The English program at S.S.S. emphasizes variety, creativity, and communication. In the various courses, students have an opportunity to explore the world and humanity through sundry texts: short stories, poetry, essays, novels, plays, and movies. Students are encouraged to respond critically and creatively to such works as Lord of the Flies, The Grapes of Wrath, Jurassic Park, Hamlet, Night, and Macbeth. All strands of the ELA curriculum are explored: reading, writing, listening, viewing, and responding, as students become more proficient and confident in their interpretations of literature and in their use of the language.