English

In 7th–8th, students engage in a comprehensive literacy program that engages teachers and diverse learners through compelling, real-world content. Through the curriculum, we address an expanded definition of student achievement that builds students’ academic knowledge and skills, habits of character, and capacity to create high-quality work. Students develop effective reading, written, grammatical, and oral communication skills, with an emphasis on critical thinking and continuous development of vocabulary and syntax. Students are introduced to William Shakespeare (A Comedy of Errors in 7th and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 8th) and read A Long Walk to Water (7th) or Maus (8th). In an Intertextual Unit, students will engage in a comparative analysis of a classic text with a modern pairing, exploring thematic continuities, stylistic evolutions, and cultural contextualization.

In 7th–8th, students engage in a comprehensive literacy program that engages teachers and diverse learners through compelling, real-world content. Through the curriculum, we address an expanded definition of student achievement that builds students’ academic knowledge and skills, habits of character, and capacity to create high-quality work. Students develop effective reading, written, grammatical, and oral communication skills, with an emphasis on critical thinking and continuous development of vocabulary and syntax. Students are introduced to William Shakespeare (A Comedy of Errors in 7th and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 8th) and read A Long Walk to Water (7th) or Maus (8th). In an Intertextual Unit, students will engage in a comparative analysis of a classic text with a modern pairing, exploring thematic continuities, stylistic evolutions, and cultural contextualization.

Through the study of a variety of text types and media, students build knowledge, analyze ideas, delineate arguments, and develop writing, collaboration, and communication skills. Classic and contemporary authors represented in 9th grade include Karen Russell, William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet), and others that help students build knowledge, analyze ideas, delineate arguments, and develop writing, collaboration, and communication skills. Students will build an understanding of literary analysis, especially in regards to MLA format and structure. In an Intertextual Unit, students will engage in a comparative analysis of a classic text (either The Lord of the Flies or Frankenstein) with a modern pairing, exploring thematic continuities, stylistic evolutions, and cultural contextualization.

The 10th grade curriculum offers a variety of rich texts that engage students in analysis of literary and journalistic nonfiction as well as poetry, drama, and fiction. Classic and contemporary authors represented in the grade 10 modules include Martin Luther King, Jr., Alice Walker, William Shakespeare (Macbeth), and Niccolò Machiavelli. Working with these texts, students build knowledge, analyze ideas, delineate arguments, and develop writing, collaboration, and communication skills. Additionally, students develop a comprehensive understanding of literary techniques used in poetry in a compendious writing unit. In an Intertextual Unit, students will engage in a comparative analysis of a classic text (either Fahrenheit 451 or 1984) with a modern pairing, exploring thematic continuities, stylistic evolutions, and cultural contextualization.

The grade 11 curriculum continues to develop students’ skills in analyzing complex literary and informational texts as students delve deeply into works by acclaimed authors and historical figures, including classics from William Shakespeare (Hamlet) and Virginia Woolf. Through the study of a variety of text types and media, students build knowledge, analyze ideas, delineate arguments, and develop writing, collaboration, and communication skills. Students will write a literary argumentative essay in a compendious writing unit. In an Intertextual Unit, students will engage in a comparative analysis of a classic text (either The Great Gatsby or To Kill a Mockingbird) with a modern pair.

Honors English 9 challenges students to engage in sophisticated literary analysis, critical thinking, and advanced writing. Through an intensive study of diverse texts and media, students will evaluate complex ideas, construct and critique arguments, and refine their writing, collaboration, and communication skills. Classic and contemporary
authors—including Karen Russell and William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet)—serve as a foundation for exploring literary themes, rhetorical strategies, and cultural significance. Honors students will develop a strong command of literary analysis, with an emphasis on academic writing in MLA format and structured argumentation. In the Intertextual Unit, students will undertake an in-depth comparative analysis of a seminal work—either Lord of the Flies or Frankenstein—paired with modern counterparts. This unit emphasizes critical inquiry into thematic continuity, stylistic evolution, and historical and cultural contextualization, challenging students to draw nuanced connections between texts across time periods. This course fosters intellectual curiosity and scholarly discourse, preparing students for advanced literary study. 

Honors English 10 immerses students in a rigorous exploration of literature and nonfiction, fostering advanced analytical skills, critical thinking, and academic writing. Through an in-depth study of diverse genres—including literary and journalistic nonfiction, poetry, drama, and fiction—students will examine complex ideas, evaluate rhetorical and literary strategies, and refine their abilities in argumentation, collaboration, and scholarly discourse. The curriculum features works by both classic and contemporary authors, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Alice Walker, William Shakespeare (Macbeth), and Niccolò Machiavelli. Students will engage in close reading and textual analysis to uncover deeper thematic and stylistic nuances while strengthening their proficiency in structured academic writing. A dedicated poetry unit challenges students to explore intricate literary techniques and apply their insights in a comprehensive analytical writing project. In the Intertextual Unit, students will conduct a comparative analysis of a seminal dystopian work—either Fahrenheit 451 or 1984—paired with modern counterparts. This examination will focus on thematic continuities, stylistic evolutions, and the shifting cultural and historical contexts that shape literature over time. This course cultivates intellectual curiosity and scholarly engagement, equipping students with the analytical and expressive tools necessary for advanced literary study.

Students in this course will learn about literature originally written in English in the United States and the Caribbean and/or translated to English from its original language and how ithas made a worldwide impact and contributed to the English language. As our students live on a Caribbean island with a strong Latin American identity and centennial connections to Latines in the US, they are in a privileged position to appreciate these authors and their contributions. The course will include narrative, poetry, and theater from both Latine and Caribbean authors and authors who are both. The first part of this course will introduce students to the term Latine and the literary corpus that has emerged from authors denominated Latine and about these authors and the peoples where they come from. The second part of this course will segue to Caribbean authors and will discuss the overlapping issues and context among them.

This course will develop the critical awareness of the student as a writer through the close readings and writing practice of poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction. Additionally, students will study major trends in literary criticism and literary theory. A writing community will be created in which students will be able to develop their critical eye in evaluating writing samples in a highly structured Peer Critique. The Writing Process will be used to strengthen the student’s relationship with writing. According to the article “What can academic writers learn from creative writers? Developing guidance and support for lecturers in Higher Education” by Maria Antoniou and Jessica Moriaty, “maintaining the hierarchical divide between ‘the academic’ and ‘the creative’ is detrimental to all… students. Within this dichotomy, academic writing is seen as a purely cerebral endeavor, requiring great intellectual capacity and technical skill… [but] the problems experienced by academics in their writing are rarely intellectual ones. Rather, the difficulty is with creativity.” Students struggle with understanding the creative process and allowing it to guide their writing, even in academic writing. Writing with emotion, using creative license in creation of thought and analysis, and exploring with organization are often dependent on confidence in the creative side of writing.

The AP English Literature and Composition course aligns to an introductory college-level literature and writing curriculum and focuses on reading, analyzing, and writing about imaginative literature (fiction, poetry, drama) from various periods. Students engage in close reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature to deepen their understanding of how writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure. As they read, students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as its use of figurative language, imagery, and symbolism. Writing assignments include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays that require students to analyze and interpret literary works.

The AP English Language and Composition course aligns to an introductory college-level rhetoric and writing curriculum and cultivates the reading and writing skills that students need for college success and for intellectually responsible civic engagement. The course guides students into becoming curious, critical, and responsive readers of diverse texts and growing into flexible, reflective writers of texts addressed to diverse audiences for eclectic purposes. The reading and writing students do in the course should deepen and expand their understanding of how written language functions rhetorically: to communicate writers’ intentions and elicit readers’ responses in particular situations

AP Research allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, or issue of individual interest. Through this exploration, students design, plan, and conduct a year- long research-based investigation to address a research question. In the AP Research course, students further their skills acquired in the AP Seminar course by understanding research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information as they address a research question. Students explore their skill development, document their processes, and curate the artifacts of the development of their scholarly work in a portfolio. The course culminates in an academic paper of approximately 4000–5000 words (accompanied by a performance or exhibition of product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense.

AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, research studies, and foundational literary and philosophical texts; listening to and viewing speeches, broadcasts, and personal accounts; and experiencing artistic works and performances. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in research based written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Ultimately, the course aims to equip students with the power to analyze and evaluate information with accuracy and precision to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.