SHERIDAN STORIES

“Sheridan Owl”

After School collaborative art

I’m from almost half aworld away

I’m from spending time not wasting it

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Miriam, Grade 4

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When faced with an important decision, the wise course of action is to seek expert advice.That’s why we asked Sheridan students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to tell you—using their own words and pictures—what they like best about Sheridan School. After all, when it comes to “expert” advice, who is better situated to shed light on Sheridan than the children who learn, play, develop, build deep-seated friendships, and cultivate life-long positive values in our classrooms and on our playground? We believe you’ll find their expressions of enthusiasm to be authentic and compelling.

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~Zoe, Grade 6

dosomething out of my comfort zone.”

Sheridan makes me feel safe to take a risk or

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At Sheridan, students are challenged to view the world from different perspectives through the discussions, simulations, and activities that are held in class. One of the reasons this is successful is that current events play an important role in the curriculum. It is much easier to understand a topic and want to learn it if you can see how it affects your everyday life. In 6th grade, students analyze advertisements and propaganda and observe the influence media has on popular culture. In journalism class, students find articles that relate to social studies and bring them in to discuss before writing their own articles.

Sheridan challenges students to see things from different perspectives by showing multiple accounts of historical events. Seventh grade students study slavery, the Civil War, and events from the past involving immigration. Students are expected to view these subjects through the lens of a historian by searching for and identifying bias in the educational materials used in class.

Viewing the world from different perspectives becomes most important in 8th grade because you have debates. You have to research and argue a point that you may not even agree with.

This literally challenges you to view the world from a different perspective because you are not only trying to be tolerant of people who don’t share your beliefs, you’re trying to prove them right.”

~Steven, Grade 8

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WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT FAMILIES?

They’re different. They can have different skin colors.

Families come in different shapes and sizes.

Families can come from different places.

They can have 2 moms or 2 dads.

Not all people in the family have the same last name.

Some have the same last name as their ancestors.

Families can marry but sometimes they break up.

It doesn’t matter what they look like.

Everyone is unique just the way they are.

Kindergarten

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Sheridan is awesome! In first grade you get to go on a trash walk and you might get a bonus recess. In second grade you have sixth grade buddies! It is a very inclusive school and you will make many friends.

~Campbell, Grade 2

Sheridan helps charities like Friendship

Place for the homeless. We have collected toiletries, made cards welcoming people to their new homes, and participated in the

Walk for the Homeless.~Shannon, Grade 4

I learned how to play the drums and recorder really well. The music program at Sheridan rocks!

~Ben, Grade 3

I never thought I would join the Sheridan Girl’s 7–8 basketball team. My friends convinced me to give it a try, so I did. Even though I hadn’t played before, the girls were very encouraging and supportive. The camaraderie we developed as a team is something I will always remember. Sheridan is unique in that way—I don’t think I would have played a team sport at any other school.

~Shonali, Grade 7

Working on our play was fun. We practiced with real costumes and had to work very hard. It was exciting because we performed in front of a real audience.

~Marielle and Olivia, Grade 1

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Quinn, Grade 6

FunAdventures

The giant swingMOUNTAIN CAMPUS

Laughing with your friendsSitting under the fire on a windy night

Playing water games in the field when it gets hot.Laughing at jokes when you’re walking

Seeing animals at the nature center.Playing with friends

Making jokesCanoeing

Fun.

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“As someone who loves science and wants to be the first person to walk on Mars, I can be 100% honest when I say that Sheridan’s science program is amazing. We have covered a wide variety of subjects: basic geology; genetics and cell reproduction; the primary concepts of the six kingdoms of life; symbiotic relationships between living organisms and, most recently, introductory chemistry. We have had experience dissecting, analyzing scientific texts, doing experiments, writing hypotheses, recording observations, writing lab reports, and using common sense. Sheridan has an amazing science program, which more than prepares us for high school and the rest of our lives.” ~Avery, Grade 8

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We were talking about what colors boys and girls like, so we designed a tally chart and collected data about what color tops kids were wearing at school.

~Kendall and Maddie, Grade 1

The math program allows us to go deep into what we are learning so we really understand each concept. I like that we use bar models and lots of visualization to help us learn.”

~Allison, Grade 6

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WHEN I FIRST CAME TO SHERIDAN in 5th grade, I was amazed at what I would learn when I thought about something in a different way. I had never learned to question my source, and I had never been introduced to this idea that there could be a whole other side to a story I thought I knew. Throughout my Sheridan years, I have built on this knowledge. Now as an 8th grader, I see how important these skills are and I have grown as a thinker because of them.

“History is written from the winners’ perspective,” my 5th grade teacher told us. It wasn’t until later that I truly understood what he meant. When we studied the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, I noticed the only information we were studying was the Spaniards’ side of the story: the winners. Suddenly the story felt incomplete, and it spurred a discussion about why the Incas didn’t have any voice at all in our texts and videos. It wasn’t until we had parts of the Incas’ story as well as the Spaniards’ that I could draw my own conclusions. This got me thinking about stories with more than two sides, but with hundreds and thousands of sides. It brought up questions like, What if some of the Incas or Spaniards believed something other than what was written or told? Certainly not everyone agreed with their group’s beliefs. I realized it wasn’t just one word against the other, it was much more complicated than that.

Moving into 6th grade, the focus shifted to how stereotypes are presented through different perspectives. The sixth grade year is about our identity and the identity of others. It is the perfect time to tie the curriculum into how we might feel about our own transition from lower to middle school and how our identities change. Exploring this concept deeper, we watched the brilliant Chimamanda Adichie give a speech about the danger of a single story. One of the most profound things she said during her speech was, “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” We discussed what she meant while looking into stereotypes present in our daily lives. We looked at how stereotypes played into the stories of the “winners’” and what these stereotypes meant for powerless group. We began to expand our knowledge and skill in evaluating these perspectives.

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Our 7th grade year was about power and how bias and prejudice play a role in looking at situations from different perspectives. Seventh grade is our American history year, and the curriculum is structured around the experiences of different Americans throughout history. We explored how and why the experience of being an American has been different for different groups. We started by learning about Native Americans, who in history textbooks don’t have a strong voice. One of our assignments was to create a protest piece arguing that the treatment of Native Americans, specifically the Iroquois League, was against the Declaration of Independence. Later, during our slavery unit, we looked at how the stereotypes have affected the minority group throughout history.

The eighth grade year wraps up all of the skills I have gained over the years. We use the concepts we’ve learned to develop our own thoughts through discussions and our writing. In social studies, we study current events, such as immigration. We were given either a present or past member of the House to research and we created a bill about immigration based on their views and voting records. We have done several other simulations throughout the year, and as the year has progressed, we have begun to form our own opinions and stance on different topics. These discussions not only teach me how to think on my feet, but I have found that sometimes while making an argument from another perspective, it may influence how I think about the topic the next time.

As I move forward in my school career, I will take the skills I have learned and apply them long after I am gone from Sheridan. If someone asked me what’s my favorite part of Sheridan, aside from saying the wonderful supportive community, I would say the way my teachers and classmates challenge me to think, write, and read. I have learned to do more than gain information, I’ve learned to take this information and make my own conclusions, ideas, and opinions.

~Mikala, Grade 8

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SHERIDAN

UPER

APPY

XCITING

ESPECTFUL

NCLUSIVE

ELIGHTFUL

MAZING

ICE

Miranda, Grade 5

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Why

She

rida

n is

the

Best

Sch

ool

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Sheridan is the best school

because there are no bullies and no mean people.

We have a special way of learning at

Sheridan. There’s always time to learn and time to do. We

remember what we learn because our

teachers know us so well.

Another reason Sheridan is #1 is

because everyone is kind and welcoming to each other when

they join the school and when

they’re at school during the day.

Everyone is always

smiling and laughing and

having such a good

time at school.

Sheridan is such a

good school because everyone believes in each other and is encouraging

and supports each other.

We are a respectful school and every time something happens it is helped, supported or dealt

with. If you are thinking about putting your kid in Sheridan we will always have his\her back.

And that’s why you should consider Sheridan for your child...

...because it’s the #1 school in America :)

Zoe, Alexis, and Gabi, Grade 421

EYES WIDE OPENHave you tried to seePast the surface?how little thingsCreate dents in history?

Have you wondered,Why people would rather not seeSomeone who needs help,But someone whose choices led them to poverty?

Have you tried to see That happiness doesn’t dependon how many things you have,But how much space there isfor love and hope?

Have you tried to understandWhy the Evil Queen poisoned Snow White,Or have you judged her because of a mistake?

Have you tried to understandSomeone else? To know what it is like for them?

Or have you lived life with closed eyes?

~Gabrielle, Grade 5

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The Sheridan writing program lets the words come from the heart and flow onto the page.

~Laura, Grade 6

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“Sheridan helps me learn about the environment. Since our community rule includes ‘respect the environment,’ we all care a lot. It rubs off on everyday life too!” ~Ella, Grade 5

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I value the environment Sheridan has constructed for all of its students. Everyone has the opportunity to learn the way they learn best and to be who they are. Sheridan is the epitome of a safe environment. It gives everyone room to grow into who they want to be and it finds ways to help every student, no matter how advanced they are. When I come to school in the morning, I know that I will be able to stretch my thinking and challenge myself in

ways specific to me. These are the reasons that I came to Sheridan in fourth grade and the

reasons that I will be proud to graduate from the school this year.

~Justin, Grade 8

I like when my fifth grade buddy goes on the swing with me. Her name is Sophie.

Olivia, Kindergarten27

Sheridan showed me how empowering it can be to delve beyond a surface understanding of an idea by confronting assumptions through critical thinking. Seeing the rewards of intellectual curiosity gave me confidence that proved invaluable in both high school and college.

Also, the fact that, as a twenty-four year old in New York, I still have “playdates” with one of my Kindergarten buddies, speaks to the strength of the friendships that grow within the Sheridan community.

~Lily Butler ‘04(Maret ‘08, Colgate ‘12)Associate Content Producer,Gawker Media

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WHEN WE FIRST CONSIDERED SHERIDAN (14 years and two graduates ago), we were uneasy about the hassle and uncertainty of the high school application process. In hindsight, being a K–8 school turned out to be one of Sheridan’s great strengths. It requires a parent to think about his or her child’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests, and what approach to education is right for the child. A K–12 school may be easier. But we learned that this mandatory reflection on who your child is, and the assessment of what your child needs, helped ensure that our children—who went on to two different high schools—each went on the correct path. Importantly, Sheridan was invaluable in helping us and our children successfully navigate all aspects of the high school decision-making and application process.

~Matthew Gerson, parent of Alex ’11 (Potomac ’15) andJessie ’07 (Georgetown Day School ’11, Dartmouth ’15)

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We hope you and your family have enjoyed this glimpse of Sheridan through the eyes of our students. Their poems, pictures, quotes, and essays deliver some very important messages about our remarkable school:

• We foster safe emotional connections—with adults, with other students, with the community.

• We take kids seriously.• We promote active learning.• We work multiculturally.• We are progressive.• Our concept-based curriculum is coherent, symmetric, and

synergetic across grade levels.• Our students set the tone for our classroom settings, which are

child-focused and teacher-guided.• Our graduates attend the best secondary schools in the

Washington area; we look forward to the stories our alumni tell about their exceptional high school experiences.

Now that you’ve experienced Sheridan School through the creativity of our students, we invite you to bring your family for an in-person visit. No doubt you and your child will come away thinking about your own Sheridan story. We hope you picture your child at home here.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHERIDAN STORY!

Find out why our small school has such a big story to tell: Visit us on the web at SheridanSchool.org

Arrange a tour and meet with our admissions team at 202.362.7900.

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SMALL SCHOOL BIG STORY

202.362.7900

www.SheridanSchool.org

4400 36th Street NW

Washington, DC 20008

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If I had a friend looking for a school, I’d say, “Come to Sheridan. . . you can be yourself.”

Bilal, Grade 2