Salvetē omnes! 

I am delighted to have your student in my class this year. My name is Sarah Grammar, and I am a proud BHS alumna. I graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in Theater, Dance & Media and a secondary in Psychology. I have studied Latin at both Biloxi High and Harvard, and I am so excited to be teaching Latin in addition to English and Theater this year.

First-year Latin's main focus will be on learning the language via the "natural method," and we will be using the textbook Lingua Latina per se Illustrata. It is written entirely in Latin (even the index and student exercises!). The textbook starts off with very simple sentences and grammar ("Rōma in Italiā est.") and progresses to more complex constructions. We also will be focusing on Latin's influence on the English language and other modern Romance languages, as well as Latin's prevalence in the sciences and law. It is the perfect course for students wishing to increase their English reading comprehension, vocabulary, and standardized test scores or students considering a career in medicine or law. It's also a beautiful language that is currently undergoing a modern renaissance! Maybe one day we'll resurrect this "dead" language... 

Theater Stagecraft will focus on all major aspects of technical theater, including set, lights, sound, makeup, costuming, and stage management. It is a course that partners with our Theater Production module to design and produce the performances of Tribe Theatre Productions (TTP), Biloxi High School's theater program. Stagecraft is intended for students who are passionate about technical theater and already have a background in the fundamentals of theater. Students will be expected to participate in weekly, hands-on stagecraft labs and also create a mid-year capstone project that will debut at the Mississippi Theatre Association state festival's Individual Events design contest in January. Additionally, they will be expected to serve as a lead designer on one production during the school year (TTP typically produces 3-4 shows a year) and complete a reflection on their design process and implementation. This reflection will serve as an end-of-year final project and will be worth a significant portion of the student's grade.

English III builds upon junior students' work in English I and II, with a significant emphasis on ACT Reading & English prep. Grammar, revision, punctuation, and reading comprehension are at the fore of this course. Students will read The Crucible by Arthur Miller and Shakespeare's Hamlet, in addition to culturally significant short stories throughout the year. Students are expected to complete independent work and be responsible for keeping up with deadlines and consistent weekly class assignments. 

I serve as the point-of-contact for our school's Poetry Out Loud competition, a contest that challenges students to memorize and recite well-known English poetry. In the 2021-22 school year, Biloxi High's champion, Madeline D'Aquin (c/o '24), went on to the state finals and placed 2nd in the state competition! The national Poetry Out Loud winner receives a $20,000 cash prize. For more information on POL, click here. 

The Biloxi Public School District has offered and continues to offer unparalleled rigor and academic opportunities to students along the Coast, and I seek to contribute to that tradition in my own classroom. My focus is on nurturing lifelong learners who set high expectations for themselves and their peers. As a Coast native, it is a great pleasure to return to the Biloxi area to teach the bright scholars of our school district. Let's have a great year!