Sherwood High School PTSA

Math – Parent Volunteer Patricia Lee (Resource Teacher: Deborah Hiltner)

Social Studies – Parent Volunteer Cindy Hall (Resource Teacher: Kevin Yates)

Kevin Yates is the Social Studies department head. He reported that the HSA pass rate for last year’s 10^th graders was 96.2%, the 5^th highest in the county on the NSL HSA. The AP pass rates for the department also were impressive (he sent a chart, which is attached and shows how the AP performance on each department test compares over the past four years. 

Currently, Professional Learning Communities (PLC) course teams (those teaching similar courses) are meeting to plan together, coordinate testing, build common unit assessments, and make sure their grading expectations are the same.
 

AP NSL classes are scheduled to go to the Maryland General Assembly on March 11 and 12.
The Comparative Religions class took a field trip earlier this month to visit Olney Yoga & Wellness as part of their study of the Hindu faith. They also will be visiting the Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution to view the art of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. The AP European History class will be visiting the National Gallery of Art to study how art impacts culture.
 

English – Parent Volunteer Linda Osborne (Resource Teacher: Shelley Jackson)

We have two new teachers in the department

Alex Green, our ninth-grade team leader, is in the process of completing National Board Certification

Two of our students will be participating in a creative writing workshop connected to the F Scott Fitzgerald Symposium held yearly at Montgomery College.

The county is in the process of rewriting the 11th and 12th grade English curricula, and we hope they will be ready for next year.

 Submitted by: Shelley Jackson

Science – Parent Volunteer Barbara Kahn (Resource Teacher: Jim Douglas)

Sherwood science has a new RT (me) and a new teacher, Miss Britani Sartwell who comes to SHS from Northwest HS. 

With the addition, we now have 15 labs for 16 teachers so we actually have enough space for the first time in over 10 years.

We have a new National Science Honor Society – three seniors (Ankita Patel, Michael Packer and Jenna Wade) and I got it off the ground over the summer – and Mrs. Martin and Miss Sartwell are now the sponsors.

We have a new lifetime site license for using data from AWS (the Weatherbug Network).  Mrs. Phillips is the leader with this program related to Earth Space Systems and Environmental Sciences.  Our students will be able to use our weather station more effectively then ever before.

Last year Laura Dinerman applied for and was awarded a grant from the National Aquarium in Baltimore, that provided $12,000 worth of instruction, equipment and field trips to Sherwood High School students. Students have already traveled to a wetland to learn about the characteristics of that biome, and they will apply that knowledge in the AP Environmental Science course. Additionally, students have built a closed aquaculture system in the new K- wing courtyard, that will be used to raise rockfish and white perch, as well as salt marsh cord grass. At the end of the school year, students will participate in restoration projects where they will release the fish that were raised here at Sherwood, and plant the grasses. 

Because of the work of the Green Team and the Green Schools group, SHS will receive a check for $800 from the MCPS Sert program.

Mrs. Baldwin is teaching High School Plus Biology.

Ms. Gonzales and Mr. Miller will be heading up our after school HSA Intervention program.

The Chem teachers will be doing demo’s in the Media Center on 10/31.

AP scores were up in Bio, Chem and Physics

Music – Parent Volunteer Sandi Jacobs (Resource Teacher: Bill Evans)

Special Education – Parent Volunteer Laura Swerdlin (Resource Teacher: Karen Racer)

Career / Tech Ed – Parent Volunteer Brenda Egeland (Resource Teacher: Jason Daigle)

Student Service Learning –Parent Volunteer  Cathy Romano (SSL Coordinator: Susie Smith)

We held an SSL Fair on Monday, October 8 and it was a success.  Pam Meador from MCPS came out for a visit and stopped to talk with Susie Smith and myself.  She told us that this was the first SSL Fair that has ever been held in MCPS.  She said that she was pleased and impressed with the way it was run and the participation at the fair.  She said that another school in the county heard about what we had done and is planning an SSL Fair next month.  Susie Smith will be attending a meeting on Oct 22 to present what and how we did what we did for our SSL Fair.

Ms Smith is on the agenda for the November PTSA meeting.

Art – Parent Volunteer Tara Hall Lombardi (Resource Teacher: Lisa Ryan)

Three studio art students, Anna Pozzatti, Shira Rosenthal (both members of National Art Honor Society), and Spencer Stewart, will be sharing and selling their wares at the new Olney Farmers Market during the weekends of October and November.

The EMPTY BOWLS charity event, will be held at SHS in the cafeteria on Tuesday, November 13th between 4 – 7PM at $10.00 a ticket. All proceeds will go to America’s Second Harvest, part of the Nations Food Bank Network. Each dollar raised will help distribute 16 meals. Homemade chili will be served this year and each participant will select a handmade ceramic bowl created by students and teachers in which to enjoy their chili.

Field trips: studio art students will go to the National Gallery of Art to see the Hopper exhibit. Photography students will go see the work of Ansel Adams and Annie Liebowitz at the Corcoran Gallery. Additionally the Art Dept. is in the planning stages for in-house field trips with specific colleges, universities, and art institutes.

Ms. Cassandra Fiorito will be proposing a mural project created by the art students for the courtyard outside of the Ertzman Theater. Additionally she is considering having her advanced ceramic students create sculptures for the courtyard/s.

Foreign Language –Parent Volunteer  Linda Osborne (Resource Teacher: Guillermo Gonzalez)

In terms of things that are going on this marking period,

1. In Spanish classes we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept.15 -October 15 ). The first unit in our upper level curriculum has to do with “Identity.”

Students learn about the culture of Hispanic Americans through readings, PowerPoint presentations, and, through school wide activities such as trivia questions as part of the daily announcements, and cultural exhibitions. As a matter of fact, on Wednesday, October 3rd, a “Salsa and Bachata Dancing Exhibition” is taking place at lunch, outside of the cafeteria.

2. From Sept 8th through September 21st, Sherwood hosted 12 students and their teacher from Spain. During their stay, the Spanish students gave cultural presentations not only in Spanish classes, but also, in Social Studies classes.

The Spain Exchange Program has been an integral part of the Foreign Language program at Sherwood for over 15 years.

3.The French Exchange Program, on the other hand, is preparing to go on their trip to France this fall. Both Mr. Falls and Mrs. Coogan are coordinating this successful exchange with the city of Nimes, France.

4. In terms of social events, Mrs. Hueter, our part-time Spanish teacher is now the proud mother of Maria. Her baby was born the day before Back to School Night, on September 7th. Mrs. Cartagena, a superb substitute for our department, is now teaching her 3 level I Spanish classes.

NAACP – Parent Volunteer  Sandi Williams

Music Boosters – Parent Volunteer  Anne Marie Peroni

Sherwood Jazz Ensemble will perform in a  jazz clinic with Chris Vadala , International Jazz Saxophonist and Director of Jazz Studied at the University of Maryland on Friday October 5 from 12:30 to 2:00pm in the Band Room. Chris Vadala will also be performing locally on September 27 – 29, 2007 in a Pops Concerts with Marvin Hamlisch/Roberta Flack National Symphony Orchestra Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Washington, DC.  This clinic is being sponsored by the Washington Music Center and Selmer Musical Intruments.

 Jeremy Ragsdale, Professor of Jazz Studies at Towson University , will conduct a clinic with the Sherwood High School Jazz Choir in November.

 Mrs. Barnes is thrilled to have a new space to teach in.  Across the hall from the Choral Room is Room 149–the new home for the three Guitar and two Piano classes.  It is an airy room which accommodates 26 keyboards, a grand piano, and space for 30 guitar students.  Lots of windows and storage for guitars, music, books, chairs, music stands and other related necessities makes this room ideal for music classes!

 We will have a Music Boosters meeting on Monday October 8 at 7pm in E150 before the Chamber Music Recital which begins at 7:30 pm, all music parents are invited.

Music Department Calendar 2007-2008
Oct. 8                   Chamber Music Recital (in Room E 150)

Nov. 5                   Fall Chamber Singers Concert (OEUMC)

Nov. 15,16,17      Fall Musical Production “Pippin”

Nov. 19, 20           RRR #37 Band Auditions

Nov. 26, 27           RRR #37 Vocal Auditions

Dec. 6                   Winter Choral Concert

Dec. 7                   MCPS Show/Jazz Choir Festival  ( 2-8pm )

Dec. 8                   MCPS Jazz Big Band Festival (all day  7AM – 6PM )

Dec. 13                 Winter Instrumental Concert

Feb. 4                   Chamber Music Recital (in Room E 150)

Mar. 7, 8, 9           Rock & Roll Revival #37

Mar. 11                 PTSA RRR #37 Matinee

Mar. 14,15,16      Rock & Roll Revival #37

April 10                “A Night of Jazz”

April 28                Spring Chamber Singers Concert (OEUMC)

May 15                 Spring Choral Concert

May 22                 Spring Instrumental Concert

 *Unless otherwise indicated, all events Monday-Saturday begin at 7:30 pm and all Sunday events begin at 2:00 pm . Unless otherwise indicated, all performances will be in Sherwood’s Ertzman Theater.

We would also like to thank all the families who have made generous contributions to our Music Boosters club:
 Atiya H. Gopalani