English Department

  • Welcome to the English Department,

    Terra Nova’s English Department believes that all students should leave high school able to read complex texts, think critically about the information within the texts, communicate effectively about what they are learning, and write convincingly for a variety of audiences and purposes.

    To achieve those objectives, all courses include both classic and modern pieces of literature, fiction and non-fiction texts, presentations, research papers, and literary analysis essays.  All of our teachers are committed to being and creating life-long learners; department staff enhance the learning environment by updating and modifying curriculum, attending professional development opportunities, and reading for pleasure.

    Sample texts and topics at different grade levels (this list is by no means exhaustive):

    English 9/9E:  Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, The House on Mango Street, and Greek/Roman mythology

    English 10/10E:  Macbeth, All Quiet on the Western Front, Catcher in the Rye, and Things Fall Apart

    English 11/11H/AP English Language:  The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, Homegoing, and In Cold Blood​

    English 12 (ERWC – Expository Reading/Writing Curriculum)/12H/AP English Literature:  Hamlet, Into the Wild, Like Water for Chocolate, and The Things They Carried

     

    Alyssa Jenkins

    English Department Chair,

    English 9, English 10 Enriched; AP English Literature & Composition 

    Journalism 1, Journalism 2

    Students in Action Advisor, Mock Trial Advisor

    AJenkins@jeffersonunion.net

     

    Jerell Basco

    English & English 11

    jbasco@jeffersonunion.net

     

    Robert Colvig

    AP English Language; ERWC; Advanced Journalism

    Yearbook Advisor

    rcolvig@jeffersonunion.net

     

    Ashleigh Karkazis   

    English 10; ERWC                                                      

    akarkazis@jeffersonunion.net

     

    Michaela Marans

    English 9; English 11

    mmarans@jeffersonunion.net

     

    Sara Meskin 

    English 9 Enriched, English 10, AP English Language & Composition

    Women's Advocacy Club Advisor; Instructional Coach

    SMeskin@jeffersonunion.net

     

    Scot Schneider 

    Film as Literature; Drama; Theater Production Arts

    Drama Director; CTE Department Chair

    Drama Club, Film Club, and Poetry Club Advisor 

    SSchne@jeffersonunion.net