Sherman Academy

I attended Sherman Elementary, for 4^th and 5^th grades, in the early ‘90s and I remember it being a great time! What I remember the most were my teachers there. The neighborhood was sort of rough there, although not too bad; compared to other areas in San Diego.
My 4^th grade teacher took me to my only baseball game, formally known as Jack Murphy Stadium, to see the Padres and my 5^th grade teacher took us to the beach to go surfing. Because of my 5^th grade teacher, I was able to experience LaserDiscs, electric guitars, music, Apple computers, and electronic gadgets.
I’m sure it has changed immensely throughout the years. They do resemble condos now…

Sherman Elementary is an extraordinarily outstanding school. There are many excellent programs offered at Sherman. Here is a list of a some of the best things they do for children:
1. ASB: where students actually make decisions and motivate others to succeed.
2. Garden Club: Students have designed the garden and are harvesting the fruits of their labor.
3. Peace Patrol: Students help one another solve problems with their words.
4. Homework Club: Students get help from teachers completing assignments after school.
5. Lit Tech: Students make movies and school wide broadcasts to inform and teach their peers. In 2011, Sherman won a county wide award for the best video.
6. Visual and Performing Arts: Every winter and spring, each grade level performs on stage to showcase their amazing talents.
7. Music classes: The upper grades take music lessons and actually get to play REAL instruments.
The students are happy to come to school. The principal knows all the students by name and cares about them very much. The teachers are persistent and caring.
Sherman is a family of learners.
PS. In 2011 Sherman had the highest gains in the county on their CA state test scores.

The principal is a jerk. He needs to go and go soon if this school is to succeed.

A gem in the rough, this school is in start-​up phase after closing down for 2 – 3 years for a complete reconstruction. The heart of the academic program is a dual immersion concept where students spend half the day learning in Spanish and half the day learning in English. Dare I say that this is a superior model and fairer to English language learners than the total Spanish immersion at certain magnet schools with huge waiting lists?
Sherman is a neighborhood school and the student body has a very high proportion of English language learners from poor families. Nonetheless, the sense one gets from visiting the new campus is one of wholesomeness. Indeed, the students’ exuberance for learning is matched by the evident commitment of their family members to their kids’ education. The teachers, all hand-​picked by the forward-​looking principal who championed the dual immersion concept with the district, seem deeply committed to the educational mission.
One hang-​up: The administration seems a bit disorganized due to being in start-​up phase. I hope these issues take care of themselves in the next year as they find their groove.