More Than a School, It's a Community.
Frequently Asked Questions
for Speech and Drama
Q: I’m thinking about my elective choices; what is Speech and Drama like as an elective class?
A: If you are wanting to see some of our work in 7th and 8th grade Speech and Drama, you can check out the posts on the website link. Our units of study include Ensemble, Actor Tools, Technical Theatre, Special Topics in Theatre, and Speech. Students have monologues and speech events as end-of-quarter assessments.
Q: Can I do Drama Club even if I am not in class?
A: Drama Club is available to ALL 7th and 8th grade students. It starts in September and ends with a performance at the end of Catholic Schools Week. See the “Drama Club” tab under “Clubs, Sports, and Activities/Extra-Curricular Activities” for more information about Drama Club.
Q: Can I do Speech Team even if I am not in class?
A: Speech Team is available to ALL 6th-8th grade students. It starts in February and ends after our speech meets in April and early May. Students who want to start working on Speech events early should set an appointment with Mrs. Martinez. Please visit the “Speech Team/Forensics” tab under “Clubs, Sports, and Activities/Academic Competition” for more information about Speech.
Q: Can I do class, Drama Club, AND Speech Team?
A: Yes!
Q: Do all fifth and sixth graders take Speech and Drama?
A: Yes. All fifth and sixth graders have Speech and Drama class once a week all year as a special in their homerooms.
Q: Do all seventh and eighth graders take Speech and Drama?
A: No. Seventh and eighth graders can choose Speech and Drama as an elective class. It meets four times a week and is a semester-long class.
Q: Is Speech and Drama a new class?
A: Yes! Speech and Drama as a special for fifth and sixth and as an elective for seventh and eighth grades is new for the 2023-24 school year. Drama Club and Speech Team have been clubs at SPSL for many years.
I earned my BA in Secondary Education (Speech/Theatre) from UNO and an additional teaching endorsement in Language Arts from the College of Saint Mary. This is my sixteenth year of teaching at SPSL, including two years substitute teaching. I have taught seventh grade Literature, English, Vocabulary, Geography, and Religion as well as sixth grade Religion, Guided Reading, and Skills. This year I am thrilled to be able to share my passion for theatre in a new class: 5th-8th grade Drama and Speech class!
