English

Our core progression takes you on a journey through the evolution of human thought and storytelling.

• Freshman Year: Foundations of Language – Dive into genres and story structures while building a professional toolkit that includes technical writing and résumé building.
• Sophomore Year: Critical Reflection – Move beyond the surface. Learn to identify bias, propaganda, and persuasive devices in both literature and public documents.
• Junior Year: The American Voice – Explore the literary canon of the United States, from the Puritan Era through the Civil War to the modern day, while mastering formal oral communication and parliamentary procedure.
• Senior Year: A Global Perspective – Defend your ideas and judgments as you study outstanding world writers, preparing you for the rigor of university-level research and rhetoric.

For students seeking an elite academic challenge, our Honors, AP, and IB tracks offer a "more challenging, not more copious" workload.

• AP Language & Composition: Focus on the power of rhetoric, philosophical debate, and multi-source synthesis.
• AP Literature & Composition: Engage with complex texts from Orwell to Tan, focusing on deep stylistic analysis and intensive preparation for national exams.
• Dual Credit Options: Earn college credits while in high school through our Introduction to Literature and Composition courses, specifically designed to give you a head start on your degree.

The English Department is about more than just textbooks; it’s about specialized skills that set you apart.

• Creative Writing: Manipulate language to convey feelings and visual images. Specialize in short stories in the fall or scripts and poetry in the spring.
• Ethnic Literature: Explore issues of identity and the contributions of multicultural authors, with a deep-dive focus on African-American literature.
• Etymology: Become a "word nerd." Uncover the Greek, Latin, and Germanic roots of the English language to supercharge your vocabulary and decoding skills.
• Speech: Master the art of the impromptu presentation and Aristotle’s three modes of proof to become a confident, persuasive public speaker.

Join the ranks of those who record our history. Our student publications provide practical, hands-on training in professional media.

• Journalism & Photojournalism: Learn the ethics of fair reporting and the art of visual storytelling using Adobe Photoshop and professional SLR cameras.
• Yearbook & Newspaper: Be part of the team that plans, markets, and distributes our school’s story. Master layout, design, and typography while building a portfolio of published work.