Sherman Elementary School
Encyclopedia
Sherman Elementary School is located at 5618 North 14th Avenue in East Omaha
, Nebraska
. Founded in 1888 at 16th and Jaynes Streets for 21 students, today Sherman is home to over 275 students in prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school has absorbed several smaller local schools, was included in Omaha Public Schools
' court-ordered desegregation
plan, and was one of the first schools in Omaha to become 100% Title I recipients. Sherman has been the site of recent protest
s related to the Omaha Public Schools
treatment of racial and ethnic diversity.
; 62.6% were white
; 7.8% were Native American
; 1.2% were African American
, and; 1.2% were of African descent. 0.8% of the students were of Asian descent. That year 243 students attended the school. There were 19 teachers on staff and the school had a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 12.9 students per teacher.
, and shared its name with nearby Sherman Avenue, which today is called North 16th Street. In 1948 the nearby Beechwood School District was incorporated into Sherman School. Students from Pershing School, which was once located near Eppley Airfield
, were sent to Sherman in 1976.
At its peak in 1965 the school served 560 students in grades kindergarten through eight. In 1976 seventh
and eighth grade
students were transferred to McMillan Junior High School, and the school was paired with Miller Park Elementary School
. In 1995 Sherman became one of the first Title I recipients in the Omaha Public Schools.
Students from the community surrounding Sherman attended Sherman for kindergarten and first grade
s, went to Miller Park for grades two through four, and then returned to Sherman for grades five and six. They were bussed to McMillan for junior high, and then went to North High School
.
In 2002 the school was the site of protests by Omaha's Lao
-Hmong
immigrant community after the Omaha Police Department and Omaha Public Schools
was accused of floundering during a physical abuse
investigation.
Dianne Lee, a first grade teacher at Sherman, was named Nebraska Teacher of the Year in 2006 by the Nebraska Department of Education
. She was also awarded the Award of Excellence in 2007. In 2006 a kindergarten
student at the school with a brain tumor
received 10,000 birthday cards as a result of an appeal by her teacher.
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. Founded in 1888 at 16th and Jaynes Streets for 21 students, today Sherman is home to over 275 students in prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school has absorbed several smaller local schools, was included in Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools is the largest school district in the state of Nebraska. This public school district serves a diverse community of more than 46,000 students at over 80 elementary and secondary schools in Omaha, Nebraska...
' court-ordered desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
plan, and was one of the first schools in Omaha to become 100% Title I recipients. Sherman has been the site of recent protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
s related to the Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools is the largest school district in the state of Nebraska. This public school district serves a diverse community of more than 46,000 students at over 80 elementary and secondary schools in Omaha, Nebraska...
treatment of racial and ethnic diversity.
Demographics
During the 2003-04 school year, 27.6% of students at Sherman were LatinoLatino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
; 62.6% were white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
; 7.8% were Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
; 1.2% were African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, and; 1.2% were of African descent. 0.8% of the students were of Asian descent. That year 243 students attended the school. There were 19 teachers on staff and the school had a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 12.9 students per teacher.
History
The school was named for General William Tecumseh ShermanWilliam Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
, and shared its name with nearby Sherman Avenue, which today is called North 16th Street. In 1948 the nearby Beechwood School District was incorporated into Sherman School. Students from Pershing School, which was once located near Eppley Airfield
Eppley Airfield
Eppley Airfield is a medium hub primary airport located three miles northeast of the central business district of Omaha, a city in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. It is the largest airport in the state of Nebraska...
, were sent to Sherman in 1976.
At its peak in 1965 the school served 560 students in grades kindergarten through eight. In 1976 seventh
Seventh grade
Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school...
and eighth grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
students were transferred to McMillan Junior High School, and the school was paired with Miller Park Elementary School
Miller Park Elementary School
Miller Park Elementary School is located at 5625 North 28th Avenue in the Miller Park neighborhood of north Omaha, Nebraska. The school is credited for creating the original Junior Forest Club concept.-About:...
. In 1995 Sherman became one of the first Title I recipients in the Omaha Public Schools.
Students from the community surrounding Sherman attended Sherman for kindergarten and first grade
First grade
First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
s, went to Miller Park for grades two through four, and then returned to Sherman for grades five and six. They were bussed to McMillan for junior high, and then went to North High School
Omaha North High School
Omaha North High Magnet School is a public high school located at 4410 N 36th Street in Omaha, Nebraska. The school is a science, technology, engineering and mathematics magnet school in the Omaha Public Schools district. North has won several awards, including being named a 2007 Magnet Schools of...
.
In 2002 the school was the site of protests by Omaha's Lao
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
-Hmong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
immigrant community after the Omaha Police Department and Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools is the largest school district in the state of Nebraska. This public school district serves a diverse community of more than 46,000 students at over 80 elementary and secondary schools in Omaha, Nebraska...
was accused of floundering during a physical abuse
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
investigation.
Dianne Lee, a first grade teacher at Sherman, was named Nebraska Teacher of the Year in 2006 by the Nebraska Department of Education
Nebraska Department of Education
The Nebraska Department of Education is the U.S. State of Nebraska's state education agency responsible for administering public education funding from the U.S. Department of Education and the Nebraska State Legislature. It is headquartered in Lincoln....
. She was also awarded the Award of Excellence in 2007. In 2006 a kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
student at the school with a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
received 10,000 birthday cards as a result of an appeal by her teacher.
See also
- Education in North Omaha, Nebraska
- List of public schools in Omaha, Nebraska