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RE founder Paul Ransom, circa 1903

Students who agree to attend Ransom Everglades "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it. They are unwilling to give up their lives to the selfish pursuit of pleasure. They believe in work and are willing and anxious to do their share of it. They do not shirk the great problems of life, but meet and solve them."

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School Curriculum

English

"A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.” Franz Kafka

FORMS OF LITERATURE

Literature occurs in discrete forms across cultures and histories. This course introduces the three major forms of literature: prose, verse and drama. Students read representative texts from a variety of cultures and time-periods, focusing on the similarities in form while exploring the uniqueness of those civilizations’ beliefs. By undertaking formal analysis, students perfect their critical vocabulary and grammar knowledge, and they learn to articulate thematic understandings of texts anchored in close-reading practices. In order to demonstrate and refine their knowledge, students write regularly.

They understand writing as a process that includes workshopping, peer-review and individual conference. Discussion remains a cornerstone of the pedagogy, and students arrive at class ready to explore the formal qualities of literature.
AMERICAN LITERARY MOVEMENTS

Literature arises as part of a larger cultural narrative. This narrative is often sequenced as a historical progression of beliefs known as “literary movements.” In English 210, students read key texts from the living American canon, understand the characteristic features of each literary movement and refine their study of form. Central to these texts, movements and forms is the recurrent thematic question: What does it mean to be an American? In partnership with History & Social Sciences, students study the writers, scholars, activists, and dissidents who articulated their answers to this question. Students understand the inclusionary and exclusionary tactics of each movement and how we can read with and against these tactics in forming our understanding of American literary movements. Movements include Colonial and Puritan writing, the Enlightenment, Transcendentalism, Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, Postmodernism and contemporary literature. Daily discussion and regular writing assignments reinforce the critical vocabulary from English 110. As with all English classes, writing occurs as a process in which students take ownership to craft rhetorically sound and thoroughly revised pieces. Through discussion, reading, and writing, students learn to distinguish between the thematic, formal, and cultural characteristics of America's major literary movements.
ADVANCED AMERICAN STUDIES

Literature and history develop within a larger cultural narrative. This narrative is often sequenced as a historical progression of beliefs, arising from the culture’s economics, politics, geography, religions, literature, music, visual arts, social institutions and popular culture. In keeping with the Humanities Department mission statement, students in this course develop an integrated understanding of historical, literary, and cultural ideas, in

order to explore questions such as: What does it mean to be an American? How has the pursuit of freedom unfolded for diverse groups of Americans? What is the role and responsibility of citizens in an American republic? How does the larger cultural narrative inform our interpretation of historical and literary texts? Students learn in a double-period, co-taught, discussion-based format, emphasizing close reading of texts. Students

demonstrate their knowledge through essays requiring analysis and synthesis, daily discussions, and presentations. The major writing assignment of the course is a research essay on a topic of the student’s choosing with the goal to submit it for publication in

The Concord Review (a publication for secondary school papers). This is a double-period class that provides two credits, one each in English and History & Social Sciences, for sophomore year.

This is a double-period class that provides two credits, one each in English and History & Social Sciences, for sophomore year.

NOTE: This course is not specifically designed to prepare students for the AP United States History, AP African American History, or AP English Language and Composition exams. However, students who take this course and complete some independent, supplemental study, will be well-situated to take these AP exams. The humanities faculty will assist students interested in taking these exams with acquiring study materials and other resources that will help them prepare for the exams in the second semester. Students may also take the AP African American Studies exam with the counsel of their instructor and the Humanities Department Chair. Advanced American Studies and United States History address a sizable portion of the AP African Studies curriculum; however, students who are approved to take the exam should expect to prepare independently.
RESEARCH SEMINAR: CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

In literature courses, students often read texts produced decades or centuries before they were born. This course invites students to turn their critical attention to works produced both in and for the present. Students delve into global literature from the past forty years to discuss how these texts raise a mirror to the contemporary world, illuminating the diversity of our experiences and revealing deeper truths about
individual freedom, human dignity, and civic responsibility. The course introduces students to literary scholarship on these texts and supports them in crafting original arguments in dialogue with the ongoing debates. Through their investigations, students harness the power of contemporary literature not only to respond to the present, but to imagine and create new and hopeful futures.
RESEARCH SEMINAR: WOMEN IN LITERATURE

Half the world identifies as female, yet many canons and courses remain stubbornly male-focused. In this seminar, students examine literature by and about women to explore how these texts reinforce or challenge cultural norms. Students consider how writers capture women’s experiences, if at all, and research how these gendered experiences intersect with race, class, and sexuality. Students sharpen their scholarly voices in dialogue with literary criticism, culminating in original research projects. The course empowers students to delve into texts and topics of their choosing, illuminating paths toward more equitable futures.
AP ENGLISH LITERATURE

Grade 11: Literary criticism keeps literature alive, and texts evolve through scholarly conversations that interpret, intensify, and interrogate their meanings. This advanced course empowers English students to join these conversations while simultaneously preparing them for the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Exam. Building on the skills acquired in tenth-grade English and History, the course begins with an accelerated introduction to the craft of research-based literary criticism, culminating in a midyear research paper on a text from the Anglophone canon. The second semester develops these skills through the introduction of more complex research methods, while simultaneously preparing students for the AP English Literature exam.

Grade 12: This year-long class is for students who plan to take the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Exam. It is the equivalent of a first-year college English course. In a seminar format, students engage in a close study of verse, drama and prose. Writing focuses heavily on the critical analysis of literature culminating in thematic assertions. Through close reading, daily discussion and frequent writing, students explore a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature.
AMERICAN SHORT FICTION

This course explores contemporary American short fiction with a literary studies approach. Students explore a wealth of important pieces by a diverse selection of writers. Each week, students examine thematic pairings of short fiction with various critical methodologies (including gender studies, psychoanalytical criticism, formalism, new criticism, and biographical criticism). Students study and apply these critical methodologies through weekly roundtable discussions, presentations and written reflections. In examining these texts, students wrestle with current social issues and moral and ethical questions. In addition, students write analytical responses in the course of their study. Finally, they complete a passion project, which gives them the opportunity to explore a passion in greater depth while connecting that passion to the deeper research-based study of one text and social issue of their choosing. Passion projects have taken a number of different forms, from websites and films to short stories and artistic interpretations, and serve as a culminating assessment.
CREATIVE WRITING: PERSONAL NARRATIVE

This course explores and practices forms of non-fiction writing with an emphasis on personal narrative. Students start with the nuts and bolts of the writing craft, reading and discussing chapters from William Zinsser's On Writing Well in order to develop technique. Then in workshops and small groups, students share and discuss their nonfiction works and the works of their peers in an atmosphere that is supportive and challenging. Exercising listening and response skills is an essential part of the democratic workshop practice. Students read and analyze the works of published authors and also watch video clips of acclaimed authors discussing the writing process. Students learn to think and read like writers and, in so doing, are exposed to writing as a culture. The course intends to spark students’ creative passions. Some of the themes and topics developed include self-portrait, personal statement, humor, the experience of nature, daily routine, travel, family and local culture.
CREATIVE WRITING: POETRY AND SHORT FICTION

This creative writing workshop asks students to engage in the artistic practice of poetry and short fiction writing. Students, through creative explorations in voice and framing, will explore varied techniques, forms and traditions available to the working writer. Students receive and offer feedback on their writing in a workshop setting and produce chapbooks that reflect their personal interests and knowledge of creative approaches. This workshop ascribes to the burgeoning idea within literary studies of creative practice as research; thus, students scrutinize their work as both process and product, a method of creative and critical discourse that fosters both the imaginative ingenuity of the writer and the elements by which their works have been ultimately constructed.
CREATIVE WRITING: SCREENWRITING

Students in this course study narration as a mode of thought and mode of writing, principally through the genre of screenplays. By studying classic screenplays, students enhance their ability to read and understand the relationship between visual images and written/spoken language that is prevalent in much of our modern media. Students deepen this understanding by writing their own one-act screenplays. In exploring the process of screenwriting, students practice the art of storytelling and enhance their understanding of storytelling techniques such as character development, plotting and

sequencing. The writing workshop is an important methodology of the class; students’ own work is at the center of discussions employing the writer’s workshop. Students also work in groups to create a short film from one of their screenplays.
DIGITAL NARRATIVE

It's tempting to think of digital technology as the enemy of literature. In her trailblazing study Hamlet on the Holodeck, the media scholar Janet H. Murray argues quite the opposite: the computer is “the child of print culture,” a powerful representational medium of its own that promises to continue the evolution of storytelling and “reshape the spectrum of narrative expression.” In this course, students think about how the unique affordances of digital technology (e.g. its ability to create an inhabitable virtual world, or its ability to invite the participation of the “player”) allow for different modes of storytelling. What kinds of stories can we tell using digital technology that we wouldn't have been able to tell as effectively using the linear medium of print? In particular, we focus our attention on critical analysis of video games, a medium that is culturally significant, aesthetically complex, yet not often subjected to deep analytical scrutiny. How do games work as narrative artifacts? How do they use their unique form to convey philosophical or political ideas – about identity, human nature, social structures, violence, etc.? How might we extract meaning and insight from what they allow us to do and where they allow us to be? In the latter part of the course, students put these questions and ideas into practice by writing and coding their own interactive fiction project using the platform Twine.
ECO-LITERATURE

The world brims with remarkable experiences. Eco-Literature explores narratives, both real and fictional, that embrace the world’s beauty and complexities. These works feature expeditionists and humanitarians navigating extreme situations in the built and non-built environment: explorers braving Antarctica; communities fighting zombies; survivors overcoming disasters; and advocates taking action. Whether achieving notoriety for incredible accomplishments or withstanding impactful disasters, the narratives showcase human resilience and encourage students to contemplate the very real adventures awaiting them in the world. Eco-Literature focuses on the importance of communication, especially in unique or extreme situations, and the responsibilities we have to carefully use words in service to others. Through projects that include strategizing humanitarian information campaigns, designing infographics for public service announcements, and running mock disaster responses and press briefings, students in Eco-Literature will master a fundamental responsibility to use words meaningfully, answering: How do we best communicate in order to help those who need it most?
FILM THEORY AND METHOD

Over the past century, cinema arose as the dominant form of storytelling. This course explores the dominance of cinema through close attention to its history, its technical qualities and its thematic meanings. By discussing four major genres (Blockbuster, Experimental, Documentary and Animated), within units organized around dominant cinematic techniques (sound, cinematography, mise-en-scene and editing), students analyze film in order to generate arguments about what it means to be human. Students write short response papers in addition to two major writing projects: a film review; and, a research-based film analysis paper. Our guiding text is Jon Lewis’s Essential Cinema, and we read a wide variety of theoretical articles, including Laura Mulvey’s seminal “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” and excerpts from Gilberto Perez’s The Material Ghost.
SCIENCE FICTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE

What does it mean to be human? The Science Fiction genre both documents the complexity of this question, and shapes our perception of it. Whether it imagines the future, reimagines the present, or wields the apocalypse as social commentary, Science Fiction acts as a powerful medium to shape and change our current society. In this course, students learn to ask, and reflect on, tough questions about gender, race and politics, while engaging in sophisticated, skillful discourse and drafting creative and
analytical responses. In the end, students learn both practical and philosophical lessons from the texts in order to better prepare themselves to embrace our shared humanity.
VOICES FROM THE INSIDE

This course provides students with the means to think critically about an array of social issues related to mass incarceration. Through a study of fiction and non-fiction written from within and/or about prison, students explore various ways in which societies discipline their members, and how the values of society are reflected by their systems of discipline and rehabilitation. Students examine how race, class and gender relate to carceral systems by reading texts representing multiple voices and experiences.

Throughout the course, students produce a variety of modes of writing, ranging from analysis, to reflection, to research, as they explore the enduring centrality of the prison.
WORLD MYTHOLOGY

This course explores the enduring roles myths play in our lives from the reimagining of Classical myths for contemporary audiences to the modern myths like Batman. Students explore iterations of mythic figures, the viral nature of legends in the digital age, and the psychological forces that sustain myths, connecting classical allusions to present-day storytelling. Through discussion, composition, and creative projects, students analyze the myths forming around them today, and in which they may be participating, to reveal the timeless humanity embedded in storytelling.

“What we mean when speaking of 'myth' in general is story, the ability of story to explain ourselves to ourselves in ways that physics, philosophy, mathematics, chemistry—all very highly useful and informative in their own right—can't.” (Thomas C. Foster)
LITERARY THEORY

How is meaning created? What is language? How does it work? What happens when it doesn’t? Through an exploration of these seemingly obvious questions, students discover that the functioning of language and the world are precarious, structural, encoded, hegemonic, and beautiful. In their pursuit of method, students interrogate the core thinkers from the past 3,000 years and learn how to adopt and evolve their approaches. Central to this capstone course is the production of a substantial research paper, on a topic of the student’s choice, from the position of one school of literary theory.

Department Faculty

Jen Nero

Humanities Department Chair, History & Social Sciences Teacher

305-460-8871

Providence College - B.A.
Marquette University - M.A.

jnero@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
After serving as chair of the History and Social Sciences Department for 14 years, I became chair of the Humanities Department in 2019. My role is to lead the English, history and social sciences departments on the middle and upper school campuses. As a longtime faculty member, I continue to draw on my experience as a classroom teacher to develop our newly integrated department. I am also coordinator for RE’s 2021-22 SAIS accreditation. Before becoming an educator, I worked with at-risk youth from underserved communities. I earned my BA from Providence College, in my home state of Rhode Island, and an MA in political science from Marquette University.
Elisabeth Anderson

English Teacher

305-460-8866

Salve Regina University - B.A.

eganderson@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
After serving as a teacher, dorm head and coach – what the boarding school world knows as a “triple-threat” – at Kent School in Connecticut, I joined RE in 2018 to teach 9th- and 10th-grade English. Before Kent, I worked in the writing center at Salve Regina University, my alma mater, and taught English and was dorm head at the North American Hockey Academy in Vermont. I am pursuing a master’s degree in humanities at Wesleyan University, including by writing a collection of creative nonfiction and poetry. Although I identify as a consummate Vermonter, Miami’s tropical beauty just may have won me over.
Flavia Araripe

English Teacher

305-250-6895

Pontificia Unversidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro - B.A.
University of Texas - M.A.

fararipe@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I teach English 6 and English 8 in the middle school. Before moving to Miami, I taught at an American school in São Paulo, Brazil, and, before that, a school in Elgin, Ill. Seven years ago, my family and I decided to make Miami our home and, although we miss our friends and family in Brazil, we love South Florida! I have a BA from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin. I enjoy traveling, reading good books and cooking easy dishes with my two daughters and my husband.
JP Arrastía

MS Dean of Students, English Teacher

305-250-6843

Florida International University - B.A.
Nova Southeastern University - M.A.

jarrastia@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
At Ransom Everglades, I have taught every level of middle school English. I currently teach English 6 and English 8 and assist with the middle school track and field team. I am also the Middle School Dean of Student Activities, helping coordinate the many fun-filled activities and service learning opportunities. I also oversee our middle school house system, planning house competitions and ensuring moments of engagement and encouraging mentorship. My dream was always to be a teacher, and over two decades of teaching have gone by in the blink of an eye. I thoroughly enjoy bringing the English language to life for my students, connecting texts to their daily lives. Project-based learning plays an integral role in my classroom. A Miami native, I hold a BA from Florida International University and an MA in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. When I have free time, you can find me snorkeling, kayaking, camping or scuba diving with my wife and five beautiful daughters.
Kathryn Bufkin

Dan Leslie Bowden Teaching Chair in English

305-460-8822

University of Georgia - B.A.
University of Georgia - M.A.
University of South Carolina - Ph.D.

kabufkin@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
My greatest professional pleasure is when students recognize the progress in their writing at the end of the year. Before I came to Ransom Everglades in 2008, I taught at crosstown rival Gulliver Prep, Winthrop University in South Carolina, and Kobe College (Kobe Jogakuin Daigaku), a women’s college in Japan. I hold bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia, and I was in Athens during the glory years of early R.E.M. I earned a PhD in 19th-century American literature and composition theory/rhetoric at the University of South Carolina. My interests include reading, cycling, supporting the Miami Dolphins and Georgia Bulldogs, playing pool and, to the amusement of my students, collecting stamps.
Karina Buhler

MS Dean of Community Engagement & Multicultural Affairs, English Teacher

305-250-4218

Barnard College - B.A.

kbuhler@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
After serving RE in 2019 as a substitute English and chemistry teacher, I joined full time last year as an English teacher and a volleyball coach. Before joining RE, I was a trainer at the Posse Foundation in Miami, a STEM teacher at the Bridge Golf Foundation in New York City and a math and science mentor at Frost Science in Miami. I also conducted paleoecological research for the Earth Institute, Columbia University. I hold a BA in environmental science and psychology from Barnard College of Columbia University. When I am not teaching, you can find me baking, reading, traveling or hiking in the Everglades.
Victoria Castells

English Teacher

305-250-4522

Duke University - B.A.
McNeese State University - M.A.
McNeese State University - M.Fa.

VCastells@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I am so happy to be teaching middle school English at Ransom Everglades. I love discussions on anything literature-related and believe there is nothing better than receiving recommendations on great new books and poems. Previously, I have taught English Composition at Miami Dade College and Creative Writing at Miami Arts Charter School. I hold a BA in English from Duke University and an MFA in Creative Writing and MA in English from McNeese State University. My first book of poems, The Rivers Are Inside Our Homes, has recently been published by Notre Dame University Press. In my free time, I like watching superhero movies, college basketball, spacewalks on NASA livestreams, and the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Julia Clarke

English Teacher

305-460-7968

University of Florida - B.A.
Stony Brook University - Ph.D.

JClarke@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
At Ransom Everglades, I teach upper school English and assist with the yearbook. I lived and worked in New England and New York for over a decade, but the sunshine state is a familiar place: I grew up in Tallahassee and earned my BA from the University of Florida. Most recently, I was an editor for a Manhattan-based advertising agency and taught literature courses in the evenings at Fairfield University; before that, I taught English and ran the yearbook at a boarding school in Connecticut. I received my PhD in English from Stony Brook University, and throughout the program, I found my passion for teaching at both Stony Brook and Lehman College in the Bronx. I am looking forward to being in the classroom again full time. When I'm not gushing about Dickens and the Brontes, I am on a whale watch checking out humpbacks or watching Tiktoks of various breaching whales. I am also a runner, Peloton apologist, podcast consumer, cinephile, huge fan of contemporary fiction and avid traveler – I hope to return to my birthplace in Australia soon.
Addie Eliades

English Teacher

305-460-2116

University of Virginia - B.A.
University of Houston - M.F.A.

aeliades@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I am thrilled to teach ninth- and tenth-grade English at Ransom Everglades. Celebrating the ideas, perspectives, and abilities that students bring to discussions and their writing is, to me, one of the most rewarding aspects of the classroom experience. In my most recent past, I taught eighth-grade English in Houston, Texas, and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Literature on an Inprint C. Glenn Cambor Fellowship at the University of Houston while teaching college rhetoric and composition as well as creative writing. Previously, I was a Fulbright Fellow teaching English in Brazil and I received the Rachel St. Paul Poetry Prize at the University of Virginia, my undergraduate alma mater. Additionally, I have worked as a poetry teacher and camp counselor at the UVA Young Writers Workshop summer intensive program. Literature aside, I enjoy singing, dancing, theatre, tennis, and art museums.
Shaida Escoffery Whitley

Dean of the Eighth Grade, English Teacher

305-250-4540

University of Miami - B.A.
New York University - M.A.

sewhitley@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
Literature is a window into the human experience. That’s what I love experiencing with my students everyday at Ransom Everglades Middle School. I previously taught at RE's upper school and currently teach freshman writing courses and Introduction to Humanities at Florida International University. Before working at RE, I taught middle school at a charter school in Miami-Dade County. I am a first generation American of Jamaican descent and originally from Brooklyn, N.Y.. I graduated from the University of Miami (Proud ‘Cane) in 2014 with a BA in Creative Writing and Religious Studies and earned an MA in Africana Studies with a concentration in African-American Literature from New York University. Outside of academia, I love spending time with my husband, writing, singing and traveling.
Matthew Helmers

US English Department Coordinator

305-460-8229

Arizona State University - B.A.
University of Manchester, UK - M.A.
University of Manchester, UK - Ph.D.

mhelmers@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I am the upper school English department coordinator, leading a team of incredible academics in the design and delivery of our world-class curriculum. I teach AP English, Advanced American Studies and electives in literary theory, sexuality studies, and horror. Previously, I was the Master Mentor at BASIS Scottsdale and a lecturer at several universities. I also was the assistant director for an outdoor recreation center, where, for two years, I taught communication styles, wilderness skills, fire-spinning, axe-throwing and bracelet-making. I earned BAs from Arizona State University, then a master’s and a Ph.D. from the University of Manchester in English and American Studies. I serve on the editorial board for English Leadership Quarterly, recently published an article on RE’s approach to Shakespeare, have two other articles forthcoming in English Journal, and will be presenting at the upcoming National Council of Teachers of English annual conference. I am an improv performer, an avid gamer, a lifelong Star Wars fan and a coffee devotee. My favorite dinosaur is the triceratops.
Christina Iglesias

College Counseling Writing Specialist, English Teacher

305-460-7949

University of Florida - B.A.
Columbia University - M.A.
Columbia University - Ph.D.

ciglesias@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I'm overjoyed to bring my experience as a writing instructor, independent college counselor and humanities teacher to Ransom Everglades in my hometown of Miami. Prior to my arrival at RE, I taught writing, composition and literature courses at Columbia University, where I earned a PhD in English and Comparative Literature. I also spent several years serving as a book editor, writing coach and independent college counselor, assisting students with college selection and essay development. Prior to my time at Columbia, I earned a BA in English with minors in Classics and Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Florida. I graduated from Lourdes Academy here in Miami, where I now live with my husband and two boys. In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano and growing orchids.
Vanessa Lopez

Dean of the Seventh Grade, English Teacher

305-250-6842

Universidad Complutense de Madrid - B.A.
University of Miami - M.Ed.

vlopez@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I am a proud English teacher with a diverse educational background and a passion for fostering inclusive learning environments. My journey in education began as an AmeriCorps member in City Year Miami, where I discovered my dedication to supporting students and educators. I have worked in various educational settings, striving to create engaging experiences that nurture creativity and kindness. Growing up in Miami and living in Spain for a decade, I earned a BA in Foreign Languages (English) from Universidad Complutense de Madrid and a master's degree in Special Education from the University of Miami. Currently pursuing a PhD in Teaching and Learning with a focus on Special Education, I am actively involved as a research assistant, working with foster youth to ensure their successful transition to higher education. Additionally, I serve as the sixth-grade English section leader, the Dean of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs, and the Chair of the Middle School Committee of Community Engagement, all of which enable me to actively contribute to developing our thriving educational community. Beyond my professional endeavors, I cherish time with my family and friends and enjoy outdoor activities near water and trees. With a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, I am dedicated to creating a transformative learning environment for all students to flourish and succeed.
Matt Margini

English Teacher

305-460-4348

New York University - B.A.
Columbia University - M.A.
Columbia University - Ph.D.

mmargini@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
After receiving my PhD in English and comparative literature from Columbia University, I joined RE in 2018. As a humanities teacher and the advisor to The Catalyst, RE’s student newspaper, I help students develop writing skills and habits of mind to navigate the complex 21st-century media ecosystem. I believe that thinking critically about your media diet sets you free, no matter what you consume. I have a particular passion for analyzing video games, which I explored most recently in a book-length critical study of Red Dead Redemption, and I have written essays for such publications as The New Yorker and The Atlantic. I am also a devout LEGO aficionado, obsessed with building places from my hometown, New York City. I live with my partner, Christina, and two young sons, Raymond and Nicholas.
Brian Mensinger

English Teacher

305-460-2111

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - B.A.
Northwestern University - M.A.

bmensinger@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
Called to the intellectual shores of this one-of-a-kind campus, I arrived at RE delighted to teach upper school English and Humanities, including three classes of Forms of Literature and one of Advanced American Studies. Might we pause to catch our breath for a few moments in this AI-besieged age to honor prose, verse, and drama of indisputable authenticity and merit? I facilitate language arts inspiration through such works and a curriculum tailored to student growth. My home-state educational tour began with a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and continued with a MA in Literature from Northwestern University. After 14 years of teaching in the Arizona desert - deciphering wordplay from Beowulf to Bob Dylan - I am enjoying this literary journey by the bay!
Kira Morgan

English Teacher, Visual Arts Teacher

305-460-8882

Wheaton College - B.A.
University of Bath - M.A.

kmorgan@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
After 15 years abroad, I am enjoying my work in the RE Humanities Department teaching upper school English while contributing after school to the aquatics program. I previously taught classes in the International Baccalaureate program for grades 9-12 and coached swimming at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, the American School of Doha, Cairo American College and Vermont Academy. I earned my BA from Wheaton College, and an MA from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom. A New England native and the child of teachers, I grew up as a “fac brat” in a New Hampshire boarding school. This offered an idyllic childhood rich in foursquare, influenced my teaching pedagogy and community ideals, and - for better or worse - established a lifelong love of the Red Sox.
Corinne Rhyner

Teacher

305-460-8800

George Washington University - B.A.
Georgia State University - M.A.
Georgia State University - Ph.D.

crhyner@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I am thrilled to teach American Literary Movements and American Short Fiction and Creative Writing: Personal Narrative and Screenwriting. In previous years, I served as English Department Coordinator and taught world literature. I have also taught at St. Mark’s School in Massachusetts, the Kenston Forest School in Virginia and Georgia State University. I have a PhD in American 19th- and 20th-century women’s fiction and an MA in rhetoric and composition, both from Georgia State, and a BA from George Washington University. I rowed in school and later coached rowing, and when I am not reading or writing, I love to enjoy the bay with my family.
Alex Rodriguez

English Teacher

305-250-4209

Florida International University - B.A.

arodriguez@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
As a teacher of English 7 and English 8 in the Humanities Department at Ransom Everglades, I enjoy diving into the classics and taking an innovative approach to the subject matter. Prior to my time at RE, I wore many hats as an educator. I spent 10 years at Miami Arts Studio, initially serving as the lead broadcasting and photography magnet teacher before transitioning to my first love, language arts. During the latter half of my tenure, I taught freshman English while continuing to pursue my passion for photography. I hold a BA in English with a minor in education from Florida International University. In my off time, you can find me soaking up great films or working on creative photography projects.
Jody Salzinger

MS English Department Coordinator

305-250-6863

Brandeis University - B.A.
Columbia University - M.A.

jsalzinger@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I have taught English at RE for 13 years, and I am the Middle School English Department Coordinator, assisting colleagues to create and provide a comprehensive and enriching curriculum. I have been a classroom teacher for more than three decades, beginning in New York City at the Fleming School and Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School. I moved to Florida in 2006 and enrolled my daughter Julie ’13 in Ransom Everglades. Upon witnessing the wonderful programs, terrific teachers and impressive students, I chose to become a more integral part of the community and joined the faculty in 2010. I hold a BA from Brandeis University and an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University. I am the proud parent of Julie, who lives in Boston, and a son who lives in New Jersey with his wife and my two grandchildren.
Adam Schachner

English Teacher

305-460-8213

University of Miami - B.A.
Florida International University - M.P.A.

aschachner@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
Miami is my birthplace and I am an enthusiast, even when stuck in traffic. Teaching ninth-grade Forms of Literature, as well as mythology and adventure electives, as a member of the Ransom Everglades English faculty is a culmination of my Miami upbringing. I have taught high school language arts for almost two decades, following a double major in English and Secondary Education from the University of Miami. I also earned master's degrees from Florida International University, first in Public Administration and then in Emergency Management, both supporting my interests in service learning, community resilience and civic engagement. Outside the classroom, I am likely riding my bicycle, walking my dog, baking cookies (and accepting kitchen challenges if you have a recommendation), video gaming and kayaking with my wife. My favorite color is purple and I've been told my "Patronus" animal is a sea otter.
Teagan Thompson

English Teacher

305-460-8809

Drew University - B.A.

tthompson@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
I am thrilled to work alongside the incredible faculty and staff at Ransom Everglades as an English teacher in the Humanities Department. I first discovered my passion for serving as an educator after working at my alma mater, Phillips Academy Andover, for multiple summers in various roles, including teaching assistant, basketball coach, and house counselor. This passion led me to Ransom Everglades, where I served as a teaching fellow from 2022-24, teaching both English and a history elective. Currently, I am continuing my education and pursuing an MBA with a minor in sports nutrition. Some of my additional interests, besides being immersed in literature, include personal training, convincing people that Kentucky has the strongest program in men’s basketball, and teaching Sunday school at my local church.
Samuel Upton

English Teacher

305-250-6879

Dartmouth College - B.A.
University of Michigan - M.A.

supton@ransomeverglades.org
Bio
This is my fifth year at Ransom Everglades, and I teach seventh-grade English and U.S. History and help coach the soccer and lacrosse programs. Previously, I taught ninth-grade English at Thurston High School in Redford, Mich., not far from Detroit. I have a BA from Dartmouth College and an MA in Education from the University of Michigan. While the Great Lakes State is where I was born and raised, I am happy to call Coconut Grove my home and I am thrilled to be part of this wonderful school community.

Select a School Level and Department

School Level

Department

Middle School

2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Phone: 305 250 6850

Upper School

3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Phone: 305 460 8800

Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.