Sachem Spotlight: Donna Sherwood, Class of ’82

Sherwood, a Sachem alum from the Class of 1982, has taught in Sachem for 31 years.

Donna Sherwood is homegrown.

In 1986, she was a special education teacher assistant, by 1987 she started her first year as a 15:1 self-contained special education classroom teacher and since then has taught grades two through six at Nokomis, Cayuga, Tecumseh and Grundy Avenue. Sherwood has also worked in the special education extended school year summer school program for many years.

We recently her about her career in Sachem.

What does it mean for you to work here?

“As a Sachem graduate, I am honored to have the opportunity to work in the district that helped shape the person I have become today. I have had the opportunity to learn from so many amazing and talented people. Sans Egal!”

Who was your biggest influence going into education?

“My parents taught me the importance of a good education from the time I was in elementary school and continued to express interest in my success all the way through my college years and even now as we often speak about the daily comings and goings of my classroom.  It was their continuing interest and support of my education that showed me the value of education and eventually influenced my decision to become a teacher. I wanted to make sure children knew that learning can be challenging yet rewarding as well as fun and exciting.”

Looking back on such a great career can you name a few shining moments that stand out?

“I have had the pleasure to work with some amazing students and families over the 30 years I have been a teacher. I have touched many lives and influenced many minds in positive and rewarding ways. Thanks to social media, I keep in touch with many of my former students who often share their lives with me and ask for my advice when life has become somewhat challenging. I have also had the pleasure to work with many student teachers and teaching assistants that have been given their own classrooms and will often ask for suggestions and strategies to help them meet the needs of their students. I have been blessed to work with caring and dedicated general education teachers who always accepted my students into their classrooms without hesitation and worked tirelessly to help these students meet with success in the mainstream class. Lastly, I would never be able to make such a positive impact on the students in my class if I didn’t have the support and encouragement of the team of professionals that help me each day as I strive to become a better teacher. The many teacher assistants, individual aides, school psychologists, social workers, speech and language therapists, building secretaries, building principals, behavior consultants, special area teachers and staff in the Office of Student Services have all provided constant encouragement and assistance throughout my many years at Sachem. It definitely takes a village to meet the needs of my students and I am very lucky to have truly amazing, caring and dedicated people in my village.”

Any words of wisdom for our current and future students?

“Knowledge is power! Strive to become the best student you can become, never settling for less than your very best. You can become the change you wish to see in the world if you follow the golden rule… always remember to treat others the way you want to be treated and surround yourself with people who think and act like you do.”