Cherrydale School

Cherrydale Elementary
Single-Gender
School Choice Initiative

In 2008, Cherrydale Elementary School piloted four single-gender education classrooms at the 4th and 5th grade levels. In 2010, this pilot was expanded to third grade due to the overwhelming success of the program.

Why have single-gender classes? Here is what the research says:

According to Dr. Leonard Saks, author of Why Gender Matters, boys and girls are different in the areas of seeing, hearing, engaging, processing, responding, and choosing. He says, "for boys they are drawn to cool colors. They are most interested in how things work and go together. As for girls they are drawn to warm colors. They like describing things and looking at objects. In respect to hearing, girls tend to hear better than boys. He states that girls are distracted by noise levels about ten times softer than noise levels that boys find distracting. Boys need lots of movement and cool temperatures to stay alert. Girls, on the other hand, need a warmer environment and like to engage in verbal activities in order to stay alert. These are just some examples of the differences between girls and boys. So with this knowledge and research teachers will be able to give their respective group an edge and advantage. In a Single-Gender class, teachers will be able to teach to the strengths of the boys and to the strengths of the girls. Thus creating an environment where every child will succeed and learn.

Major Objectives

The major objectives of Single-Gender classes are to provide students with a rigorous curriculum in all core subjects, to enhance and improve their academic potential to obtain maximum achievement. To assist students in making a smooth transition from elementary school to middle school , as well as serve as a motivation for students to go on to pursue a higher education.

The process of implementation of the program's curriculum will be through research-based strategies utilizing multiple intelligences, gender specific instructional practice and integration of academic content.

Unique Features of Our Program

A school within a school provides a small community setting to offer small classroom sizes that lends itself to individualized instruction to build on student's strengths.
Gender Specific curriculum based on solid research and instruction.
Trained teachers in the use of Multiple Intelligences and rigorous core subject curriculum based on state and district standards.

Check out our single-gender flow room

Mr. Hudak's 5th Grade Boys	Meet Our Single-Gender Classes	Ms. Ehlenbach's 5th Grade Girls
Ms. McGee's 4th Grade Girls	Mr. Talty's 4th Grade Boys	Ms. Spencer's 3rd Girls