Roxbury High School English Department

  • Roxbury High School's English Department offers students a robust literacy education.  The goal of the English department is to develop students’ critical thinking, listening, speaking, reading, writing, and study skills. Assignments and experiences commensurate to their needs and abilities will challenge all students to develop competency in their use of the English language and apply literacy skills to a balance of classic and modern literature.  Students at Roxbury High School are afforded the opportunity to engage daily in independent reading in English classrooms.  

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Mr. Jonathan Benbow

Jonathan Benbow has taught English at Roxbury High School since 2003, where he has been the Head Ice Hockey Coach since 2004 as well as a volleyball, lacrosse, and soccer coach. 

Mr. Benbow is a 1993 graduate of Mount Olive High School and graduated with honors from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2003 with a major in English and a minor in Secondary Education.  Mr. Benbow enjoys traveling the country and is lucky enough to have visited more than 35 of the continental US states.  In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his four kids, cooking, and listening to Goose.

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Mr. Peter Flynn

Peter Flynn has taught English Language Arts at Roxbury High School since 2011.  In addition to teaching Junior and Senior English, he has also created electives such as Film Studies, Screenwriting, and sometimes teaches other electives such as Creative Writing. 

He graduated from Centenary College with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature. He is originally from Connecticut, and now lives in Sussex County, NJ with his wife Nikki and his pets Bowie, Eddie (dogs), Susie and Willow (cats). 

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Mr. James Hansen

James Hansen joins the English Language Arts Department at Roxbury High School this year after teaching English in other districts for the past few years.  He graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language Arts Secondary Education.  James is an active theatrical arts educator and holds various Google certificates as well as being a level 2 certified educator.
 
James is excited to work with our juniors and seniors as they prepare for what comes next.  He'll be teaching Literature & the Human Psyche, Comics & the American Culture, and Comparative Mythology to our seniors as well as English 3.

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Mrs. Elizabeth Heddy

Mrs. Heddy continued her teaching career by joining the Roxbury English department in 2005.  Primarily an upperclassmen teacher, Mrs. Heddy claims her students teach her something new every day and keep her young at heart.


Mrs. Heddy graduated from Kutztown University with a Bachelor of Arts in English & Secondary Education. She then earned a Master of Arts in Teaching, Curriculum and Assessment at Marygrove College.  In 2018, Mrs. Heddy earned her Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Management and Policy at Seton Hall University and now holds school leader certifications as Supervisor, Principal, and Superintendent.

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Miss Isabel Kalodner

This will be Ms. Kalodner’s first year as a teacher, and she’s so pleased to begin her official educating journey at Roxbury High School! During the 2023-24 school year, she will be teaching seniors and sophomores. In her previous career, Ms. Kalodner was a pre-professional ballerina.
Ms. Kalodner graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 2021 with a BA in English and a BA in Dance. In her free time, she can be found with a good book, in a dance studio, or assisting with Mr. Hansen’s musical theater program.

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Mrs. Shari Kaine

Shari L. Kaine has taught English Language Arts at Roxbury High School since 2001.  She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science.  She then earned her Masters degree in Education from East Stroudsburg University and most recently received her Education Specialist degree from Seton Hall University.  She is also a Level 1 Google certified educator and continually strives to improve and innovate instructional practices.

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Mr. Adam Mahmoud

Adam Mahmoud began teaching English Language Arts for Roxbury in 2013 and continues to teach sophomores and juniors at Roxbury High School.
 
Adam Mahmoud attended Rutgers University where he double-majored in English and Philosophy and achieved a Bachelor's degree.  He earned his teaching certification soon after and earned a Masters in Education from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education.

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Ms. Kaitlyn Norgard

Kate Norgard has taught English Language Arts at Roxbury High School since 2013. Currently, she teaches AP Seminar to sophomores and English 4, Crime/Mystery to senior students. She is the Roxbury girls' XC head coach and spring track assistant coach. She also coaches field hockey year-round for Centercourt Club. 

Kate Norgard graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English & Secondary Education.  She earned a Master's degree in Education from Centenary University in 2017. 

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Ms. Maria Rispoli

Ms. Rispoli has been an English teacher at Roxbury since the 2005-06 school year. She earned her AA at County College of Morris, her BA at Montclair State University, and a Master of Arts in Teaching, Curriculum and Assessment at Marygrove College. In 2018 Ms. Rispoli earned her Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Management and Policy at Seton Hall University and now holds school leader certifications as Supervisor, Principal, and Superintendent. 

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Mrs. Megan Santoro

Megan Santoro has been a member of the Roxbury High School staff since 2017. She teaches both English Language Arts and Journalism and is the advisor of the Roxbury Review, our school newspaper. 
 
Megan Santoro graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Education as a Social Science. She later earned a Master's degree from the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University in English Education (K-12) with an endorsement as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities. 

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Mrs. Laura Schmidt

Laura Schmidt has taught English Language Arts at Roxbury High School since 2009.  Currently, she teaches English 1 to freshmen and AP Literature and composition to Junior students. She is also the advisor of the Roxbury Literary Magazine and NHS.

Laura Schmidt graduated from Monmouth University with a Bachelor of Arts in English & Secondary Education.  She earned a Master's degree in Education from Centenary University in 2013. 

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Mrs. Allyson Spargo

Allyson Spargo has been teaching at Roxbury High School since 2003.  A proud graduate of the Roxbury School District and a lifelong resident herself, she is honored to serve a community she loves.  Allyson is currently teaching all seniors, and she is enjoying finding ways to keep our students engaged by delivering high-interest content.  Her passion is helping the students to find their confidence and the desire to enter their college years and beyond with a strong voice and sound critical thinking skills. Mrs. Spargo attended FDU and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English Literature.  

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Ms. Kaitlin Stellingwerf

Kaitlin Stellingwerf is a junior and senior English teacher at Roxbury High School. Her academic focuses are in American Literature, specifically in the horror genre. Miss Stellingwerf attended Seton Hall University and acquired a BSE in Secondary Education & Special Education with a Concentration in English and a MA in Literature. Miss Stellingwerf also coaches JV soccer and jumps for the track program.