Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School
District 233

999 Kedzie Ave., Flossmoor, IL 60422
(708) 799-3000
 
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English Department
Jacob Vallicelli, Chair   jvallicelli@hfhighschool.org         335-5575

Course Description Booklet
English Faculty
English Co-Curricular Programs: Drama, Media, Speech 
Course Syllabi  
View English courses from the Academic Course Selection Book
 
English Department Awards  

Program Goals:  During their English studies at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, students are required to take one unit of English coursework each year they attend H-F, totaling four credits required for graduation.  The overarching goal of the English Department is to support students through their four year sequence, assuring that students become clear thinking, articulate persons.  This goal entails work with the skills of reading, writing, thinking, and speaking that students employ in their other classes as well as English class.

To be effective readers, students must learn how to ask questions about the rhetorical strategies employed in a written or spoken text.  Those questions are addressed to the structure of text, to its implied as well as explicit meaning, and to the function of individual words, phrases, and sentences in crafting that meaning.  In turn, as writers, students must ask those questions about the structuring of their own thoughts and their use of language in crafting meaning.

The study of literature—fiction, poetry, and nonfiction — is crucial in becoming an analytical, reflective thinker.  In studying renowned writers, students become familiar with the archetypal experiences of people of all cultures in all eras and with the critical questions that are addressed repeatedly by thoughtful citizens of the world.

Program Learning Objectives:  As we work to fulfill the above goal, the following domains represent a framework for English teaching and learning at H-F:

Reading:
· Vocabulary
· Development
· Reading Strategies
· Reading
· Comprehension
Literature:
· Literary Elements and Techniques
· Variety of Literary Works

 

Writing & Language:
· Using Correct Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization
· Compose Well-Organized and Coherent
· Writing for Specific Purposes and Audiences
· Communicate Ideas in Writing to Accomplish a Variety of Purposes
· Utilize Correct Multi-paragraph Structure in Constructing Essays

 

Research:
· Conduct Research on a Topic
· Judge the Effectiveness of Sources and Material Gathered from Sources

Special points of interest:
· Broadcasting
· Creative Writing
· Debate
· Film Study
· Journalism
· Theatre

Course Syllabi

Freshman English I CP  
Freshman English I Honors  
Sophomore Lit & Comp CP  
Sophomore Lit & Comp Honors  
AP Lit & Comp  
Sophomore Speech CP  
Sophomore Speech Honors  
Junior American Lit & Comp CP  
Junior American Lit & Comp Honors 

 

English Department Faculty
Jacob Vallicelli, English Department Chair jvallicelli@hfhighschool.org                                                                               
Sue Donaghue, English Department Secretary sdonaghue@hfhighschool.org

 

                                               

English Extra Curricular Programs

The English Department has a number of Co-Curricular programs for students, collectively called the English Synergistic Series. The English Department received the Illinois Centers of Excellence Award for 1987-89 for the English Synergistic Series from the National Council of Teachers of English.

DRAMA PROGRAMS MEDIA PROGRAMS SPEECH PROGRAMS
Competitive Drama Contest Play & GI Broadcasting -- Radio and TV Debate
Drama -- Musical, Children's Play, Spring Play, Summer Theatre Edda -- Literary Magazine Speech Team -- IHSA & NFL
Thespian Club Voyager -- Newspaper

 

Drama Programs

The drama programs involve both curricular offerings and co-curricular productions. Five courses make up the curricular program: Acting, Theatre Production, Advanced Theatre Performance, Technical Theatre I, and Technical Theatre II.                 

                                               

  • Competitive Drama: This area consists of a touring Contest Play and a Group Interpretation.
  • Drama: Co-Curricular plays include a Musical, a Children's Play, a Spring Play, and Summer Children's Theatre.
  • Thespian Society: An international honorary organization to which students become members by receiving points for their participation on casts and crews of plays.

Electives/Media programs

Media programs include broadcast journalism, production of a literary magazine, and journalism. The unique feature of these programs is that they are all student-run with faculty acting in advisory capacities only. The students take on responsibility and produce the end product, whether it be a radio/television program, the literary magazine, or the school newspaper. (click below to see class descriptions)

Broadcasting                    Debate                        Theatre             Journalism

Film                               Creative Writing                                    Dramatic Literature  

Speech Programs

Speech and Debate courses are offered in the English Curriculum. Both programs extend beyond the school day into competitive team activities. For over 30 years HF has sent many qualifiers to IHSA state tournaments and NFL national tournaments.

  • Debate: This is a curricular and co-curricular activity which is both competitive and academic. Students can participate in either a 2-person policy debate or a public forum.
  • Speech Team: This co-curricular activity has 13 speech events in competition--both interpretive and original--at the Novice and Varsity levels.

 

 

 

For more information about these pages,
contact Mr. David Thieman, Director of Human Resources: dthieman@hfhighschool.org