Good afternoon Shepherd families and friends,
It’s February…and that means we’re highlighting Black History Month, Lunar New Year, and all of the fun things we’re planning for Spring! Lots packed into this week’s Bulletin – so don’t miss it!
In this week’s PTO Bulletin…
- Ward 3 Ed Network call – Mon, Feb 7th at 7 pm
- Shepherd Auction/Gala Planning Meeting – Tues, Feb 8th at 7 pm
- “Coffee and Convo” with Dr. Hedlund and first grade families – Tues, Feb 15th at 8:45 am
- FEBRUARY LSAT and PTO meetings – Wed, Feb 16th
- All School Morning Meeting – Fri, Feb 18th at 9:15 am
- Mid-Winter Break (NO SCHOOL) – Feb 21st-25th
- Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets and help us with donations!
- Shepherd Spring Restaurant Nights with Ledo’s and Potomac Pizza coming in Feb and March – details coming soon!
- PTO Health and Wellness Fair – Sat, May 7th
- Calendar of Events
Ward 3 Ed Network Call – Mon, Feb 7th
The next meeting of the Ward 3 Education Network (W3EdNet) is on Monday, February 7 at 7pm via Zoom (link below).
The group will be hosting Council Chair Phil Mendelson, who will share his vision for education in the city and take questions.
This is another great forum to raise these 3 key issues to support Shepherd: DCPS promised long-term subs, contact tracers and more custodial support for each school. So far we have no such resources and it’s burning out our current staff. We need to hear updates on where DCPS is with these resources for our schools!
Register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Join the Black History Month Planning Committee
We will be following up with Black History Month in DC as our theme this year. Every class will contribute to the All School Meeting in February. There will be other activities too, so please consider joining the Black History Month committee – contact Dr. Hedlund to get involved.
GET INVOLVED AND SUPPORT OUR AUCTION!
We’re looking for volunteers to help chair and plan this year’s Spring Gala/Auction.
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, Feb 8th at 7 pm, and we’ll start to break into committees to divide and conquer. Join the call here!
We’re also looking for parties, experiences, and donated items for this year’s auction.
- Do you know how to make something special and can host a small group to learn?
- Do you have a place or tickets to donate? Think concert, theater or game tickets, a vacation place, etc.
- Can you offer a service as a donation? Taxes? Home design? Gardening? Home organization?
- Are you an artist, jeweler, potter, musician? Or a parent who has a cool hobby to share with parents or kids?
WE NEED YOU! Share any donated item info with us here.
BUY TICKETS AND GET READY TO BID!
Our Gala and Auction tickets are online and the early bird pricing goes through the end of Feb. Make sure to get them SOON! Click here to purchase.
Even if you can’t attend, consider buying an Angel ticket for a Shepherd teacher or staff member.
We’re also looking for parent and corporate sponsors – click here for more info!
TAP a TEACHER – NOMINATE HERE!
CONGRATS to Mrs. Hagan and Ms. Denmark-Lewall as the last TWO TAP recipients!
PTO wants your help in recognizing our amazing TEACHERS!
Once a month, a special teacher will receive a wishlist fund bonus, and letters will be shared with the selected teacher and school community at our monthly PTO meeting.
To recognize a teacher, submit a nomination here.
5th Grade Promotion Committee
Please join us to discuss promotion 2022 (date, time, details still TBD). We’re trying to make this process more inclusive this year and assist in the planning and execution to honor our oldest Mustangs!
We will meet the first Thursday of the month – contact Dr. Hedlund to join.
Star Achievers Aftercare seeking NEW Board Members
The Star Achievers Aftercare (SESSA) program is seeking parent and community volunteers to join their Board of Directors. SESSA is a non-profit board comprised of Shepherd ES parents and community members.
Your child does not have to be enrolled in the program to join the board. The time commitment is minimal, about two hours a month. This is a rewarding opportunity to help grow the before and aftercare program and to help shape the curriculum and enrichment activities such as chess, robotics, theater, dance and sports. Please reach out to Tami Weerasingha at weerasinghat@gmail.com for more information.
NEW Ward 4 COVID CENTER OPENS – KN95 mask distribution now
The Ward 4 COVID Center opened up at 4704 13th Street NW.
DC residents can now pick up two free KN95 masks per day at any of the new COVID Centers. Seven COVID Centers are open across DC, and in addition to free KN95 masks they also offer free vaccinations, boosters, rapid tests, and PCR tests.
Find COVID Center locations and hours HERE.
DPR Offers Mid-Winter Break Camps
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) offers a full-day camping option for 3-5 year-olds and 6-12 year-olds during the DC Public Schools (DCPS) mid-winter break. The overarching theme for the camps will incorporate DPR’s “Move, Grow, and Be Green” philosophy, as we plant the seeds of personal development.
Click here to learn more about locations.
Mental Health Tips from Dr. Brown
Our wonderful psychologist, Dr. Brown, has shared more tips and resources to help start the new year on the right foot! Take a few moments to yourself to read or listen to some of these pieces and know we’re here for you and your students.
How Moms Shape the World – TED Talk
Best Online Therapy Services in 2022
New Year, New You – 25 minute Morning Meditations
Best Mental Health Apps – Very Well Mind
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
Head Family
Gulczynski-Gupta Family
Goodman Family
Marrkand Family
Youssef Family
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
Ward 3 Ed Net Meeting – Mon, Feb 7th at 7 pm
100th Day of School – Feb 10th
Convo with Dr. Hedlund and Staff Breakfast provided by 1st grade – Tues, Feb 15th
LSAT and PTO meetings – Wed, Feb 16th
All School Morning Meeting – Thurs, Feb 17th at 9:15 am
February Break – Feb 21st-25th
Parent Teacher Conferences/NO SCHOOL – March 10th
Professional Development Day/NO SCHOOL – March 11th
Spring Break – April 11th-15th
Records/Professional Development Day/NO SHCOOL – April 18th
Annual Shepherd Auction and Gala – April 30th
Health and Wellness Fair – May 7th