Language Arts

The following courses are offered in the English and Language Arts Department:

​Core Classes:

• English 7

• English 8, 8 Honors

• English 9, 9 Honors

• English 10, 10 Honors

• English 11

• ENGL 1010 (concurrent enrollment)

• ENGL 2010 (concurrent enrollment)

Electives:

• Yearbook

• Mythology

• Dystopian Literature

• Film Studies

• Journalism

• Creative Writing (jr. high and high school)

• English Study Hall

Foreign Language:

• German 1 (jr. high and high school)

• Spanish 1 (jr. high and high school)

• Spanish 2

• Spanish 3/4

• ASL 1 (jr. high and high school)

• ASL 2

• English Language Development

 

These are core values or guiding principles that shape instruction in our department:

• Equity and inclusion: All students deserve access to a rigorous and relevant curriculum.

• Creativity and voice: We believe students’ stories matter—success and failure alike.

• Relevance and engagement: Instruction must be meaningful and culturally responsive.

• Growth mindset: We value progress, reflection, and resilience in learning.

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This is how we define success for students in this subject area:

Success means students leave our classes with the ability to express themselves clearly, read critically, think independently, and make relevant connections in their lives. Academic growth matters, but so does confidence, agency, and the ability to advocate for themselves.

 

These are the kinds of assessments we use to evaluate learning:

We use a balance of formal and informal assessments—essays, discussions, games, projects, portfolios, and creative tasks. We prioritize performance-based assessments and incorporate reflection as often as we can. Real-world projects are a priority so that students have practical experience in English and other languages. 

This is how our department helps students develop skills that extend beyond content knowledge (e.g., problem-solving, communication, digital literacy):

We’re not just preparing students for tests—we’re preparing them for life. We emphasize:

• Problem-solving through writing challenges and real-world simulations

• Communication through structured discussion, presentations, and peer feedback

• Digital literacy via research platforms, design software, document creation, and editing tools

• Self-improvement through reflection and the opportunity to grow by encouraging academic risk-taking.