ENGLISH
Learning About Ourselves to Create a Better World
Our rich program of reading and writing draws on history’s greatest thinkers. With a focus on the humanities, students engage with a broad range of texts that address the challenges of modern life - from poetry and prose, to fiction and nonfiction, as well as classic and contemporary works. Students can also participate in academic co-curriculars, including the student newspaper, our literary & art magazine, and yearbook.
The liberal arts broaden perspectives, develop critical thinking, and equip students to make a difference in their communities.
Eng121: 9th Grade English
This course guides students to grapple with thought-provoking texts that all ask the same question: how do I stand up for what I believe?
Eng525: Identity and Literature
Students examine articulation of the “self,” or one’s own voice, inclusion, and the social and political issues and moral responsibilities associated with identity.
ENG454: Writing II: Argument and Persuasion
Students read influential, contemporary nonfiction essays and learn to use rhetoric - the art of persuasion - to make social and cultural change.
3
Academic Co-Curriculars
100%
AP English Pass Rate
200%
Increase In AP English Students Since 2017
English 1 at O’Dowd:
Foundations for College Success
Our English Department has designed an introductory 9th grade curriculum with the goal of encouraging more students to pursue Honors and AP courses. With a focus on our Charism call to Strength of Character, students begin a journey of becoming lifelong readers, writers and thinkers.
English Faculty
Lindsey Ashlock, Department Chair
A sixth-generation Californian, Lindsey grew up in Walnut Creek and comes from a family of educators—both of her parents were teachers. She has been teaching high school English since 2000, with fifteen of those years spent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and one year teaching in South Korea. Lindsey holds a BA in English Literature from Westmont College, completed her teaching credential through Chapman University’s Master Credential Program, and earned an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University.
Lindsey’s teaching philosophy centers on enthusiasm, curiosity, and the belief that learning is a journey. She sets high expectations while encouraging students to engage deeply with literature and the humanities.