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English

English courses at Westminster introduce students to great books and ideas through the study of language and literature. At all levels, we teach students to read carefully, to think critically and creatively, and to write effectively. Although the English department believes in the value of heterogeneously sectioned classes, we do offer Advanced Placement courses for qualified Fourth and Fifth Formers.

At each level, the study of language helps to shape our students’ writing. We devote less time to formal grammar as our students become more proficient in their use of diction, syntax, and imagery in their own compositions, and we give our students practice and instruction in expository, analytical, personal, and creative writing in all of our core courses. The English department sponsors several major writing contests for students, posts an English-Paper-of-the-Week in the English wing of Armour Academic Center, and selects students to read at Friday Nights at Westminster events during the year.

We focus our study of literature on an essential question for each course of study (What does it mean to grow up? What does it mean to search for an identity? What does it mean to be an American? What does it mean to make choices?), and we select works of literature from a variety of time periods and cultures that provide versions of these basic questions and examples of the ways they affect life. We also teach at least one book of poems by a contemporary poet in every course, and, each year, the school welcomes that poet for a two-day visit. Linda Pastan, Billy Collins, David Huddle, Stephen Dunn, Marilyn Nelson (2005 & 2017), Ted Kooser, Naomi Shihab Nye (2007 & 2015), Li-Young Lee, Dorianne Laux, Tony Hoagland, Terrance Hayes, Aimee Nezhukumatathil (2012 & 2021), Mark Doty, Jeffrey Harrison, Richard Blanco, Rennie McQuilkin, Lisa Olstein, Ross Gay, Margaret Gibson, and Tim Seibles have been Westminster Poets in recent years.

The Literature of Becoming

This course is the platform for the English curriculum at Westminster. This is the recommended course choice for Third Formers; however, it has been designed and differentiated so as to be a new course of study for a student repeating a freshman year from another institution. Enrollment in this course is by approval of the English department head, the academic dean, and the director of studies.
The essential question for this year of English study asks, “What does it mean to grow up?” Students read essays, poems, stories, plays, and novels that explore this question, and they explore the question in their own lives through personal writing. The course focuses on the interrelated topics of language and literature by giving students many opportunities to practice reading, thinking, and writing. Over the course of the year, students write many short critical papers, too, and they begin to learn to talk intelligently about language and literature. Texts may include Poetry on the Hill: An Anthology of Poems by the Westminster Poets; William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet; J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye; Where The Crawdads Sing and The Nickel Boys. Students also read a variety of pieces by visiting writers and attend their readings at Friday Nights at Westminster events. Each year, students also study a book of poems by the Westminster Poet for the year.
The Literature of Being

This is the recommended course choice for Fourth Formers; however, it has been designed and differentiated so as to be a new course of study for a student repeating a sophomore year from another institution. Enrollment in this course is by approval of the English department head, the academic dean, and the director of studies.

The essential question for this year of English study asks, “What does it mean to search for an identity?” The course emphasizes the study of classic and contemporary stories, poems, plays, and essays that feature characters who are searching for their identities. Students write, on average, one paper each week, alternating between analytical or expository writing and personal or creative writing. Texts may include Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart; Elie Wiesel’s Night; Sophocles’ Theban Plays; William Shakespeare’s Macbeth; Richard Blanco’s The Prince of Los Cocuyos; and Poetry on the Hill: An Anthology of Poems by the Westminster Poets. Individual section teachers also select several novels or books of nonfiction for their classes. Each year, students also study a book of poems by the Westminster Poet for the year.
AP® English: Language and Composition

This course is available to students in the Fourth Form. Enrollment in this course is by approval of the English department head, the academic dean, and the director of studies.
This course, which also focuses on the essential question of what it means to search for an identity, is designed to prepare students to take the AP English Language and Composition Examination in May. As such, it mirrors a college-level introductory course in Rhetoric and Composition. Students read prose fiction and nonfiction throughout the year to practice the techniques of close reading and to become familiar with the uses and forms of rhetoric. Along the way, students also practice a variety of kinds of expository and critical writing, including the multiple-source synthesis essay. Texts may include Elie Wiesel’s Night; Points of View: An Anthology of Stories, Essays, and Poems; Poetry on the Hill: An Anthology of Poems by the Westminster Poets; The Norton Reader; Richard Blanco’s memoir The Prince of Los Cocuyos; William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and assorted short readings. Each year, we also study a book of poems by the Westminster Poet for the year. To be accepted into this course, students need to have the recommendation of their previous English teacher and the approval of the department head, the academic dean, and the director of studies.
The Literature of Place

This course is available to students in the Fifth Form; however, it has been designed and differentiated so as to be a new course of study for a student repeating a junior year from another institution. Enrollment in this course is by approval of the English department head, the academic dean, and the director of studies.

The essential question of this course asks, “What does it mean to be an American?” This course engages students in a yearlong conversation about global and American culture and literature. There is an emphasis on critical reading reinforced by frequent writing assignments. This course covers a diverse group of authors and genres including drama, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. The course ends with a unit on writing the personal essay to prepare students for writing the “College Essay” (a draft of which they will write during the summer). Every class studies a core group of American authors as well as a Shakespeare play. Core authors may include Tim O’Brien, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, August Wilson, Arthur Miller, and Willa Cather. Each year, we also study a book of poems by the Westminster Poet for the year.
AP® English: Literature and Composition

This course is available to students in the Fifth Form. Enrollment in this course is by approval of the English department head, the academic dean, and the director of studies.

This course, which also focuses on the essential question of what it means to be an American, is designed to prepare students to take the AP English Literature and Composition Examination in May. As such, it mirrors a college-level introductory literature course. Students read representative works of American fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction throughout the year to practice the techniques of close reading. Along the way, students also practice a variety of kinds of expository and critical writing, with the focus being on writing about literature. The course ends with a unit on writing a personal essay to prepare students for writing the “College Essay” (a draft of which they may work on during the summer). Every class studies a core group of American authors as well as a Shakespeare play. Core authors may include Nathaniel Hawthorne, Tim O’Brien, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, August Wilson, Arthur Miller, and Willa Cather. Each year, we also study a book of poems by the Westminster Poet for the year.

To be accepted into this program, students need to meet rigorous standards and have the recommendation of their previous English teacher, the department head, the academic dean, and the director of studies.
The Literature of Values

This course is available to Sixth Form students only.

The essential question for the fall term in Sixth Form English is “What does it mean to make choices?” This course is team-taught in a lecture/seminar format designed to prepare students for the courses they will take in college. Students have opportunities to practice personal, analytical, and, at times, creative writing. In the winter and spring terms, students choose their courses from a variety of electives (see the list below). These electives are taught as college seminar classes. The central text for the fall term is William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and this play has been historically paired with works such as Heart of Darkness, Pride and Prejudice, and Station Eleven. Students will also spend some time studying work by the Westminster Poet for the year.
Winter and Spring Electives

These courses are available to Sixth Form students only. In the winter and spring terms, students choose from a variety of elective courses. Below is a list of current and new electives; this list provides examples of the kinds of electives for study.

Cli-Fi: Fictions of Climate Change

African American Literature from the 19th Century

African American Literature from the 20th Century

Literature on the Edge

Writers’ Workshop

Adapting Short Stories to Film

Social Psychology

Humanity in the Twilight Zone

The World of the Short Story

Brave New World

An Introduction to the Plays of Anton Chekhov

From Both Sides of the Shore

Nature Writing

Voices from Down Under

Social Justice and Ethics in Film

Underworlds and Wastelands: Eliot and Dante

Food Writing

Baseball and Literature

Lyric Meaning

Man and Machine

The Bildungsroman

American Horror

The Dystopian Novel

The American Southwest

Race in Contemporary American Literature

Underworlds and Wastelands

Asymmetry: Reading Two of the Great Novels of the 21st Century

Shakespeare on Film

Speculative Fiction and Feminism in 2019

What Happens When Rainbows are not Enough?

The Literature of War

Literature and Film

“A (Black) Mirror Up to Nature”?

Science & Dystopia: Speculative Fiction and Other Bodies
Sixth Form Advanced English Seminar

With a focus on using critical methods to read, discuss, and write about challenging literary texts, this class will prepare students for college-level English seminars. While students will read the same texts as The Literature of Values in the fall term, there will be supplementary reading (both over the summer and during the school year) and writing assignments will be longer and more complex. In the winter term, students will collaborate with their teacher to choose their texts of study, leading up to the composition of a 10-15 page term paper on the work of an author of their choice. Students must submit an application and an analytical writing sample to apply for this course. Students will take this course in their Sixth Form year in place of The Literature of Values. The texts are Frankenstein and Hamlet. Summer reading TBD.
Study in Creative Writing

The English department offers a course in Creative Writing for highly motivated students in the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Form. This program of study is designed to provide a creative writing course and outlet for students who have demonstrated a serious and active interest in writing as art. Students will read a wide range of classic, canonical and contemporary works from all genres and from many literary periods, while focusing on studying the work of the writers who visit Westminster as part of the Friday Nights at Westminster program. At various times throughout the year, the class may also attend poetry, fiction, and nonfiction readings off campus. Students in this course also take a leading role in putting together The Martlet during the spring term. This is a full-credit course, but it cannot be taken in lieu of a core English course. Interested students should formally contact their current English teacher and the head of the English department before signing up for the course.

Faculty

Michael Lawler

Head of the English Department

(860) 408-3796

Soccer
Lacrosse
Donald H. Werner Chair in English
Harvard University - A.B.
Middlebury College - M.A.

mlawler@westminster-school.org
Bio
Following graduation from The Roxbury Latin School, Mike earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a language citation in French from Harvard University. While at the university, he was a four-year member of the varsity football team, which was the Ivy League champion in 2007 and 2008. He was also a NFF Hampshire Honor Society inductee and a Pforzheimer Foundation Public Service Grant recipient in support of his work at the Cambridge Youth Enrichment Program, an experience that inspired Mike to become a teacher. In 2016, he earned a master’s degree in English literature from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

Prior to his Westminster appointment, Mike served two years at The Roxbury Latin School as an English teacher, football and lacrosse coach, associate director of college guidance, associate director of The Penn Fellows Program and associate director of admission. Before that, he spent six years at St. Sebastian’s School teaching English, coaching football and lacrosse, and serving as associate director of college counseling. He also spent four summers teaching English at The Steppingstone Academy. Mike was a board member of Adams Montessori School for four years, taught one year at Duxbury Public Schools and spent a fall as a high school English language assistant teacher in France.

At Westminster, Mike teaches English and is the dorm head in Squibb House, where he lives with his wife, Maddy Reavey, an advertising strategist, son, Wes, and Roux, their lively wheaten terrier. His interests include reading, writing, outdoor exploration of all kinds, yoga and meditation and traveling whenever possible.
Bryan Tawney

SOCC/WISE Coordinator

(860) 408-3754

Soccer
Baseball
C. Hiram Upson Family Chair
O’Brien Award 2006
Harvard College - B.A.
Wesleyan University - M.A.L.S.

btawney@westminster-school.org
Bio
Bryan appreciates the opportunity he gets to work with our best readers and writers in the AP® English program, and he hopes that his charges understand that the high standards he holds them to in the classroom, study hall and the athletic fields grow from this appreciation of the rare opportunity for achievement we have here.

Growing up in western Massachusetts, he attended both Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy. He continued his education at Harvard, where he graduated with honors in English and literature. Following graduation, he returned to Eaglebrook, where he taught English and fulfilled roles as a housemaster and head coach of varsity football, basketball and baseball.

Bryan and his wife Kim are proud of their four daughters, all alumnae of Westminster: Olivia ’15, Sophia ’17, Alayna ’19 and Isabella ’22. Bryan enjoys spending time with his family, reading, writing, watching movies, all things Batman-related, and playing squash and pickup basketball. He also coaches junior varsity baseball. Bryan and Kim live in a faculty home on campus.
Michael Cervas

Retired: 2020
Swayze Award 2011
O’Brien Award 2014
University of Notre Dame - A.B.
Brown University - M.A.

mcervas@westminster-school.org
Bio
During his 34-year tenure on the Westminster faculty, Michael taught all levels of English; coached basketball, soccer, track, baseball, golf and squash; worked as a corridor supervisor in Alumni House; and presided as department head for three decades. Having retired from his full-time appointment to the faculty at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, Michael continues to direct the Westminster Poet series, which he founded in 1999, and the Friday Nights at Westminster series, which he founded in 2009.

Michael enjoys reading, gardening, squash, and playing and listening to music (everything from classical and jazz to folk and Americana to indie rock and alt country). His first book of poems, “Inside the Box,” was published in 2007, his second book, “Captivated,” came out in 2011, his third book, “A Wilderness of Chances,” was released in 2015 and his fourth book, "Even Here," came out in 2020. All of his books were nominated by his publisher for the Pushcart Prize, and he has read his poems in venues as varied as the Mystic Art’s Cafe, WordForge in Hartford, the Windsor Arts Center, and the Ridgefield Playhouse (as the opening “act” at a Dar Williams concert).

Since retiring from full-time teaching, Michael has kept busy playing keyboards for the Americana band Firetown Road which was formed by Dan Aber, Grant Gritzmacher, and Michael in the early days of COVID and now has albums on a variety of music streaming platforms.

Michael and his wife, Deb, live in Hartford and are the parents of Josh ’96, a graduate of Amherst College; Emily Autumn ’01, a graduate of the University of Puget Sound; and Anne ’10, a graduate of Harvard College. They are also the proud grandparents of Brendan and Ryan Cervas and Eloise and Ari Costello.
Lawrence Court

(860) 408-3749

Field Hockey
Advisor The Westminster News
Durham University - B.A.
University of Aberdeen - P.G.D.E.
Fletcher School at Tufts University - M.B.A.

lcourt@westminster-school.org
Bio
A native of Great Britain, Lawrence is a graduate of Strathallan School, Scotland. He studied at Durham University, the University of Aberdeen, and Cambridge University. In 2022, Lawrence completed an MBA through the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

He has served in a range of roles at independent schools in England and the United States. Before emigrating, he worked at Eton College in Windsor, England, where he served as a housemaster, class dean, English teacher and coach.

At Westminster, in addition to coaching and advising the student newspaper, he leads the fly fishing club.
Siobhan Dale

Cross Country
Swimming & Diving
University of Connecticut - B.A.
The New School - M.F.A.

sdale@westminster-school.org
Bio
Siobhan Dale grew up in two home cities — Christchurch, New Zealand and Storrs, Conn. She attended high school at Edwin O. Smith where she was an active member of many communities including the girls’ basketball team and the girls’ swimming and diving team. After graduating high school, Siobhan attended Fordham University and swam for one year on the Division I swim team. She transferred to the University of Connecticut where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature.

While at the University of Connecticut, Siobhan was a member of the club swim team and the co-editor in chief of UConn’s international literary magazine Long River Review. After graduating from UConn, Siobhan studied poetry at The New School and earned her M.F.A. in creative writing.

Before coming to Westminster, Siobhan served as the East Hartford High School boys’ and girls’ assistant swim coach.

At Westminster, Siobhan is a corridor supervisor in Cushing Hall, and is the head coach for the boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving team and the head coach for the girls’ cross-country team. Siobhan loves watching movies, hiking and traveling — especially to visit her family in New Zealand.
Devonna Hall

Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Third Form Wellness faculty

(860) 408-3726

Western New England University
Smith College

dhall@westminster-school.org
Bio
Devonna comes to Westminster after having served as the director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Kent School. In that role, she provided strategic vision and leadership for diversity and inclusion programming at the school, with a particular focus on cultivating teaching and learning moments, in addition to building curriculum.

Devonna is a skilled diversity and inclusion practitioner, organizational strategist, educator and counseling professional with over 20 years of combined clinical practice experience in higher education and community-based settings, as well as the private sector. Through her children, Devonna has developed a passion for the game of ice hockey and is proud to serve as an advisor to Black Girls Hockey Club (BGHC), a nonprofit organization devoted to making ice hockey accessible to everyone.

Devonna earned a bachelor’s in social work from Western New England University and her master’s in social work from Smith College. She lives in campus housing with her husband Torrey and their children Adrienne '25, Tatum and RJ. In her free time she enjoys staying active outdoors, baking, watching her children play sports and spending time with family and friends.
Lee Huguley

Dean of Faculty

(860) 408-3007

Track and Field
Swayze Award 2015
John Sherwin Jr. ’57 and W. Graham Cole, Jr. Chair
Washington and Jefferson College - B.A.
Wesleyan University - M.A.L.S.
University of Hartford - M.B.A.

lhuguley@westminster-school.org
Bio
Lee joined Westminster after serving 13 years in various academic, administrative, and coaching capacities at Avon Old Farms School, his alma mater. For seven years, he served as assistant dean of students and a member of the administrative council, and for 13 years, he taught English and served as a dormitory head and faculty duty crew head. His coaching responsibilities included varsity football, basketball, and track. In 2003, he received the Kenneth A. Fanning Faculty Award as teacher of the year. Lee has also been a board representative to SPHERE and a consultant to the Westminster Crossroads Learning Program in Hartford (WCLP). At Westminster, he served as a form dean for the class of ’14, ’18 and ’22, corridor supervisor, teaches English, is the head coach for track and field, served as the associate dean of faculty, and is the current dean of faculty. In 2015, Lee won the Swayze Award, which acknowledged his commitment and significant contributions to the Westminster community.

Lee is a native of Bloomfield, Conn., where he attended high school for a year before transferring to Avon Old Farms School. While in high school, he enjoyed a number of activities, which included playing and coaching football. In the fall of 1992, Lee matriculated to Washington and Jefferson College, where he majored in philosophy, chaired the Black Student Union, and played football. After graduating from college, he returned to Avon Old Farms School in the fall of 1997. He completed a M.A.L.S. at Wesleyan University in 2005. Lee is a committed educator and a strong believer in the opportunities that private education can provide. He lives in a faculty home on campus with his wife, Shayna, and his daughters, Anaya ’26 and Layla. Lee is also a Westminster parent to Jalen Sears ’19.
Wanzhen Jun

(860) 408-3753

Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Columbia University - B.A.
Columbia Unniversity - M.A.

wjun@westminster-school.org
Bio
Jun joins Westminster with experience working as a writing instructor. Her previous role involves leading workshops and lessons on personal narratives and news writing. Her background is in 18th-century novels and Russian literature. Jun also worked as a freelance reporter for the Vermont Standard, covering town events and interviewing locals for profiles.

A Shanghai native, Jun moved to Philadelphia for high school. She earned her degree from Columbia University, graduating as a Dobro Slovo Honor Society member. During her time at school, she was the literary criticism editor for the Slavic Department’s journal, The Birch. Her thesis on Osip Mandelstam’s poetry was awarded departmental honors. Her most recent writing interests include Charlotte Lennox’s novels and The Bluestocking Circle.

Jun lives with her partner Charles, a clinical data analyst. Besides exclusively reading fiction, Jun spends most of her time cooking Asian dishes, and guarding said food from her poodles, Charlie and Boba.
Paul Kendall

Dean of Students

(860) 408-3750

Water Polo
Swayze Award 2018
University of Colorado, Boulder - B.A.
Middlebury College - M.A.

pkendall@westminster-school.org
Bio
Prior to his appointment at Westminster, Paul served on the faculty at Eaglebrook School, where he taught English, was a dormitory parent and student advisor, and also coached water polo, ice hockey and lacrosse. Paul is a form dean, he teaches English and coaches Varsity Boys’ Water Polo.

Paul is a graduate of Hotchkiss School, where he played water polo, ice hockey and lacrosse. At the University of Colorado, Boulder, he earned his undergraduate degree in English literature and was a member of the university’s ice hockey team. He earned his Master of Arts at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

Originally from Vail, Colorado, Paul is an avid mountain biker and skier, and spends his free time exploring the outdoors. He can also be found reading in front of a fire, playing hockey or working in the garden with his family. Both Paul and his wife, Kerry, an artist, Westminster art teacher and yoga instructor, enjoy visiting family and exploring off the beaten path. Paul and Kerry live in a campus home with their children, Avalon and Malakai.
Samantha Kradas

Soccer
Basketball
University of Connecticut - B.A.
University of Saint Joseph - M.A.

skradas@westminster-school.org
Bio
At Westminster, Samantha teaches English and coaches soccer and basketball. A Connecticut native, she has always been intrigued by all things related to the humanities. She earned her B.A. at the University of Connecticut, where she majored in history and minored in English. After graduation Samantha worked in an elementary classroom where she discovered her love for teaching. She went back to school to obtain her master’s in teaching and certification in both secondary English and history. She has spent the last five years teaching middle school language arts prior to teaching one year of high school history. When not in the classroom, Samantha enjoys everything basketball related. She coached the girls’ junior varsity team at Conard High School for the past six years. Additionally, she has been involved in youth sports coaching soccer, swimming and AAU basketball. She loves spending time outdoors hiking, camping and biking, reading, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Heather Page

(860) 408-3796

Smith College - B.A.
University of Connecticut School of Law - J.D.

hpage@westminster-school.org
Bio
Heather completed a bachelor’s in English literature and government at Smith College in 2000, where she was president of the Smith College Debate Society. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2003, the same year she was admitted to practice in Connecticut.

Before coming to Westminster, where she will teach English, she was a college adviser at the New England Jewish Academy, where she was also an English teacher.
Bethany Rodrigues

Teacher

(860) 408-3756

Wittenberg University - B.A.

brodrigues@westminster-school.org
Bio
After graduating from Westminster School in 1996, Bethany attended Wittenberg University in Ohio, where she majored in education and was the recipient of the Silver Apple Award, an honor given to an education major who displays the qualities exemplified by Professor Emeritus of Education Virginia Lucas. She played on the women’s soccer team and sang in the Wittenberg Choir during her years there as well.

Bethany returned to her hometown of Simsbury, Conn., where she taught fourth grade at Squadron Line School. She then continued her teaching career in Arizona and New Jersey in a variety of roles within early childhood, elementary and special education.

During her time on the Hill, Bethany held many leadership roles. She served as a captain of the girls’ varsity soccer and basketball teams and was chorale co-president. She also helped lead the school as a member of the Prefect Board, serving as Junior Prefect. Bethany’s most treasured Westminster tradition is the Candlelight Service.

In addition to teaching Third Form English, Bethany serves as a corridor supervisor in Alumni House, where she lives with her husband Joe ’96 and their four children, Catherine ’23, Luke ’27, Gabriel and Tess. When she’s not cheering on one of her children, Bethany enjoys reading, volunteering and spending time outdoors.

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In keeping with our support for a diverse community, Westminster abides by all applicable federal and state laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national and ethnic origin, ancestry and/or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Westminster admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School.

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View Our Curriculum

English

The Literature of Becoming

The Literature of Being

AP® English: Language and Composition

The Literature of Place

AP® English: Literature and Composition

The Literature of Values

Winter and Spring Electives

Sixth Form Advanced English Seminar

Study in Creative Writing

Faculty

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