Henrico’s Top Teachers – Jamie Sherwood, multiple schools, physical education teacher

Physical education may not be every elementary-schooler’s favorite class, but with Jamie Sherwood, the gym is a safe and fun place for all.

While he did not begin his career in exceptional education, the adaptive physical education teacher has proven himself to be the perfect candidate for the job during the course of his first year in the position.

When he began working as a P.E. teacher 17 years ago, Sherwood was driven by his passion for coaching and making others feel included. Now, he has the ultimate opportunity to create pathways for inclusion – helping those who may not always be given a fair chance to play like other kids.

Sherwood found his inspiration in a childhood friend.

“Growing up, I had a best friend with muscular dystrophy,” he said. “I always just looked up to him, with all his strength, toughness. I think from a really young age that really sparked a passion, just working with children.”

Today, Sherwood is able to carry on the memory of his late friend through his work across eight Henrico County elementary schools.

On a typical day, he visits three to four schools and works with groups of students for about 40 minutes. In these short visits, the small victories are always a highlight, Sherwood said. They are not always measured in expected ways, though.

One such victory, he described, occurred when one of his students went through a tunnel after being hesitant to go through beforehand.

“Finally he went for it with some encouragement and some help from others,” Sherwood said. “[He] slowly made his way through the middle and went [all the way] through.”

Sherwood found this to be an impactful moment because not only did a student overcome an obstacle, but the other students’ encouragement showed him that this was more than just a group of kids – in their time together, they had become a community built on support and respect.

Even more than those small victories though, Sherwood values the connections and trust that he is able to establish with his students.

The most gratifying part of his job, he said, is having the opportunity to “care for and love others.” It also gives him a chance to “[think] about others and their interests” when he is working to make the classroom both accessible and fun for all.

According to a nominator, he has succeeded in making the classroom a safe place.

“Coach Sherwood goes above and beyond to make sure the students in our FIS class have fun,” the nominator wrote. “He makes a positive impact every time we see him. He is there to help out and ask us for ideas for our class."

Many of his class activities are inspired by other teachers in the community as well as inspiration from students themselves. For example, when he realized that many of his students loved stuffed animals, he incorporated them into a game.

“We did a little activity where they had their rescue vehicles and they had all these stuffed animals out and they're on scooters doing an animal rescue,” Sherwood described. “They would go down, get an animal, and bring it back to what I designated as the hospital.”

Sherwood listens to his students and acknowledges their needs to ensure that they all enjoy their time in P.E., one nominator described. “He has made PE fun for all of our kids and engages with all of them!”