Highlights of Exemplary Practices Aligned with the 18 Characteristics of Successful Middle Schools

Highlights of Exemplary Practices Aligned with the 18 Characteristics of Successful Middle Schools

Essential Attributes: An education for young adolescents should be Challenging

Sheridan School utilizes several programs to maintain high expectations and offer rigorous, relevant academics, including 8th Grade Monologues. Every 8th Grade student chooses a book and writes an original monologue, between 1-2 minutes, based on a character and situation from that book. They then perform the monologues for the entire school. Sheridan students, teachers, and parents visit rooms where each individual student is stationed and say a phrase that "activates" the monologue. Combining a deep understanding of the elements of a literary text (character, plot, setting) with curiosity and performance / public speaking skills produces an unforgettable, confidence-building experience for our 8th Graders!

Essential Attributes: An education for young adolescents should be Engaging

The school promotes active involvement through hands-on, collaborative learning. At Mountain Campus, students test their knowledge of the natural and scientific world, become active participants in conservation and sustainability, learn survival skills and expand their courage as they participate in new and adventurous outdoor challenges. Consistent with our developmental approach, challenges and length of stay increase as students grow physically and emotionally. For example, Kindergarteners begin with one overnight, with parents, in the spring semester. Inviting parents on our trips means that they also create their own memories and bonds! By 8th Grade, our students spend multiple nights without parents, and visit Mountain Campus twice a year.

In 8th Grade, students take three outdoor education trips. This fall, they will first participate in Expeditions, a 3-day, 2-night trip that takes students on adventures around the region based on their interests. In October, they will make a 2-day, 1-night trip to Mountain Campus as part of the Sustainability Labs program. Sustainability Labs is a year-long program that gives students the chance to engage in learning around environmental issues, conduct labs to gather information, and then plan for action. In the spring, students take their final trip to Mountain Campus in Luray, VA to have fun on the elements, revisit challenges, bond with each other, eat s’mores, sing favorite campfire songs, and more!

Characteristic #18: Organizational structures foster purposeful learning and meaningful relationships.

At Sheridan School, organizational structures create community through teams, advisory programs, common planning time, and small learning communities. Our Middle School students start and end each day in Advisory, the Middle School version of Responsive Classroom Morning and Closing Meetings. They form strong connections with their adult advisor and a small group of peers. Advisory is a place where specific activities take place. It is a place where community service projects are developed; it is a place that provides all school meeting time, small group assemblies, and class meetings; discussion of what it looks like to respect one’s self, others and the environment. It is a tool to make our small community even smaller, and even more personal. At Sheridan, advisory is more than just a scheduled time; it is integral to our educational philosophy. It serves as a "cornerstone of our educational approach" and a "vital bridge between home and school". Our primary goal is to ensure that "each student is well-known, supported, and successful both academically and socially." Through consistent advisory sessions, we aim to foster a strong sense of community and provide a reliable support system, ensuring every student feels valued and understood.