Sherri Rogers

Bringing out the Creativity of Everyone Around Her

Sherri Rogers says watching her preschoolers grow into young alumni is one of her greatest pleasures. “There’s no greater reward than watching them grow up," she says, “and graduates often come talk to me to tell me how well they still remember preschool."

She’s passionate about teaching young children. “Each day is special," she explains. “they come in with so much excitement, anticipation and curiosity – and so many questions – and we just try our best to continue to nurture it all." Observes Lower School Director Peg Bailey, “Sherri is one of those teachers who cares deeply about the children in her care and puts everything into making the classroom a wonderful place for children to learn and play."

And Sherri’s equally passionate about science, an interest she’s brought to Breck as the Lower School’s science resource instructor. “Science has always been a love of mine," she explains. “And combining it with the natural inquisitiveness of young children is especially exciting. Ever notice how young children can take two hours to get to the house next door? It’s because they look at each bird, bug and grain of dirt. They have such curiosity about the natural world!"

Science department head Lois Fruen, with whom Sherri worked to develop Breck’s innovative Real Science curriculum, says “Sherri is absolutely incredible. She’s a real leader whose enthusiasm helps bring out the creativity of everyone she works with." Adds Peg Bailey, “I’ve learned so much about science from Sherri. She so generously shares her knowledge with the entire Lower School community."

A lifelong teacher, Sherri is always anxious to learn.She became a master gardener through the University of Minnesota, a distinction which has brought her both professional and personal pleasure. “I get to teach gardening to groups all over the city," she says. “It’s something I’ve loved ever since the first grade, when I came home from the school carnival with a plant instead of the toys all my classmates were buying!"

A native of Minneapolis who holds degrees in early childhood education from the University of Northern Iowa and geology from the University of Minnesota, Sherri still lives in the city but enjoys spending summers at her family’s northern Minnesota cabin. “This past summer, we watched ten deer and two baby loons," she says, “which was the most wonderful experience for my whole family."

Sherri’s family includes husband Lee, a computer graphic artist who works in advertising, and daughter Angela Mei. Sherri and Lee traveled to China to adopt Angela Mei when she was sixteen months old and now get the joy of watching her develop new interests and proficiencies: “She loves our nature walks and knowing that her mommy’s a scientist!"

When she’s not gardening, teaching or observing the world around her, Sherri also enjoys cooking with the vegetables and herbs she grows. “We love to entertain," she says, noting that a recent misadventure with a newly-acquired smoker (“The meat was done three hours earlier than we expected!") was, happily, “bailed out by my husband’s flamed-at-the-table crème brulee."

Lower School colleague Alice Wright, who co-taught a West Suburban Summer School course with Sherri, says Sherri’s an inspiration to her fellow teachers as well as her students. “I can’t tell you how much I admire her personal energy," she says. “And her passion for earth science is absolutely contagious. She encouraged me to go back to school, and I credit her with a lot of the inspiration to help me finish my master’s in education with a science emphasis."

With characteristic modesty, Sherri says a lot of the credit really goes to the people around her. “Everyone has been so wonderful to me," she says. “I’ve received so much support that has helped me grow professionally at Breck. From administration to maintenance to transportation to the other teachers…everyone makes me so comfortable here. I couldn’t do my job without them!"