Academics

Developing a love of learning is just as important as mastering skills and acquiring knowledge. Part of what makes learning accessible for students is that they feel emotionally safe and secure in their classroom. We intentionally create “class families” and teach inclusion of every student as part of the curriculum. Everyone belongs, we don’t do “cliques” and we rarely have to redirect students for behavior challenges. This environment doesn’t happen by accident. We have a heart for our students and it shows in our H.E.A.R.T. Skills program created by our Principal, Joy Raboli in 2003.

H.E.A.R.T is an acronym for the values that guide our conduct, choices and actions:

These H.E.A.R.T. Skills are practiced every single day from our tiniest kinders to our tall middle school Leadership Academy students. We teach “keeping your word,” and looking out for your class family. When reading novels, we look to see how the H.E.A.R.T. Skills are being used. We notice our class family using honor, empathy, accountability, respect and teamwork because it is the Sherwood Charter School way.

Our Leadership Academy is unlike other typical middle schools. We work hard to create a culture of kindness where our students actively take part in community and learn to expect and appreciate intellectual curiosity. At SCS, we are a collaborative group. We join forces every day to make our lessons engaging and challenging. SCS students find joy in discovering new things, sharing learning with others and applying their knowledge to solve problems. Our approach to teaching and learning is one of innovation where we believe in:

• Students actively engaging in creative, Hands-on learning
• Intentional team-building to create an inclusive environment for everybody
• Collaborative problem-solving
• Respecting and encouraging students to truly be themselves

An essential part of the experience is the middle school “Houses,” where each middle school student is placed into one of the five groups: Hawks, Mountain Lions, Wolves, Bears, or Bobcats. Each house consists of 6th, 7th and 8th graders who meet once a day to work on projects such as team building, community service, and problem solving as well as participating in team competitions. These groups encourage communication, sharing and inclusion which contributes to SCS’s unique culture.

At SCS, our students have the advantage to learn through hands on and real world experiences. With our elementary grades taking several field trips each year, they have had the opportunity of learning about the Oregon government from the judge’s bench at the Oregon State Capital, habitats while exploring trails at the Tualatin Wildlife Refuge, music while experimenting with instruments at the Youth Music Project. In our leadership academy, our middle school scholars have had the opportunity of learning about math while experiencing a flight simulation at IFLY, science with sand under their feet with a trip to the Oregon Coast Hatfield Marine Science Center and history while digging for information at the OMSI Pompeii Exhibit.

See photos of these opportunities and more below: