English

The Notre Dame English Department offers a complete core curriculum on multiple levels including standard college prep, advanced college prep, Honors, Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment. Areas of study include genre-based literature study, World literature, American literature and British literature. Students are also required to complete a writing program in the Freshman year, along with an emphasis on composition, grammar and vocabulary development throughout the entire curriculum. Various elective courses are also offered. Click here for current course offerings.

FACULTY PROFILES

	Anne Ricksecker Department Chair, Ext. 1207, Email Anne Ricksecker joined the faculty in 1996. She holds a B.S. degree in English and a minor in History from Murray State University, an M.A.Ed. degree with a major in Curriculum and Instruction and a minor in English from Austin Peay State University, and Tennessee Professional Teaching Certificates in Secondary Education and Elementary Education. She is also certified to teach English in the Advanced Placement Program.

	Natasha Brunton Ext. 1208, Email Natasha Brunton joined Notre Dame in 2005. She teaches Freshmen Writing Lab and Journalism; she is the adviser for both the Irish Echos Yearbook and the new Notre Dame school newspaper. Prior to joining Notre Dame she was involved in educational publishing. She holds a B.A. in English from Ohio State University and a M.Ed.in Secondary English from the University of Tennessee.

	Candy Corneliussen Ext. 1202, Email Candy Corneliussen began teaching at Notre Dame in 1997. She holds B.A.s from UTC in English and Journalism, with a minor in Psychology, and teaching certification in English. Ms. Corneliussen teaches primarily American Literature and psychology, and enjoys working with struggling students. Her professional background includes work in writing, publishing, management, and the mental health field. Also active in local politics and several community organizations, she serves as the faculty advisor to the Young Democrats Club. Her daughter Karly graduated from Notre Dame in 2000 and her son Neil will attend Notre Dame in 2008.

	Melissa Herron Ext. 1209, Email Melissa Herron joined the Notre Dame faculty in March 2007 teaching freshman English. She graduated from Soddy Daisy High School in 2003. Ms. Herron holds a degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in Secondary Education: English.

	Jan Hubbuch Ext. 1204, Email Jan Hubbuch has been teaching at Notre Dame for 12 years. She has a BA in English and in French from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In addition, Mrs. Hubbuch has taken graduate courses in School Counseling. She holds membership in the Tennessee Council of Teachers of English and the National Council of Teachers of English. She also serves as the sponsor for the French Club. Her daughter Elisabeth graduated in 2000 from Notre Dame, and her husband Tommy is also a Notre Dame alumnus.

	Keith Leckenby Ext. 1201, Email Keith Leckenby began teaching at Notre Dame in 2007. A 1991 graduate of Notre Dame, Mr. Leckenby holds B.A. degrees in English and Political Science from Mississippi State University. He also holds an M.A. in English: Writing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Prior to teaching at Notre Dame, Mr. Leckenby taught Freshman Composition at UTC. Mr. Leckenby teaches Writing Lab and Creative Writing.

	Chuck Newell Ext. 1206, Email Chuck Newell joined the Notre Dame English Department faculty in 1996. He holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in writing and an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He currently teaches Junior and Senior English and is the sponsor of the Toss-Up Team. When not buried under a mound of essays, Mr. Newell enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, writing a novel that will never get published, and hiking aimlessly in the woods.

	Elizabeth Wheeler Ext. 1203, Email Elizabeth Wheeler joined the faculty in 2007. A 2002 graduate of Notre Dame, Ms. Wheeler holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in literature from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, with a minor in History. She is currently pursing an M.A. in English: Literature from UT Chattanooga. Her recent academic interests include American lit, postmodernism, and the autobiography. Ms. Wheeler teaches freshman, sophomore and junior English.