❋ A Writing Program for Classical High Schools
Now seeking an incubator school for 2027.High school students don’t need more writing classes.
They need more writing coaches.
The 12-Paper Plunge turns humanities teachers into excellent writing coaches.
The 12-Paper Plunge is a curriculum-free writing program that aims to get high school students writing at a college level by the end of a 12-paper cycle.
BENEFITS FOR SCHOOLS:
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Get your students writing again.
Push critical thinking through integration with the humanities.
Establish school wide writing standards.
Make results trackable and measurable.
Create accountability for teachers and students.
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Practical professional development training will make assigning and grading papers easier and less work.
Your 9th and 10th grade teachers will be relieved of teaching writing entirely and will not have to find a way to make up for up eight years of missed grammar.
Collaboration and communication among faculty will mean less work for everyone.
Teachers will be given proven strategies that combat student use of A.I. (beyond Blue Books!)
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Students will be given clear goals.
Expectations will be communicated clearly across courses.
Consistency in grading practices will lead to rapid improvement.
Frequency and repetition will reinforce learning.
Students will be given many attempts to get it right and will see clearly their own progress toward the end goal!
Treat it like a sportThe 12-Paper Plunge turns every humanities class into a writing gym so your students can get their reps in!
Component 1: Student Instruction
The 12-Paper Plunge includes only four hours of video-based writing instruction for students, teaching skills that are easy to learn but difficult to master. Students retain access to the videos until they’ve written all twelve papers.
Learn the story behind The 12-Paper Plunge!
What students are saying about the 12-Paper Plunge:
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I really love how this program has made me able to write about things that interest me fluently and with a level of clarity that is surprising even to me!
Marie, 9th grade
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I think that this program is a great program and I truly believe that it is helping me!
Margaret, 10th grade
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The videos were pretty good, and engaging. Good job of tying in real world examples and making it feel like you were really going to need the content.
Eli, 10th grade
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..having specific steps to follow as a guide is extremely helpful! This course absolutely provided that for me and I was truly grateful...
Isabel G., 10th grade
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I have always preferred creative writing, but this program increased my interest in being able to write a good essay.
Caroline, 10th grade
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These instruction tutorials were very helpful...Thank you for creating a clear, easy to use, and efficient way to learn a complex principle. I look on future writing assignments with a greater confidence and understanding....
Mary Joy, 10th grade
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Too many papers.
Isaiah, 10th grade
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It's more work but easier in a way.
Analise, 9th grade
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Tortilla chips.
Miles, 9th grade
Component 2: Teacher Training
This is the professional development training all humanities teachers need, that schools rarely if ever provide, and without which no student can succeed (because there is no definition of success).
Grading papers is one of the most laborious and time-consuming tasks that teachers have to do, and with the advent of ChatGPT, it’s now one of the most futile. It’s no wonder teachers assign multiple choice tests and group projects instead.
And the poor students! They have to figure out what each teacher is “looking for.”
If you want your teachers to start assigning essays again, you must provide them with practical training on how to do it efficiently and effectively.
And if you want your students to take writing seriously, your school has to get serious about writing.
What teachers are saying about The 12-Paper Plunge:
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Julia Edwards, English Instructor, Sacred Heart Academy, Greenville, SC, 2025
"I've been writing (and teaching writing) for a long time but Ms. Finnigan made explicit so many things I've done intuitively or didn't know how to explain. [This program] is very detailed and goes step by step, so the process becomes very concrete -- such a rarity in writing instruction. Highly recommend!"
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Mr. Brown, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, Denver, CO, 2025
"I am not captain English by any means whatsoever so having this program informed by years of experience was desperately needed. It took a process that students get stuck in and straightens it out with elegance. I personally found it invaluable."
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Ms. Grant, Head of Writing Department, Our Lady of Victory, Littleton, CO, 2024
“I was hesitant about the writing program at first, but I feel genuinely confident in my ability to use your program in my classes so that the students will know exactly what is expected of them and become stronger writers. The videos were engaging, the steps make sense and feel seriously thorough, and the rubric tools are a lifesaver.”
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Ms. Cutrell, Instructor of Philosophy and Theology, Our Lady of Victory, Littleton, CO, 2024
“…it was excellent training. The videos were clear and enjoyable and the website was easily navigable. I appreciated the chance to write my own paper (even in the midst of many tasks I have to do) because it gave me the chance to really enter into the process and see for myself that it not only worked but worked really well.”
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Mrs. Reuter, Instructor of History and Philosophy, Our Lady of Victory, Littleton, CO, 2024
“I honestly loved the videos and getting to do a bit of reading, analyzing, and writing as a student again. I loved getting to meet [Ms. Finnigan] during the live training!”
Component 3: Grammar Program
Most high school students need a solid review of grammar, but even if high school teachers did have the time to teach it (and they don’t), the students all have different gaps in learning, so a “one size fits all” approach doesn’t make sense.
Luckily, high school students are more than capable of taking responsibility for their own learning.
All they need is a) the resources, b) the time (which teachers can make), and c) the accountability. The Teach to the Text grammar program allows high school students to identify gaps in learning on their own and do a basic review of grammar, usage, and mechanics on their own.
It expands or contracts depending on how much review the student needs. If they’re good on grammar, it will be a breeze. If they are way behind, it will expand to give them a very thorough review. Teachers may decide to exempt certain students from certain writing assignments, and ask them to use the time to work on grammar instead.
Best of all, it is designed with the 12-Paper Plunge in mind and correlates with grading methods. So your teachers will always know what to expect of each student: where to set the bar and when to raise it!
Sometimes students have gaps in knowledge through no fault of their own, but high school teachers can’t be expected to make up for lost time. The 12-Paper Plunge gives students everything they need to get their writing “up to snuff” — on their own time!
It’s time to get a grip on grammar. No more excuses!
Schools that took The 12-Paper Plunge:
How The 12PP Works
On-boarding of teachers and students usually happens according to the schedule on the right. Teachers do their training over the summer (or between semesters).
Students then watch the instructional videos when the semester begins, and the teachers start assigning the required assignments, modifying them to fit their classes. Teachers finish up a few more hours of training at key junctures, as the students are going through the program.
Ms. Finnigan provides ongoing support and consulting remotely throughout the duration of the program. If you want Ms. Finnigan to not only train your teachers and students, but implement this program in your school from start to finish, apply below to be our incubator school.
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Application deadline
Stakeholder meetings
Program scheduling
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Deposit due
Faculty enrollment
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Faculty self-paced training to be completed by end of month
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Live professional development training for participating faculty (3-4 hours)
Balance due
Students enrolled
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Writing instruction videos are assigned by teachers
Participating faculty and students complete the 12-Paper Plunge academic school year program
Teachers receive 3-4 more hours of training as phases of program are completed
SEEKING ONE INCUBATOR SCHOOL IN 2027
The ideal high school will be:
classical
well-established
academically rigorous
with bold and creative leadership
ready to get serious about writing
More about the incubator program
Ms. Finnigan is taking The 12-Paper Plunge to the next level, working to improve deliverability, implementation and accountability. She is looking for an incubator school to be her workshop! The incubator school would be willing to hire her as a Writing Specialist in an administrative capacity to personally implement and carry out The 12-Paper Plunge in their school over the course of 2-4 semesters.
The incubator school would get:
full access to her writing instruction for the entire student body (grades 9-12);
professional development training for all humanities teachers;
access to the grammar program for the entire student body;
ongoing coaching, mentorship, and support for both teachers and students for the duration of incubation.
the chance to test new products that are coming down the pipeline
significantly discounted pricing on future work products that come as the result of the incubative collaboration forevermore.
The goal would be to leave the incubator school with a fully integrated, school-wide writing program, based on Ms. Finnigan’s time-tested, proven methodologies, as well as the tools to keep the system in place and working for your school long after she’s gone. Compensation is negotiable.
Apply Today
for the Standard Program or the 2027 Incubator Program
Not ready to “take the plunge”?
Subscribe to receive my series of ten emails, “Writing Solutions for Schools”.
(Also available as a mini podcast.)
The series is based on a presentation I gave at the National Hybrid Schools Conference in April 2026 called “Blue Books: A Better Way for Students to Write Really Bad Essays.” I share best practices for “fighting robots” in the classroom. You’ll also learn more about the 12-Paper Plunge and how it can help your school to combat student use of A.I. when it comes to writing.
