Mrs. Constantinople – The English 107/207class read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. They discussed the possibility of time travel and the potential problems that could ensue. A mini-project on H.G. Wells and his “predictions” for the future will be completed as a final project. The English 307/407class is currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The students have discussed the theme of personal responsibility, and connections to personal experiences have been made. Differences in race relations as exhibited in the novel and as experienced by the students today continue as a major topic for discussion. The themes of social inequality and the need for a personal moral code will be covered as we proceed with the novel.

Ms. DeMatteo – This month the Honors English 200 and English 200 classes finish reading The Great Gatsby. The Honors English 200 classes were able to analyze the characters using the Psychoanalytic Critical Literary Theory. The English 200 classes analyzed how a character changes and evolves throughout a novel and related Langston Hughes’ poem, “A Dream Deferred” to the themes in the text. The Generational Media class began working on a semester benchmark project called the Editorial Short. Students were able to use iMovie to create their own mini-documentaries.

Mrs. Dougard – In Honors Eng. 100, we have just finished reading Lord of the Flies and have debated whether or not we believe Simon’s death was an impulsive act of murder or accidental. The class was divided into debate teams and used the text, as well as secondary/psychological research, to successfully defend their sides. The Creative Writing class has finished writing original short stories; some are murder mysteries and are real page-turners!

Mr. Ersalesi – The students in theatre have been working on a full-length play. They are studying characterization and character intentions as they work on their parts in “12 Angry People.” This iconic piece of American theatre takes place entirely in a jury room as people from all walks of life debate the guilt or innocence of a teenager on trial for his life. As a culminating activity in February, they will present a staged reading of the play to the social studies classes who study the American justice system.

Ms. Garcia – The English 300 classes are working on Lit Circles for Catcher in the Rye. Each student in the group has opportunity to fulfill a different role weekly. This allows for each student to use an “independent lens” throughout their analysis of the character of Holden and facilitates more engaging student-led class discussions. The English 400 classes have completed Othello and focused on themes such as racism, the role of women, jealousy, narcissim, and looked at the dichotomy found in characters and themes.

Mr. Narozny – The sophomore English 200 classes have been delving into the Roaring Twenties via Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. With a sharp focus on character development and prose style, the students have practiced critical reading and writing skills as they explore how Fitzgerald created an American Classic. The AP English Literature classes started the new year with a detailed study of Sonnets. After having read and analyzed over 15 sonnets as a class, each student chose a sonnet to analyze on their own. Poetic elements such as meter, rhyme, and sound devices were the focus as each student tried to puzzle out the purpose of their chosen poet’s sonnet. We have also begun the Post-Colonial Literature unit by traveling through Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. This novella shines a light on Imperialism’s impact, as well as the horrors faced by “civilized” men when a controlling authority is stripped away. Through critical reading passages and Socratic Seminars, we have practiced the skills necessary for success on the AP Lit Exam. January saw the Honors Humanities students make their way from the Northern Renaissance over to Enlightened France as we explored Western Civilization’s march towards revolution and the fall of monarchies. We took special care to consider Kant’s moral philosophy, especially in regard to Human Dignity — to not use people as a means, but rather as an end. The semester comes to a close on Monday with the final exam, including their final project: to create their own society or to develop a detailed plan for a museum exhibit based on the cultures studied this year.

Mrs. Pasquale – Students enrolled in Writing For College wrote research papers and created presentations on their chosen fairy tale or children’s story. They viewed the presentations and wrote about their favorites from their peers. The English 400 students continued reading Sophocles’ play Antigone and crafted an essay where they approached the conflicts from the point of view of King Creon, in an attempt to make him a sympathetic character..

Mr. Stracco –English 100 continues to examine the conflicts, the choices, and the consequences of the each of the characters of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The recent projects have shown analysis, evaluation and comprehension of the play thus far. Semester one of Public Speaking has come to a close with superb final speeches done in the Pecha Kucha style of presenting. Each presentation ranged from tributes, to informative speeches and even to a prom proposal! Each student who has effectively participated in public speaking has gained the necessary skills to be a public speaker in the future. Congratulations to all for a successful semester, and congratulations to those who have been selected as the SPOTLIGHTED SPEAKERS. Students in the RTI class have worked hard as they gleaned the necessary skills for reading comprehension, vocabulary decoding and writing. These skills have been enriched, practiced and extended throughout every course.

Ms. Valdes – English 100 wrapped up Romeo and Juliet with group presentations analyzing themes, sonnet analyses and a figurative language exam. Each student chose a Shakespearean sonnet to analyze and presented their findings to the class. After presentations we found that the same issues presented in Romeo and Juliet were also presented in the sonnets, and these issues are still struggles today, which makes Shakespeare’s language relevant. English 300 Honors finished reading The Catcher in the Rye and completed the unit with an art piece that examined the ugliness and beauty in the world. English 300 is reading The Catcher in the Rye. Students are using psychoanalytical theory to understand the deeper meaning of the text. Students are analyzing the structure and phrasing that J.D. Salinger uses to display Holden’s state of mind.

Ms. Wilk and Mrs. Constantinople – In Miss Wilk and Mrs. Constantinople’s English 200 classes, students are working on a collaborative project as a culminating activity for their studies of Romanticism, Dark Romanticism, and Transcendentalism using technologies such as iMovie or video/audio recording programs to do so. Students are enthusiastically and creatively incorporating their ideas into how they believe conformity exists in our world and the extent to which they think they could break out of the rigidity that may or may not inhibit their true selves from emerging. The teachers and students would also like to welcome Ms. Elzibeta Wdowiak as their student teacher who will be gradually taking over for Miss Wilk until May as she journeys through her teaching clinicals.

Ms. Wilk and Mrs. Lutwyler – In Miss Wilk and Mrs. Lutwyler’s English 100 classes, students are implementing the writing process to draft research projects on a literary character of their choice. The students are required to assess the means by which social, historical, physical, and cultural constructs affect the character to create an argument that will be proven using scholarly articles garnered from the library databases. Students are participating in this endeavor collaboratively, learning how to problem solve using group work. The teachers and students would also like to welcome Ms. Elzibeta Wdowiak as their student teacher who will be gradually taking over for Miss Wilk until May as she journeys through her teaching clinicals.

Please send in your request for dinner and raffle tickets by January 25th. Checks payable to Rutherford Board of Education. Mail to: Rutherford High School, Attn: Fashion Show 2016, 56 Elliott Place, Rutherford, NJ 07070.

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November will be a very busy month at RHS. School will be closed on Tuesday, November 3 for Election Day as well as the 5th and 6th for Teachers’ Convention. There will be an important PTSA meeting on Tuesday, November 10 at 7:30. The All School Play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will be performed on Friday the 20th and Saturday the 21st. Schools will be closed for Thanksgiving on November 26 and 27 with a one-session day on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

I would also like to welcome Mrs. Danica Schmeding as the STEM supervisor replacing Mrs. Alison Heinzel who retired after many years of service in the Rutherford School District. I also welcome Mr. Kyle Pak to the math department. He will be taking over Mrs. Schmeding’s classes. We are excited that Mr. Pak is joining the RHS family.

We have a very busy and exciting October planned. On October 8, we will be honoring our 2015 Distinguished Graduate, Ms. Andrea Covais from the class of 2002. Ms. Covais is a successful professional musician. She will begin the day by working with our choir classes in the morning, followed by an assembly where she will address the student body. October 9 kicks off homecoming weekend. We start the weekend with a homecoming dance on Friday evening, followed by our parade and football game on Saturday, where Ms. Covais will be singing the national anthem. October 12 is our district wide professional development day and students will not report to school. PSAT testing will take place on October 14. Students taking this assessment will report to school at regular time. Students that are not participating in the PSATs will report to homeroom at 11:25 and lunch periods will not be scheduled for those students. On October 15 we will be hosting our annual 8th Grade Open House. This informative night is for all 8th grade parents. Department supervisors will speak about our programs here at RHS and information will be given regarding our athletic program and guidance department.