San Rafael High School

THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Right now, the SRHS English department is busy researching and learning the best techniques and strategies for engaging our students through Distance Learning. Whether we are in the classroom, or connecting with our students online, we want our students to experience opportunities to discuss the big ideas we encounter in literature and film. We want to help them develop the strong reading and writing skills that will prepare them for college and the work place. And we want them to express themselves creatively!

INCOMING 9TH GRADERS

The English Placement Assessment is a reading and writing task designed to ensure two things: that the English teachers at SR have a sense of the skills, talents and academic needs of their incoming students, and that we are able to make informed placement recommendations to counselors and families. The task itself is similar to those students regularly encounter in class: reading an informational article and responding to that article in writing. The assessment is designed to be completed in a 55 minute class period. Student work will be scored against a rubric that assesses reading comprehension and writing skills. Score information and feedback about recommended placement will be made available to counselors and families.

English Department Program Options for an incoming 9th grader can be pretty overwhelming. "Do I need a support class?" "Should I take honors?" "What happens if I take honors and I can't handle it?" "What if I don't sign up for honors, and then change my mind?" Check out this linked FAQ page for our answers to those questions!