Good morning Shepherd families and friends,
It’s almost Thanksgiving and we want THANK YOU for all the support you’ve given Shepherd over the last few months.
We’ve reached our annual 180 Fund goal of $10,000 for the first time in years, have more than 49 families signed up for our holiday photos fundraiser, and had AN AMAZING FUN RACE this past Saturday with more than 109 racers participating on 24 teams. WHEW! What a great start to our school year!
In this week’s PTO Bulletin…
- LSAT and PTO monthly meetings TODAY – Wed, Nov 17th
- All School Morning Meeting hosted by the 4th graders – Fri, Nov 19th
- Family Holiday pics – Sat, Nov 20 and Sun, Nov 21 (SOLD OUT!)
- Staff Appreciation Holiday Event Planning Kick-off meeting – Mon, Nov 29th at 7pm
- Spring Gala/Auction planning kickoff meeting – Wed, Dec 1st at 7 pm
- Volunteers needed – planning for the Teachers/Staff holiday party, Spring Auction/Gala, and library book sorters!
- Thanks to our Annual Shepherd 180 Fund Donors
- Calendar of Events
- AND MUCH MORE!
And the FUN RACE WINNERS ARE…
They ran, jumped, threw, biked, dodged, counted, strategized and worked as teams to try to get the fastest time among 24 teams competing in our Shepherd Amazing FUN RACE. And they channeled their inner Elsa because the cold and the rain never bothered them anyway…
A HUGE THANKS to our sponsors and supporters: Target, Ledo Pizza, Mayor Bowser Constituent Services, City CPR (Valerie Lewis Taylor), Maison RZK Realty, and the Jabaily-Messing Family.
CONGRATS to our winning teams and a BIG AWESOME HIGH FIVE to all of our teams! Enjoy some pics from our great racers along the course.
First Place: Andersson-Pohlman Family
Second Place: Glover Gang
Third Place: The Cubumbers
PTO Meeting Link and Agenda
Join us this evening at 6:30 on TEAMS for our November meeting.
ALL SCHOOL MORNING MEETING – Fri, Nov 19th
Join us on TEAMS on Friday as the 4th graders host this month’s Morning Meeting focused on Native American and Alaskan Native Heritage.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We’re looking for volunteers to help plan this year’s Teacher/Staff Holiday Party, our Spring Auction/Gala, and to help in the library sorting books. Below are the ways to engage – we’d love your help!
Mon, Nov 29th – planning call for the Teacher/Staff the Holiday Party – join here to participate
Wed, Dec 1st – planning kick-off call for the Spring Auction/Gala – join here to participate
Email pto@shepherd-elementary.org if you’d like to help volunteer in the library. Dr. Hedlund is looking for volunteers this Friday and next Monday.
Get your holiday greenery here!
We’re once again working with Lynch Creek Farms to give you a way to decorate for the holidays while supporting the school too! With each purchase, Lynch Creek Farms will donate 15% back to the Shepherd PTO.
Click here to shop the elegant wreaths, garland, table toppers, centerpieces and accessories. Happy Holidays!
Room Parents NEEDED – 4th and 5th grade classes
Attention parents of 4th and 5th graders – WE NEED YOU!
Looking for Room Parents for Ms. Brown’s 4th grade class and Ms. Caola and Ms. Scott’s 5th grade classes. Email ptocommunications@shepherd-elementary.org if you’re interested in helping.
Holiday Health Tips From the Health/Wellness Committee
Brighten the holidays by making your health and safety a priority. Take steps to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy—and ready to enjoy the holidays.
- Wash hands often to help prevent the spread of germs. It’s flu season! Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds.
- Bundle up to stay dry and warm. Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: light, warm layers, gloves, hats, scarves, and waterproof boots.
- Manage stress. Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and out of control. Some of the best ways to manage stress are to find support, connect socially, and get plenty of sleep. Ask for help.
- Fasten seat belts while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your children in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt according to their height, weight, and age. Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip and encourage passengers to do the same.
- Get exams and screenings. Ask your health care provider what exams you need and when to get them. Update your personal and family history.
- Get your flu and Covid-19 vaccinations, if eligible. Vaccinations help prevent diseases and save lives. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year.
- Practice fire safety. Most residential fires occur during the winter months, so don’t leave fireplaces, space heaters, food cooking on stoves, or candles unattended. Have an emergency plan and practice it regularly.
- Prepare food safely. Remember these simple steps: Wash hands and surfaces often, avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate foods promptly.
- Eat healthy, stay active. Eat fruits and vegetables which pack nutrients and help lower the risk for certain diseases. Limit your portion sizes and foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. Also, be active for at least 2½ hours a week and help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.
- Enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones!
Support the Shepherd 180 Fund
Help the Shepherd PTO fund lots of great events, initiatives, and extra circular efforts at Shepherd this year by donating to the 180 Fund.
It’s called the 180 Fund because there are 180 instructional days in the school year and your donation of a dollar a day per student helps the PTO support sending students on offsite field trips, funding teacher educational wish lists, putting on school plays and concerts, updating outdoor playground equipment, funding additional academic supports, and hosting school-wide events! This budget really helps us give our students even more unique, meaningful and enriching opportunities each year.
Any contribution is always much appreciated. And as a reminder, your contribution is 100% tax deductible. Thanks for your support – we’re looking forward to getting back to BETTER THAN NORMAL!
THANKS to our 180 Fund DONORS
MANY, MANY THANKS to the following families:
Snyder-Johnson Family
Arellano Family
Kunce Family
Bradley Family
Bennett Family
Beridon Family
Tivol Family
Lyles Family
Faulman-Coffey Family
Johnston-Gruetzmacher Family
Archer Family
Lipton-Marnon Family
Richards Family
Frias Family
Raglani Family
Jabaily-Messing Family
Ju Family
Walton-Prather Family
Marchand Family
Zettle Kreisberg Family
Weerasingha-Cote Family
Yonkwa-Rijmen Family
Boykin-Chase Family
Romine Family
Roberts Family
Marks-Fagen Family
Holdridge-Ma Family
Varda Glover Family
Yang Family
Steele Family
Escalante Family
Gallagher Family
Rodell Family
Prabhu-McDonald Family
DeAngelo Family
Dorsett-Holliday Family
Musgrove Family
Singh Family
Mitchell Family
Francis Family
Carlyle Family
Joiner Family
Martin Family
Mokodean Family
Britton Family
Smith Family
What does IB mean?
Interested in knowing more about Shepherd’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program and how it’s implemented in the elementary grade levels?
Check out our site here to learn more.
Shepherd is one of only 3 IB-accredited elementary schools in DCPS and the only IB elementary school that feeds into Deal Middle School, also an IB school. Definitely something to be proud of at Shepherd! Ms. Mack is our AMAZING IB coordinator, so reach out to her if you have more questions.
NEW THIS YEAR – TAP A TEACHER!
Every day at Shepherd Elementary School teachers go about the job of teaching and molding our children into smart, confident, socially-conscious human beings. Every now and then, we parents get to witness this magic taking place. The PTO has created a vehicle for parents to share these wonderful experiences with the rest of us.
The Teacher Appreciation Program, or TAP, is an opportunity for a parent, or a small group of parents, to write a letter of appreciation recognizing a teacher who has been especially helpful…or if they have a special way with the class that you admire, tell your story to the rest of the school! TAP gives parents an opportunity to recognize a teacher at Shepherd for their great work and dedication.
Once a month, a special teacher will receive a wishlist fund bonus, and letters will be shared with the selected teacher and school community. To recognize a teacher, please send your letter by e-mail to pto@shepherd-elementary.org. Our first TAP recipient will be honored at the next PTO meeting. TAP a teacher today!
Follow Shepherd PTO on FB and Insta
Keep up with the latest updates, events and fun things going on at Shepherd by following our FB page (@ShepherdElemPTA) and Instagram (shepherd_elem_dc)
Upcoming School Calendar of Events
LSAT Meeting – Wednesday, November 17th at 4:30 pm
PTO Meeting – Wednesday, November 17th at 6:30 pm
All School Morning Meeting (hosted by 4th graders) – Friday, November 19th
Family Photo Shoot Day (option 2) – Saturday, November 20th
Family Photo Shoot Day (option 3) – Sunday, November 21st
Thanksgiving Holidays (No School) – Wed, Nov 24th-Fri, Nov 26th
Teacher/Staff Holiday Party Planning Meeting – Mon, November 29th
Spring Auction/Gala Planning Kickoff Meeting – Wed, December 1st at 7pm
Make-up School Photo Day – Mon, December 13th
VIRTUAL Open House for prospective families – Wed, December 15th
LSAT Meeting – Wednesday, December 15th at 4:30 pm
PTO Meeting – Wednesday, December 15th at 6:30 pm