by Maya Koeppen ‘17 Students have heard the stories of school systems banning books for having “provocative” themes, explicit language and other content deemed inappropriate. On some college campuses nationwide, some argue that censorship has taken the form of trigger warnings and safe spaces, resulting in a flood of support and criticism, from students and faculty alike. Controversy arose this … Read More
by Christopher Sung ‘17 It was not his first debate, but it would be his last. From the first speech, his opponents began listing facts and statistics in quick succession, preventing him from giving any strong rebuttals or any opportunity to develop his own case. This was followed by a punishing crossfire that left him stumbling and mumbling for an … Read More
by Alex Nnabue ‘18 Jack Smith, who began his term in July as the new superintendent of MCPS, has staked the success of his tenure on shrinking the county’s achievement gap, or “opportunity” gap, as he refers to it. MCPS’s previous core strategies for addressing the gap include academic rigor, proper funding, qualified employees, community engagement, and continuous dedication to … Read More
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
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
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
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
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
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
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