Meridian welcomes Ms. Rachel Park to the English Department, where she brings a passion for literature and innovative teaching approaches that inspire students to become confident, analytical readers and writers.
Ms. Park joins us from Portland, where she taught high school English for six years and developed an award-winning creative writing program. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from Columbia University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Portland State University.
"I was drawn to Meridian because of its commitment to student-centered learning and critical thinking," Ms. Park shared. "I believe every student has a unique voice and story to tell, and my goal is to help them discover and develop that voice through reading and writing."
In her classes, Ms. Park incorporates contemporary young adult literature alongside classics, encouraging students to make connections between texts and their own experiences. She also advises the school literary magazine and plans to establish a creative writing club.
Students have already praised her engaging teaching style and genuine interest in their ideas. "Ms. Park makes discussions feel like conversations among friends," said sophomore Emma Liu. "She challenges us to think deeper while making us feel supported."