Electives & Course Offerings
For the 2026-27 School Year, Hillview Middle School will be offering a wide range of elective options from year-long electives to trimester electives for all grades. Hillview has a 7-period day, and 5 of those periods will be filled with the core academic subjects of ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science, plus physical education. That leaves 2 periods for electives.
6th Grade Elective Course Catalog
2026-2027 6th Grade Courses
6th Graders have three choices for their two elective slots. Please review the 6th Grade Course Catalog, linked above, to learn more details about these options.
- The "Exploratory Wheel” introduces students to a variety of Hillview’s elective offerings. The wheel has six “spokes,” and 6th graders who select this option will move through these six-week courses throughout the school year.
- Students may also choose from three language options: Spanish 1A, French 1A, or Spanish Language and Culture 1 (the middle school extension of the elementary immersion program). All language options are year-long.
- Please note that enrollment in a world language adds another academic class to a student’s schedule, and we ask you to thoughtfully weigh this choice as 6th grade is an important transitional year where students are getting accustomed to new routines and expectations.
- 6th graders also have the option to take Qu3ST as a year-long elective. Qu3ST is an acronym standing for Quiet Sustained and Supported Study Time, and it is a class held during the 7th period (last period of the day). Almost 75% of our 6th graders took Qu3ST in the 2025-26 school year.
- If your student has at least one year of experience on an instrument, they may want to join Band 6 or Orchestra 6. Music is an optional course for 6th graders which does not count towards their 2 elective courses. These courses alternate with PE, so these classes do not conflict with other electives. Only one music class can be taken at a time.
- Our Course Catalog reflects our current planning and assumptions for the 2026-27 school year. Also, only those electives that are viable will run, meaning that some may not be offered if there is not sufficient interest or staffing.
2026-27 7th/8th Grade Courses
Our 7th and 8th graders will need to select two electives. These choices can include combinations of trimester electives and year-long electives, including Qu3ST. To understand what courses are offered either as trimester electives or year-long electives, please review the course catalog linked above.
In addition to the two courses, students can also select an alternative PE elective (Hillview On the Move or Advanced Dance) instead of traditional PE. Refer to the course catalog for more information.
Rising 8th graders also have the option to apply to be a part of ASB (Associated Student Body) which is a year-long elective. Details on how to apply and what leadership roles are available will be shared in May. Aspiring ASB members still need to select electives; if accepted to ASB, students will work with counselors to help sort out previous choices.
Our 7th and 8th graders also have the option to take Qu3ST as a year-long elective. Qu3ST is an acronym standing for Quiet Sustained and Supported Study Time, and it is a class held during the 7th period (last period of the day). Half of our 7th and 8th graders took Qu3ST in the 2025-26 school year.
Our Course Catalog reflects our current planning and assumptions for the 2026-27 school year. Also, only those electives that are viable will run, meaning that some may not be offered if there is not sufficient interest or staffing to run the course.
The deadline to register for electives is February 13th, 2026.
For students interested in beginning band/strings (open course) or jazz band (entrance by audition) they can select those as an “additional” period option. Meeting time is TBD. This would be in addition to a student’s other 2 selected electives.