High School, Business

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the language of business – accounting.  At the conclusion of the class, students will be able to perform basic accounting functions, understand the concepts of accounting, and use accounting data to make sound business decisions. Students will be able to use software to conduct accounting transactions, including QuickBooks and Excel. We will focus on real world applications of accounting principles. Students can earn 3 college credits in this class.

This course is an introduction to the study of federal taxation. The focus of this course is federal taxation for individuals. Students examine items of income, exclusions from income, deductions, both personal and for business, as well as dependency exemptions. They discuss property transactions from both the acquisition and disposition sides, as well as the treatment of non-taxable exchanges. Finally, there will be hands-on preparation of actual federal tax forms.

This course provides students with an introduction to the discipline of business law. Students focus on contract law in both the common law and UCC environment. Emphasis is placed on property law in regard to both real and personal property. The course examines debtor-creditor relationships including the federal bankruptcy code. In addition, the course examines business organizations and employment law. Finally, the course introduces the students to wills and trusts.

The focus of this course is financial literacy. Practical life skills as well as decision-making, lifestyle goals and understanding financial resources are taught throughout the course. Students have the opportunity to earn a certificate in financial literacy through the WISE Financial Literacy Program. Students also explore various occupational choices, prepare a resume and cover letter using Microsoft Word, create a personal budget in Excel, and give a career specific presentation using PowerPoint.

We cover investing in semester one and real estate investing in semester two. The investing course includes topics that every investor should know, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, hedge funds, private equity, commodities and more. Current events play an important role in class discussions, and every student participates in a simulated Stock Market Game.  The real estate course covers topics such as researching and finding properties, building a portfolio, financial analysis, legal issues and more. Students can earn 3 credits for each course, for a total of 6 credits.

We cover marketing in semester one and entrepreneurship in semester two. The marketing course focuses on the central role that marketing plays in the business process. The key areas of study are the 4 P’s: product, price, promotion and place. There are several group projects, as well as individual and group presentations. The entrepreneurship course covers the fundamentals of starting a new business from idea generation to financing. Students will develop an idea for a new business product or service and write a comprehensive business plan. Students can earn 3 credits for each course, for a total of 6 credits.

Virtual Enterprise is a live global business simulation in which students create and manage a virtual business. The program provides opportunities to develop valuable 21st-century skills in entrepreneurship, global business, problem solving, communication, personal finance and technology. VE replicates all the functions and demands of real businesses in both structure and practice. As “employees” of the virtual business, students experience the expectations of the workplace and are accountable for the firm’s performance. Students can earn 3 college credits (see dual enrollment courses).

In this class, Students learn to communicate in Mandarin as it applies to the business world.  Students gain a better understanding of Chinese business culture, and learn how to use common Mandarin business vocabulary. In addition, they learn to communicate in basic conversations, gain perspective and understanding of Chinese etiquette for business, and master cross-cultural communication in one of largest and fastest growing economies.

Marketing II builds upon the business and marketing concepts learned in Marketing I. The course takes students through units in market research, marketing plans, promotion, advertising, selling, and career development with a focus on social media marketing. This course is designed to build students’ social media marketing skills by utilizing projects that give students hands-on experience implementing social media marketing strategies. Topics include integrating different social media technologies into a marketing plan, creating social media marketing campaigns, and applying appropriate social media tools.

This course involves the application of business communication principles through the creation of effective business documents and oral presentations. It includes study and application of team communication and use of technology to facilitate the communication process. Exploration of self and teams through understanding of leadership styles, learning strategies, management effectiveness and more is utilized to understand business successes. Case studies will also be examined.