The 2021-2022 school year marks Upper School English Teacher Mrs. Check’s fourth year at MICDS, completing her first full rotation of students from freshman to senior year. 

Mrs. Check began teaching at MICDS in 2018, moving back to the St. Louis area from Arizona, where she taught ninth grade English. As a new member of the Upper School English faculty, Mrs. Check continued teaching sections of ninth grade English, and also took on sections of first semester eleventh grade American Literature classes and second semester Literature of the South and Southwest classes. 

When asked what she enjoys most about the classes she teaches, she responded, “I think that the class where I’ve learned the most about myself and what’s possible in the realm of the literary arts is the 11th grade classes. I designed this iteration of literature of the South and literature of the Southwest. So those are Courtney Check originals. Each one of those texts that I teach in those classes I had to read and start lesson planning from scratch.” 

Continuing, she explained the meaning behind getting to work with her students and interact with them both as a teacher and learner, saying “I’m so excited because when I say to those classes ‘Hey, I’m not really sure here–how do we want to attack this particular thematic concern?’ We collectively have a lot to learn, because I have not exhausted my learning for those books.” 

Mrs. Check also noted the significance of consistency of texts in the guidance of freshmen new to the Upper School, saying “Conversely, with Team 9 literature, I have been teaching Lord of the Flies for twelve years in a row. I know it so well that I can help them notice more nuance and become deeper readers. Every single year that we read Lord of the Flies, I’m still so excited. I could probably recite chapters of that book nearly word-for-word, but I love it. I think it has depth. It’s beautiful, it has cool themes. I don’t have to manufacture joy and excitement in order to teach books like that.” 

One of Mrs. Check’s favorite aspects about the MICDS community is the advisory program. The members of the Class of 2022, now in their senior year, began new to Upper School as freshman the same year that Mrs. Check began teaching at MICDS. 

When asked about her advisory, Mrs. Check responded, “Four years later, I absolutely adore those young people I am working with in Check advisory. I could not be prouder of them. They inherently listen to each other and care for each other. “

Paige Hayes ‘22, a member of the Check Advisory commented that “Her leadership in advisory has allowed us to bond with each other and become better friends.”

Mrs. Check is reluctant to see them leave MICDS and go on their respective journeys following high school, but she is excited to see all they accomplish in the years to come, as well as meeting her next group of advisees from the Class of 2026.