The Mountain Pointe Social Studies Department offers a wide variety of classes that address students need for knowledge of the world at hand, the world of individuals, the world of institutions, the world past, present and future. We enable Students the ability to understand self and the society in which they live and our program integrates knowledge, skills and attitude within and across disciplines. Our social studies program objective is the promotion of civic competence which is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for students to be able to assume the office of citizen in our democratic republic.

 

Social Studies Department Faculty

D Agnew Dawn Agnew
Ext. 57107		 Leathers Anthony Leathers
Ext. 58054		 KR Scott K.R. Scott
Ext. 58122
Alston Natasha Alston
Ext. 58014		 Kiser Heather Kiser
Ext. 58149		 Erin L. Smith
Ext. 58153
Buck Brandon Buck
Department Chair
Ext. 58122		 Lawson Steve Lawson
Ext. 58074		 Jeff State
Ext. 58020
Marissa Chavez
Ext. 58013		 Nach David Nach
Ext. 58094		 Tricia Smith Tricia Smith
Ext. 59056
Holguin Holguin, Sergio
Ext. 59381		 Radford Shannon Radford
Ext. 58093		 Waddell Lane Waddell
Ext. 58146
           

Program Highlights:

  • The Social Studies department at Mountain Pointe H.S. offers students an array of opportunities to receive college credit while in high school. For instance, there are currently three certified Rio Salado teachers in the department, which allow students to receive college credit to any in-state college or university and eight Advanced Placement or Honors teachers, which allow students to receive up to as many as six college credits per high school class.
  • In addition to the college credit, the MP Social Studies Department provides students with many hands on and real life experiences that will stay with the students forever. For example, we head the student exchange programs such as Close-Up and Tempe Sister Cities. In these two programs, students will travel to either Washington D.C or Regensburg, Germany, where the students will learn about our history and develop a diverse cultural understanding of world.
  • Close-up is a civic ed. program, established almost 40 years ago, in Washington, D.C. It allows students nationwide to get a "close up" view of our government and experience democracy in action. Under a guided program, students complete a demanding, but fun, series of modules and learn that their voices matter in solving today's issues. Students dialog with lawmakers, media, fellow students, and sometimes even their own state representatives - using our nation's capital as a living classroom. They return to their communities inspired to engage as citizens and to help make the world a better place.
  • Mountain Pointe Social Studies offers its select Criminal Justice students the opportunity to be active in “Teen Court.” This group listens to, defends, and judges current and local teen cases, providing the students an opportunity to put their criminal knowledge into action. Also, MP Social Studies offers a “Mix-It-Up,” program that encourages students of different races, nationalities, social backgrounds, etc. to inter-mingle during lunch time helping to break the social barriers of our current society.
  • Finally, the Social Studies department illustrates the desire of Mountain Pointe’s goal of building student-teacher relationships by being actively involved in extra-curricular activities. For instance, this department is home to many athletic coaches, class sponsors, club sponsors, school improvement coordinators, lettermen’s club leaders, prom committee coordinators, Senior Walk sponsors, National Honors Society chairmen, and others. All of these extra responsibilities allow the MP Social Studies Department to build relationships with their students, thus improving the overall high school experience of your sons or daughters.