Hello Shepherd families!

We truly hope you all are staying safe, healthy and are making plans to get outside in the coming days with nicer, warmer weather on the way! 

A few reminders and notes to share:

Packet delivery – TUES and WED this week

Week 6 distance learning packets will be at school for distribution TODAY (Tues, April 28) and TOMORROW (Wed, April 29). If you would like, bring your completed packets for drop off. This is not required.

Teacher Appreciation Week – May 4-8 

Since we’re not all at school together, just a reminder to send your teachers some extra appreciation and love this year! Feel free to drop off notes for them at school today or tomorrow. Dr. Hedlund and Ms. Rottman will make sure the teachers get them when they return to school. 

Helping Shepherd families in need

Thanks to the many families who’ve already donated to support some of our own families having a tough financial time during this pandemic crisis. We could use more support to help a few families get basic food and essential items. If you’d like to still help, please click here. We are earmarking these funds and working with Dr. Hedlund to fulfill the specific requests she’s receiving. 

Update on the Shepherd Gala and Auction 

ONLINE AUCTION – Saturday, May 30th – register NOW! 

As you might expect, we had to cancel this year’s in-person event. Shepherd Elementary School PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the year – the 16th Annual Spring Gala and Auction – will NOW be a virtual event and has been re-scheduled for Saturday, May 30th, 2020. The entire event will take place via our Handbid auction system.

We’ll have some items up for auction, but will be focusing more on the direct appeal this year – RECESS IMPROVEMENTS after the community center project is complete.

Dr. Hedlund would like our help in doing a few key things:

– Re-surfacing a new basketball court on the existing blacktop space (close to the teacher parking lot).

– Securing new recess equipment (like jump ropes, balls, flags, outdoor blocks, cones, frisbees, hoops, etc.) and a dedicated shed to house the new equipment in with easy access to the field and playground.

– Working with Playworks, a non-profit organization that helps schools lead recess and outdoor play to promote healthy interactions and positive play, to train our staff to have strategies to help with positive and fun outdoor time! 

We look forward to “seeing” you virtually on the 30th to support our amazing school!

To register in the Handbid System:

 – Go to https://events.handbid.com/auctions/shepherd-16th-annual-spring-gala-and-auction/registration

– If you had registered for last year’s auction, you may use your previous login for the Handbid system. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten your password…you can easily reset it within the system!

– You must enter a credit card in the system to bid on items during the May 30th event.

Ward 3 Education Network call – May 11

W3Ednet’s next meeting is Monday, May 11 at 7pm on Zoom (see details below).  We are very happy to host Karen Cole, DCPS Deputy Chief of Academic and Creative Empowerment, to talk about distance learning.  Hope that you can join us.  All are welcome.

Join Zoom Meeting https://jh.zoom.us/j/96151856577?pwd=dVlRL3RGWE03V1VhWVNnUkQ2UW5qQT09

Meeting ID: 961 5185 6577

Password: 147366

DCPS Family Survey on Learning at Home 

During this period of school building closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reaching out to families to get an understanding of how learning at home is going for you and to receive feedback to help our teachers and staff continue to provide support. 
 
Please take a few minutes to complete our learning at home family survey. You’ll be asked about student learning activities, technology you may be using, and support structures you may need, as well as general feedback. Select the language you wish to take the survey in by using the menu in the upper-right hand corner.  

Families may also take the survey over the phone by calling 202-671-2617 on weekdays between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. If you have multiple children enrolled in DCPS, please fill out the survey for your oldest child first. You will have an option to fill it out for additional children at the end. The survey will close on Wednesday, May 6. 

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts on how your school and DCPS can best serve you during this time of learning at home.