By Meagan Barrett ‘15 It’s become the new routine: each year, students are sat down in front of computers and anonymously asked some 20 questions about how they feel about their school, their life and their future. Gallup Education Practice, an organization whose purpose is to assist schools in finding ways to drive student success, has planned to distribute the … Read More
By Mandy Stussman ‘14 November 28 Newly discovered comet ISON will make its closest approach to the Sun on November 28. If the comet survives its encounter with the Sun, it could be one of the brightest comets in recent memory, and will be visible in the early morning and early evening sky. Some astronomers are already calling it the … Read More
By Catherine Jou ’15 “Ender’s Game” gives an ethereal sense to the viewer of wanting to be immersed into space. Writer-director Gavin Hood allows for the film, based on Orson Scott Card’s 1985 novel, of the same name, to be more than just an action flick for teenage boys. Hood explores the ethics of war through the emotional and psychological … Read More
By Tom Lee ‘14 As the U.S. government went into shutdown mode from October 1 to October 17, many people were left wondering why Congress had failed to enact legislation that would appropriate funds for the 2014 fiscal year. Whether it is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) or a divided Congress, there are many reasons as to … Read More
By Taylor Fernandes ‘14 A new elective offered at Sherwood this year, Astronomy is the obvious choice for students with any interest in learning about space. The Astronomy course gives students a chance to voice what they want to learn. “I get to decide what to teach, when to teach it, and how to teach it,” said science teacher Glenn … Read More
by Steffani Carerra ‘14 Based on criteria including standardized test scores, MCPS is regarded as an exceptional school system compared to the national average; it sets a high standard for student achievement by expecting higher scores. Yet, there is a startling disparity when it comes to student performance among MCPS schools, revealed through the 2013 test scores of SAT/ACT standardized … Read More
By Kyle Melnick ‘14 and Whitney-Marie Halaby ‘14 Sports Benefit Students On and Off the Field Amanda Ripley of The Atlantic magazine wants to deemphasize the role of sports in high school so less money and time are spent on them and presumably so fewer students participate in sports. She claims they are a distraction and negatively affect both student-athletes’ and … Read More
By Katie Mercogliano ‘14 The gap in academic achievement between high and low-income students is still problematic for MCPS and other school districts in the country. Granted, Maryland is ranked number one in progress for low-income students in 2013, according to “The New State Achievement Gap” report, but an alarming number of MCPS students in the lower section of the … Read More
By Jenni Kenel ‘14 The film “The Hunger Games” came out in March 2012, and while many fans are anticipating the thrilling sequel that is released on November 22, directors/writers Jason Freidberg and Aaron Seltzer, who teamed together for “Vampires Suck,” “Epic Movie,” “Disaster Movie” and “Meet the Spartans,” have yet again morphed a beloved blockbuster into a spoof. “The … Read More
In recent years, it has become routine for students to memorize facts and be assessed immediately. Students memorize events for history courses, equations for math courses and vocabulary for English and foreign language courses in order to maintain their grades. Students likely are divided on this approach to learning. While some credit their strong memories for allowing them to memorize … Read More