Unlike the other Albemarle County schools I’ve visited thus far, you don’t “just happen” to drive by Sutherland Middle School– you purposefully have to turn off 29 North and drive blocks through residential neighborhoods. There isn’t even a marker for Sutherland on 29 North. You just have to know it is there.
I was last in Sutherland 11 years ago when I co-led a computer gaming camp that formed part of the research for my dissertation. Sutherland still presents as a new school, even though it just celebrated its 20th year. It shares a property with Hollymead, and feels like a well-contained block; the central parking lot is flanked by the two schools and playing fields.
Unlike Murray, well-entrenched in the city, and the rural schools I’ve visited, most children walk or ride their bikes to Sutherland. The middle school draws on the developments of Hollymead and Forest Lakes South which have their own streets with limited access to throughways. Sutherland is one of the more affluent middle schools in the county with about 17% of students receiving free or reduced lunch. Sutherland has a thriving before and after school community with students arriving early to attend a supervised study hall from 8:15 to 9:00, and free after-school clubs four days a week, until around 6pm. With so many students walking or biking, late day transportation is not a barrier.
Walking the halls of Sutherland, Principal Vrhovac showed off the murals that were painted by students, the band room, and the “Shark Tank” a Maker space room housed between two traditional classrooms. There are 2 additional rooms dedicated to Maker activities, including carpentry tools, video cameras, 3D printers, and a green screen. Although hearing the newest educational buzzwords, “Maker Spaces” and “STEAM” drives me a bit crazy, I am grateful that the connection between the digital and physical worlds is being made more obvious and relevant to young learners. For many years “technology”-infusion simply meant that computers were being purchased.
When asked what his priorities for the next few years were, Principal Vrhovac, who just completed his first year at Sutherland, answered that making sure that underserved populations– racial and ethnic minorities and low-income students– are getting appropriate services, and that the achievement gap for those groups is reduced. There was plenty of evidence that high achievers are thriving at Sutherland; I am very glad to hear that underserved students have an advocate in their principal.