Social Studies

Within the curriculum of the Passaic Valley Social Studies Department, aspiring and academically motivated students can find an ever expanding list of electives, honors and advanced placement courses. Seniors in Mr. Donnely’s “Holocaust, Genocide, & Modern Humanity” course will thoroughly learn the events and atrocities perpetrated against people around the globe in the 19th, 20th and now 21st century. As students learn in this full-year demanding class, they will visit inspirational locations such as the Museum of Jewish History in New York City, National Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., and sit in on numerous presentations and talks such as the esteemed Mr. Sol Rosenkranz of the Speakers Bureau of the Museum of Jewish Heritage. As students learn of the compelling and tragic events of modern genocide and crimes against humanity, they can earn university credits through nearby Kean University of New Jersey.

In addition to long standing advanced placement courses such as Mr. Robert Block’s AP United States History and Mr. Thom Deeney’s AP Government and Politics, students, starting even as freshmen, can take Ms. Kathleen Menake’s AP World History course to gain an extensive understanding of world history for the past 1000 years plus! This dynamic and challenging class allows students to begin their AP social studies track while also fulfilling their world history requirement. For upper classmen, AP World History can be added to the schedule of history lovers or students looking to create an impressive academic resume for selective colleges. Beginning sophomore year and continuing through senior year, Mr. Francisco’s AP Human Geography allows prospective geographers to embark with a social science class that introduces them to material that covers core themes such as humans and the environment, the emergence of systems of governance and economics, as well as the revolutions of technology and innovation that have transformed our modern world.

Mr. Angelo DeSalvo’s Sports in American Society class, a specialized and focused sociology-aligned course examining the role and influence sports play in modern American society, will again return to MetLife stadium this March for a behind-the-scenes look at the operations of the New York Jets professional football team by business-related representatives of the team. Numerous presentations will be given to students in attendance to learn about the divergent fields of marketing, finance, accounting, management, human resources and security and how they all fold into the operations of a professional sports team. Also taught by Mr. DeSalvo, is the new American History Through Film elective. This collegiate-modeled class uses historically recognized and celebrated films of the 20th century to emphasize the role cinema plays in modern American culture. 

Complementing an already vibrant and modern social science curriculum, the social studies department at Passaic Valley also offers classes focusing on the Criminal Justice system in the United States. Courses within this track; Introduction to Law and Introduction to Criminal Justice are all developed by Passaic County Community College and offer credits to students who sign up for dual-enrollment with PCCC. Another course that attempts to mirror current cultural and academic trends is Mr. Francisco’s Human Behavior class. This course, which follows an Introductory Psychology curriculum, aims to give students an understanding of the behavioral sciences. In this class, students will be given an understanding of classic psychological studies along with current trends shaping how mental health is viewed in American society. As students navigate the different topics and units of the class, they will develop a deeper understanding of their own emotions, motivations and behaviors amongst other attributes and apply them to better understand others and the world around them.

As they have for many years, and perhaps decades, Ms. Menake’s Contemporary Issues through Videoconferencing class, an institution here at Passaic Valley, will be continuing with its yearly tradition of participating in the global effort of international conferencing. Moving away from the digital world and focusing on face-to-face presentations, Mr. Deeney’s AP Government and Politics class will as always be welcoming local political leaders as guest speakers, similar to past years when his class welcomed amongst others Congresswoman and Gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherill (R-11th District) to Passaic Valley. Through this wonderful opportunity, AP students are able to engage with their local politicians and engage them on a variety of discussion topics that reflect current issues in national and international policy.