Family & Consumer Sciences

About the Family and Consumer Sciences Department

Family and Consumer Sciences is part of Career and Technical Education offering practical arts credits. Through our classes students can pursue skill advancement in two career pathways: Education & Training and Hospitality & Tourism. We specialize in meeting students' current needs and preparing them for the future in personal and professional skills. Both pathways offer 4 levels of course work culminating in concurrent enrollment or industry certifications and work based learning.
Our entry level foundational courses include Career Pathways, Culinary Nutrition, and Child Development. If a student needs to explore his/her aptitudes, interests and skills, Career Pathways is a course to help them make solid career decisions. Culinary Nutrition focuses on understanding how the body utilizes food and nutritious preparation of food products. Child Development addresses the foundations of how humans develop, grow, and learn. This class utilizes the Reality Babies in a childcare setting. Our advanced level foundational classes are for Juniors and Seniors to teach life skills before exiting high school. Life Management focuses on the necessary financial and life decisions that need to be made including budgeting, managing taxes, and overall well-being. Interpersonal Relationships is a discussion based class that covers healthy communication and boundaries in family relationships, friendships, workplace relationships, and romantic relationships. The Family and Consumer Sciences Department strives for excellence through hands-on active learning.
To broaden the learning of our students and develop leadership skills, the Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Ponderosa Chapter is award winning. We have a state competition every spring in which PHS has had numerous state champions in skills based competitions. Students have the opportunity to earn scholarships through active involvement in the organization. Students can also letter in FCCLA by being an active member, earning points through participation in events and leadership roles. Nearing graduation, members may be eligible for National Technical Honor Society receiving silver and purple cords for graduation. Our focuses are leadership, service, cooperation, and responsibility.