Four new English classes have been approved for seniors to take as of August 2024. There will now be eight options for senior English. The original four classes that are a year-long are English 4, AP Literature/Composition, AP Research, and Senior Career English. The new classes are only a semester long and consist of The Modern Novel, Pop Music as Literature, Literature as Film, and Creative Writing.
“The purpose of the new courses is to offer more choices at the senior level. Student interest is very diverse, and we would like the English curriculum to reflect our student population,” Lisa Smith, an English teacher at WHS said.
The Modern Novel is a class for students interested in exploring literature based on contemporary issues, themes, and artists. The readings for this class will be based on current young adult literature. There will be in-depth discussions about the readings as students use these books to analyze the challenging issues of our time. This class is only a semester long.

Pop Music as Literature is a course where students will compare and contrast song lyrics and look for deeper meanings. The music used in this class will be from multiple periods starting from 1930’s to present-day pop hits. This class will also explore many genres as Pop music is ever-changing. Students will still have to do writing but this class proposes a different style of learning rather than just using a textbook.
Literature as Film is a class that is currently only offered to seniors but is changing from an elective class to an English class. In this class, students will watch films and will evaluate, analyze, and synthesize literary genres in films. Students will also learn the basics of the art and science of filmmaking and design.
The final new class is a Creative Writing Class. This class is like Literature as Film in the way that it was previously an elective class, but now it is going to be for an English credit. Students will be encouraged in their reading and writing of many genres such as; short stories, poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, vignettes, one-act plays, children’s stories, historical fiction, and poetic prose. Students will be expected to keep a portfolio of their writing through daily writing.
“We are excited about the range of choices available. While we are continuing to provide our traditional courses including English 4, Senior Career English, AP Literature and Composition, AP Research, and CCP, we are introducing additional options for those interested in exploring different avenues,” said Laura Harig, English teacher at WHS.