Popularity of National Teaching Certification Grows at Sherwood

by Nick Schade ‘23 A record number of teachers at Sherwood are voluntarily attempting to become Nationally Board Certified this school year, improving the way they teach students and interact with them in their classrooms. National Board Certification, done by the nonprofit National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, examines a teacher’s instructional practices and knowledge of their subject matter through … Read More

‘50% Rule’ Leads to Inconsistencies and Frustration among Many Teachers

by Ziv Golan ‘26 The MCPS “50% rule” has been a hot topic for debate since students have returned from virtual learning, prompting increasing frustration among teachers, including many at Sherwood. Due to concerns over a lack of consistency in how teachers implemented the 50% rule, Principal Tim Britton instituted a clearer policy at Sherwood that went into effect on … Read More

New Testing Day Schedule Started at Sherwood

by Kobi Gyan ‘24 At the beginning of the third quarter, Principal Tim Britton implemented a new testing day schedule that is aimed to relieve the stress on students from having multiple tests on the same day. The new test day calendar assigns subjects to different days of the week to prevent overlap of major assessments on the same day. … Read More

News Brief: January 2023 Current Events

Harris Retiring Mid-Year by Alex Braun ‘23 After seven years at Sherwood, Assistant Principal and 12th grade administrator Maychel Harris will be retiring. Harris has been in MCPS for the past 39 years, and has had almost every job imaginable in the school system, from building service worker, to security team leader, to teacher, and finally to Assistant Principal. While … Read More

A College’s ‘Prestige’ Has Minimal Impact

by Lizzy Hermosilla ‘23 As college became an important facet of life, thousands of accredited institutions offer undergraduate and postgraduate education. Despite the number of institutions in the United States, there are some “name brand” ones, such as Harvard, UNC Chapel Hill, UCLA, and University of Michigan, that are coveted by students across the world. The importance of prestige holds … Read More

New Photo Club Enters International Contest

by Nia Peake ‘23 Since 1969, creatives worldwide have shown their abilities and conveyed powerful messages through photos and films in the annual Nikon Photo Contest. Among the hundreds of participants that will tackle this year’s theme will also be a group of students who are taking their talents beyond the Sherwood walls as members of the school’s first photography … Read More

MCPS Acquires the Largest Electric Bus Fleet in the Country

by Payton Seppala ‘23 Despite calls for climate action within MCPS, not many concrete steps have been taken until now, with the county’s partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to deliver 326 brand-new electric school buses by 2025. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for what was the largest deployment of electric school buses in the country happened late October at Walter Johnson High … Read More

Internships Prove Popular among Sherwood Seniors

by Carter Braun ‘23 Rather than taking the common seven-class schedule required at Sherwood for underclassmen, an increasing number of seniors participate in internship programs that allow them to take only their classes required for graduation, and work a paid or unpaid job elsewhere for part of the school day. According to internship coordinator Catina Wist, around 65 seniors are … Read More

School Floods, Students and Teachers Left to Cope

by Anna Haas ‘23 Much to the surprise and annoyance of students, teachers, and parents alike, school resumed after winter break with the aftermath of a flood in the school. On December 27, the combination of an old system and frigid temperatures caused boiler pipes and a fire code sprinkler to burst on the first floor. Though maintenance crews were … Read More

A Year in War: Russia and Ukraine’s Historic Conflict in Three Phases

by Cliff Vacin ‘25 What was once predicted to last less than a month, the war between Russia and Ukraine will have its one-year anniversary next month. As the war moves into its second year, the risk is that Americans will continue to turn their attention away as the conflict continues into 2023. Phase 1: Russia Invades; Evidence of War … Read More