English – Xavier College Preparatory

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Experience English at Xavier

Mission and Philosophy

With a reputation as one of Arizona’s premier secondary education programs, the English Department functions as a nexus for Xavier’s academic, spiritual, and cultural communities. We maintain a strong commitment to traditional areas of study such as reading, writing, and critical thinking while employing innovative approaches to the classroom.

Our outstanding faculty offer an integrated array of Honors, Advanced Placement, and Great Books courses that reflect the great diversity of literatures in English and of the global community, while at the same time developing writing and analytical skills. Graduates of Xavier’s English program will enter the college classroom with the foundations to excel in reading, writing, and critical thinking at the world’s leading universities.

Distinguished Faculty

The English Department’s ten distinguished faculty hold multiple master’s degrees, countless professional certificates, and two doctoral degrees. English faculty moderate publication of the Pierian Spring literary magazine, the XPress online newspaper, and the Xavierian yearbook. We coordinate Xavier’s campus-wide Summer Reading program, and moderate clubs such as Mock Trial, Poetry Out Loud, Toastmasters, and Key Club. We organize campus-wide activities ranging from the Creative Writing in Ireland program to the Xavier Fashion Show.

We engage with our students through conventional methods of instruction, as well as the latest student-centered, adaptive technologies that enhance student abilities in vocabulary, grammar, and cognition. In addition to our Honors, AP, and Great Books courses, English faculty teach classes in American Government, Theatre, and Journalism. Four of our courses are eligible for Rio Salado Dual Enrollment Credit.

While we hope to encourage our students as they grow daily in their reading, writing, and analytical thinking, we believe that the greatest treasure our students can gain through our department is a lifelong love of books. Books can instruct us as we learn through life’s experiences, guide us through our emotional growth, and serve as a source of comfort in times of distress. Books offer us access to history’s greatest minds and concepts. According to a 2016 issue of Social Science and Medicine, people who read books even live longer than those who read only periodicals, or do not read at all.

We look forward to helping Xavier Gators find their love of books in the English Department at Xavier College Preparatory.

Our Classroom Reading List

Freshwomen

English 1:

Honors English I:

English I Great Books:

Sophomore

English II:

English II Honors:

English II Great Books/AP Seminar:

Introduction to Great Books - Third Series
Julius Caesar
Mythology
Pride and Prejudice
Othello
Various Journal Articles - Teacher & Student Selected

Junior

English III Honors:

The Norton Anthology for American Literature
The Scarlet Letter
Ethan Frome
The Great Gatsby

AP English Language & Composition:

Conversations in American Literature
The Scarlet Letter
Ethan Frome
The Great Gatsby
The Crucible

AP English Language & Composition Great Books:

Conversations in American Literature
The Scarlet Letter
The Age of Innocence
The Great Gatsby
The Crucible

Senior

AP English Literature & Composition:

AP English Literature & Composition Great Books:

Department Highlights

Mock Trial

Xavier's Elias Romley Mock Trial team competes every year in the Arizona High School Mock Trial Regional and State Competitions. One of the top teams in the Valley, Xavier often places in the top four in competition. Students learn real courtroom procedure and legal concepts with the help of volunteer attorney coaches and judges, as well as skills to succeed in competitive, fast-paced environments. Most years, a select team of Xavier mockies also travels to New York to compete in the Empire Mock Trial Invitational along with teams from around the country and around the world!

Mock Trial Website

Pierian Spring

Summer Reading

Journalism - XPress

Xavier's XPress is our school's and community's news outlet. We serve to communicate all news in all of its forms to better tell Xavier's, the community's, and the world's story. Students are introduced to and utilize different mediums on our online platform. We are both a class and a club - everyone can get involved in the ever- changing and fascinating world of journalism.

The course is structured in a workshop format, is conducted during a class period, and requires time outside of class to finish assignments which often include attending events and activities.This is an amazing opportunity for our students to learn and grow.

Sample Student Project

Department Faculty

Abbie Arnold, B.A., ’17

English Teacher

GatorLink Moderator | Photo Club Moderator | Quill and Scroll Honor Society Moderator | Xavierian (Yearbook) Moderator
Kate Boehm, J.D., ’03

English Teacher

Summer Reading Coordinator | Mock Trial Moderator | WAX Club Moderator
Shannon Donaldson, M.Ed.

English Teacher | AP Capstone – Seminar | English Department Co-Chair

Curriculum Council Member | Poetry Out Loud Moderator | WCEA Research
Elizabeth “Lisa” Galbreath, M.A., M.A., M.S. Ed. Cert

English Teacher

National English Honor Society Moderator

ENH 110/111 for Rio Salado
Kelly Hubbard, M.A., M.Ed.

English Teacher

National English Honor Society Moderator

ENG 101/102 for Rio Salado
Alison Mead, M.Ed.

English Teacher | AP Capstone – Research | English Department Co-Chair

Curriculum Council Member | Great Books Coordinator | International Travel – England | Key Club Moderator

ENG 101/102 for Rio Salado
Brian Mostoller, M.S.

English Teacher

XPress Moderator | XPress Digital Journalism Club Moderator
Rebecca “Dani” Richter, J.D. ’03

English Teacher | Social Studies Teacher | AP Capstone – Research | AP Capstone Chair

Curriculum Council Member | Mock Trial Moderator | Summer Reading Coordinator | WAX Club Moderator

POS 110 for Rio Salado
Clay Zuba, Ph.D.

English Teacher

Pierian Spring Moderator

ENH 110/111 for Rio Salado