Sherwood High School (Maryland)

Sherwood High School is a secondary school in Sandy Spring in unincorporated Montgomery County, Maryland.^[1] Sherwood's program of interest is the international studies program, and is also known for its music and athletic programs. Sherwood draws students from Farquhar and Rosa Parks Middle Schools.

Sherwood serves the towns of Olney, Ashton, and Brookeville.

History

Sherwood Academy was built on a piece of land donated in 1883, that was once part of Sherwood Farm – named because the abundance of trees was reminiscent of Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest.^[2] In 1906, Sherwood became the third public high school in Montgomery County, after Richard Montgomery High School and Gaithersburg High School. The original school building was replaced in 1950,^[3] and the one thousand seat Ertzman theatre was added in 1974. The school was renovated in 1989-1991, during which students were temporarily moved to the Northwood High School building in Silver Spring. During the summer of 2007, a new wing was added to the school, creating new class rooms for science and English.

Student body

Sherwood High School had 2076 students enrolled for the 2010-2011 school year. The school's student body is 58% Non-Hispanic Caucasian, 15% African American, 10% Asian, 13% Hispanic, and 0.2% American Indian.^[4] The graduation rate for the school is 93.6%, with 79.3% planning to go on to college.^[3] In SAT testing, students have an average score of 553 (math), 532 (verbal), and 1085 (total), which places Sherwood under the Montgomery County average of 1102 (total), but above the national average of 1028 (total).^[3] Approximately 65% of the students took an AP exam during the 2010-2011 school year, and about 74% of those students passed those exams.^[5]

Academics

The International Studies Program distinguishes the school by providing a uniquely focused program. The program was established in 1998, coinciding with broader restructuring that occurred with the opening of the nearby James Hubert Blake High School. Blake High School, along with Paint Branch High School and Springbrook High School formed the Northeast Consortium of schools. The consortium provides each with a uniquely specialized program which students can opt for instead of attending their local school. While Sherwood is not a member of the consortium, it established the International Studies Program. Sherwood is a member of the International Studies Schools Association, a national network of schools dedicated to improving students' understanding of the world.^[6]

In 2006, Sherwood High School was listed in the Newsweek's top 1200 American High Schools, as the 388th highest-rated school in the country, up 61 places from its 2005 ranking of 449.^[7]

In 2008 the Columbia Scholastic Press Association awarded gold medals to the Leaves yearbook and the Warrior newspaper. The theme of the 2008 Leaves was "What Does It Take To Be a Warrior?"

A new system of academies has been implemented beginning with the class of 2013. There are four academies that students can choose from: Business and Hospitality, Engineering and Technology, Science, and Arts and Humanities. The academies allow students to specialize in their area of interest.

Music

Sherwood High School has music programs, including the annual Rock 'n Roll Revival show, which was established in 1971.^[8] The original concept for the show was conceived by a group of Sherwood students who were inspired after seeing a concert at Madison Square Garden in October 1971. Faculty members also appeared in the first show in 1972.^[9] The show includes the performance of a mix of songs from the late 1950s to the late 1990s. Each March, Rock 'n' Roll Revival has performances over two weekends^[10] at Ertzman Theatre, with a seventh performance for students in area middle and elementary schools.

Sherwood High School also has an Instrumental Music Department and offers jazz band, jazz lab, concert band, and symphonic orchestra. The Chambers Chorus performs many times during the year at area venues, and in March 2009 they toured Italy and performed in three different cathedrals in Rome and Tuscany. Also offered are choruses including jazz choir, show choir, and a women's chorus.

Athletics

The Sherwood Warriors varsity football team has won a several Maryland state championships, including 1995, 1996 and most recently, 2008.^[11]

The boys soccer team won the 2004 and 2005 Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association championships.^[12]

The Sherwood varsity basketball team won the 4A Maryland State Championship, held at the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland, College Park, on March 10, 2007.^[13]

Notable alumni

• Scott Van Pelt, an anchor for SportsCenter and host of The Scott Van Pelt Show^[14]
• Richie Anderson, former American football Fullback for the New York Jets.^[15]
• Sean Whalen, actor^[16]
• Allison Miller, a drummer, singer, and composer.^[17]
• Oguchi Onyewu, a United States National Team, and AC Milan soccer player^[18][19]
• Justin Maxwell, Major League Baseball player for the San Francisco Giants^[20]

References

External links

• Sherwood High School website
• The Warrior, the Sherwood High School newspaper

Coordinates: 39°8′55.32″N 77°1′6.35″W / 39.1487000°N 77.0184306°W / 39.1487000; -77.0184306