English Department
The English Department prepares students for a lifetime of writing – college-level and beyond – through rigorous training in persuasive writing, narrative, and style.
Students explore their passions through writing projects of their own design, from podcasts to short stories to patents. We create students who are avid and conscientious readers that take an active interest in their own reading journey.
Foxcroft students “experience” English in the real world, whether that is through field trips to see a play at the American Shakespeare Center or take in a live-storytelling event at The Moth in Washington, D.C. Our beautiful campus allows special opportunities for classes to write poetry while enjoying the vibrant colors of falling autumn leaves or the beauty of the cherry blossoms in the spring. Students can also hone writing skills outside of the classroom as well, in offerings such as Writers Group, the Paul K. Bergan Poetry Festival, or the songwriting class during Wintermission.
Explore Our English Course Offerings
Portrait of an English Graduate
At the completion of the English program at Foxcroft, a graduate…
...employs the elements of narrative.
...understands and effectively uses English mechanics and style.
...writes persuasively and employs rhetoric for a variety of purposes.
...uses inquiry and research as part of the writing process.
Narrative
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Understands and employs genre conventions.
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Identifies, analyzes, and employs a variety of narrative techniques.
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Analyzes how an author’s choices in plot, setting, point-of-view, and details affect a text.
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Explains how a character develops over the course of a narrative.
Mechanics & Style
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Understands and employs the rules, rhythm, and structure of the English language.
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Adapts writing styles for different contexts.
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Analyzes and creates stylistic elements in poetry and prose.
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Improves their writing through revision and editing.
Rhetoric & Persuasion
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Argues persuasively by presenting a clear, nuanced thesis, reasons, and credible evidence.
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Presents a solution to a problem appropriate for a specific rhetorical situation.
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Recognizes and analyzes bias and tone in writing.
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Acknowledges opposition and offers reasonable rebuttals.
Inquiry & Research
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Evaluates resources for credibility and accuracy.
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Participates in academic discourse and properly attributes borrowed material.
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Enjoys books that help her grow academically and personally.
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Formulates questions and executes a research plan.
Meet Our English Faculty
Steven McCarty
Job Title:
Dean of Academics, Department Chair, English
Degrees:
M.A., University of South Carolina
B.A., West Virginia University
B.A., West Virginia University
Email:
Patricia Mora
Class of 1995
Job Title:
English
Degrees:
M.Ed., Harvard University Graduate School of Education
B.A., Stanford University
B.A., Stanford University
Email:
Rebecca Paulisch
Job Title:
English
Degrees:
M.A., James Madison University
B.A., William and Mary
B.A., William and Mary
Email:
Katherine Tomaskovic
Job Title:
Director of International Student Services and Recruitment
Degrees:
MS.Ed, University of Pennsylvania
B.A., Bryn Mawr College
B.A., Bryn Mawr College
Email: