Discovery Term
Discovery Term 2026 is coming!
January 5-9, 2026 SCS will provide opportunities for all students to choose from many different curricular offerings that are not normally covered in the high school curriculum. Discovery Term will engage participants in a five day learning experience, allowing them to choose two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, focusing on a variety of topics. Several offerings are off campus, two of which are trips to Atlanta and Costa Rica.
Through Discovery Term, it is our deep hope that, whether in work or play, we will discover the magnitude of God’s sovereignty over every square inch of His creation.
2026 Course Offerings
Our team, consisting of Spanish III and IV students, is heading to Costa Rica on a mission trip December 31-January 8 to serve at Christian Camp Penuel in Esparza, Costa Rica. We will work with children ages 7-11 with a special focus on giving the kids an opportunity to hear and learn about Jesus.
Cost: $1,750
Faculty Sponsor: Señor Engels
On this Discovery trip to Atlanta Georgia, 12-13 SCS students will have the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones and serve alongside each other and the ministry, 7 Bridges to Recovery as they work to carry out their mission, “… to rescue our brothers and sisters off the streets and help them break the binds of homelessness, alcohol, drugs, sexual addictions, prostitution, and abuse…”. We will draw a connection between this work and what we are called to do in Isaiah 58: 6-7 which reads, “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?” My prayer is that the Lord would work in the hearts of the students on this trip and change their perspective and their hearts – that they would understand God’s love for all people. I want students to come back with a desire to serve those suffering from homelessness in our own community here in Sheboygan county.
Cost: $300
Faculty Sponsor: Mr. Hendrikse
This course will focus on things meant to be “Thai’d”…..food and relationships. We will discuss what it means to live in a healthy, godly relationship with one another, AND we will daily work through wonderful Thai cooking recipes with each participant learning to cook some of the best Thai recipes 🙂
Students will learn about the history and culture of the country of Brazil. They will have the opportunity to experience, move, and perform different styles of Brazilian drumming with instruments including samba, bossa nova, and more!
In this course, we’ll sharpen our cooking skills within a budget. We’ll also learn more about each other as we engage in some curious and humorous conversations. Someone will come out on top of our “chopped” cooking competition as the winning chef team. And we’ll grow in faith as we fellowship each day. (We are unable to accommodate any food allergies.) Fee:$25
We will talk about all things College! We will learn about the different postsecondary options, creating your perfect college list, researching colleges, how to pay for college, and the college application process. We will also go on 3 college campus visits and have a panel of college students come in and share their knowledge and experience with us. We hope students will leave our course with a better idea of their post high process.
This course will focus on the basics of investments and how they actually work. It will also aid in understanding the time value of money and how starting to save early can be of great benefit.
In this course, participants explore archery basics, including essential safety protocols and fundamental techniques for shooting an arrow accurately and consistently. By the end of the course, students will have the confidence to select basic equipment, understand range commands, and participate in friendly competition. No prior archery experience needed. Fee: $20
The last 500 years of the southern part of Africa has been one of great change, promise, war, peace, potential, and crushing defeat – all this in a region of unmatched beauty and variety. In this class, we’ll hopefully experience the Republic of South Africa’s rich cultures, resources, people, and natural beauty. We’ll also see how imperial, ethnic, and religious conflicts have often marred this country of unequaled richness. We’ll also confront the difficulty of establishing biblical justice in the face of all of these complications.
This class will be an introduction to CAD Design and using our designs on the CNC Laser Engraver and 3D Printer.
This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills you’ll need to successfully navigate the challenges of adulthood. In this hands-on, interactive course, we will practice interpersonal, financial, and culinary skills that will build confidence as you transition into adulthood.
This course will teach the rules and some of the basic techniques, skills, and rules of the sport of wrestling (one of the oldest sports in the world), which is something not offered at SCS currently. This will give students the opportunity to experience a different physical activity that is very popular in other schools across the country and the world. Each day will consist of a mix of instruction and practice of technique, skills, rules, games, and competition.
Don’t sign up if you’re not ready to sweat!! This will be a class driven to work out, learn how to come up with a workout plan, how to lift, what to eat, and much more!
Students will have the opportunity to travel to RCS every day. Our schedule is TBD, but our activities could include: working with participants, teaching in participants’ classes, playing games, socializing, and assisting with organizing or cleaning facilities.
Coffee shops are not just known for their coffee, but they are also known for their ambiance to work and to relax. We will spend each day at a different coffee shop, critiquing the coffee and the ambiance as well as reading and discussing two Christian classics by CS Lewis–“Mere Christianity” and “Screwtape Letters”. You will pay for your own coffee.
As a Facilities Manager, I need to oversee all of the Facilities, buildings and grounds within the Northside Catholic Parishes. We have around 10 buildings within the Sheboygan Northside Catholic Parishes, which include 3 separate parishes – Holy Name of Jesus, St. Dominic, and St. Clement Churches. The primary goal is to keep all the facilities operating and working, the facilities safe, and presentable to all our parishioners, volunteers, staff, and the community. Every place of worship needs facilities to praise, to worship, and to serve God.
Pine Haven Christian Communities has been serving Sheboygan County’s elderly population since 1950. Their residents and staff are valuable members of the Church. This course has a simple goal; spend time with, and serve the residents and staff of Pine Haven! We seek a joyful experience for both the residents and staff of Pine Haven, and for our SCS students who could potentially glean much spiritual and practical knowledge from our community’s elderly saints. Additionally, students will learn about the variety of professional positions that are vital to a place like Pine Haven.
During the five days of Discovery Term, our focus will be on learning how to teach Jesus! Participants will choose an event in the life of Jesus. Then, together, we will cover the principles of Bible study, organizing information, writing a manuscript, and finally, presenting the lesson about Jesus. It will be a great time preparing to fulfill the Great Commission!
Our body is God’s temple, and we should take care of it as best as possible. During this course, we are going to go on a journey of strengthening and growing our mind, body, and spirit, with a variety of physical activities that will reveal to you many similarities between your walk with God, and your physical wellness.
Would you like to feel more confident that your car isn’t going to break down and avoid unnecessary costly repairs? Learn the skills to do maintenance and basic repairs yourself. In this class you’ll learn about basic auto systems, auto maintenance, basic auto repairs, tips on buying a used car, and careers in auto mechanics. This course involves hands-on activities and field trips.
What is the best french fry in Sheboygan? Who is the best overall player in the NFL? If you have a knack for numbers to answer these questions, this class is for you. Students will understand the basic and intermediate use of spreadsheets via Google Sheets. We’ll explore basic navigation, formatting, formulas and analysis to answer complex questions like those posed in this description. Students will be expected to come up with a big analytical question to answer relevant to their lives and apply concepts learned during class to answer it.
Get a feel for what it’s like to be an architect as you design a floor plan for a three bedroom home.
Everyone enjoys watching a good movie, but have you ever thought about what it takes to make one? In this course, you will work together with a team to write, film, edit, and produce your very own short film. Experience with a camera is helpful, but not at all required. If you have any interest in creating videos, storytelling, or acting, then this class is for you!
“A good science fiction story should be able to predict not the automobile but the traffic jam.”– Frederik Pohl. How do you view artificial intelligence? As a tool? As a real-life “cheat code?” As a “savior of humanity?” As a “destroyer” that will lead to humanity’s downfall? Writers have been wrestling with these questions long before November 30, 2022— the release date of OpenAI’s early demo of ChatGPT. In this course, we will examine utopian and dystopian narratives surrounding A.I., discuss and hypothesize ethical use, and, ultimately, evaluate artificial intelligence from a biblical perspective. How might God’s Word guide us in the current “Wild West” age of A.I.?
This course will provide an overview of our decade as farmers, the lessons we’ve learned along the way, and our commitment to stewarding the gifts God has given us. Topics will include: our journey, stewardship, regenerative agriculture, agriprenuerialship, balancing family and farming, careers in agriculture, and advocating for something you believe in. We also hope to include a field trip to the farm.
In this one-week intensive, students will explore how performance can reflect the image and creativity of God. Through acting, movement, and collaborative expression, we’ll discover how storytelling and the arts can become powerful tools of worship and truth.
Can a Christian listen to non-Christian music? How should Christians consume social media? The Bible teaches followers of Christ to be “in the world but not of the world.” But does this mean Christians should run away from anything ‘non-Christian’ and create our own culture? Or does this mean that Christians should consume all culture in order to witness to others? In this class, we will dive into what this means for Christians as we encounter culture through music, movies, social media, TV shows, current events, and learn when to accept, reject, and critique the culture of our world.
Ready to make bread that actually tastes amazing? In this hands-on beginner sourdough class, you’ll learn how to make sourdough from scratch — no store-bought yeast, just flour, water, and a little patience. You’ll also learn how to make a variety of delicious baked goods with your leftover sourdough starter. Included is your very own starter to keep baking at home!
In the Beyond Beauty class, students will learn how they were created with their own uniqueness. We will practice self-care in the form of skin care, hair care, and exploring God’s Word. We will research industry trends and how we as Christians can respond. Students will further their technical skills in hair styling, makeup, and nail painting. *It is encouraged to bring hair tools and makeup kits.
In this course, you will create projects from the raw material leather by working it with tools and stitching to make something useful, beautiful, or even both! We will make at least three things, each customizable to you. This course will include the use of possibly dangerous tools if not handled correctly. In the case of misuse, students will be asked to leave immediately and may not finish their projects. FEE: $25
Photo Gallery from Previous Discovery Terms
2026 Schedule
| Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worship | 7:45 – 8:05 AM | 7:45 – 8:05 AM | 7:45 – 8:05 AM | |
| Share-Out | 8:05 – 8:10 AM | 8:05 – 8:10 AM | 8:05 – 8:10 AM | |
| Morning Session | 8:15 – 11:20 AM | 7:45 – 10:45 AM | 8:15 – 11:20 AM | 8:15 – 11:20 AM |
| Lunch | 11:20 – 11:55 AM | 10:45 – 11:20 AM | 11:20 – 11:55 AM | 11:20 – 11:55 AM |
| Afternoon Session | 12:00 – 3:05 PM | 11:23 – 2:20 PM | 12:00 – 3:05 PM | 12:00 – 3:05 PM |
2026 Enrollment
Students taking courses must sign up for one morning course and one afternoon course. Students may not repeat a Discovery Term course unless granted permission by the principal.
Some classes tend to be more rigorous in nature, while other classes may be more hands-on and experiential.
Students and parents must read course descriptions carefully to understand prerequisites, fees, and expectations.
Sign-ups will be done on SignUpGenius. You will receive an email invitation when it is your class’ turn to sign up. Early sign-ups or sign-ups by someone else are NOT allowed. More information on sign-up will be shared at the assembly on Nov. 18.
2026 Attendance
Because each class meets only five times, attendance is required. Students who miss excessive classes may not pass the class. Each circumstance will be considered on an individual basis.
Students involved in extracurricular activities must choose a Discovery Term schedule that doesn’t interfere with their commitments. Students should see a coach or administrator with questions.
2026 Credits & Grades
All morning and afternoon courses receive a pass/fail grade which will be placed on students’ transcripts.
2026 Instruction
Guest instructors from the community join SCS staff to teach Discovery Term courses. Small classes in three-hour blocks provide unique opportunities for instruction. Many courses include service learning or hands-on, project-based experiences that cannot happen in a normal school day. Other courses are team-taught and take place partially or entirely off-campus.
- Expands student horizons
- Teachers teach to their passions
- Has potential for a different learning experience
- Provides closer student/teacher relationshipsE. Partners with the community to provide unique learning opportunities
- The day is split into two, three-hour courses that immerse students in an amplified learning experience
- They take place both inside and outside the classroom
- They allow teachers to dive deeper into a topic or explore a topic not covered during a semester course
Smaller class size is a vital part of Discovery Term, allowing for students and teachers to work more closely and form deeper Christian relationships.
- First semester exams will be completed before Christmas vacation, avoiding an awkward schedule with exams two weeks after an extended Christmas break.
- Discovery Term will replace one week from first semester
Some classes will have a fee to cover materials cost. Trip expenses will be covered by the students/families.
Discovery Term is required for all HS students. Students will receive a pass/fail grade.
Community partnerships are very important to SCS and to Discovery Term. If you are interested in teaching a Discovery Term course, please contact the school.