New Family Information
Hello Incoming Sheridan Families!
We are delighted to be beginning the new school year with you in the coming days. While we have shared an abundance of information with you already this summer, we know you may still have questions about what to expect. The information that follows answers the most common questions our new families ask just before school begins. If you need additional information between now and September 9th, please don’t hesitate to contact Maureen Minehan and Wendy Lunde at advancement@sheridanschool.org and they will point you in the right direction.
The Sheridan Team
BEGINNING THE YEAR
Opening Day
School begins on Thursday, September 9, at 8:15 a.m. The dropoff window is between 8:15 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.
You will receive an email and a text message with a link to the daily health screening by 7:00 a.m. Please complete the screening by 8:00 a.m. at the latest. Students without completed health screenings will not be permitted to enter the building.
Pickup will take place at 3:30 p.m. on the playground.
Daily Health Screening
Health Screening: You will receive a daily health screening message by email and by text by 7:00 a.m. each day. Please click on the link in either message and complete your child’s screening for the day by 8:00 a.m. at the latest. Students without completed health screenings will not be permitted to enter school.
We recognize many symptoms and minor illnesses are unrelated to COVID-19. If denied entry through the health screening, please contact School Nurse Caroline Gates at nurse@sheridanschool.org or 202-362-7900 to discuss the reported symptoms and determine whether attendance at school is possible.
Morning Dropoff
Regular morning dropoff takes place each day between 8:15 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.
Families have two options for dropoff: 1) use the carpool line and drop your child off in front of the school or 2) park in the neighborhood and walk your child to the front of the school. Please see below for important instructions for each arrival option.
Carpool Line Guidelines
If you are dropping your child off at the school entrance, please enter the carpool line at the intersection of 36th Street and Alton Place following the traffic pattern on this map. If you are first in line, please pull all the way up to the “Do Not Block the Driveway” sign at the far end of the parking lot and stop to allow your child to exit your car. If there are cars in front of you, please pull up as far as possible before stopping to allow your child to exit.
Students are expected to exit their cars on their own. If your child needs assistance leaving your car and shutting the door behind them, please park in the neighborhood and walk your child to the front of the school until they are able to easily exit your car without assistance. Students must exit on the school side of the car ONLY and all adults must remain in the car during the dropoff process.
Once your child has exited your car, they will be directed by a staff member to their designated entrance, where they will be warmly greeted to start the day!
Below are some additional guidelines:
- Cross only at corners. Do not let your child out across the street from school and allow them to cross in the middle of the road. If your child needs to cross the road, make sure they cross at the crosswalk.
- Stay in the car. Do not exit the car yourself. If your child needs assistance or you need to retrieve an item for them, please leave the dropoff line and find a legal parking space in the neighborhood.
- Have belongings ready. Your child’s belongings — backpack, sports equipment, instruments, school projects — should be in a place where they can quickly and easily pull them from the car when they exit. If something is large enough that it must be stored in and removed from the trunk, please park in the neighborhood and have your child walk in.
- Keep the line moving. After your child exits the car, immediately proceed forward to exit the line, following the car in front of you. We know it can be tempting to check your email, make a call or blow a last-round of goodbye kisses, but we need the line to move as quickly as possible.
“Park and Walk In” Guidelines
If you choose to park and walk your child to the front of the school, please find a legal parking space in the neighborhood, park, and walk your child to the sidewalk in front of the school where you will say a quick goodbye. Please be sure to cross only at street corners. As soon as your child enters the front door, please return to your car.
Dismissal/Pickup
The main school day concludes at 3:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. on Wednesdays) and pickup takes place on the Sheridan playground for all students leaving at the regular dismissal time. Parents/guardians and caregivers should arrive by 3:30 p.m. and enter the playground gate to meet their Sheridan student(s) on the playground. Parents/guardians and caregivers arriving by car must park in a legal spot in the neighborhood, taking care to respect “no parking” signs, driveways and alley entrances. Parking is NOT permitted in the parking lot in front of the school, in the employee parking lot on Alton Street, or on the school side of 36th Street in front of the school.
Students in Grades K-4 are checked out on the playground by a supervising teacher. Parents/guardians and caregivers must make eye contact with the supervising teacher and confirm dismissal before leaving with their student. Students in Grades 5-8 are dismissed after “shaking out” with their advisors and may then meet someone for pick up on the playground, depart on their own (if parental/guardian permission has been granted), sign in to Ex-Club or participate in athletics or the theater program. While our COVID-19 health protocols are in place, families must leave campus immediately upon dismissal.
All students must be picked up by 3:45 p.m. (2:45 p.m. on Wednesdays) or they will be checked into Ex-Club and billed accordingly. Exceptions to this include participation in extra-curricular activities such as team sports or theater for students in Grades 5-8, or a meeting with a teacher.
Pickup Authorizations
Students will only be dismissed to adults who appear on their “authorized pickup” list. These names were collected through the Student Information/Permission Form families completed over the summer and can be amended during the year by sending an email to mminehan@sheridanschool.org. If your child will be picked up by an individual who is not listed on their authorized pickup list, please notify the Front Office as early in the day as possible at office@sheridanschool.org or 202-362-7900, and we will notify the teacher supervising your child’s dismissal.
Pickup Parking Guidelines
- Follow all parking regulations and do not block neighbor driveways or the school’s parking lots.
- Do not block travel flow on any of the streets surrounding the school.
- Do not park in the Faculty & Staff parking lots located in the front of the school or on Alton Place.
- Do not park illegally “just for a minute” or “just while I’m doing a quick dropoff.”
Walkers/Unaccompanied Dismissal (Grades 4-8)
Students in Grades 4-8 may leave Sheridan without an adult if such permission is on file with the school. Dismissal permissions were collected this summer through the Student Information/Permission Form and can be amended during the year by sending an email to mminehan@sheridanschool.org.
Before School Care
We offer complimentary child care in the mornings from 7:45 am – 8:15 am. Students participating in the Morning Care program should enter the school through the playground gate where they will be greeted by a Sheridan staff member. Parents/caregivers are not permitted to enter the playground in the morning.
After School Care
Ex-Club, Sheridan’s after school care program, is held daily when school is in session and is available on a regular or drop-in basis to all Sheridan families. Billing takes place monthly through TADS and the hourly rate is lower for families who register in advance.
Based on the number of attendees, students who stay for after care will be grouped by grade or into small grade bands (e.g. K-1st, 2nd-3rd, etc…). Each grade or grade band will be assigned to a specific room and participate in Ex-Club activities as a cohort. The same layered mitigation measures employed during the day (e.g. masking, physical distancing, ventilation, etc…) will apply.
Students in Grades K-5 will engage in a variety of activities and projects such as art, playground time, and game-playing. Students in Grades 6-8 will participate in a study hall while also enjoying outdoor time. All students will have a snack during after care.
Parents/guardians or caregivers arriving between 3:45 p.m.-6:00 p.m. to pick up a child will park in a legal spot in the neighborhood and walk to the front door of the school. Upon entering the lobby, they will provide their child’s name to the Ex-Club staff member located in the lobby area, sign the child out on the provided sign-out form, and wait outside for their child to be brought to the front door from their classroom. Questions about Ex-Club should be directed to Director of Auxiliary Programs Nathalie Sviedrys.
Note for Grades 5-8 Families
When games, practices or rehearsals begin later than 3:45pm, students in Grades 5-8 who are participating in After School Athletics or Theater sign into Ex-Club while they await the start of their activities. There is no cost to families for this waiting time. Athletes and theater participants who are not picked up within 15 minutes of the end time of these activities are signed into Ex-Club again and charged at the regular hourly rate until they are picked up by an authorized adult.
Back-to-School Night
Back-to-School Night is one of our favorite events of the year! It’s an opportunity for you to meet your child’s teachers, learn about the curriculum and activities your child will engage in this year, and hear about ways you can connect learning at school with learning at home.
Due to COVID-19, Back-to-School Night will take place virtually this year and will be held on different nights for different grades. Please review the dates and times below and mark your calendars. Zoom links will be provided prior to each event.
Monday, September 13th
K: 7-8pm
6th: 7-8pm
4th: 8-9pm
5th: 8-9pm
Tuesday, September 14th
1st: 7-8pm
7th: 7-8pm
2nd: 8-9pm
3rd: 8-9pm
8th: 8-9pm
Communications
The following is a list of the different channels Sheridan uses for school-family communications and an explanation of their purpose.
News & Notes
News & Notes is our primary tool for school-family communications. A weekly e-mail newsletter sent every Monday in the early afternoon, it’s where you will find items that require action, school-wide news that is important to know, upcoming dates for your calendar, and links to the classroom blogs. We also share insights into our program and sometimes offer recommendations for activities that may be of interest to our community.
We ask every parent or guardian to take a few minutes each week and read News & Notes as it is the main way we share information with our families.
Sheridan App
Sheridan’s smartphone app keeps you connected wherever you are. Inside the app, you’ll find News & Notes, calendars, classroom bogs, a family directory, lunch menus, schedules, Parents Association sign-ups and news and more.
The App login credentials are: User Name: Sheridan Password: School (note the initial caps for each)
Classroom Blogs
Individual classrooms publish weekly blogs featuring highlights from the week, photos and information about upcoming classroom activities or events. The blogs are included in News & Notes and also sent by email each Monday afternoon.
E-mail
At times, the school, faculty, the Parents Association or class grade parents will have important information to convey that’s either time-sensitive or not the right type of content for News & Notes or the classroom blogs. In those cases, you will receive the information by e-mail.
Social Media
Sheridan maintains an active presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with photos and news from both inside and outside the school. We encourage all of our families to follow us on Facebook here. You can keep up with progressive education research and news via our Twitter feed. We have recently added Instagram and you can follow us @sheridanschooldc.
OwlNet
OwlNet is an e-mail group where you can ask questions or share information with other members of the Sheridan community about topics unrelated to the school. It’s similar to a neighborhood e-mail list, and we encourage you to sign up and take advantage of the opportunity to tap into the knowledge and resources of our community. Need a babysitter or a plumber? Hosting an interesting event? Want to put together a book club or find a morning workout partner? Use OwlNet! Subscribing is easy — just send an e-mail to owlnet+subscribe@sheridanschool.org.
Parent Notification System
Our Parent Notification System, transmits information about school delays, closings or emergencies to parents and guardians by phone, e-mail and text. Whenever you have a change in your contact information, please send it to Directof of Advancement & Communications Maureen Minehan so we can be certain any notifications reach you.
Parents Association + Grade Parents
All Sheridan families are automatically members of the Sheridan Parents Association (PA). The PA’s mission is to foster a sense of community throughout Sheridan while helping administrators, faculty, and staff create a vibrant and inclusive environment for our students and families. Each year, the PA welcomes new families, support the school’s educational priorities, encourage volunteerism, host engaging community events and provide a channel for communication among parents, faculty and staff.
Upcoming Parents Association events include Playground Playdates the weekend of September 11-12 and Fall Fair on Sunday, October 24.
Class grade parents are important PA volunteers and serve as wonderful resources for families. Grade Parent representatives for 2021-2022 are:
K: Sara Aviel, Sakinah Stanback
1st: Lauren Gertzman, Jessie Regunberg
2nd: Rebecca Galen, Jennifer Saperstein
3rd: Afet Dundar, Chris Tylec
4th: Melissa Kopolow, Amie Woods
5th: Howard Lewis, Natalia Sorgente
6th: Cathy Chirikjian, Stacy Kobrick
7th: Kerstin Canby, Ann Canning Schruben
8th: Camilla Colvin, Lindy Kearns, Mari McDonald
School Nurse
All questions or concerns about your child’s health, medications administered at school, or exposure to COVID-19 should be directed to School Nurse Caroline Gates at nurse@sheridanschool.org.
If your child becomes ill or is injured during the school day, Caroline will assess their well-being and if they need to leave school to recuperate at home or seek medical attention, she will contact you. If she is unable to reach you, she will call your child’s emergency contacts.
Who to Ask
The Sheridan Community offers families a wealth of resources on all manner of topics, from child development to art enrichment. Below are some of the key contacts at the school and their email addresses.
For academic, social-emotional or general classroom questions, your first point of contact should be your child’s homeroom teachers (Grades K-5) or advisor (Grades 6-8).
For general school-related questions, you may contact one of the individuals below if the question falls into their area or send an email to Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives Maureen Minehan and she will connect you to the right individual(s).
Head of School: Jessica Donovan
jdonovan@sheridanschool.org
Director of Admissions and Financial Aid: Karen O’Connor-Floman
kofloman@sheridanschool.org
Director of Advancement: Wendy Lunde
wlunde@sheridanschool.org
Director of Auxiliary Programs: Nathalie Sviedrys
nsviedrys@sheridanschool.org
Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives: Maureen Minehan
mminehan@sheridanschool.org
Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Tiphanie Edwards
tedwards@sheridanschool.org
Director of Finance and Operations: Suzanne Badoux
sbadoux@sheridanschool.org
Director of Learning Support: Melanie Auerbach
mauerbach@sheridanschool.org
Director of Lower School: Kelly Nelson
knelson@sheridanschool.org
Director of Middle School: Rob Bradford
rbradford@sheridanschool.org
Director of Technology: Derek Morton
dmorton@sheridanschool.org
School Counselor: Phyllis Fagell
pfagell@sheridanschool.org
School Nurse: Caroline Gates
nurse@sheridanschool.org
Front Office Receptionist: Sakinah Stanback
swashington@sheridanschool.org
GENERAL INFORMATION
COVID-19 Protocols
An overview of our COVID-19 practices and protocols is available here. Please read the overview carefully as a successful plan requires partnership across our community. We will continually evaluate our plan against COVID-19 developments in our local community, and we will amend our plan whenever needed.
Family Handbook
The Sheridan Student-Family Handbook provides a useful overview of the school’s policies and procedures.
Mountain Campus
Our Mountain Campus schedule has been revised for the fall due to COVID-19. Below is the schedule of activities for each grade:
Grades K-2: Camp Horizons staff will come to Sheridan in October for a “Mountain Campus in the City” day for each grade. They will lead students through outdoor activities and games at Sheridan, bringing part of the Mountain Campus experience closer to home.
Grades 3-4: Camp Horizons staff will come to Sheridan in October for a “Mountain Campus in the City” day in Soapstone Park. Students will participate in outdoor activities, projects and games that mirror what they typically experience at Mountain Campus.
Grades 5-6: Students in these grades will take day trips to Mountain Campus in early October (Oct. 7 for 5th; Oct. 8 for 6th). Transportation will be provided between Mountain Campus and Sheridan. Full details will be sent to you three weeks ahead of time by Director of Mountain Campus Sandy Liebson.
Grades 7-8: Students in these grades will take overnight trips to Mountain Campus in September (Sept. 22-23 for 8th; Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 for 7th). Transportation will be provided between Mountain Campus and Sheridan. Full details will be sent to you by Director of Mountain Campus Sandy Liebson in the coming days.
Tuition and Billing
Billing for tuition payments and After School care is managed through your TADS account. Billing questions should be directed to Director of Finance and Facilities Suzanne Badoux.
Volunteer
Every Sheridan family is automatically a member of the Sheridan Parents Association (PA). The PA enhances the school experience for families, staff, and students by facilitating effective communication, sponsoring family activities that foster a spirit of involvement and joyful engagement, and promoting meaningful service learning.
Whether you have 30 hours or 30 minutes to lend a hand, we encourage all new families to volunteer as it’s one of the fastest ways to get to know others in our community. Volunteer opportunities are listed here.
School Calendar
Below is the Sheridan “major dates” calendar for 2021-2022. The full calendar with daily events is always available on the Sheridan website at Sheridan Calendar and on the Sheridan app.
