Skip to main content

Hicksville Public Schools

English Language Arts (ELA)

English Language Arts (ELA)

ELA communication skills are vital in facing the challenge of higher education, future employment, and the demands of life in a changing world. Language is at the core of how we think about and relate to the world around us. The development of reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills begins in the early years and continues through each child's school career. Best practices of instruction encourage each child to think, compose, and express ideas using clear and vivid language combined with proficient conventions. The training of teachers in instructional strategies and diagnostic skills to improve instruction and performance in reading and writing are priorities set by administration and the Board of Education.

The district's approach to the complex skill of reading is multifaceted. We utilize the explicit phonemic instructional program of Wilson’s Fundations to teach early learners the skills necessary to recognize letters, decode, and apply skills with proficiency to support fluency and comprehension. It is paired with Fountas & Pinnell Classroom, a comprehensive literacy program from Fountas & Pinnell that uses authentic texts, increased small-group instruction, and a research-based approach to assessments. We are excited to implement it as the consensus choice after several programs were reviewed by a committee of dedicated stakeholders. Hicksville has high expectations and we are currently training staff to help all children succeed and meet the English Language Arts Standards set by the State Education Department.

Libraries throughout the district act as a hub of resources for both students and teachers. Not only are they filled with wonderful books, but also give students and teachers the opportunity to use educational tech-platforms to offer students a chance to broaden their learning.  Additionally, they increase students’ understanding of text-types, genres, research skills, and technical skill development. The Hicksville Middle School Library offers a makerspace for creative projects of all kinds, allowing teachers and students to collaborate and explore using arts, crafts, digital media, and technological innovations to provide students with access to a host of creative learning approaches. The Hicksville High School Library acts as the center of promoting lifelong reading for grades 9 -12 and emphasizes in-depth research for our high school students and Advanced Placement classes. The libraries of Hicksville School District are a dynamic and essential part of our schools.

Dr. Catherine Carella-Dean

Supervisor of English, Reading, and Libraries

  • The Comet chapter of the National English Honor Society (NEHS) was established in October, 2010. Founded and sponsored by the International English Society of Sigma Tau Delta, the National English Honor Society is the only national organization exclusively for high school students and faculty who, in the field of English, merit special note for past and current accomplishments. Ms. Whitehair, a veteran teacher in the high school English department, and Ms. Shtein, the English Department’s current teacher of Creative Writing, act as co-advisors for the chapter. Meetings are held monthly beginning in September.

    Purpose

    The Comet chapter's charge is to promote and support the study of literature and English Language Arts in both our school and in the larger community. Through their work, society members look deeper into literature-related careers, meet with authors, and help to promote literacy and a love of reading. Appropriately, the symbol at the center of the insignia of the National English Honor Society is a book. Books connote reading and literature and also the knowledge and experience passed from generation to generation through the written word.

    Eligibility and Membership

    Membership in the Comet chapter of the NEHS is limited to students in Grades 11-12 who meet each of the eligibility criteria given below. These eligibility criteria and performance expectations reflect superior achievement, a repeated commitment to excellence, and a deep interest in literature and language. To be considered for admission to the society, students must:

    • be currently enrolled in an English Honors or Advanced Placement class.
    • have been enrolled in Honors or Advanced Placement English at Hicksville High School during the previous school year and completed that course successfully with a minimum average of 90 (not including the Regents exam).
    • have taken the English Regents and achieved the State-defined level of mastery of 85% or better on the exam. (Seniors only).

    A completed membership application is required of all students, including returning members; new members must also complete and submit an essay as described on the application. Candidates who are accepted into the National English Honor Society are expected to participate in all meetings and club activities that are held during the year.

    Evaluations for placement are made at the beginning of each school year based on the criteria specified. Even though the chapter is not open to ninth or tenth graders, those entering high school as freshmen in September cohort must begin to meet eligibility criteria and maintain it in order to be considered for membership in their junior year.

  • Student Resources

    Students are expected to participate in extra help sessions on an as-needed basis for assistance with course concepts and objectives as well as test preparation. Students and parents can follow these links to access extra help schedules for both the middle school and the high school.

    Students may also find the following online resources helpful.

    Online Resources

    IXL - Guide for Parents and Students

    Castle Learning allows teachers and students the ability to create worksheets, quizzes, and tests to assess knowledge and skills in multiple subject areas including English Languages Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The website also includes banks of questions for both New York State Assessments and Regents examinations across curricula. Accounts are available to all students; they should see their respective teachers for usernames and passwords. In future, students may access the log-in page of Castle Learning by clicking the direct access link to the left of this page.

    The Online Writing Lab (OWL) of Purdue University provides information on MLA and APA formatting, grammar and usage, and avoiding plagiarism. Both text and video are available.

    The new Grade 3-8 English Language Assessments based on the Common Core State Standards are secure exams; therefore, copies of are not available for review. However, the New York State Department of Education has created an archive of sample questions for the Grade 3-8 Assessments in both English Language Arts and Mathematics so that educators, parents, and students may review the expectations for and format of the exams.

    Students in the 2012 Cohort (this year's current seniors) are eligible to take the Comprehensive English Regents based on the 2005 Learning Standards to meet the graduation requirement for English. Seniors can review previous exams in the Comprehensive English Regents Exams Archive.

    This year's juniors comprise the 2013 Cohort; they are the first cohort that will be required to take the new English Regents based on the Common Core State Standards for graduation. While teachers on all high school grade levels have been preparing students for the exam over the past several years and continuing into this year, students can also access the archive of previously administered Common Core Regents exams.

  • Advanced Placement

    Four Advanced Placement (AP) courses in English are available from the College Board and are offered at Hicksville High School: AP Language and Composition,  AP Literature and Composition, AP Capstone: Seminar, and AP Capstone: Research. Placement in these classes is based on students' academic performance and criteria that are outlined in the course catalog.

    AP courses represent an opportunity for students to expose themselves to the expectations and demands of university-level study while still in high school. The courses culminate in AP examinations and projects that take place in May of each year. Students are expected to take the appropriate culminating examination as a part of their course of study; students who do not will be required to take a comprehensive local final to demonstrate that they have mastered the material.

    Summer Work

    As college preparatory courses, AP Seminar, AP Research, AP Language and Composition, and AP Literature and Composition carry expectations and obligations beyond other high school courses. One of those is summer work. Descriptions of the required summer projects for all AP classes are provided to students in June of each school year.