Sherwood Has New Goals for Academic Cultural Proficiency

by Josh Averbach ‘18 Mirroring MCPS’s goal to reduce the achievement gap, Sherwood has begun the year with a renewed focus on goals similar to those presented by Superintendent Jack Smith. Every year, Sherwood’s administration creates a document called a School Improvement Plan (SIP) that summarizes the school’s main objectives and the measures that will be taken to meet these … Read More

Magnet Programs Under Fire for Racial Disparities

by Katherine Sperduto ‘19 Critics of Montgomery County’s selective magnet programs are demanding reforms that will increase the numbers of black and Hispanic students. The controversy over the programs comes after a report published in March and delivered to the MCPS Board of Education concluded, “There are significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in the enrollment and acceptance rates to academically … Read More

Technology’s Role in Schooling Expands

by Shawn Yaftali ‘17 This school year, most of the English teachers have been given their own cart of Google Chromebooks, low-cost laptop and tablet hybrids, to enhance learning. Yet, the Chromebooks have received mixed feelings from students in the past. For instance, during PARCC testing, test-takers complained that the devices were a hassle to use and a waste of … Read More

Student Successfully Transitions from Homeschooling to Life in Public School

by Lexi Matthews ‘18 Three summers ago, instead of doing something fun, she was enrolled in online college literature classes, read the classics for fun, and dabbled in art history on the side. Was 12 year-old Shay Johnson crazy? A genius? Or simply living the life of the typical homeschooler? Johnson, now a sophomore, never thought much of her unorthodox … Read More

Dual Enrollment Lets Students Get an Early Start on College

by Lucy Kuchma ‘18 Within the last decade, several alternative learning opportunities have emerged as more efficient, practical ways of teaching students outside of the traditional classroom setting. The 21st century has seen the emergence of online schools, wholly dedicated to giving students a complete education without ever requiring them to step out their front door. With the growing popularity … Read More

NC Program Allows Gifted Students To Start College Early

by Josh Averbach ‘18 High school students at Sherwood and across the country work exceedingly hard to position themselves well for college applications. This is not new news. A group of gifted students in North Carolina, however, have put themselves in another stratosphere of academic rigor. These students attend the Early College at Guilford College, which US News recently ranked … Read More

Firsthand Account of Sherwood vs. Good Counsel

by Amanda Allen ‘17 Every morning, many Sherwood students drive past Good Counsel, wondering what everyday life is like at that school on the hill. Well, I went there for a year and may have your answer. The pretty, newly built private school of Our Lady of Good Counsel, built in its current location of Olney in 2008, was a big … Read More

Suicide Squad Fails to Satisfy Monumental Expectations

By Lexi Paidas Comic book fans flocked to theatres at the beginning of this August in anticipation of “Suicide Squad,” based on the DC comic book of the same name. The film is the latest in a line of “anti­superhero” movies, following the likes of “Deadpool,” “Ant­Man,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” While certain aspects of the film were engaging, the rushed nature of the plot prevented the movie from living up to fans’ colossal expectations. “Suicide Squad” takes place in a world the same as our own in all ways except that the existence of superhumans is fairly well­known. Its star­studded cast members, including Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Cara Delevingne, and Viola Davis, portray a team of supervillains turned heroes who must save the world from a powerful witch. This classic setup for DC and Marvel movies usually works well, but its positive aspects surprisingly did not lend themselves to “Suicide Squad.” The plot would have been phenomenal, just like the comic books, but the rapidly stated backstory and context made it hard to connect to characters and made it feel stretched out, leaving room only for rushed, minor and predictable character development. The Joker, a classic supervillain and one of Batman’s nemesis’, is played by Jared Leto. Leto has big shoes to fill as former versions of the iconic villain have been played by big names such as Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson. Leto gives it a good try, but his breathy “joker voice” makes nearly everything he says incomprehensible. His attempts at coming off creepy fall flat and are even laughable. Leto’s counterpart, Margot Robbie, who plays Harley Quinn, outshines him. The native Australian pulls off a flawless Boston accent and is the main source of comic relief throughout the movie. Quinn is no damsel in distress, and Robbie portrays her perfectly as a kooky and lovable character who simultaneously kicks butt and wreaks chaos. The relationship between Quinn and the Joker invoked some controversy from viewers. The Joker mistreats Quinn and is even the cause of her shift from ordinary psychologist to a mentally imbalanced villain. Some fans are outraged by the film’s  romanticization of  the abusive relationship between the two characters. Others claim that the destructive relationship adds to the film and that it helps to express the personalities and attitudes of the characters involved. The soundtrack features classic songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” reimagined by current artists like Panic! At the Disco. This method of creating the music enables the soundtrack to fit the contemporary feel of the movie and gives the film ample spunk. The familiar music also makes the slow parts of the movie better able to capture the viewer’s attention, but unfortunately is not enough  for “Suicide Squad”  to measure up to the superior quality of the many previous comic­inspired movies

Teachers Concerned About New Grading Policy

by Isabella Pilot ’18 Classrooms in Montgomery County have been buzzing this spring following the release of the county’s new grading system. Following the decision to eliminate semester exams, the Board of Education was faced with another decision regarding the calculation of semester grades. The changes to the grading table are as follows, with the first quarter grade listed first … Read More

Are We Safe?

by Mallory Carlson ’19 and Katherine Sperduto ’19 Everyone knows the routine. First, students groan, continuing to stare blankly at the board, only now in the dark. Then, at the instruction of a voice over the loudspeaker, lessons stop and kids get a few minutes of silent smiles and a few fast snapchats as everyone huddles in a corner. These … Read More