Sheridan School- Tell me your experiences!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Forgive me for not reading every post here...but I am super disheartened to hear arts have slipped at Sheridan...I was there many years ago...70's... I know sounds like the 1770's! And I still remember my teachers...Mr.Candage, Mr.Powell, Miss Miller,Ms.Arcuri, Ms.Aspiaso....we had rigor...I was not great student but...we sang...I was 2nd Soprano....we did theatre...we did science...growing beans and hatching chicks...we got to PAINT WiNDOWS at school...and they got to stay that way all year......that is thrilling for a kid...to see ones work on major display like that all year!!! We did pottery and fired in our art room kiln...we learned process of making art...it is a processs. We hiked at the mountain campus...built things. Learned skills. Art threaded into curriculum...made projects to go with Colonial History, Greek Mythology, Black History Month...Everyone known, everyone valued. Tiny school...and maybe not for the supreme athletic...because basketball was really all they could offer. I do like the idea of k-4 or 6... but just want to say the arts made me who I am at Sheridan. Hope they don't nix in favor of the Ssat...ugh.

Worry not. The arts are going strong and are well integrated into the curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh please! My kids classmate from Sheridan was a presidential scholar and accepted ED to Yale this year. Does that satisfy you? I think most people who send their kids to Sheridan wouldn't care about the ranking of the college their kids get into but rather whether they will be happy there.

Only one HYP ivy? That doesn't bode well

Likely more, but that's already 4 to 5 percent of the graduating class.

[Anonymous]

Asking questions is always smart if you are going to invest. Yes, the school is raising its prices each year up to 5% and we have not seen where that 5% goes. There was talk of a new playground which may serve the younger children but they have not broken ground yet and it was supposed to be completed already. I do recommend talking to families who have been there for a while, as well as the head of school and some teachers directly to get an idea of what is going on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks interested in Sheridan should dig deep about (1) quality of instruction; (2) retention of quality instructors; (3) differentiated instruction (headmaster is new - she says she is rolling this out since many kids left the school last year because this didn't exsist. Impossible to say what level of instruction teachers have had on this score... no communication from headmaster on the point.); (4) intent to continue raising tuition - last year jump was 5% and this year, it's a big one, too (compare facilities and level of instruction to price tag and ask yourself whether you can continue to pay big jumps for what you get); and (5) mapped out curriculum so that kids are learning from year to year in an intentional manner (there isn't one... yep, in a teeny tiny school, they don't have a mapped out curriculum - teachers decide for themselves what to teach and it is completely and seemingly random).

Finally, look at college acceptance, and seek out kids who have graduated from Sheridan and find out whether they were well-prepared for high school. You will find a very mixed bag with many families stunned at how ill prepared their kids were. Sheridan kids don't take tests so they don't know how to study, and they don't have a lot of competing academic demands so they don't know how to prioritize, making 9th grade a bust for many students.

[Anonymous]

The increase was explained during one of the PTA meetings. We're pretty new, so I don't recall everything. My recollection is that some of it went to creating new positions such as the literacy specialist, which didn't exist before. (The playground is apparently held up by DC permit process, but I agree that it would be helpful to get some updates and explanations for the increase. I also understand there may be a desire to redesign the space to make it more open and more of a space for "21st century learners."

Anonymous wrote:Asking questions is always smart if you are going to invest. Yes, the school is raising its prices each year up to 5% and we have not seen where that 5% goes. There was talk of a new playground which may serve the younger children but they have not broken ground yet and it was supposed to be completed already. I do recommend talking to families who have been there for a while, as well as the head of school and some teachers directly to get an idea of what is going on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks interested in Sheridan should dig deep about (1) quality of instruction; (2) retention of quality instructors; (3) differentiated instruction (headmaster is new - she says she is rolling this out since many kids left the school last year because this didn't exsist. Impossible to say what level of instruction teachers have had on this score... no communication from headmaster on the point.); (4) intent to continue raising tuition - last year jump was 5% and this year, it's a big one, too (compare facilities and level of instruction to price tag and ask yourself whether you can continue to pay big jumps for what you get); and (5) mapped out curriculum so that kids are learning from year to year in an intentional manner (there isn't one... yep, in a teeny tiny school, they don't have a mapped out curriculum - teachers decide for themselves what to teach and it is completely and seemingly random).

Finally, look at college acceptance, and seek out kids who have graduated from Sheridan and find out whether they were well-prepared for high school. You will find a very mixed bag with many families stunned at how ill prepared their kids were. Sheridan kids don't take tests so they don't know how to study, and they don't have a lot of competing academic demands so they don't know how to prioritize, making 9th grade a bust for many students.

[Anonymous]

Public school parent, just came wandering in. Sheridan sounds wonderful. Carry on.

[Anonymous]

New playground is funded and designed. School is waiting on the permits from DC.

[Anonymous]

Sheridan is a lovely school and nice fit for our child. As much as I like it I was interested that the list of colleges that the alumni get into aren't anywhere as stellar as where the faculty - or parents attended. I am not caught up thinking there's a prestige in all that but it was a little surprising given the cost, where parents went and what kind of work they do (this was from two years ago - I didn't notice a report last year.) The arts program is pretty good though I think the progressive philosophy hasn't quite infiltrated that department but I am encouraged that the school seems committed to being inclusive and self reflective as far as equity and inclusion even though it is very much a work in progress. The playground from what I've heard is designed, but not fully funded and I've heard that whatever will be done will be held off until summer. Costs came in way over what they had said it would - but this is just word of mouth as there has been an odd lack of information about it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sheridan is a lovely school and nice fit for our child. As much as I like it I was interested that the list of colleges that the alumni get into aren't anywhere as stellar as where the faculty - or parents attended. I am not caught up thinking there's a prestige in all that but it was a little surprising given the cost, where parents went and what kind of work they do (this was from two years ago - I didn't notice a report last year.) The arts program is pretty good though I think the progressive philosophy hasn't quite infiltrated that department but I am encouraged that the school seems committed to being inclusive and self reflective as far as equity and inclusion even though it is very much a work in progress. The playground from what I've heard is designed, but not fully funded and I've heard that whatever will be done will be held off until summer. Costs came in way over what they had said it would - but this is just word of mouth as there has been an odd lack of information about it

I'm calling TROLL on this one. Sheridan is a K-8 school. It doesn't list college acceptances. Why would it? Sheridan graduates go to many of the top high schools in DC. Please take your negativity someplace else and get your facts straight. It's clear from your post that you haven't a clue about Sheridan. You strung together a few ideas from the different posts on here, and you did an awful job at disguising it.

Now beat it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sheridan is a lovely school and nice fit for our child. As much as I like it I was interested that the list of colleges that the alumni get into aren't anywhere as stellar as where the faculty - or parents attended. I am not caught up thinking there's a prestige in all that but it was a little surprising given the cost, where parents went and what kind of work they do (this was from two years ago - I didn't notice a report last year.) The arts program is pretty good though I think the progressive philosophy hasn't quite infiltrated that department but I am encouraged that the school seems committed to being inclusive and self reflective as far as equity and inclusion even though it is very much a work in progress. The playground from what I've heard is designed, but not fully funded and I've heard that whatever will be done will be held off until summer. Costs came in way over what they had said it would - but this is just word of mouth as there has been an odd lack of information about it

I'm calling TROLL on this one. Sheridan is a K-8 school. It doesn't list college acceptances. Why would it? Sheridan graduates go to many of the top high schools in DC. Please take your negativity someplace else and get your facts straight. It's clear from your post that you haven't a clue about Sheridan. You strung together a few ideas from the different posts on here, and you did an awful job at disguising it.

Now beat it.

It actually does report on both high school (e.g. the Sheridan class of 2016) and college admissions (e.g., the class of 2012).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sheridan is a lovely school and nice fit for our child. As much as I like it I was interested that the list of colleges that the alumni get into aren't anywhere as stellar as where the faculty - or parents attended. I am not caught up thinking there's a prestige in all that but it was a little surprising given the cost, where parents went and what kind of work they do (this was from two years ago - I didn't notice a report last year.) The arts program is pretty good though I think the progressive philosophy hasn't quite infiltrated that department but I am encouraged that the school seems committed to being inclusive and self reflective as far as equity and inclusion even though it is very much a work in progress. The playground from what I've heard is designed, but not fully funded and I've heard that whatever will be done will be held off until summer. Costs came in way over what they had said it would - but this is just word of mouth as there has been an odd lack of information about it

I'm calling TROLL on this one. Sheridan is a K-8 school. It doesn't list college acceptances. Why would it? Sheridan graduates go to many of the top high schools in DC. Please take your negativity someplace else and get your facts straight. It's clear from your post that you haven't a clue about Sheridan. You strung together a few ideas from the different posts on here, and you did an awful job at disguising it.

Now beat it.

It actually does report on both high school (e.g. the Sheridan class of 2016) and college admissions (e.g., the class of 2012).

We are applying to admission for Sheridan for our child, and I have seen nothing either in the printed admissions brochures or on the website about college admissions for Sheridan alumni. There is a list of high schools where Sheridan students have attended.

[Anonymous]

This isn't Sheridan-specific, but the multiple posters are idiots with their whining that the college acceptances in 2016 aren't as "impressive" as those for the kids' 50-something parents who applied/were accepted to college in 1982.

Did you know: the game has changed in the last 30 years?

(top Ivy DH and top 4 SLAC me are assuming that our non-diverse, non-athlete DS will get rejected from our schools, despite his scores and grades. It's just how it is now)

[Anonymous]

The head of school sent a note to families with the information. Additionally, this year (2017) already one alum will go to Penn and I overheard another may be going as well (ED?). And obviously most results aren't in yet. The first is an athlete and it was announced several months ago (he signed a letter of intent) on Facebook.

Agree with poster above. Sheridan graduates between 22 to 25 kids a year. It's small. Even two kids going to an ivy would amount to almost 10 percent of the class. Some years have more than others, but that's beside the point. We're there because the school was the best fit for our kid and the community is amazing. We'll take the same approach with colleges. If you're obsessed with HYP, make sure you're an alum and, as previous poster said, even that's no guarantee in a city filled with HYP alum.

-Signed Sheridan family with dime-a-dozen-in-DC HYP alum

[Anonymous]

Yeahhh-responding only as I was called an unknowing troll in earlier post. I saw that other confirmed that Sheridan posts not only where alumni go to college but of course where they are accepted for HS (it is kind of the job to sell the school to track results on students! I think you'll find that at every private no matter whether they have HS or like Sheridan as a K-8.) As I stated in my original - I have pretty much zero interest in whether or not my kid goes to a ivy, coveted school, whatever but I do think it pretty interesting that we are paying $34,000 a year (yep-I am a real parent and know our renewal is due!) for K-8 and except for a very very nice 9 years - it doesn't SEEM to be setting up our kids for amazing colleges later. Of course the acceptance to the local private HS has good showings spread across all the expected. My point was that the kids, 4 years after Sheridan are not going to Ivies at a high rate (esp given all the legacies in the parent population) or even schools you'd think, given crunchy granola/political demographics, places like Oberlin, Kenyon, Hampshire, Davidson, UChicago. It seems alumni more run of mill which to me is just fine if good fit for my kid and colleges not why I sent DC or hopefully #2 either!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeahhh-responding only as I was called an unknowing troll in earlier post. I saw that other confirmed that Sheridan posts not only where alumni go to college but of course where they are accepted for HS (it is kind of the job to sell the school to track results on students! I think you'll find that at every private no matter whether they have HS or like Sheridan as a K-8.) As I stated in my original - I have pretty much zero interest in whether or not my kid goes to a ivy, coveted school, whatever but I do think it pretty interesting that we are paying $34,000 a year (yep-I am a real parent and know our renewal is due!) for K-8 and except for a very very nice 9 years - it doesn't SEEM to be setting up our kids for amazing colleges later. Of course the acceptance to the local private HS has good showings spread across all the expected. My point was that the kids, 4 years after Sheridan are not going to Ivies at a high rate (esp given all the legacies in the parent population) or even schools you'd think, given crunchy granola/political demographics, places like Oberlin, Kenyon, Hampshire, Davidson, UChicago. It seems alumni more run of mill which to me is just fine if good fit for my kid and colleges not why I sent DC or hopefully #2 either!

If you think its not woth the money then send your kid to public school for gosh sakes. You sound like a disingenuous person. You say you don't care but you sound like you really do. Make up your mind because it isn't healthy for your kids if you are bitter because you spent $34K x 8 years and they don't get into an ivy league school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeahhh-responding only as I was called an unknowing troll in earlier post. I saw that other confirmed that Sheridan posts not only where alumni go to college but of course where they are accepted for HS (it is kind of the job to sell the school to track results on students! I think you'll find that at every private no matter whether they have HS or like Sheridan as a K-8.) As I stated in my original - I have pretty much zero interest in whether or not my kid goes to a ivy, coveted school, whatever but I do think it pretty interesting that we are paying $34,000 a year (yep-I am a real parent and know our renewal is due!) for K-8 and except for a very very nice 9 years - it doesn't SEEM to be setting up our kids for amazing colleges later. Of course the acceptance to the local private HS has good showings spread across all the expected. My point was that the kids, 4 years after Sheridan are not going to Ivies at a high rate (esp given all the legacies in the parent population) or even schools you'd think, given crunchy granola/political demographics, places like Oberlin, Kenyon, Hampshire, Davidson, UChicago. It seems alumni more run of mill which to me is just fine if good fit for my kid and colleges not why I sent DC or hopefully #2 either!

I think a previous PP raised this, but the broader issue is simply that you can't buy this anymore--college admissions have changed, and the number of students applying has ballooned while the number of spots at the "elite" schools has remained pretty constant. I'm an HYP alum and interview for my school and can tell you that while the caliber of kids coming out of the big schools hasn't changed, the number getting in (at least of the kids I interview--maybe I need to write stronger reports!) has absolutely fallen. Even 10 years ago, if I had an amazing kid and gave a strong "you want this kid!" type of rec, it was pretty likely that the admissions office would see the same thing and the kid would get in. Now it's 50/50 at best. We have also been short of interviewers for the last several years because so many students are applying, and most years I get some little follow-up at the end of the admissions season exclaiming that the number of applications shattered the previous record (set all of a year ago, usually...) It's just incredibly competitive, and admission is less and less a reflection on which schools kids are coming from than on the fact that there are dozens of others coming from similar schools with similar qualifications and there just aren't enough seats. (The good news is that my alma mater, at least, is expanding for the first time in many years, so is expecting a slightly higher acceptance rate this year, but it's barely enough to matter.)