Welcome to the English Department!

Department Chair: Meg Deighton (mdeighton@bcps.org)
Graduation Requirements
- English
9
- English 10
- English 11
- English 12
Classes Offered
- English
9, honors, and GT
- English
10, honors and GT
- English
11, honors
- English 12, honors
- AP
Language (11th grade)
- AP
Literature (12th grade)
- Theatre
Arts I
- Theatre
Technical
- Theatre:
Design and Production
- Creative Writing
- SAT Prep: Disciplinary Literacy
Message From the Department
Hi
Woodlawn Guardians and Scholars! We are
so excited to return to the classroom for the 2021-2022 school
year.
Please check out our bios below: we have such an amazing English
Department, filled with dedicated and diverse teachers. It is extraordinary how many of us support
our scholars outside the classroom.
Check out all our clubs and organizations and do not hesitate to reach
out to us to join!
Meet
our Department Members Below!

|
Name
|
Meg Deighton
|
Email
|
mdeighton@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
AP
Literature
|
College(s) Attended
|
Kalamazoo
College
- Bachelors: English, Psychology
Nova
Southeastern
- M.A. in Teaching and Learning: Curriculum Instruction
Notre
Dame
- M.A. in Leadership in Teaching: Cultural Proficiency Leadership
|
Hometown
|
Detroit, Michigan
|
Bio: My name is
Meg Deighton and I am the Department I started teaching at WHS in 2006
and have fallen in love with the community, students, and staff at
Woodlawn. Over the past 15 years, I have taught English 10, 11, 12, SAT
Prep, and AP Literature. I am also the department chair for English. Also,
I am co-advisor for the Freshman CLASS… I am so excited to be part of the
amazing graduating class of 2025!
When
I am not binging a favorite TV show or reading (or re-reading!)
a novel, you can find me cooking new, exciting recipes I have found
or doing some home-improvement project. I love
watching sports (especially going to games) and am extremely
competitive. I love travelling, but find I haven’t done much
lately due to working two jobs and finishing my masters degree.
I hope to start visiting more places soon. I lived in England for
a year for my undergraduate and it ignited a desire to visit as many
places as possible and learn about all different cultures.
My
favorite times are spent with my family, including my parents,
2 older brothers and my sister-in-laws, nieces,
nephews, and so many cousins, aunts, and uncles.
|

|
Name
|
Jessica Beyer
|
Email
|
jbeyer@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
English
11
English 12
|
College(s) Attended
|
Emory University (BA
in English and Creative Writing)
New
York University (MFA in Creative Writing-Poetry)
|
Hometown
|
Catonsville, MD
|
Bio: I'm Ms. Beyer,
and I’m excited to return for my second year at Woodlawn High School. I am
returning home to BCPS after teaching in higher education and working in
educational product development.
I love to read
and write and am a published poet. I’m obsessed with traveling and wish I
could do more of it! It’s taken me to some amazing places, including the
Galàpagos Islands, New Zealand, Thailand, Morocco, and Nicaragua. I even lived
in Paris for six months in college. I also love to spend time outside doing
everything from hiking to scuba diving to reading on park benches.
|
|
|
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|
|
AP English Language and Composition
|
|
Notre Dame of Maryland University
|
|
|
Bio: Hello, scholars! My name is Ms.Clemmens and I cannot wait to meet you. If you are joining my English 10 or AP class, you can count on reading and analyzing a wide variety of engaging texts and having meaningful conversations about our world. Together, in room 307, we will further our status as informed and empathetic citizens.
I started teaching at Woodlawn High School in 2017 after falling in love with the students and community as a student teacher the year before.Along with Ms. Savoy, I chair the Publication Club. Join us in Pub Club to help produce the Wakanda Warrior, Woodlawn’s literary magazine!
When I’m not teaching,you’ll likely find meat a concert or hiking the trails near Loch Raven Reservoir with my family.If I’m lucky to wear my little ones out on the trails, I'll curl up in my hammock with a book during afternoon nap.Though if I had to choose a reading spot, I would always pick the beach!
|

|
Name
|
Matt Janansky
|
Email
|
mjanansky@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
English
10 (OGE)
English 11, 12
(Co-Teaching)
|
College(s) Attended
|
The College of
New Jersey (B.A.)
Goucher College (M.A.)
|
Hometown
|
Pine Barrens, New Jersey
|
Bio: My name
is Mr. Janansky, and I am in
the (English/SPED Department). This is
my second year at WHS.
In
my free time, I enjoy reading and listening to/making music
.
I’ve been learning the ins and outs of production and using the computer as
an instrument for about 10 years.
|

|
Name
|
Abraham
Jones, Ed.D.
|
Email
|
ajones38@bcps.org
|
Classes
Taught
|
English
12, English 11
|
College(s)
Attended
|
Morehouse
College (B.A.)
University
of Delaware (M.A.)
Delaware
State University (M.A.)
Wilmington
University (Ed.D.)
|
Hometown
|
Newark,
Delaware
|
My
name is Dr. Jones, and I am in the English Department. This is my second year teaching at
WHS.
I
like to travel internationally, and my passion is offering my assistance to
make certain people are meeting their personal goals in life.
|

|
Name
|
Dorlisa Mullen-Mitchell
|
Email
|
dmullenmitchell@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
Critical
Reading
English 9
|
College(s) Attended
|
Coppin
State University (BS)
Currently:Towson State University
|
Hometown
|
Baltimore, MD
|
Bio: My name is Ms. Mullen-Mitchell,
and I work in the English Department at Woodlawn High School. This is my first
year teaching at WHS; however, I feel like I am returning home because WHS is
where I began my career substitute teaching.
Before WHS, I taught just about every subject and middle school grade
level as a Paraeducator; and was a Cheer Coach, a Mentor and Co-founder of a
powerful female network (GEMS) at my former school.
Interesting Facts: When I am not teaching, I
enjoy exercising, shopping, and reading. Honestly, I have not been an active
reader because I have been binging on Hallmark movies. I am a mother of four
young adults: ages 27, 25, 23, and 22. Although I am currently enrolled in
Towson State University finishing my Masters in Teaching, I consider myself a
life learner where my motto is “Walk in Excellence or Not at All.”
|

|
Name
|
Sharon Neverdon
|
Email
|
Sneverdon@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
English 9, Critical Reading
|
College(s) Attended
|
Grand
Canyon University (BS)
Liberty University (Masters Program)
|
Hometown
|
Queens, New York
|
Bio: My name
is Mrs. Neverdon This is my second year at Woodlawn High
School in the English Department. I have enjoyed educating
students in a few disciplines in Baltimore City
and in Baltimore County.
I
enjoy the theater, ballet, football, and basketball. Riding my bike
near the water is my favorite past time.
Coming
soon on Social
Media: Prolific Young Writers! (PYW!)
|

|
Name
|
Shannon
O’Brocki-Kreft
|
Email
|
sobrocki2@bcps.org
|
Classes
Taught
|
English
12
Avid 12
|
College(s)
Attended
|
Towson
University ‘14 (BS)
Towson
University Dec. 20’ (MS)
|
Hometown
|
Ferndale,
Maryland
|
Bio: I started teaching at Woodlawn in the fall of 2014, so I
am going into my 8th year of teaching. I am AVID Certified, the National
Honor Society Advisor,and AP
Coordinator at Woodlawn.
In
my spare time I like to hang out with my pets, Benjen (a black cat), and
Piccolo (a Parson’s Russel Terrier- we think) watching Netflix or playing
Animal Crossing New Horizons. If my family would let me I would adopt so many
animals people would think we had a zoo (I used to have a hedgehog)! Lately,
my time has been filled with working on various home projects with the help
of my mom and my husband (We’ll celebrate 10 years together and 2 year of
marriage the end of September).
|

|
Name
|
Michael R. O’Leary
|
Email
|
moleary@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
English 11 and Honors
|
College(s) Attended
|
Towson University (BS)
Loyola University (MS)
|
Hometown
|
Frederick, MD
|
Bio: I’m Mr. Michael O’Leary and this is my 12th year at
Woodlawn High School teaching in the English Department. I’m originally
from Frederick, MD and graduated Frederick High in 2002. In my time at Woodlawn, I’ve worked
across content with many teachers to not
only build singular student success, but also to expand
and evolve my own pedagogy across my classes. I’ve worked
extensively with one of the oldest, student created and led
clubs in Woodlawn’s Real Authentic Poetry team,
which created school- wide events and involvement such
as rap battles, poetry showcases, slam poetry competitions,
and black history celebrations. I’ve coached seven chess teams
with all placing in the top 20 of county wide players. I
continue my work by incorporating growth mindset
neuroscience, applying restorative justice practices into academic
discipline/ self-discipline, and bridging literacy skills through
the digital age in order to construct viable paths to student achievement
now and in the future.
I’m a person of
adventure and am always ready for a hike up a mountain or a trek into an
abandoned haunted house. I’m a lover of history, politics,
philosophy, the unknown, and all things literacy. I can
jump on a retro game system as easily I can master the “sticks in COD”, but I
enjoy games that offer a novel experience with friends the
most. Keeping my mind and body strong is my
highest priority with an unofficial life goal being to visit all 50
states by the tricentennial.
|

|
Name
|
Joe Ottomano
|
Email
|
jottomano@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
English
11
Sat Prep:
Disciplinary Literacy
|
College(s) Attended
|
McDaniel
College (BA)
Towson University (MS)
|
Hometown
|
Manchester, MD
|
Bio: My name is Mr. Ottomano and
I work in the English department at Woodlawn High
School where I’ve been teaching since 2012.
During that time, I’ve taught across the grade levels. My
hobbies include reading, writing, and playing the occasional video or
tabletop game. I like to be active outside doing things
such as hiking and camping, but also enjoy staying in and analyzing the
plot, themes, symbols, and characters of my favorite TV shows and
movies.
|

|
Name
|
Davon Rice
|
Email
|
drice@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
English
9(Standard)
English
9(GT)
AVID 11
|
College(s) Attended
|
Morgan State
University (BA English – Creative Writing)
Morgan State
University (Master of Arts in Teaching)
Currently: Morgan State University
(EdD – Urban Educational Leadership)
|
Hometown
|
Baltimore, Maryland
|
Bio: My name is Mr. Rice, and I am in
the English department. This will be my second year teaching
at Woodlawn. I am a proud Woodlawn Alumni and it really has done my
heart good teaching at the high school I graduated from. I
also run the Drama Club and the 100-Strong Male/Female Role Model
club as well.
I love to
shop, eat and travel. I love to cook,
sing, laugh and inspire others. One fun fact about me is that I am a
professional gospel recording artist. Another is, I am one of twelve
children. My mom and dad have been married for over 35 years and
counting which is so amazing to me! I am currently pursuing my
doctorate in Educational Leadership at Morgan State University. So, I
will be in school taking classes virtually while teaching virtually. This
should be very interesting! Students, parents and staff are welcome
to follow me on Instagram @mrricescholars.
|

|
Name
|
Shae Savoy
|
Email
|
ssavoy@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
GT and Honors
English 10
Creative
Writing
|
College(s) Attended
|
The Evergreen
State College (Bachelor of Arts)
Goddard
College (Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing)
The Evergreen State College
(Master of Arts in Teaching)
|
Hometown
|
Seattle, WA
|
Bio: Hello Poets, Scholars, Writers, and Philosophers! Ms.
Savoy here. Your schedule calls my class English class, but
in reality you have entered the TOOLS OF POWER class.
Your brain is about to experience a revolution.
This is my 4th year at Woodlawn
High School and I moved to Baltimore from Seattle, Washington. For
the past three years I have taught in the Early College Program, but before
that I also taught English 10, English 11, and SAT Prep.
I serve as the advisor to the
Publication Club, which produces the WHS student magazine, The
Wakanda Warrior. Contact me to get involved if you want to be part of
putting together Woodlawn's student voice in print!
I am a
published poet and writer, an herbalist, and I have a magical cat named
Romeo (who wears a bow tie, if you need evidence to support my
claim). I eat books for breakfast.
|

|
Name
|
Alexis Skinner
|
Email
|
askinner@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
English 9, Theatre 1
|
College(s) Attended
|
Temple University
(BA) - Theatre & Psychology
Goldsmiths, University of
London (MA) - Arts Administration & Cultural Policy
|
Hometown
|
Baltimore, Maryland
|
Bio: My name
is Dr. Skinner and I am in the English department. This
is my second year at Woodlawn High School, but I have been teaching in Higher
Education since 2007
I
have lived outside of the United States and I love theatre, art, and all kinds
of music. Currently, I am wrapping up my PhD in Theatre History at
Louisiana State University and working on my dissertation.
|

|
Name
|
Denise Weeks |
Email
|
dweeks@bcps.org
|
Classes Taught
|
Theatre Arts I
Theatre Technical
Design & Production
Morning Announcements
Broadcast
|
College(s) Attended
|
Villa Julie College (A.A. - Business Administration)
Northern Arizona University (B.S. - Theatre Management)
Notre Dame of Maryland (M.A. in Contemporary Communication) |
Hometown
|
Baltimore, MD
|
Bio: My
name is Ms. Weeks, and I am in the English department/everything Theatre. Seven years ago, I came to WHS as an intern
and just could not leave. If you are
interested in reporting the morning/weekly news you must join the Broadcast
club. I am an Advisor to Drama Club and
with WHS students, produce Woodlawn’s finest theatrical performances. There is wonderful talent at Woodlawn High
School!
Having spent several years in the air as a
flight attendant, I have traveled to every continent except for Antarctica and
Australia. I have lived in New York,
London, Los Angeles and St. Thomas, USVI. Tokyo and Paris are my favorite
cities. Travel is in my blood and, when I can, I love to explore new places,
meet new people, and make life-learning memories.
|
SPARC Teacher: (See SPARC Page)