English

The English program introduces students to critical thinking and technical skills that allows them to be successful in a college preparatory program. Most of the literature during freshman year deals with diverse, coming-of-age realities. This focus helps students better understand their own coming-of-age realities during this transitional year.

In addition to the study of literary terms in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama, students will study strong paragraph construction and will write effective paragraphs. Students will study grammar in the context of their own compositions and will begin to establish their own voice in narrative and poetry writing. Students learn comprehensive reading, writing, and study habits and are introduced to library inquiry and research procedure.

During the sophomore year, students demonstrate a greater depth in their interpretation of world literature and an extensive experience with writing literary analysis, creative fiction and non-fiction, expository essays, and research using the Modern Language Association format. Grammar, usage, and mechanics are again taught in the context of their own compositions.

In addition, students acquire advanced speaking, presentational and media literacy skills. Students also learn comprehensive and thorough library inquiry and research procedure.

Upperclassmen take full control over their course of study, in conjunction with the consultation of their English teacher. Students select courses based on their interests, and are required to take four semester-length courses.

Throughout the English program, students are nourished and challenged to demonstrate their refined reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills. They draft up to 12 expository or creative pieces a year, and give at least six formal and informal presentations a year. All of these opportunities are for a variety of audiences and occasions. Students can opt to take the year-long Advanced Placement English course in their senior year.

All students are invited to become involved in co-curricular activities through staffing the school newspaper and yearbook, writing a play for the Student Play Festival, or participating in debate or forensics. Additional opportunities for students to showcase their work include Café Night for creative writing and performance, poetry slams, and the Student Film Festival presented in connection with the Pius Film Society.

Among the department’s special honors, Scope, the student newspaper, has received the National Scholastic Press Association's highest honor (a First Class rating and a Mark of Distinction for content and coverage), a 2002 American Scholastic Press Association Award and the 2003 Columbia Scholastic Press Association silver medal.

The English Program is designed to:

Develop your aesthetic discernment and an appreciation of the written word as an art form and the writer as artist.
Cultivate your acceptance of diversity and multiple perspectives, while acknowledging the complexity and ambiguity of literature.
Give you the tools for reading, writing, speaking and listening that you can use and adjust for audience and occasion, clearly and creatively.
Be taken all four years. If you are an accelerated student, we encourage you to take more than four credits of English, as elective credits, or to consult an English faculty member and create your own Special Project course, in the junior/senior year, in addition to your regular English course load. You may take Advanced Placement English for college credit in your senior year.

Courses:

Freshman English
American Mythology
American Mythology/Journalism
Great Ideas in Literature
British Literature
20th Century Literature & Theory
Language of Literature & Film
Biblical Themes in Literature
Science Fiction
World Literature
Writing Workshop
College Writing
Creative Writing
AP English
Special Projects
Pius Newspaper Staff
Pius Yearbook Staff

English Faculty

Scott Herrick
Daniel Martin
Terry Mank
Aileen Ryan-Lofy
Patricia Stathas (View Profile)

ENGLISH

Academics