Dunn Named Finalist for Teacher of the Year

by Tanya Marques ‘23

MCPS recently announced the three finalists for its annual Teacher of the Year, and Sherwood’s own Johnathan Dunn is one of them. For the past nine years, Dunn has taught chorus, piano, and various other classes in the music department. Outside of the educational environment, Dunn volunteers at numerous community events and serves as a leader in music ministry and worship.

“After Montgomery County Public Schools officially announced its finalists, I’ve been in shock, and to say that I’m grateful would be an understatement,” said Dunn. “To my Sherwood students from today, to those at SHS and schools from years’ past, I thank you! Thank you for the lessons you’ve taught me and the opportunities you’ve given me to grow into the communicator/educator/school leader I am today. To Mr. Timothy Britton and every principal that ever gave me the opportunity to work in their building and support their students/families, I thank you! To my current family, the greater Sherwood community, I thank you for accepting me and giving me the opportunity to be a presence in our music department and school.”

Dunn is a passionate educator who genuinely cares about his students as he actively listens to their ideas allowing them to express themselves and find joy in music despite their differences. Through numerous shared experiences, students tell how Dunn has improved their lives and how he has supported his students.

Maryland Republicans Push School Bill

by Bryan Kim ‘23

In late February, a Maryland Republican sponsored bill, MD HB1287, regarding curriculum transparency in primary and secondary schooling failed to pass, largely along party lines. The bill aimed to require all public school districts to provide certain information regarding curricula and instructional materials to the public beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. Parent empowerment in education has become a recent conservative rallying cry throughout the nation, causing many republican controlled states to put similar laws requiring curriculum transparency in place, most notably Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. Despite this initial setback, Maryland Republican lawmakers have continued to push for the bill, as a house hearing regarding the bill took place on March 10.

The bill is unclear on how much information school districts should be providing regarding curricula and instruction materials. For example, MCPS already has been providing curriculum overviews with unit summaries and instruction materials for every class from Kindergarten through 12th grade on the MCPS website. If parents were looking for what a student might learn in a specific MCPS English course, for instance, they would be able to find information including course books, topic summaries, themes, and objectives in the curriculum overviews on the website.

Senate Proposes Permanent Daylight Savings

by Matt Kauffman ‘23

On March 15, the Senate passed a measure that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the country. The bill, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, garnered unanimous support in the Senate but awaits committee investigation and approval in the House. After surprisingly seamless approval by the Senate, the bill has hit a snag as several house representatives are beginning to question the benefits of the proposed law. The bill, if passed, would be implemented in November of 2023, a delay that was requested by the transportation industry in order to adjust scheduling, according to Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). The Biden administration is yet to signal support for the law.

Throughout its history, Daylight Savings has been anything but consistent. It was originally implemented during World War I and then repealed, then reinstated in World War II and during the oil crisis of the 1970s. The current schedule was put into law by Congress in 2007, in which the clocks jump forward by an hour in March and back by an hour in November. The Sunshine Protection Act would end the jump backwards and leave clocks as they are during the Daylight Savings period. Many Senators hailed this decision, such as Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema, whose state does not observe Daylight Saving Time. However, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash) expressed hesitancy over the bill, saying that her constituents were worried about it being “dark until like 9 o’clock in the morning” in Seattle.