English Department
Welcome to the English Department!
The English Department offers courses in multiple pathways to encourage the development of literacy skills and critical thinking skills.
Options:
Grade 9: Destreamed, Locally Developed, Pre-Advanced Placement
Grade 10: Applied, Academic, Locally Developed, Pre-Advanced Placement
Grade 11: Contemporary Aboriginal Voices University Pathway, College Pathway, Workplace Pathway. English Pre-Advanced Placement
Grade 12: English University Pathway, College Pathway, Workplace Pathway. English Advanced Placement. Writer's Craft. Canadian Literature.
The English Department at St. Peter CSS engages students in all pathways and all grades by offering a variety of classic and contemporary literature. Students are provided with many enrichment activities such as yearly trips to the Stratford Festival, poetry and prose writing competitions and a variety of guest speaker appearances ranging from social justice advocates to author talks. Since 2019, diverse and Indigenous voices have been a focal point of the Grade 9, 10 and 11 courses in order to introduce students to unique and valued viewpoints. In Grades 9 and 10 students, as part of their independent reading are given the choice of many diverse voices such as Black, Asian, Mexican, LGBTQ+ and many more marginalizes voices with the intent of broadening their understanding and appreciation of multiple voices in storytelling. Grade 11 English is officially Grade 11 Contemporary Indigenous Voices and students engage in a variety of literature and learning as part of the call for Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples but more importantly to offer students the ability to learn about the rich and diverse culture of our First Peoples. The English teachers, through their own love of English literature, specialized training and current professional development ensure that students are exposed to a variety of learning styles and rich assessments to ensure their success.
The AP Program in English
St Peter’s also offers Pre-AP (grades 9-11) and AP (grade 12) English. Pre-AP and AP English combine to create an enriched program for students who excel in Language Arts. Students who are suited for AP English are those who are passionate about reading, enjoy writing, work well independently, welcome teacher feedback and wish to challenge themselves. A strong work ethic is essential. This program will challenge students while fostering their love of literature. The goal of the program is completing the culminating AP exam which is written all over the world.
The ESL/ELL Program
St Peter CSS supports students who are learning English as their second language. We offer English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development courses, and we offer individualized supports to English Language Learners and their teachersin courses outside of their English classes. Teachers work together to ensure that students are able to learn to the best of their abilities and develop their abilities and skills in using and understanding the English language.
We are well-connected to supports at the Board and to the New Canadians Centre. The video below explains the support of the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) and the New Canadians Centre and features our ESL lead teacher, Ms. Colleen Crawley:
In 2021 Mrs McFadden won a prestigious North American Grant, The Book Love Foundation Grant, and was awarded $2500 in book purchases to create a choice library for students. The books represent voices from all over the world, have won many awards and focus on a young adult audience to engage independent and choice reading.