. Students will work during class time, and sometimes at brunch, lunch, and after school creating our show as we pursue our four-point goal to INFORM, ENGAGE, INCLUDE, and INSPIRE. Rio TV is looking for students who are mature, hard-working, and who can work well together as a team.

SPANISH A/B

This is a high school course and will be on the high school transcript.

Course Description: This introductory course in Spanish is designed for those who are preparing for college entrance or who want to lay the groundwork for extensive study of  Spanish. The language's basic grammatical structure and vocabulary are taught through practice in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Successful completion of Spanish 1A with a grade of “C” or better at the semester is recommended to continue with Spanish 1B.

YEARBOOK

Instructor: Ms. Bretthauer 

[email protected]

Web Site

Please see website for additional information and important dates

Course Description: The Yearbook staff at Rio Norte works hard to bring our school’s story to life, creating a keepsake that showcases the best of our school community. Designing and producing and marketing the yearbook is both a rewarding and challenging process. While the final product is a beautiful book full of memories, there is so much more that goes into its creation—design, photography, writing, editing, organization, collaboration, and leadership. Students in the Yearbook class will work during class time, and sometimes at brunch, lunch, and after school, gathering content, capturing special moments, and putting it all together. We aim to create a yearbook that captures the spirit of our school.  The Yearbook team is looking for students who are dedicated, flexible, creative, and able to work well together to create a memorable yearbook for all to cherish.

Application Links:

Instructor: Ms. James (Art James)

Course Description: Beginning Art is a semester-long creative opportunity that offers students amazing art projects which include life drawing, animation drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, composition, collage, design, technical skills, elements and principles of design and more.  Students get exposed to important artists, galleries, and museums through Internet-based teaching.

Instructor: Mr. Gilbert

Course Description: The beginning band is the first step into a larger musical world. In this class, you learn how to read music and play an instrument of the wind band. These include, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, Tuba and Percussion. The next step from the beginning band is the Advanced band.

Interest Form

Instructor: Mr. Gilbert

Course Description: This is a one semester vocal ensemble experience. Members of the chorus develop skills in vocal performance. Students are introduced to musical notation and basic vocal techniques. The chorus performs various styles of choral literature for school concerts. Requirements include exemplary citizenship and a positive attitude. Prior singing experience is recommended but not required.

Course Description: Beginning Drama is a semester-long elective that develops confidence and creativity using theatre as tool.  We learn and develop performance skills through fun, practical activities and build our confidence towards performing in front of an audience. This is the class for you if you like working in groups, learning through practical activities and games, and want to build your confidence and share your creativity. 

CTE-EXPLORING PATHWAYS A

*Computer Aided Drafting & Design (CADD)

*Computer Graphics & Game Development

*Criminalistics

*Design & Marketing

*Emergency & Fire Management Services

*Emergency Medical Technician

*Flight & Drone Technology

*Hospitality & Tourism Management

*Intro to Child Development

*Intro to Computer Science

*Intro to Health Science Careers

*Lifetime Nutrition & Wellness

*Nursing

*Occupational Health & Safety - Construction

*Sports Medicine

*Veterinary Medicine

*Video Production

CTE INTRO MEDIA/PHOTO

Instructor: Ms. Mandel

Course Description: CTE Intro Media/Photo is a junior high school CTE introductory course that introduces skills used in image capturing and editing. Students explore different aspects of the media and entertainment industry and career opportunities. Students learn the basics of manual control of a DSLR camera, lighting, image manipulation, and image editing. While this class is not a prerequisite, it prepares students for CTE Media/Photo IA/B, the CTE Graphic Design Pathway high school concentrator course. 

Course Description: This is an elective that allows you to work with special needs students.  Some personality traits that are important for you to have include patience, respect, tolerance, leadership, empathy, and a desire to make a difference in the life of a special child.  This elective will introduce you to working one on one with some of our most awesome and fragile students that rely on and look up to people like you.