The High School English Curriculum is designed to produce individuals who read with comprehension, think critically, work collaboratively, and communicate effectively through writing and speaking. The curriculum concentrates on four areas of instruction for all students: communication and multimodal literacy, reading, writing, and research. 

Student Placement Criteria

The curriculum strives to meet individual differences by offering instructional grouping at each grade level. The instructional recommendation for each student is made through the collaboration of parent, guidance counselor, and English teacher, and is based on classroom performance, future academic plans, and testing criteria. The course recommendation is reviewed annually and appropriate changes are made to ensure that each student is being challenged and prepared to meet the standards of the next English course.

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

The high school English courses provide students with opportunities to develop and extend all aspects of literacy through a sequenced study, application, and practice of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing skills and processes. Each course level includes reading of nonfiction, and the study of literature from a variety of genres. Instruction in both reading and writing at every grade level incorporates skills for acquiring new vocabulary and for applying the standard spelling, punctuation, and grammatical conventions of English. Advanced Placement Literature and Composition and Dual Enrollment English, both offered in Grade 12, invite students to seek college credit through meeting the challenge of a rigorous course of study. Students will take the Virginia Standards of Learning End-of Course Reading Assessment and End-of-Course Writing Assessment in eleventh grade.

Beginning in the Grade 10, students may also choose to apply and develop their skills through the following English elective offerings:

• Journalism - the school newspaper production course
• Photojournalism - the yearbook production course
• Creative Writing - the literary magazine production course
• Oral Communication - a public speaking course  

In every English course, students are engaged in making connections among all academic content and their real lives.  

Parent Involvement

Parents are encouraged to partner with the high school English teachers to ensure high achievement for their children. All teachers provide a course syllabus at the start of each year outlining the academic expectations and content, grading practices, and other classroom policies. For additional information, parents should contact the individual school.