The goal of the English Language Arts program is to enhance communication skills in an environment that encourages students to read, write, listen, and speak. Reading and writing are integrally connected, and our curriculum is designed to illustrate this. 

Most importantly, we have customized MISD’s 8th Grade Curriculum with the belief that all students can learn, and we approach each lesson, each day, and each student with that attitude.

• ELAR 8
• Target
• Room G206
• Email: [email protected]

I am a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in English Education, and I continued my education at SMU, earning my Master of Arts degree in English.  I have high school, middle school, and college teaching experience, and I was honored in 1995 to be named “New Secondary Teacher of the Year” for the Sherman Independent School District and again in 2011 as “Campus Teacher of Year” here at Dowell.  This will be my 15th year of teaching and my ninth year at Dowell.  Teaching is my passion, and I am blessed to walk into the building every morning thanking God that I get to do what I love for a living.

• ELAR 8
• Pre-AP
• Room: G203
• Email: [email protected]

Mrs. Lindsey Duncan is a Magne Cum Laude graduate from Texas Woman's University. During college, she worked as an AVID tutor with McKinney ISD and Richardson ISD. Mrs. Duncan did her observations and student teaching at Dowell and fell in love with the staff and students. This will be her third year teaching English, and her first year teaching with McKinney ISD. However, it will not be her first time as a Dowell Lion! She attended Dowell for middle school and is happy to be back--this time as a teacher.

• ELAR 8
• Pre-AP
• Room: E20
• Email: [email protected]

Mrs. Tara Zappe has been teaching English for twelve years.  She has been in education for sixteen years as a teacher, a coach, and an athletic administrator.  Her undergraduate degree is from Schreiner University.  She has a Master's Degree in Sport Management from the Univerisity of Oklahoma.  She also has a Master's Degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy Studies.  She's certified to teach in the following areas:  English, Reading Specialist, ESL, P.E. and Generalist EC-6.