Department 04 — of 07
English.
Small seminars, big questions — every voice heard, every draft better than the last.
Overview
English at Storm King is taught the way literature is meant to be met: around a seminar table, in classes small enough that every voice gets heard and no reader gets to hide. Students move through a broad range of historical and cultural perspectives — American literature anchors the tenth grade — while building the writer's full toolkit: research, critical, and expository writing; generative drafts and formal essays; poetry, prose, and multimodal composition; fluency in MLA and APA style. The electives read like a liberal-arts college catalog, from Beowulf to the Bronx.
The skills are cumulative and deliberate: active reading and annotation, discussion and peer editing, inquiry-based analysis of texts, command of literary terms and critical approaches, and metacognitive reflection on each student's own reading and writing process.
Courses
Middle School English Grade 8
The curriculum for the eighth grade focuses on three themes: knowing the self, investigating the past, and understanding the community; and uses the Hudson Valley as a learning laboratory (Place-Based Learning) to explore these ideas. In general, this course is designed to get students analyzing and responding to accessible and important works of World literature. Working with poetry, short stories, novels, and plays, students learn the basics of class discussion, essay writing and personal memoir writing.
Introduction to Literature
Anchored in Perrine’s anthology titled Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, this course explores a variety of world literature in an array of historical contexts. Students will build on their skills of literary analysis, class discussion, basic literary terminology, and their ability to appreciate literature. In addition, the writing component of the course will introduce expository essay writing, literary analysis, argumentative essays, and personal memoirs.
US Studies Literature
This survey of the classic works of the American Literary tradition strides through several key time periods, beginning in pre-Columbian times with Native American mythology and ending in Arthur Miller’s modern existential drama, Death of a Salesman. Additional centerpieces for this class include The Scarlet Letter, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Narrative of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave, and The Great Gatsby. This course includes a substantial research project and several literary analysis essays.
Society & Self in Literature
This course builds the critical skills of literary analysis and writing while reflecting on a variety of literary genres. Students will investigate why the same stories are told over and over again, eventually becoming codified into genres which reveal how society functions and how individuals (both consciously and unconsciously) participate in it. To do so, the course will focus on the close reading of novels, short stories, and plays. Students will also be introduced to college-level critical analysis, a process which includes unraveling the meaning of themes within texts and organizing ideas into coherent essays and research papers. The goal for all students is to be prepared for college level work. These challenges include a responsibility for themselves and their work, represented by timeliness, clarity, and professionalism, as well as character consciousness that is defined by their ability to contribute, communicate, and build relationships within their existing social spheres while simultaneously pushing themselves into new areas of interest and influence.
Creative Writing
The Creative Writing course is designed to meet two different student needs: an appreciation for the various creative forms of prose and poetry, as well as an exploration of literature that builds critical skills in both reading and writing. Students read several works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry allowing them to develop a sense of the extent that writing enters and affects our different social spheres. In addition, there is a great deal of writing in which students create their own work or at times interpret complicated works that already exist. The ultimate purpose is to provide a space for students to learn how to approach and manipulate the many aspects of literature, and in doing so, become better writers themselves as they craft their own techniques.
Composition & Rhetoric
This course is designed to help students develop the skills necessary for speaking persuasively and crafting highquality essays. We discuss techniques for developing original and well-argued papers such as the known-new contract, body paragraph structure, and retrospective outlining. We also think critically about the underlying principles and theories of rhetoric. Together we evaluate writings and presentations by a variety of rhetoricians, discussing what makes rhetoric necessary, effective, and engaging. Students demonstrate an understanding of these skills in a midterm research paper where they explore the legacy of a public figure of their own choosing. For their final project, students create their own TED Talk, a brief recorded presentation that engages solutions to a problem, historical event, or phenomena of cultural importance.
Rhetoric & Composition
This course is designed to help students develop the skills necessary for speaking persuasively and crafting highquality essays. Students discuss techniques for developing original and well-argued papers such as the known-new contract, body paragraph structure, and retrospective outlining. They also think critically about the underlying principles and theories of rhetoric and grammar. Together we evaluate writings and presentations by a variety of rhetoricians, discussing what makes rhetoric necessary, effective, and engaging. Students demonstrate an understanding of these skills in a final research paper where they explore the legacy of a public figure of their own choosing.
Rhetoric & Composition: Writing for Revolution
This course explores writing as a tool of resistance. Through a variety of assignments—including short papers, persuasive essays, personal reflections, creative writing, and multimedia projects—students will develop the skills to craft clear, logical, and compelling arguments. Students will primarily read non-fiction essays, songs, and memoirs, analyzing their rhetorical strategies and historical context. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the power of words in the fight for justice and the tools to express their own voices in creative, impactful ways.
Voices From the Margin
Voices from the Margin reads and discusses literature written by People of Color, Latinos, LGBTQ+, radical women, and more. In a variety of genres—poetry, short story, graphic novel, and others—this course will seek to improve our understanding of writing that is too often overlooked. Why limit ourselves to a narrow canon when there is such richness in diversity?
The Heroic Journey: Themes and Patterns in Literature
Heroes are as old as The Odyssey and as recent as Harry Potter; as magical as Merlin and as down-to-earth as Offered from The Handmaid’s Tale. This course will examine the nature of archetypes and encounter memorable characters across centuries and genres. Ancient plays, medieval legends, and contemporary novels– nothing will be off-limits as students explore the myriad characters that enrich the human story.
Literature of New York City
In this course, students will explore New York City’s rich literary heritage. We’ll journey from the lore of Dutch New Amsterdam to the streets of Brooklyn, exploring various neighborhoods and time periods. Through close analysis and discussion, students will gain insights into the city’s cultural, social, and historical dimensions as portrayed in literature, gaining a deeper appreciation for its multifaceted identity..
Honors British Literature Honors
This course is offered to those students who performed in the ‘A’ range consistently in US Studies Literature and who wish to take AP English Literature their senior year. The course begins with the Old English heroic epic, Beowulf, and finishes with an in-depth Romanticism study. Other focal points for the course include Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Milton’s Paradise Lost, the metaphysical poets, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. In addition, students will write two major research papers and several literary analysis essays as they broaden their literary horizons in preparation for AP English in their senior year.
Honors African American Studies Literature Honors
This survey of influential works centers the African American Literary tradition. Through the study of various genres, students will analyze how African American and Black authors have responded to themes such as racial identity, resistance, resilience, social justice, and the quest for equality. The course emphasizes close reading, critical analysis, and the development of writing skills. Students will engage with works by authors such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, and Toni Morrison, among others, and will explore how these writers use literary techniques to challenge cultural narratives and contribute to ongoing conversations about freedom and creative expression in America. By the end of this course, students will develop their own voices through analytical essays and creative assignments, with an emphasis on making connections between the literature and broader historical, political, and cultural movements.
AP English Literature AP
This course is a culmination of American Literature and Survey of British Literature. Like a college-level literature course, AP English Literature challenges students to read and understand what they are reading at a deep level, and, through the lens of several critical perspectives, acknowledge the cultural, psychological, philosophical, and historical currents underlying a work of literature. Throughout the course, students will hopefully come to see themselves in light of the works they are reading and analyzing and formulate an awareness of their unique identity within the world culture as documented by the authors they will be studying. Prerequisite: Honors British Literature
AP Language & Composition AP
This college-level course is designed to refine students’ skills in reading, writing, and rhetorical analysis. Throughout the course, students will explore a variety of nonfiction texts—essays, speeches, articles, and memoirs —to analyze how authors use language to persuade, inform, and entertain. Emphasizing argumentation and critical thinking, students will practice crafting clear, well-supported arguments in both written and spoken form. They will develop their ability to analyze complex texts, understand rhetorical strategies, and incorporate effective evidence into their own writing. The course also emphasizes the development of a sophisticated writing style, helping students find their voice while honing their ability to communicate persuasively and thoughtfully.
AP African American Studies: Literature AP
This college-level course focuses on the rich and diverse tradition of African American literature. Through the study of novels, poetry, essays, speeches, and plays, students will analyze how African American writers have responded to themes such as racial identity, resistance, resilience, social justice, and the quest for equality. The course emphasizes close reading, critical analysis, and the development of advanced writing skills. Students will engage with works by authors such as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and Ta-Nehisi Coates, among others, and will explore how these writers use literary techniques to challenge cultural narratives and contribute to ongoing conversations about race in America. By the end of this course, students will develop their own voices through analytical essays and creative assignments, with an emphasis on making connections between the literature and broader historical, political, and cultural movements. Prerequisite: AP Language and Composition or equivalent.
Faculty
Alexandra Finn-Atkins, PhD
English Department Chair
The Writing Center · Annual Poetry Festival · The Voice
BA, Providence College · MA, Clark University · PhD, English, Fordham University
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Dr. Alex Finn-Atkins holds a BA in English Literature and Spanish from Providence College, an MA in English from Clark University, and a PhD in English from Fordham University; her scholarship has appeared in the journal Early Theatre. At Storm King she chairs the English Department and leads the Writing Center, the Annual Poetry Festival, and the student literary journal The Voice. She also coaches Girls and Boys Cross Country, lives on campus as a dorm parent, and spends her free time hiking and running the Hudson Valley trails.
Mark Rigg, DMin
English Teacher
Co-Director, Community Service
BA, English, Amherst College · MA, Yale Divinity School · DMin, Luther Seminary
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Dr. Mark Rigg began his career teaching English at The Hotchkiss School, then spent sixteen years at The Hill School, where he served as English Department Chair, Director of Community Service, Director of Studies, and Associate Chaplain. He also spent a decade as a pastor near Reading, Pennsylvania. At Storm King he teaches English, co-directs community service, and lives on campus in Spy Rock with his beagle, Watson.
Patrick Fulton
English Teacher
Psychology · Theater
BA, SUNY New Paltz
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Mr. Fulton graduated from SUNY New Paltz, where he majored in Performing Arts and minored in Political Science. He grew up in Cornwall-on-Hudson and has a long history with Storm King — performing in plays at The Walter Reade, Jr. Theatre from the age of eight. He teaches psychology and middle school history, still finds time to appear in SKS plays and musicals, and coaches Girls Soccer in the fall and Ultimate Frisbee in the spring.
Sophia Grausso
English Teacher
Storm King Class of 2020 · Lacrosse · JV Volleyball
BA, English, Fordham University
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Sophia Grausso ’20 is an alumna of The Storm King School, returned to teach at her alma mater. At Fordham University she studied English with a concentration in Creative Writing and in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, with specialized work in early British modernism, the female bildungsroman, and archival research. An experienced grant-writer who came to teaching through the non-profit sector, she also coaches Lacrosse and JV Volleyball.
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