Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think these issues are that big of a secret. The kids all call the school "Sherweed." Yes, I realize drugs happen everywhere but as PP noted, one does not want to hear that the administration is turning a blind eye to that or other problems.
I really don't have a stake in this except as a property owner I would like to see my tax dollars go toward creating and supporting good schools.
I don't think you will find many Sherwood parents on this forum as the average age of DCUM parents tends to trend a little younger and be more DC based.

So, here is what I know:

More than one neighbor with children in various years at Sherwood has told me that their DC knows not to eat in the cafeteria because it is unsafe and that is where all the trouble is including drug deals. In addition, in each case their DC never puts anything in a locker because it will disappear. My neighbors' children have been part of these coversations and their responses have be to shrug and "that's just how it is."

I found this so unbelievable that I asked my DC about it. DC has many friends of various ages at Sherwood but goes to a private school. DC's reponse was to laugh at my naivete and say "of course mom, everyone knows about this."

Really? They do? Well, than someone should do something about it.

Flame away but I am just reporting what I know. This has always been a good school and kids who want to work can take some fabulous courses there but certain standards should be higher. I have known many of the children I am referring to since they were babies. They are great kids and shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. It is a damn shame and something should be done to remedy it.




"If everyone knows about it" I guarantee you its false. There is no more drug use at Sherwood than at any other public school. Private school students tend to believe everything that they hear about public schools and usually only half is true. The cafeteria at Sherwood is a haven for 9th graders and foreign born students. Its usually the same at all other schools. Once the new students get their feet on the ground they branch out and eat in the hallways.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think these issues are that big of a secret. The kids all call the school "Sherweed." Yes, I realize drugs happen everywhere but as PP noted, one does not want to hear that the administration is turning a blind eye to that or other problems.
I really don't have a stake in this except as a property owner I would like to see my tax dollars go toward creating and supporting good schools.
I don't think you will find many Sherwood parents on this forum as the average age of DCUM parents tends to trend a little younger and be more DC based.

So, here is what I know:

More than one neighbor with children in various years at Sherwood has told me that their DC knows not to eat in the cafeteria because it is unsafe and that is where all the trouble is including drug deals. In addition, in each case their DC never puts anything in a locker because it will disappear. My neighbors' children have been part of these coversations and their responses have be to shrug and "that's just how it is."

I found this so unbelievable that I asked my DC about it. DC has many friends of various ages at Sherwood but goes to a private school. DC's reponse was to laugh at my naivete and say "of course mom, everyone knows about this."

Really? They do? Well, than someone should do something about it.

Flame away but I am just reporting what I know. This has always been a good school and kids who want to work can take some fabulous courses there but certain standards should be higher. I have known many of the children I am referring to since they were babies. They are great kids and shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. It is a damn shame and something should be done to remedy it.




"If everyone knows about it" I guarantee you its false. There is no more drug use at Sherwood than at any other public school. Private school students tend to believe everything that they hear about public schools and usually only half is true. The cafeteria at Sherwood is a haven for 9th graders and foreign born students. Its usually the same at all other schools. Once the new students get their feet on the ground they branch out and eat in the hallways.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think these issues are that big of a secret. The kids all call the school "Sherweed." Yes, I realize drugs happen everywhere but as PP noted, one does not want to hear that the administration is turning a blind eye to that or other problems.
I really don't have a stake in this except as a property owner I would like to see my tax dollars go toward creating and supporting good schools.
I don't think you will find many Sherwood parents on this forum as the average age of DCUM parents tends to trend a little younger and be more DC based.

So, here is what I know:

More than one neighbor with children in various years at Sherwood has told me that their DC knows not to eat in the cafeteria because it is unsafe and that is where all the trouble is including drug deals. In addition, in each case their DC never puts anything in a locker because it will disappear. My neighbors' children have been part of these coversations and their responses have be to shrug and "that's just how it is."

I found this so unbelievable that I asked my DC about it. DC has many friends of various ages at Sherwood but goes to a private school. DC's reponse was to laugh at my naivete and say "of course mom, everyone knows about this."

Really? They do? Well, than someone should do something about it.

Flame away but I am just reporting what I know. This has always been a good school and kids who want to work can take some fabulous courses there but certain standards should be higher. I have known many of the children I am referring to since they were babies. They are great kids and shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. It is a damn shame and something should be done to remedy it.

My kids go to Whitman, which is not perceived to have any safety issues. No one uses their lockers because there is no point with 5 mins between classes who would have time to go to it. And only 9th graders eat in the cafeteria because the older kids prefer to eat in other parts of the building. I think that's true of many Moco high schools. So sounds like your DC is maybe hearing urban legends about Sherwood.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think these issues are that big of a secret. The kids all call the school "Sherweed." Yes, I realize drugs happen everywhere but as PP noted, one does not want to hear that the administration is turning a blind eye to that or other problems.
I really don't have a stake in this except as a property owner I would like to see my tax dollars go toward creating and supporting good schools.
I don't think you will find many Sherwood parents on this forum as the average age of DCUM parents tends to trend a little younger and be more DC based.

So, here is what I know:

More than one neighbor with children in various years at Sherwood has told me that their DC knows not to eat in the cafeteria because it is unsafe and that is where all the trouble is including drug deals. In addition, in each case their DC never puts anything in a locker because it will disappear. My neighbors' children have been part of these coversations and their responses have be to shrug and "that's just how it is."

I found this so unbelievable that I asked my DC about it. DC has many friends of various ages at Sherwood but goes to a private school. DC's reponse was to laugh at my naivete and say "of course mom, everyone knows about this."

Really? They do? Well, than someone should do something about it.

Flame away but I am just reporting what I know. This has always been a good school and kids who want to work can take some fabulous courses there but certain standards should be higher. I have known many of the children I am referring to since they were babies. They are great kids and shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. It is a damn shame and something should be done to remedy it.

Anonymous wrote:OMG - Drug deals have been occurring at high schools in the DC area, including MoCo, since I was in high school 20 years ago. Nothing has changed. This is an urban area. Drugs are everywhere unfortunately. Just more in some places than others (generally more $$, more drugs).

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, are you the one looking in the Olney Brookeville area and someone posted to go private for HS? If so, I have been following that thread and I have the exact same situation as you. 2 kids, oldest entering K next year and we have basically a budget of $550K. I have researched DCUM for Sherwood info and have never heard anything negative except for last night when someone said there are drugs in the cafeteria. I have the same concerns as you, but I just find it a little confusing that an area with ES and MS schools as high ranking as they are in Olney, would have an "unsafe" high school. What happened to these kids between MS and HS??

Sherwood is a 7 on greatschools and WJ is an 8. Sure, an 8 is preferable to a 7 but when you think about the financial costs of one area over the other, I feel that I would be able to do more for my kids in Olney financially than I would at WJ. I would be able to afford more after school activities, tutoring, etc., things that would hopefully keep them away from the bad crowd which is present in ANY high school, even WJ. I have also noticed that a lot of similar couples to us (in age, education and socioeconomic background) are being priced out of the WJ cluster and coming to Olney, which I think, in the long term, is going to benefit the area and keep it consistent. If you look at schooldigger, Sherwood has a steady history of being a 7 so I think with more and more families moving out there, it will only go up from there. That is my hope. I know I haven't provided you with useful info about your question, but I just wanted to show some comradery with you, and that while I share your concerns, I'm starting to calm down more and still leaning toward Olney. (Hopefully, I gave this thread another bump in the meantime and we can have some Sherwood parents chime in).