Welcome to Sheridan’s 5th Grade
Meet the Teachers
Contact Information

5th Grade
[email protected]

Gabby Arca
[email protected]

5th Grade Blog
sheridang5.blogspot.com
Nina brings a wide array of experiences
to Sheridan. Most recently a first
grade ESOL teacher at Ogden International School in Chicago, she has also
taught at public and independent
schools in New York and Berlin
and spent a year in New Delhi teaching
English and training English teachers
for Project Why. A graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree in psychology and a certificate from the teacher
education program, she also holds
a Master of Arts in Teaching English to
Gabby is excited to join the 5th
 Sheridan News & Notes
grade team after an Apprenticesheridanschool.org/blog
ship at Sheridan last year. Gabby graduated from Middlebury
with a degree in sociology with minors in Chinese and education. She
is a student advisor to Middlebury’s Center for the Comparative
Study of Race and Ethnicity. Gabby
is fluent in Mandarin, a captain of
the basketball team, and a fencer.
Inside this issue:
Overarching Goals for the Year
5th grade is a fun year
both academically and socially. Students crave more
independence and responsibility, while still seeking
adult interaction and support.
Our goals are to:

Build self confidence

Foster a love of learning

Deepen students inferential thinking

Refine students’ ability
to look at things from
multiple perspectives &
make more nuanced
decisions

Build a sense of civic
responsibility and give
opportunities for students to seek out and
“right” injustices
Departmentals
2
10 & 11 Year Olds
3
Social Emotional
4
Logistics
5
Homework
6
Academic Curriculum
7-11
Academic Admin
12-13
Meet the Departmental Teachers
Craig Haggerty, Math
Brandon Walker, Music
Alvin Figer, Math
Calvin Snyder, PE
Paula Liz Torres, Art
Kate Grinberg Science
Dalia Palchik, French
Vicky Masson, Spanish
Adrienne van den Beemt,
Lori Steel, Library
Science
Conferences and Report Cards
Student Involved Conferences
“Children should be present-and given
a voice-at parent-teacher conferences. They are the only people who
know both the family and the school
domains. They are the best interpreters of, and authorities on, their own
experience.”
~Sarah Lawrence Lightfoot
At Sheridan, we take kids seriously;
we value their insights, out of the box
thinking, humor, and sharp observations of the world. We also value
their self-reflection and their abilities to be an active part of their academic lives, which is why Sheridan
students take active roles in conferences. The teacher-family partnership is a critical one, and it is enriched and made more effective when
students are included in this.
For first term, the focus of confer-
ences is on goal-setting. Your child’s
teachers, you, and your child (if s/he
is in grade 3 or above) will gather to
discuss how best to support your
child’s learning this year. As a part
of this process, expect to share your
hopes and dreams for your child this
year, to hear about your child’s goals,
and to engage in dialogue with your
child’s teachers about how best to
reach these goals. If s/he is in K-2,
the focus is also on goalsetting.
Though s/he will not attend, your
child’s voice will be present at the
conference through some goalsetting
work that the teachers have completed with your child in advance of the
conference. During our second conference, all students in K-8 attend
their conferences. The goal is to
check in on progress towards the
goals set earlier in the year, to celebrate successes and problem-solve
challenges.
The year ends with a Portfolio
Share in grades K-8, in which students share the culmination of all
their work throughout the year. As
needed, teachers will also meet with
individual families to check in regarding academic or social goals and
to put in place plans for the summer
or following year.
Report Cards
Sheridan sends home achievement
based report cards at the end of
each trimester. These reports are
standards based and measure both
your child’s academic achievement
and his/her work habits. There is a
corresponding narrative to illuminate
the big picture. In grades K-6, students receive rubric scores; in 7th
and 8th, they will also receive a letter grade for the overall course
grade.
Page 2
Excerpts from Yardsticks by Chip Wood
5th Graders in a Nutshell: What to Expect from your 10 Year Old
Your child has reached double digits!
Ten year olds are generally happy and
relaxed, enjoying themselves, their
peers, parents… even their sibling.
Proud of all they have accomplished,
they like to share their knowledge
with others. Tens usually do well with
group projects because they tend to
be calm and naturally cooperative.
Physical

Muscles for big movements
(running, jumping, etc.) are developing quickly

Needs lots of outdoor play

Snacks and rest help rapidly
growing bodies

Better at small muscle movements
& enjoy precision

Very good at memorizing facts

Enjoys classifying, organizing and
collecting

Likes rules and logic

Eager to reach out to others,
such as community service, tutoring younger children, etc.
Can concentrate on reading and
thinking for long periods

Hardworking; takes pride in
schoolwork

Boys & girls work well together


Quick to anger and quick to forgive
Open to learning mediation and
problem solving skills

Competitive but also cooperative

Enjoy adult recognition

Listen well but enjoy talking and
explaining
Language
Social Emotional


Good age for clubs, team sports
and whole class activities
Cognitive
5th Graders in a Nutshell: What to Expect from your 11 Year Old
Elevens are going through huge
changes in their bodies, minds and
social behavior as they begin adolescence. The easy friendliness of ten
often gives way to awkward, sometimes rude behavior at 11. With their
growing capacity for higher thinking,
children this age like to try work that
feels grown up, such as researching
and interviewing
Physical

Restless and very energetic

Needs lots of food, physical activity and sleep

Growth spurt begins for many
girls; some may begin menstruating

Growing pains may cause aches
and complaints
Page 3

Easily susceptible to germs
Language
Cognitive

Can think abstractly about big
concepts, like justice

Beginning to challenge adult explanations and their own assumptions

Would rather learn something
new than review something
they’ve done

Enjoy using their thinking skills

Like adult tasks (research, footnoting, etc.) and studies, (history,
Shakespeare, etc.) though may
outwardly fuss while secretly enjoying the work
Social Emotional

Moody and a bit self-absorbed

Easily embarrassed; may need to
save face in front of peers

Sensitive about their bodies

Need lots of time to talk with
peers

Common for girls especially to
form cliques

Worry about who’s in/out

Like to challenge rules, argue and
test limits

Need adult humor and empathy to
help them take things less seriously
Welcome to Sheridan’s 5th Grade
Social-Emotional Curriculum
The key to a successful year is a strong
and positive classroom community. We
begin the year by establishing our routines
and getting to know each other. From
there, we explore what values and beliefs
we, individually and as a class, consider to
be most important. This lays the groundwork for the creation of our class covenant. The covenant is an integral part of
our classroom and details how we envision
class behavior and interactions. The students have a lot of input in our classroom;
we value their opinions and feelings. They
sign the covenant, signaling their commitment to trying each day to meet its standards. We will hold them to it. It is important that parents are aware of and
support the covenant as well. As issues
arise, we will have class meetings to address conflict and also to celebrate our
successes.
We believe that students do their best
learning when they feel socially and emotionally supported and safe. To that end,
we work hard to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment.
This year, we will draw on the scope
and sequence of the Second Step
program to explore topics such as
empathy, perspective-taking, emotion management and problem solving. Through case studies, readalouds, class discussion, and role
playing, students will recognize the
importance of considering the feelings of others. They will also learn
important conflict resolution and
emotion management skills.
We have also begun to incorporate
elements of Mindfulness into our
curriculum, which we’re very excited
about. Mindfulness is a particular
way of paying attention that allows
kids (and adults) to create a space
between stimulus & reaction. This
changes reactions from impulsive
ones to thoughtful, deliberate responses. Mindfulness helps reduce
anxiety and builds a greater understanding of ourselves and greater
empathy for others.
Key Components of the Social Curriculum
 Morning Meeting
 Covenant Creation
 Classroom Jobs
 Team Building Activities
 Conflict Resolution
 Class Meetings: Positive friendships, handling pressure, being
inclusive, making nuanced decisions, responsible use of technology, media literacy, body images,
etc.
Page 4
Classroom Logistics and Volunteer Opportunities
Communication: Partnership with families
is essential to each child’s success in the
classroom. We will try to touch base with
each of you frequently to let you know how
your child is doing and would love to hear
from you. Please keep us apprised of how
your son/daughter is feeling about school
and of any major events in your family’s
life.
the playground. Enter through the
side playground entrance. If your
child arrives AFTER 8:25, s/he
needs to sign in with the front office.
parent volunteers. Here are some
ways you can be engaged in our classroom:

Pick Up: Pick up is from 3:30-3:45
every day except Wednesday (2:302:45). You can pick your child up

from us on the playground. If your
We will update our 5th grade blog regular- child has not been picked up by the
ly to keep you in the loop about the curric- end of dismissal, we will sign them
ulum, upcoming events and important
into the aftercare program for you.
classroom experiences. Because our time There is always aftercare provided
before/after school is limited, it’s hard to until 6:00 for an additional charge.
give you our full attention if you just drop
in. However, we’re always eager to meet
Birthdays: If you’d like to send in a
with you; just send us an email to find a
small treat to celebrate your child’s 
time that works. E-mail is generally the
birthday, send us an email a few
best way to reach us, and we will return
days before and let us know. You’ll
any emails within 24 hrs.
also need to run the “treat” by
Nurse Lauren a week before so she
Arrival: Arrival is between 8:15-8:25 each can check for any allergies and make
morning, and Ms. Paynter will be at the
arrangements with families whose
front door each day to greet your child.
children have dietary restrictions.
There is free before-school care each
morning beginning at 7:45 in the gym or on
Parent Volunteers: We LOVE our
Family Shares: Let us know your
interests, passions and areas of
expertise, and we can design some
time for you to come in and share.
Lunch Volunteers: If you are interested in supervising a 3rd-5th
grade lunch table, we’d love to
have you. We’ll arrange to have
your child sit at the table with
you, and we’ll go over the routines/expectations on the first
day you sign up to supervise.
Lunch is from 11:00-11:25
Celebrations: Throughout the
year, we’ll invite you in to celebrate the work and progress of
our kids.
What’s New in 5th Grade

New teachers: Calvin Snyder
(PE), Alvin Figer (math), and Brandon Walker (music)

Athletics: 5th graders can play
sports at Sheridan, including
cross country, basketball and soccer.

PE Uniforms: In 5th grade, students begin to change for PE and
(gasp) are usually ready for deodorant.
Page 5
Supporting Your Child with Homework
There are two reasons for homework.
The primary one is to build upon class
work. Students read, prepare for discussions, practice new skills,
ask/answer questions, write, create,
and make connections with the world
beyond school during homework time.
The second reason for homework is
for children to establish routines,
develop organizational skills, and take
personal responsibility for their work.
Independence
Homework is student work, and should
be done by the student as independently as possible. Parents can
help by providing a quiet time, space,
and materials. It is also appropriate
for parents to help children get
started if the children need help understanding the directions of a particular assignment. If your child has
trouble with a particular assignment,
he or she should call a classmate.
Your child may also use the
“Homework Question” time at Morning Meeting to ask his/her peers for
support the next day. He/she may
also write us a message indicating
specifically which part of the assignment was difficult or confusing. If
your child is unable to complete or do
an assignment for any reason, please
have him/her write a note. You may
sign it to show that you read it.
Standards
Homework is due first thing in the
morning, no later than 8:30 a.m. Assignments turned in after 8:30 will be
considered late. We expect neat and
thoughtful work. Each assignment
must be labeled with an appropriate
heading (standards vary according to
the assignment). Most assignments
will be scored using a rubric.
Time Spent
If a student has been working diligently for more than fifty minutes,
and still has not finished his or her
work, he or she should stop working.
The student should then write us a
note informing us what happened that
night. We will follow up at school with
time management strategies or with
clarifying directions. Getting a good
night’s sleep is crucial for the next
day, so please encourage your child to
talk to us if this becomes an ongoing
problem.
Time Management
Most homework assignments will require your child to manage his or her
homework time over several days. For
example, we may assign homework
over the weekend that is not due until
Wednesday of the next week. We
often give the students graphic organizers or calendars to help them
plan the week and break down the
assignment. Please help your child
manage his or her time. We will teach
the students strategies for time
management in class, but some of
these experiences are new for our
students and we would like them to
receive support at home, as well.
Absences
When your child is absent, it is his or
her responsibility to find out what
homework and classwork he or she
missed. Your child should call a classmate when absent and ask for homework assignments and clarification on
assignments. At times, it may not
make sense to do the homework. At
these times, please have your child
talk to us the next day. At school, we
will schedule a time to re-teach or
reinforce concepts.
Page 6
Reading Workshop
This year, the fifth grade students
will become more active, reflective,
and critical readers. Students will
learn to view literature from different perspectives: as individual readers, as parts of a group of readers,
and as literary critics.
For each reading unit, students read
at home and in class, talk about what
they have read with partners or with
a group, and compose written responses to their reading. We begin
the year with independent reading
and shared texts such as read aloud.
After practice with discussion and
writing in response to reading in each
of these structures, we then move to
book partnerships and book clubs.
At the beginning of each cycle, the
students “map out” their reading
schedules in their assignment books.
At times they will be required to
read at home and in the classroom
and the expectation is that they
“chart” their reading ideas using the
structure we give them in class. Our
goal for all of the students is that
they will nurture a dynamic and stimulating independent reading life.
as in discussion.
Students also engage in dialogue with
teachers through written response.
They learn, through direct instruction
in a variety of settings, how to analyze character, plot, literary devices,
and setting in writing. Occasionally,
students also compose more polished
responses to literature.
In order to become reflective readers, the students must linger on ideas
and engage in dialogue about these
ideas with other readers. In class,
students practice reflective reading
through oral response to shared
texts, such as the class read
aloud/read along. We will directly instruct students on how to talk about
books and how to build on others’ ide-
Writing Workshop
Our goal is for each student to be a
confident, expressive, and skilled
writer in our classroom. By working
through the writing process, the students learn to take risks in their
writing, learn from other writers, add
polish to their writing, and see their
works change and grow into published
pieces. Through lessons in writing
workshop, students learn strategies
for effective writing. At the end of
some workshops, there is a sharing
time, when students learn about the
writing lives of their classmates. Often, we use students’ work as mentor
texts to illustrate powerful writing.
We also use published authors’ works
as mentor texts during lessons. Some
skills and strategies we teach are:
crafting dialogue, composing effective “leads” and “conclusions,” slowing
down moments, and finding the “so
what?” in a piece.
Page 7
The process begins with the Writer’s
Notebook. In this notebook, students
record their thoughts, feelings, reflections, observations, stories, images, and poems. Students write in the
Writer’s Notebook mostly at school,
and we confer regularly with each
child about what is happening in
his/her Writer’s Notebook. The
Notebook is not a private journal or
diary; rather, it is a writer’s space
for crafting and experimenting with
language. After students have gathered many entries in their Writer’s
Notebooks, the student begin crafting their piece. Students experiment
with leads, create believable characters, make sure there is a point to
the work, and figure out the sequence
of events. Then, the student writes a
draft, revises the work, edits it, and
publishes it. Each term, we will have a
Writing Celebration, where parents
and teachers can enjoy the work that
the fifth grade has published.
Language Arts Units of Study
Reading
Sept: Launching Reading Workshop
Oct: Character Analysis
Dec: Nonfiction
Feb: Hidden Big Ideas
April: Genre Study
Writing
Sept: Developing Writers’
Notebooks
Oct: Memoir
Nov: Fiction Short Stories
Feb: Poetry
April: Informational Texts
Welcome to Sheridan’s 5th Grade
Spelling, Grammar & Typing
Spelling
Sheridan School uses the word study
approach to spelling. Word study is a
developmental spelling program, rather than a “one size fits all” approach, created by researchers at
the University of Virginia. The word
study program allows us to differentiate our instruction for all different
kinds of spellers, from those still
working on long vowel patterns to
those ready for Greek and Latin
roots. Simply put, we teach the students from where they are. After an
initial assessment, students will be
broken down into smaller groups
based on their knowledge of spelling
features.
Grammar
Students will learn grammar in Writing Workshop, in the context of their
own writing. Through directed lessons, we will teach grammar in response to trends we see in student
work. We also have planned more formal units of study, such as parts of
speech, usage and punctuation. This
approach makes grammar study meaningful and relevant for the students.
We will provide in class time to giving
students the opportunity to practice
their typing skills.
Handwriting & Keyboarding
In 5th grade, students can use print,
cursive or keyboarding, whichever is
more efficient and neatest for them.
All formal projects, however, will be
done through typing.
Math in Focus: Singapore Math
Craig Haggerty
questions.
[email protected]
Alvin Figer
[email protected]
Math in Focus is an American version of
Singapore Math, an approach which has
been highly successful in developing
students’ foundational math skills and
conceptual understandings. Math in
Focus is a hands-on, visual curriculum. Students move from exploring concepts and ideas in concrete ways (using
manipulatives) to pictorial representation (drawings) and finally to the abstract (equations). The use of visual
models, such as bar modeling, facilitates
the progression from concrete to abstract. There is also a strong focus on
skill development, understanding one’s
own learning process, and building confidence and perseverance.
Page 8
The overarching goal of the Sheridan
School math program is to provide
students with the skills necessary to
problem-solve effectively, reason
mathematically, communicate their
math thinking, and apply what they
know to complex, real-life situations. The study of mathematics provides content that students will use to
make informed and wise decisions as
consumers and citizens in an increasingly global and collaborative environment. Math enables them to apply
their knowledge and skills to make
effective personal and public decisions. The Math in Focus curriculum
builds knowledge, skills, and conceptual
understanding in the areas of: Number
and Numeration, Operations and Computation, Data and Chance, Geometry,
Measurement, and Algebra. Topics
include:

Exploring place value through the
millions

Converting fractions to decimals

Using ratios to solve problems

Multiplying multi-digit #s

Adding, subtracting, multiplying and
dividing fractions

Identifying, describing and extending numeric patterns

Writing and solving problems

Identifying cylinders, spheres and
cones

Finding the area of triangles

Representing and analyzing data

Exploring probability
Students will have math homework most
night, usually a follow-up worksheet.
Additionally, your child will have a math
folder with all of their graded work,
including assessments. Feel free to
Welcome to Sheridan’s 5th Grade
Social Studies
The fifth grade students explore how communities and societies are formed and the institutions and structures within them. This exploration begins with an examination of our own classroom community, including individual identity,
group identity, governance, and management of
resources. Students then learn about the different layers of institutions in the USA, specifically the branches of government and the US
mixed economic system. They learn key aspects
of the US Federalist government, such as checks
and balances, statehood, voting, and the role of
government in the US mixed economy model. For
their final unit, the Virginia American Indian
Case studies give students an opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding of group
identity, government, and economy by learning
about the Mattaponi tribe and another Virginia
tribe of their choosing.
Several key questions guide our work in 5th grade social
studies:

What factors contribute to group identity and how do
cultures develop over time?

How do individuals and institutions impact and influence
each other?

How and why do people create governance structures?

How are decisions made about the allocation of resources
within a community?

How do cultures manage problems within their own communities and when dealing with other cultures?

How does holding different values and beliefs contribute
or pose obstacles to understanding between people and
groups?
Students are also asked to view the content they encounter
with an equity lens - asking, “Who (and how?) benefits and
who may not benefit (and how)?”
Science
Adrienne van den Beemt
[email protected]
Kate Grinberg
[email protected]
The fifth grade science curriculum is grounded in the
NGSS standards and is designed with opportunities for
students to engage in hands-on investigations and engineering. In each unit, students will be formulating questions, investigating concepts, designing experiments and
engineering solutions to problems.
Page 9
The fifth grade curriculum is designed to promote student
learning through hands-on investigations while preparing them
for the rigors of experimental process, data analysis and engaging in argument using evidence. Concepts including patterns; cause and effect; scale, proportion and quantity; energy and matter; and system models cut across all the units of
study in fifth grade Science.
The year will begin with an Earth Systems unit examining the
role of water on the planet. We’ll then move to a unit on
Space Systems focusing on Earth’s place in the universe. We
will close the year with an in-depth study of the Chesapeake
Bay. This unit will enable students to explore concepts related to Earth systems in the context of our own watershed.
Welcome to Sheridan’s 5th Grade
World Language
French: Dalia Palchik
[email protected]
Spanish: Vicky Masson
[email protected]
Sheridan’s 3rd-5th grade world language classes are hands-on and joyful.
They focus on giving students the skills
and confidence to communicate effectively and comfortably across cultures.
Successful communication is knowing
how, when and why to say what to whom.
Students develop their communication
in the interpretive (listening, reading),
presentational (speaking, writing) and
interpersonal (conversation) modes,
while developing their understanding
that culture is dynamic (it changes with
time, place and people). Through the
study of a world language, students gain
universal and transferable understandings necessary to become lifelong learn-
World Language Homework
ers and responsible global citizens who
value the cultural and lingual diversity
of our world.
In the fifth grade, students focus on
their oral and written proficiency to
expand their communication about
themselves, others and their surroundings. In particular, they focus on the
conjugation of present tense verbs and
the use of infinitive phrases to express
preference, want, necessity, ability and
obligation, as well as the immediate future and past. Students learn to use
prepositions, adverbs and sequencing
words to express themselves with
greater detail.

Students should complete
three 5 minute choice
activities per week

Is due once a week

Supports and reinforces work
done in class
Supporting Your Child

Support your child in
developing effective study
skills (for vocabulary, etc.)

Find authentic ways for your
child to hear & use the
language (tv, movies, music,
books)

Read books about the cultures
that speak the language

Attend local cultural events

Seek interactions with native
speakers in the community
Art
Paula Liz Torress
[email protected]
Ilva Olinto
[email protected]
Sheridan School believes that all our
students are artists. Our program
supports students as they develop an
individual artistic vision that is informed by their own experiences,
ideas, and understandings, as well as
being grounded in the fundamental
elements and principles of Art.
Each step of the process, from conception to creation, is valued and encouraged. In collaboration with the
teachers and their classmates, students seek to comprehend and communicate visual ideas in their own
unique manner through a process of
observation, discussion, exploration,
Page 10
revision, and reflection.
Students consider the role of Art and
of the artist in a variety of cultures,
from ancient to contemporary, as part
of their investigation into artistic
techniques and media. The Art classroom is rich with opportunities for
exploration, innovation, and reflection, encouraging a respect for the
materials, tools, and ideas the community shares. This learning environment
facilitates students' inquisitive and
open journey through the world of
Art.
In 5th grade, students will begin the
year with exploration and experimentation, considering what inspires them
and their own identity as artists. In
that unit, we will work to get a firm
understanding
of each child’s
hopes and
dreams for the
year, as well as
their underlying
skills.
The fifth graders will then
explore:
 Surrealism photography with a
focus on emphasis and value
 Still Life Painting with a focus on
shape, color, value and space
 Animal masks with a focus on
shape, color, texture and form
 Mandalas with a focus on pattern
& rhythm
Welcome to Sheridan’s 5th Grade
Music
Brandon Walker
[email protected]
The philosophy of the Music program
is to develop in every student a love
of music, an awakening of musical creativity, and an appreciation and deep
respect for a variety of music from
all genres and cultures. We aim to
inspire creativity, develop emotional
intelligence, and enhance artistic
awareness. Through our hands-on
approach to music, we embrace and
facilitate student learning and personal growth through both individual
expression and cooperative collabora-
tion. Our music program creates an
environment that encourages and
supports students in taking risks, discovering their talents, and pursuing
their individual musical interests. We
strive to enable students to think of
themselves as musicians who will actively participate in the arts, engage
in lifelong involvement in the arts, and
respect and appreciate musical beauty and sensitivity.
The year will end with a study of Renaissance music and the brass family.
There are lots of opportunities for
performance, so we’ll be excited to
show you our program in action this
year.
In 5th grade, will explore percussion
music, learning to read, write and perform ensemble pieces. They’ll then
move to the recorder and the ukulele
and practice improvisational skills.
Physical Education & Health
Calvin Snyder
[email protected]
Sheridan's physical education program is committed to preparing children to be physically active and to
make healthy choices throughout
their lives.
The goal of the 5th grade program is:
to help students
 Develop and maintain a suitable
level of physical fitness.
 Become competent in management
of the body and acquire useful
physical skills.
 Acquire desirable social standards and ethical concepts.
 Acquire needed safety skills and
habits.
 Acquire a desirable self-concept
and an effective self-image.
Our 5th grade PE program integrates
sports, fitness, and nutrition/health.
During our sports units, students explore solidify their skills and explore
strategy. Our fitness units are designed to build students’ endurance,
strength and flexibility. Yoga is woven in throughout the curriculum as
well to build balance and flexibility
and also to offer students a chance
to practice mindfulness throughout
their day. Important health and nutritional content and understandings
are also woven in throughout the year
and reinforced in other classes as
well.
Calendar of the Year
Sept/Oct: Volleyball
Oct-Dec: Basketball
Dec/Jan: Gymnastics
Jan/Feb: Hockey
Feb/March: Soccer
April: Lacrosse
May: Baseball & Softball
Guidelines for Missing PE
A signed note from a parent/guardian
must be given to the nurse explaining
the nature of the illness or injury
indicating whether the child should be
completely exempt or allowed limited
participation. Exemptions of more
than three consecutive days require a
doctor’s written excuse. Please notify
me of any physical disability, which
might cause injury to your child during periods of physical exertion.
June: Fitness
It is expected that every child
change clothing before and after
each class. Uniforms will be provided
for each student upon request. Each
student should also wear socks and
sneakers for every class.
Dress Code
Page 11
Outdoor Education
Sheridan has a vibrant outdoor education program that incorporates the
Mountain Campus in Luray, VA. Beginning in kindergarten, our students are
challenged and inspired to enhance
their sense of self through unique,
engaging, hands-on learning experiences. The curriculum unites classroom content areas and environmental
literacy with the spontaneity of outdoor exploration and group cooperation. The Mountain Campus fosters
problem solving, effective communication, leadership and collaboration
through experiential education and
adventure challenges. Students’
knowledge, skills and understandings
are built upon each year. Students
play an active role in the learning process through “challenge by choice,” a
philosophy that encourages students
to push beyond their own comfort
zones, while respecting individual
goals.
Students in 5th grade visit the Mountain Campus for two overnight trips.
Mark your calendars for:
Fall Trip: Oct 1-3
Spring Trip: June 2-4
During their program, our 5th graders
hike, tent camp, cave, and go on rock
climbing and canoeing adventures.
They also experience teambuilding
and personal challenges on the elements, such as the Leap of Faith.
We will send more detailed information regarding the trips to the
Mountain Campus as we approach
those dates.
Student Support Team: Learning Specialist
I work with students, teachers, the
counselor, the school nurse, the Head
of School, parents, admissions personnel, the academic administration,
and outside consultants in order to
maximize opportunities for success
for children at Sheridan School. My
goal is to help students understand
how they learn best and to strategize
with them along the way in order to
foster a successful school experience. To meet this goal, I serve as a
resource to teachers, students and
families.
A resource to teachers:
I work as a partner with teachers to
support students in the classroom. I
do this in a variety of ways such as
working with students in small groups,
teaching whole class lessons, and assisting individuals. I observe individual students in order to assist teachers in assessing and supporting students who need accommodations. I
help teachers implement various degrees of differentiation and accommodations. I consult with teachers on
interpretation of diagnostic testing,
effectiveness of medications, teaching strategies, etc.
A resource to students:
Student support varies by the individual, grade level, and need. This may
include additional reading or writing
support, organizational and/or time
management support, and study skills
(I am not available to serve as a personal tutor during the school day,
however).
A resource to families:
When necessary, I help families find
appropriate outside support such as
educational testers, tutors, and occupational and speech language therapists. I also collect necessary information and documentation that families may need to facilitate the testing
process.
Tutor coordinator:
I oversee and coordinate the tutors
and other outside professionals who
work with the students at Sheridan
School. PLEASE CONTACT ME if your
child is currently being tutored at
Sheridan and/or
if your student
is in need of a
tutor. It is very
important to
make sure any
outside tutors or
therapists fill out the Sheridan Tutor
Agreement and have a background
check completed with me before they
begin working in the building.
When should you contact me?
Anytime! Here are some common issues that bring parents my way:
learning styles, academic progress,
organizational skills/needs, homework
and time management issues, approaches to routines and schedules,
concerns about attention, etc.
Contact Information
[email protected]
202-507-7774
I am available Mon-Fri, 9-2 or by appointment in the evening.
My office is upstairs next to 5th
grade.
Student
Support Team:
School Counselor
Welcome back to school! I am excited
children’s social/emotional needs. As
to be here
for my eighth year as
Martha
Adler
Counselor, and my 20th year as a
202.507.7729
member of the Sheridan community.
[email protected]
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Sheridan; both attended Georgetown
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Curriculum and Instruction
Laurel Blackmon
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
[email protected]
Happy start of the 2014-15 school
year! I am so excited to work with
you all this year in my role as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction.
To give you a brief overview of my
work, I work closely with Adele, overseeing the academic side of the
school and making sure that we live
out our mission and foster a joyful,
rich and engaging program for our
students. I work on both the design
and implementation of our curriculum,
as well as the supervision, evaluation
and coaching of our faculty. I also
partner closely with families to en-
sure that their children’s social, emotional and academic experiences are
the best they can be.
If you'd like to talk to me about your
child's experiences at Sheridan or
our programming in general, or if
you'd like to just pop in and say hello,
I’d love to see you. My office is upstairs, right outside the art/science
rooms. I’m excited to partner with
you this year to make this year a
great one for your child(ren)!
to help you navigate the daily challenges
of child-rearing.
lovemunbeing a
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-- from
the global toIthe
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202.507.7729
with community
professionals, etc. No
[email protected]
question is too small. Please give me a
call.
I look forward to partnering with you
on behalf of your families!
Technology & Communication
Brian Hewlett, Director of Technology and Communication
[email protected]
Derek Morton, Assistant Director of
Technology
[email protected]
Welcome to the 2014-15 school year
at Sheridan! My name is Brian
Hewlett and I am the Director of
Technology and Communications.
You'll see me a lot around the building, I spend about half of my day in
the classroom, working with teachers
and students and the other half
working on longer term
tech/communications projects. My
responsibilities include the instructional technology program and curriculum, upkeep of the schools infra-
Sheridan School
4400 36th St NW
Washington DC
20008
Phone: 202-362-7900
structure and school-wide communications. The best way to stay in the know
is to read our classroom and school
wide blogs. The blogs are always available for you to check and will be emailed
to parents on a weekly basis. You can
also access the blogs via our new mobile app, which you can find in the app
store for your iPhone/iPad/Android
device. The app also has the school
directory, calendars, athletics information, and more. Additionally, the
emergency alert system, which allows
the school to contact parents in the
event of a school closing or crisis,
works by pushing out a text, email and
voice message to parents. This system
will only be used in the event of a
school closing or crisis and at no other
time. Please make sure we have your
most up to date contact information in
the student billing system, TADS.
Please feel free to contact me or
Derek Morton at any time with questions or comments related to technology or communications at the
school.
Derek Morton
Brian Hewlett
Sheridan School's mission is to create an inclusive, vibrant learning community. We
take joy in learning, show kindness and empathy towards others, embrace new experiences and ideas, and continually seek a deeper and fuller understanding of the
world. We seek to inspire self-knowledge, intellectual discipline and personal integrity in our community members. At both our city and mountain campuses, the Sheridan community challenges itself to live the ideal of respect for oneself, others
and the environment. To nurture and challenge all learners, Sheridan School:
 Educates the whole child: intellectual, social, physical and emotional;
 Creates a safe learning environment in which students feel known and understood;
 Fosters close, supportive relationships between all members of the community:
families, teachers, administrators, staff and students;
 Maintains high academic standards while respecting the pace of child development;
 Challenges students to think critically, creatively, and conceptually;
 Provides hands-on, engaging, authentic learning experiences that challenge students to wrestle with big ideas and their own assumptions;
 Embraces collaborative learning;
 Challenges prejudice, embraces difference and teaches children to view the
world from multiple perspectives;
 Supports students' inquiry and self-reflection;
 Emphasizes the learning process
 Provides specific ongoing feedback on students’ learning and personal growth