Alpharetta High School

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Carol Graham, English Department Chair -- email

As Department Chair of English, Carol Graham seeks to inspire students and teachers alike to join in the celebration of learning at Alpharetta High School . Teaching English for twenty years in a variety of settings, Mrs. Graham has spent twelve of those years in Fulton County . Consequently, she brings to Alpharetta High School a working knowledge of the entire secondary language arts curriculum of Fulton County and best practices of educators from Chattahoochee , Centennial, and Milton .

Mrs. Graham obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Connecticut . Her educational studies span eclectic fields: British medieval literature, Southern Gothic writers, direct instruction methodologies in reading comprehension, theories of metacognition to the facilitation of student-based inquiry, transformative models in multicultural education, and the particular needs of special populations among gifted and talented students. Noted accomplishments throughout Mrs. Graham's career include receiving Centennial High School’s first STAR Teacher award; writing Designing Women and Young Women in Science and Technology, curricula for gifted females in Fulton County’s high school TAG program; serving on the textbook adoption committee and the curriculum revision writing team for Fulton County Language Arts; sponsoring award-winning literary arts magazines at Chattahoochee and Centennial High Schools; and initiating a district-wide shared inquiry reading program while serving as English department chair in Texas.

Mrs. Graham challenges her students with the imperative of Gandhi to “be the change you wish to see in the world.” In becoming catalysts for change, her students derive the best preparation, she believes, through the discourse of language and literature. Through such discourse young scholars engage in the ongoing critical inquiry that ultimately leads beyond the classroom and into the world beyond. After twenty years of experience teaching high school English, Mrs. Graham anticipates the best is yet to come at Alpharetta High School !

Opie Blackwell -- email

Opie Blackwell is a transplant from Colorado to the Atlanta area. His Colorado-based experience with standards based education provides different insight as AHS moves to better its educational practices with standards based education. Opie lived in Colorado for 17 years and attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and spent time focusing primarily on American, British, and Irish Literature, though he also dedicated his experience to creative writing, film as literature, and modern short story. While an appreciation of all things English is not always attainable for every student, Opie strives to share his passion for writing and reading and discussing these intricacies in such a way that students have a new, unique understanding of how literature helps shape many facets of life. Opie is very encouraging of students being as active and aware of their school community as possible, so he spends many nights supporting his students as they participate and perform outside the classroom in athletics, the arts, and organization events. Otherwise, Opie finds himself engaging in movie and music outings, taking the city in by running shoes on pavement, and looking forward to the next day back at school.

Pollye Bostick -- email

Kelly Clinch -- email

This fall, Kelly Clinch enters her eleventh year of teaching. Over the years, she has worked both as a classroom teacher at Roswell High School and as a private Language Arts tutor for many students in the Atlanta area. Mrs. Clinch joins Alpharetta High this year to teach 9th Grade Language Arts. During her career, Mrs. Clinch has taught all levels of Language Arts, Journalism, Composition and SAT Preparation. This year, Mrs. Clinch is excited about working with students who are entering their first year of high school, since it is such an important transition in their lives. Her love of literature drives her teaching and Mrs. Clinch wants her students to be passionate about what they read as well. She encourages students to think for themselves. If you walk by her classroom door, you are more likely to hear a lively debate than to see students working quietly on worksheets. Mrs. Clinch graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in English with Honors in Literature and Creative Writing. She was awarded 1993 Fulton County First Year Teacher of the Year at the start of her career at Roswell High. Mrs. Clinch and her family have lived in Atlanta for more than 15 years.

Barbara Easley -- email
Barbara Jordan Easley is in her seventh year with the Fulton County Schools, having spent the past six years teaching English at Chattahoochee High School where she served for three years as sponsor of the school newspaper and numerous clubs, helped establish Cougarvision broadcasts, and was a member of the strategic planning and scholarship committees. Mrs. Easley is a native of New Orleans who graduated from the University of New Orleans with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in speech and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society. She obtained a Master of Education from Louisiana State University with a major in Secondary Education and a minor in English. Prior to her work at Chattahoochee, Mrs. Easley taught English, speech, and Title I Reading in the Orleans, St.Tammany, and East Baton Rouge Parish Schools in Louisiana, and Camp Creek Middle School and Howard School in Atlanta. In addition to her work with students in grades 5 though 12, Mrs. Easley also served as an educational consultant for Gulf Educational Systems in New Orleans where she conducted workshops and pilot programs for teachers.

Mrs. Easley has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. She hopes to continue her travels so that she can collect new cultural experiences to share with her students.

Randy Gingrich -- email

Randy Gingrich comes to Alpharetta High School from North Gwinnett High School where he taught AP Language and Composition, as well as 11^th, and 12^th grade Honors, College Prep, and Technical Language Arts. He spent 3 years as a supervising teacher, methods course instructor and research assistant at Ohio State University. He also taught in Cincinnati in the International Studies Academy, Paideia School, and Coalition of Essential Schools.

Randy received his B.A. from Michigan State University in English and History, his M.A. from Miami University in English, and his Ph.D. in English Education from Ohio State University. He has given presentations and published articles for the National Council of Teachers of English, Conference on College Composition and Communication, and the American Educational Research Association. He was the chief rater for his district's portfolio and writing assessments and designed district end of course exams.

Randy's wife is an occupational therapist with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; their daughter, Jordan, turned two recently.

Linda Kingcaid -- email

Lisa Lindgren -- email

Laura Marcy, English Teacher and Yearbook Sponsor -- email

Laura Marcy has taught Language Arts in three states as well as in Kwajalien , Marshall Islands . She received her B.A. from the New York State University at Geneseo and her Master’s Degree in Administration from Rollins College in Winter Park , FL. During her more than 30 years in education, she has taught English at all levels and grades from 7th through 12th, including pre-AP and Advanced Placement Literature and Composition. She has sponsored newspapers, literary magazines and yearbooks for more than 20 years. Her yearbooks have won multiple awards, including Gold Medalist from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and All American with 4 marks of distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association. Over the past three years, she has been asked by CSPA to judge yearbooks and has helped to define the qualities that make a yearbook excellent. Her vision for Alpharetta High’s yearbook is that it captures the vitality, variety, experiences and achievements o its students.

In her free time, Ms. Marcy enjoys singing in her church choir and spending time with her 4-year old grandson, Grant, and her daughter and son-in-law. Though she will miss her students and colleagues at Chattahoochee High where she has taught for the past five years, she is looking forward to being a part of the Alpharetta High community.

Merrol Moore -- email

Merrol Moore graduated magna cum laude with a BS in English Education from Kennesaw State University. As a member of the English Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Phi Kappa Phi, Mrs. Moore values education and believes all children can learn when given the opportunity.

Rebecca Perkins -- email

Allison Phelps, ESOL -- email

Allison Phelps is a Georgia native and attended Roswell North Elementary School, Crabapple Middle School, and Roswell High School. She is happy to be teaching in the system in which she was educated.

Allison traveled to Mexico with her Spanish class while she was in the 7th grade and was inspired to learn Spanish and her love of Hispanic culture began. She attended The University of Georgia where she continued her study of Spanish and graduated with a B.A. in Speech Communications. After working in sales, she decided to return to school and become a teacher. She received her B.A. in English and Secondary Education from Georgia State University. Because of the demand for Spanish teachers and her love for Spanish, she ended up teaching Spanish, and completed her studies for certification at Georgia State University. She has taught Spanish at every level, from elementary to high school. She has taught at Stockbridge High School, East Cobb Middle School, Sope Creek Elementary School, and Milton High School. She is very pleased to be a member of the charter faculty at Alpharetta High School. She studied in Madrid, Spain in 1997 and has spent the last two summers living and studying in Salamanca, Spain. She is currently completing her masters in Spanish Language and Culture through the University of Salamanca.

Allison completed her certification to teach English as a second language, and is currently an ESOL teacher at AHS. She understands first hand what it is like to be in a foreign country learning a foreign language, and brings that understanding into her classroom. In 2002, she was listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers. She loves to spend time with her family and friends, read, and travel.

Suzanne Pitz -- email

Carly Plonka -- Ms. Plonka's Website -- email

Carly Plonka graduated in the top ten percent of her class from the University of Georgia with a BSEd in English Education. While maintaining grades that earned her Dean's List and Presidential Scholar recognition, she was named to the National Dean's List, the Golden Key Honors Society and Order of Omega. During Spring and Summer 2004, Ms. Plonka conducted research under the doctoral students of UGA's Dr. Sally Hudson Ross and Dr. Peter Smagorinsky focusing on pre-service teacher education programs. In addition to teaching last school year, Ms. Plonka ventured back to Athens to work on her MEd in English Education and ESOL, completing her degree August 2005. Her areas of study include: American Literature, Southern Literature, Modern American Poetry, Shakespeare, Creative Writing, Film as Literature, Teaching as a Reflective Practice, Authentic Assessment and Qualitative Research. She currently reviews resources for UGA's The BRIDGE Initiative, which provides materials, mentorship and support for early career teachers across the state of Georgia. At AHS, Ms. Plonka serves as sponsor of our literary magazine, The Ripple Effect, as well as sponsor of the Film Club.

Ms. Plonka believes her philosophy of teaching is best summed up in these three quotes: “I am not a teacher, but an awakener” (Robert Frost), “Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it” (Henry David Thoreau), and “Teaching without zest is a crime” (Virginia Woolf). Through the literature studied in class, she awakens students to take literary tools obtained to look at, interpret, analyze and reflect on the world inside and outside of the classroom. This helps them find their voices not only as thinkers and writers but also as individuals. Literature is not just a “book thing” or a “classroom thing,” but “literature is life”—one particular lens to view the world. For Ms. Plonka, teaching is an art; her students are the inspiration for the “canvas” on which she paints her teaching experiences—all of the various attributes they carry into her course help craft each stroke of her “painting” so it is a unique masterpiece.

Previously a member of the Milton English department—and a graduate of Milton High School—Ms. Plonka looks with zest toward the new “canvases” she'll create as an Alpharetta Raider.

Angela Reed, ESOL -- email

Angela Reed calls Los Angeles home even though she was born in Honolulu, Hawaii She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.A. in French and an M.A. in Romance Linguistics and Literature. She also completed certification to teach English as a Second Language, and she taught ESL for many years in California before relocating to Georgia. She lived and studied in Paris and Pau, and taught French at Bridge Middle School before coming to AHS. Ms. Reed enjoys traveling (especially to Europe) and all things related to the French language and culture. She has become an avid UGA fan since her two sons are students there!

Jeanette Scott -- email

The 2004-2005 school year marks Ms. Scott's eleventh year of teaching. She began her career in Savannah, Georgia at Savannah High School. She then served as English Department Chair at Savannah Arts Academy, a performing arts charter high school. In 2001, she moved to Jonesboro and taught for one year at Lovejoy High School. For the past two school years she taught 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th grade English at Fulton County Charter High School of Mathematics Science. At Alpharetta High School she serves as co-sponsor of the dance team.

Ms. Scott loves teaching and is excited to be at AHS. She wants all of her students to find their creative side and incorporates the arts into her class. She knows that everyone learns in different ways and uses a variety of teaching methods. She wants to reach all of her students. Because she cares about what students do outside of her class, she can often be found cheering on students during extracurricular activities, especially athletic events.

Ms. Scott went to high school in Savannah at Alfred Ely Beach High where she graduated as salutatorian. She received her Bachelor's degree from Armstrong State College in 1994. She earned her master's degree from Lesley University.

David Shuman -- email -- Shuman's English Blog

Mr. David Shuman graduated with a dual degree in English and English Education from the University of Iowa in 2002. He taught at North Scott High School in Eldridge, Iowa, for one year and now is in his second year at Alpharetta High School. Mr. Shuman teaches 9 th Lit/Comp, 10 th Honors Lit/Comp, and World Lit/Brit Lit. Additionally, he is the sponsor of the Hacky-sack (Foot-bag) Club and the Co-sponsor of the Young Democrats.

Allison Tubiak -- Mrs. Tubiak's Website -- email

Allison Tubiak is a fourth year teacher at Alpharetta High School, having taught three years here at AHS and one year at Milton High School. She teaches 10th Honors Lit/Comp and 11 th American Lit/Comp. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor's in English from the University of Georgia in 2000, studied abroad at Worcester College and Hertford College in Oxford, England, in 1999, and earned a Master's in English Education from UGA. Allison is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta (the English honor society). Additionally, she is ESOL certified and is completing her gifted certification. Mrs. Tubiak is the Varsity Girls’ Soccer coach, is the sponsor of the Young Democrats club, and serves on Local School Council. Allison Tubiak is a fourth year teacher at Alpharetta High School, having taught three years here at AHS and one year at Milton High School. She teaches 10th Honors Lit/Comp and 11 th American Lit/Comp. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor's in English from the University of Georgia in 2000, studied abroad at Worcester College and Hertford College in Oxford, England, in 1999, and earned a Master's in English Education from UGA. Allison is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta (the English honor society). Additionally, she is ESOL certified and is completing her gifted certification. Mrs. Tubiak is the Varsity Girls’ Soccer coach, is the sponsor of the Young Democrats club, and serves on Local School Council.



ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Carol Graham, English Department Chair -- email As Department Chair of English, Carol Graham seeks to inspire students and teachers alike to join in the celebration of learning at Alpharetta High School . Teaching English for twenty years in a variety of settings, Mrs. Graham has spent twelve of those years in Fulton County . Consequently, she brings to Alpharetta High School a working knowledge of the entire secondary language arts curriculum of Fulton County and best practices of educators from Chattahoochee , Centennial, and Milton . Mrs. Graham obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Connecticut . Her educational studies span eclectic fields: British medieval literature, Southern Gothic writers, direct instruction methodologies in reading comprehension, theories of metacognition to the facilitation of student-based inquiry, transformative models in multicultural education, and the particular needs of special populations among gifted and talented students. Noted accomplishments throughout Mrs. Graham's career include receiving Centennial High School’s first STAR Teacher award; writing Designing Women and Young Women in Science and Technology, curricula for gifted females in Fulton County’s high school TAG program; serving on the textbook adoption committee and the curriculum revision writing team for Fulton County Language Arts; sponsoring award-winning literary arts magazines at Chattahoochee and Centennial High Schools; and initiating a district-wide shared inquiry reading program while serving as English department chair in Texas. Mrs. Graham challenges her students with the imperative of Gandhi to “be the change you wish to see in the world.” In becoming catalysts for change, her students derive the best preparation, she believes, through the discourse of language and literature. Through such discourse young scholars engage in the ongoing critical inquiry that ultimately leads beyond the classroom and into the world beyond. After twenty years of experience teaching high school English, Mrs. Graham anticipates the best is yet to come at Alpharetta High School ! Opie Blackwell -- email Opie Blackwell is a transplant from Colorado to the Atlanta area. His Colorado-based experience with standards based education provides different insight as AHS moves to better its educational practices with standards based education. Opie lived in Colorado for 17 years and attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and spent time focusing primarily on American, British, and Irish Literature, though he also dedicated his experience to creative writing, film as literature, and modern short story. While an appreciation of all things English is not always attainable for every student, Opie strives to share his passion for writing and reading and discussing these intricacies in such a way that students have a new, unique understanding of how literature helps shape many facets of life. Opie is very encouraging of students being as active and aware of their school community as possible, so he spends many nights supporting his students as they participate and perform outside the classroom in athletics, the arts, and organization events. Otherwise, Opie finds himself engaging in movie and music outings, taking the city in by running shoes on pavement, and looking forward to the next day back at school. Pollye Bostick -- email Kelly Clinch -- email This fall, Kelly Clinch enters her eleventh year of teaching. Over the years, she has worked both as a classroom teacher at Roswell High School and as a private Language Arts tutor for many students in the Atlanta area. Mrs. Clinch joins Alpharetta High this year to teach 9th Grade Language Arts. During her career, Mrs. Clinch has taught all levels of Language Arts, Journalism, Composition and SAT Preparation. This year, Mrs. Clinch is excited about working with students who are entering their first year of high school, since it is such an important transition in their lives. Her love of literature drives her teaching and Mrs. Clinch wants her students to be passionate about what they read as well. She encourages students to think for themselves. If you walk by her classroom door, you are more likely to hear a lively debate than to see students working quietly on worksheets. Mrs. Clinch graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in English with Honors in Literature and Creative Writing. She was awarded 1993 Fulton County First Year Teacher of the Year at the start of her career at Roswell High. Mrs. Clinch and her family have lived in Atlanta for more than 15 years. Barbara Easley -- email Barbara Jordan Easley is in her seventh year with the Fulton County Schools, having spent the past six years teaching English at Chattahoochee High School where she served for three years as sponsor of the school newspaper and numerous clubs, helped establish Cougarvision broadcasts, and was a member of the strategic planning and scholarship committees. Mrs. Easley is a native of New Orleans who graduated from the University of New Orleans with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in speech and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society. She obtained a Master of Education from Louisiana State University with a major in Secondary Education and a minor in English. Prior to her work at Chattahoochee, Mrs. Easley taught English, speech, and Title I Reading in the Orleans, St.Tammany, and East Baton Rouge Parish Schools in Louisiana, and Camp Creek Middle School and Howard School in Atlanta. In addition to her work with students in grades 5 though 12, Mrs. Easley also served as an educational consultant for Gulf Educational Systems in New Orleans where she conducted workshops and pilot programs for teachers. Mrs. Easley has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. She hopes to continue her travels so that she can collect new cultural experiences to share with her students. Randy Gingrich -- email Randy Gingrich comes to Alpharetta High School from North Gwinnett High School where he taught AP Language and Composition, as well as 11^th, and 12^th grade Honors, College Prep, and Technical Language Arts. He spent 3 years as a supervising teacher, methods course instructor and research assistant at Ohio State University. He also taught in Cincinnati in the International Studies Academy, Paideia School, and Coalition of Essential Schools. Randy received his B.A. from Michigan State University in English and History, his M.A. from Miami University in English, and his Ph.D. in English Education from Ohio State University. He has given presentations and published articles for the National Council of Teachers of English, Conference on College Composition and Communication, and the American Educational Research Association. He was the chief rater for his district's portfolio and writing assessments and designed district end of course exams. Randy's wife is an occupational therapist with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; their daughter, Jordan, turned two recently. Linda Kingcaid -- email Lisa Lindgren -- email Laura Marcy, English Teacher and Yearbook Sponsor -- email Laura Marcy has taught Language Arts in three states as well as in Kwajalien , Marshall Islands . She received her B.A. from the New York State University at Geneseo and her Master’s Degree in Administration from Rollins College in Winter Park , FL. During her more than 30 years in education, she has taught English at all levels and grades from 7th through 12th, including pre-AP and Advanced Placement Literature and Composition. She has sponsored newspapers, literary magazines and yearbooks for more than 20 years. Her yearbooks have won multiple awards, including Gold Medalist from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and All American with 4 marks of distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association. Over the past three years, she has been asked by CSPA to judge yearbooks and has helped to define the qualities that make a yearbook excellent. Her vision for Alpharetta High’s yearbook is that it captures the vitality, variety, experiences and achievements o its students. In her free time, Ms. Marcy enjoys singing in her church choir and spending time with her 4-year old grandson, Grant, and her daughter and son-in-law. Though she will miss her students and colleagues at Chattahoochee High where she has taught for the past five years, she is looking forward to being a part of the Alpharetta High community. Merrol Moore -- email Merrol Moore graduated magna cum laude with a BS in English Education from Kennesaw State University. As a member of the English Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Phi Kappa Phi, Mrs. Moore values education and believes all children can learn when given the opportunity. Rebecca Perkins -- email Allison Phelps, ESOL -- email Allison Phelps is a Georgia native and attended Roswell North Elementary School, Crabapple Middle School, and Roswell High School. She is happy to be teaching in the system in which she was educated. Allison traveled to Mexico with her Spanish class while she was in the 7th grade and was inspired to learn Spanish and her love of Hispanic culture began. She attended The University of Georgia where she continued her study of Spanish and graduated with a B.A. in Speech Communications. After working in sales, she decided to return to school and become a teacher. She received her B.A. in English and Secondary Education from Georgia State University. Because of the demand for Spanish teachers and her love for Spanish, she ended up teaching Spanish, and completed her studies for certification at Georgia State University. She has taught Spanish at every level, from elementary to high school. She has taught at Stockbridge High School, East Cobb Middle School, Sope Creek Elementary School, and Milton High School. She is very pleased to be a member of the charter faculty at Alpharetta High School. She studied in Madrid, Spain in 1997 and has spent the last two summers living and studying in Salamanca, Spain. She is currently completing her masters in Spanish Language and Culture through the University of Salamanca. Allison completed her certification to teach English as a second language, and is currently an ESOL teacher at AHS. She understands first hand what it is like to be in a foreign country learning a foreign language, and brings that understanding into her classroom. In 2002, she was listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers. She loves to spend time with her family and friends, read, and travel. Suzanne Pitz -- email Carly Plonka -- Ms. Plonka's Website -- email Carly Plonka graduated in the top ten percent of her class from the University of Georgia with a BSEd in English Education. While maintaining grades that earned her Dean's List and Presidential Scholar recognition, she was named to the National Dean's List, the Golden Key Honors Society and Order of Omega. During Spring and Summer 2004, Ms. Plonka conducted research under the doctoral students of UGA's Dr. Sally Hudson Ross and Dr. Peter Smagorinsky focusing on pre-service teacher education programs. In addition to teaching last school year, Ms. Plonka ventured back to Athens to work on her MEd in English Education and ESOL, completing her degree August 2005. Her areas of study include: American Literature, Southern Literature, Modern American Poetry, Shakespeare, Creative Writing, Film as Literature, Teaching as a Reflective Practice, Authentic Assessment and Qualitative Research. She currently reviews resources for UGA's The BRIDGE Initiative, which provides materials, mentorship and support for early career teachers across the state of Georgia. At AHS, Ms. Plonka serves as sponsor of our literary magazine, The Ripple Effect, as well as sponsor of the Film Club. Ms. Plonka believes her philosophy of teaching is best summed up in these three quotes: “I am not a teacher, but an awakener” (Robert Frost), “Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it” (Henry David Thoreau), and “Teaching without zest is a crime” (Virginia Woolf). Through the literature studied in class, she awakens students to take literary tools obtained to look at, interpret, analyze and reflect on the world inside and outside of the classroom. This helps them find their voices not only as thinkers and writers but also as individuals. Literature is not just a “book thing” or a “classroom thing,” but “literature is life”—one particular lens to view the world. For Ms. Plonka, teaching is an art; her students are the inspiration for the “canvas” on which she paints her teaching experiences—all of the various attributes they carry into her course help craft each stroke of her “painting” so it is a unique masterpiece. Previously a member of the Milton English department—and a graduate of Milton High School—Ms. Plonka looks with zest toward the new “canvases” she'll create as an Alpharetta Raider. Angela Reed, ESOL -- email Angela Reed calls Los Angeles home even though she was born in Honolulu, Hawaii She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.A. in French and an M.A. in Romance Linguistics and Literature. She also completed certification to teach English as a Second Language, and she taught ESL for many years in California before relocating to Georgia. She lived and studied in Paris and Pau, and taught French at Bridge Middle School before coming to AHS. Ms. Reed enjoys traveling (especially to Europe) and all things related to the French language and culture. She has become an avid UGA fan since her two sons are students there! Jeanette Scott -- email The 2004-2005 school year marks Ms. Scott's eleventh year of teaching. She began her career in Savannah, Georgia at Savannah High School. She then served as English Department Chair at Savannah Arts Academy, a performing arts charter high school. In 2001, she moved to Jonesboro and taught for one year at Lovejoy High School. For the past two school years she taught 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th grade English at Fulton County Charter High School of Mathematics Science. At Alpharetta High School she serves as co-sponsor of the dance team. Ms. Scott loves teaching and is excited to be at AHS. She wants all of her students to find their creative side and incorporates the arts into her class. She knows that everyone learns in different ways and uses a variety of teaching methods. She wants to reach all of her students. Because she cares about what students do outside of her class, she can often be found cheering on students during extracurricular activities, especially athletic events. Ms. Scott went to high school in Savannah at Alfred Ely Beach High where she graduated as salutatorian. She received her Bachelor's degree from Armstrong State College in 1994. She earned her master's degree from Lesley University. David Shuman -- email -- Shuman's English Blog Mr. David Shuman graduated with a dual degree in English and English Education from the University of Iowa in 2002. He taught at North Scott High School in Eldridge, Iowa, for one year and now is in his second year at Alpharetta High School. Mr. Shuman teaches 9 th Lit/Comp, 10 th Honors Lit/Comp, and World Lit/Brit Lit. Additionally, he is the sponsor of the Hacky-sack (Foot-bag) Club and the Co-sponsor of the Young Democrats. Allison Tubiak -- Mrs. Tubiak's Website -- email Allison Tubiak is a fourth year teacher at Alpharetta High School, having taught three years here at AHS and one year at Milton High School. She teaches 10th Honors Lit/Comp and 11 th American Lit/Comp. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor's in English from the University of Georgia in 2000, studied abroad at Worcester College and Hertford College in Oxford, England, in 1999, and earned a Master's in English Education from UGA. Allison is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta (the English honor society). Additionally, she is ESOL certified and is completing her gifted certification. Mrs. Tubiak is the Varsity Girls’ Soccer coach, is the sponsor of the Young Democrats club, and serves on Local School Council. Allison Tubiak is a fourth year teacher at Alpharetta High School, having taught three years here at AHS and one year at Milton High School. She teaches 10th Honors Lit/Comp and 11 th American Lit/Comp. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor's in English from the University of Georgia in 2000, studied abroad at Worcester College and Hertford College in Oxford, England, in 1999, and earned a Master's in English Education from UGA. Allison is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta (the English honor society). Additionally, she is ESOL certified and is completing her gifted certification. Mrs. Tubiak is the Varsity Girls’ Soccer coach, is the sponsor of the Young Democrats club, and serves on Local School Council.