Kindness Club Food DriveAwesome news! The Shepherd Kindness Club collected more than 600 canned items during the food drive, which will be donated to the Capital Area Food Bank! Kudos to Mrs. Zepeda, the Kindness Club and to the entire Shepherd community.Discounted YearbooksYou have until Saturday, November 30th to get your 5% discount on the Shepherd Elementary School yearbook. See the following link to order: https://tr5.treering.com.Basketball TryoutsPlease note that basketball tryouts will take place after Thanksgiving Break during the week of December 2nd.Tryouts for the girls’ team will be on Wednesday, December 4th from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Boys’ tryouts will be on Friday, December 6th from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Tryouts will take place in the multi-purpose room on both days.To try out, your child must complete the DCPS Consent for Athletic Participation (AT-13) found here. Filling out the form and attending tryouts, however, does not automatically guarantee a spot on the team. Go Mustangs!Please contact Mr. Clayborn at john.clayborn@k12.dc.gov if you have specific questions or concerns.Breakfast for Faculty and Staff – Hosted by the Third Graders – Monday, Dec. 2ndThe Parent Engagement Committee is starting a monthly breakfast to show gratitude for the Shepherd ES teachers and staff … Read More

International Education Week – November 18th-22ndJoin Shepherd ES as we celebrate cultures from around the world! Eat delicious foods from Cameroon and the Philippines! Share a special object from your own culture with your classmates during morning meeting! Throughout the week, we will all learn more about what it means to be a global citizen.• Monday – Mini Embassy Adoption Kick-Off Day• Tuesday – DCPS International Food Day• Wednesday – DCPS International Food Day• Thursday – Share Your Culture Day• Friday – Schools Around the WorldKindness Club Food DriveThe Kindness Club is holding a food drive for the Capital Area Food Bank. The food drive began last week and will run through Friday, November 22nd. The club is also collecting monetary donations for the food bank at the following link: https://giving.capitalareafoodbank.org/story/Kindnessclub.Each classroom has a box or bin outside their door to accept donations. There will also be a box in the atrium for a central drop off point.PTA Holiday Wreath Sale – on Sale Through Nov 26thThis year, the Shepherd ES PTA will be selling wreaths for the holiday season. We have partnered with Meadow Farm Nurseries to offer 20’ fresh Oregon fir wreaths to the Shepherd school community. All … Read More

Hi Mustang families – please join us tonight as we welcome DCPS leadership at our PTA meeting. We’ll start at 6:30 pm and have childcare available from Star Acheivers. Winter wreaths, long-sleeve shirts, hoodies and jackets will be on sale too. See you this evening! Liz and the PTA board AGENDA Principal Hedlund welcome and updates/highlights PTA budget update and Oct PTA meeting minutes review LSAT meeting highlights PTA STEM purchase updates Responsive Classroom training in Dec for 5 teachers Community Center update  DCPS Tech update – 3rd grade computer implementation Fall Fest recap and feedback Grants Committee update – gardening, play equipment, committee working on identifying others Winter Holiday concert and needs from the PTA  with Ms. Periera Student Government update with Ms. Periera 2020 events: Camp Fair (Jan), Jazz Night (Feb), Talent Show (March – TBD), Gala and Auction (April) – looking for leads and committee members Upcoming Events: Winter greens fundraiser – through Nov 26   Annual Shepherd Bake Sale – Fri, Dec 6th from 3:30-6:30 GALA and AUCTION planning meeting – Wed, Dec 4 at 5 pm (will have a conf line) Ed Fest – Sat, Dec 14 from 11-3 (need teachers, students and parents)     Shepherd teacher/staff holiday … Read More

All School Morning Meeting – Fri, Nov 15thOur November All School Morning Meeting will take place on Friday, November 15th at 8:45 am. The third-graders will host the meeting this month! If you haven’t attended one of the morning meetings yet, we strongly recommend it. They are always lively, informative, fun and entertaining!Winter Weather is Coming Soon…Dr. Hedlund and Mrs. Rottman are looking to build up indoor recess options for those days it’s too cold or wet to go outside. If you have any new or gently used games or puzzles, please drop them off in the office.Kindness Club Food DriveThe Kindness Club is holding a food drive for the Capital Area Food Bank. The food drive began last week and will run through Friday, November 22. The club is also collecting monetary donations for the food bank at the following link: https://giving.capitalareafoodbank.org/story/Kindnessclub.Each classroom has a box or bin outside their door to accept donations. There will also be a box in the atrium for a central drop off point.PTA Holiday Wreaths ON SALE NOWThis year, the Shepherd ES PTA will be selling wreaths for the holiday season. Wehave partnered with Meadow Farm Nurseries to offer 20’ fresh Oregon fir … Read More

All School Morning Meeting – Nov 15thOur November All School Morning Meeting will take place on Friday, November 15th at 8:45 am. The third-graders will host the meeting this month! If you haven’t attended one of the morning meetings yet, we strongly recommend it! They are always lively, informative, fun and entertaining!Winter Weather is Coming Soon…Dr. Hedlund and Mrs. Rottman are looking to build up indoor recess options for those days it’s too cold or wet to go outside. If you have any new or gently used games or puzzles, please drop them off in the office.PTA Holiday Wreath Sale and Bake SaleComing soon…the PTA will be selling winter holiday wreaths after Thanksgiving. More details will be shared soon – but make plans to buy your wreath from us to support Shepherd Elementary! Thanks to Alicia Williamson, Heather Holdridge and Kristin Baldwin for helping us with this effort.Shepherd Gives Back!We’ll also be hosting a bake sale in early December and will be looking for donated baked goods (NO NUTS OR NUT PRODUCTS, PLEASE!) as we aim to raise money to help our Shepherd community for the holidays.We’re looking for cub/boy scout troops and daisy or brownie troops to help usmanage … Read More

Fall Fest Was Spectacular!WOW!!!!!!!You all really delivered for Shepherd this year at Fall Fest! And we want to THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!Let’s break it down by the numbers:• $23,000 was made this year (blowing well past our 2018 gross amount of $18,000)• 70 family sponsorships were sold (also breaking our previous year’s number of 54)• 5 key corporate/organization event sponsors – The Parks at Walter Reed, MCN Build, Children’s National, Shepherd Park Citizen Association, and CM Brandon Todd (a BIG thank you to them!)• 100+ volunteers (parents, staff, teachers and neighbors) helped us make Fall Fest a massive success!!!• 65 beautiful, dry and sunny degrees!!• Priceless fun had when we met new friends, dunked Mr. Garner, Dr. Hedlund and others, decorated pumpkins and cupcakes, climbed the rock wall, bounced in the moon bounce, got a Shepherd tattoo, won a Beyblade battle, and played carnival games!A HUGE THANK YOU to Ayana McIntosh, Ronni Pearcy, Siri Warkentien, Simon Messing, Rajan Sedalia, Jasmine Riley, Yolanda Grate, Sanjay Singh, Karen Sloan, Taryn Losch-Beridon, Sharon Bovelle, Michael Robbins, Esther Ntim, Lauren Benning, Andrea Smith, and all the ROOM PARENTS!A SPECIAL thanks to Shepherd parent, Sharon Bovelle, for these wonderful pics that … Read More

Reminder: PTA Meeting – This Wednesday, October 16th, 6:30 pm, Multipurpose Room AGENDA: Welcome Dr. Hedlund remarks and questions  IB Parent Academy with Ms. Mack Approval of Sept PTO meeting minutes PTO Budget update – field trips for PK3 and PK4, STEM materials for K-5 classes, IB training for new teachers, teacher wishlists, more Shepherd gear, etc. Fall Fest update 180 Fund focus for November Upcoming fundraisers – Blue 44, Holiday family photo shoot NEED: Committee to help with holiday greenery sale Fall Fest Is Around the Corner! It’s almost here…and the weather looks GREAT for this year’s Fall Fest! So, get your tickets early so you don’t have to stand in the long line on Saturday! Those who buy tickets ahead of time will pick up tickets/packages at the event in the advance sales line. And…we still need volunteers for shifts at the different stations! Give us at least 30 mins of your time for your class station.  During Fall Fest 2018, we raised more than $18,000 which helped fund a field trip for every grade, community events like Movie Night, Camp Fair and Jazz Night, and additional supplies and materials for our classroom teachers. Our goal is $20,000 this year! We encourage you … Read More

All Your Fall Fest Information!On Saturday, October 19th, Shepherd Elementary School will host its fall fundraiser – Fall Fest! The event will be held at the school from 12-4 pm. There will be food, music, and games.Fall Fest is fun for everyone, and we need our school community’s participation to make this event great! Come take a station shift for 30 mins, buy tickets, buy new gear that will be on sale, bring your friends and family, come dunk Mr. Garner in the dunking booth, and meet new families! If you’d like to volunteer for this event, click here to sign up.During Fall Fest 2018 we raised more than $18,000! To be successful again this year, we need your help!Your dollars go toward classroom materials and supplies for teachers, IB training for new teachers, IB materials for our students, a field trip for every grade level, the music book and materials for this year’s Spring Musical, resources for social emotional learning initiatives and more.We encourage you to purchase a Family Sponsor Package and your donation of $100 will include the following:• 1 wrist band that includes UNLIMITED ACCESS to games, moon bounce, and rock wall!• 25 tickets• 4 beverage coupons• … Read More

Today – Walk to School Day!Join Shepherd’s PTO and the Health and Wellness Committee along with students, parents, and staff for this “before school” event. Either walk from home along your customary route or meet us at one of the three meet-up locations to join a “walking school bus” led by volunteers.The meet-up locations are:• Marvin Caplan Park at the corner of Alaska Avenue and Holly Street NW – Group will leave promptly at 8:10 am.• Shepherd Park Christian Church (new walk to school day location) at the corner of Eastern Avenue and 12th Street NW – Group will leave promptly at 8:10 am.• Lowell Field at the corner of Kalmia Road and 17th Street NW – Group will leave promptly at 8:10 am.There will be volunteers to greet students with water when they arrive at the school!Picture DayOctober 4th is picture day! Come dressed in your finest. Note: Students do not have to wear their uniforms to school that day, although they may if you want.Fall Fest is Coming!On Saturday, October 19th, Shepherd Elementary School will host its fall fundraiser – Fall Fest! The event will be held at the school from 12-4 pm. There will be food, music,and … Read More

MOVIE NIGHT – SECRET LIVES of PETS 2Join us Friday, September 27th at 6:30 pm for a screening of The Secret Lives of Pets 2! Bring your blankets; come in your pajamas! There will be snacks and drinks for sale. Most importantly, a good time will be had by all.BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CLUBSSeveral of our staff members are offering special programming for our students this year. Please check out these options, with more to come soon:Kindness ClubIs your child interested in changing our school and community by being a part of The Kindness Club at Shepherd? We will be recognizing acts of kindness at Shepherd, participating in The Great Kindness Challenge, giving back to those in need, and more! Kindness Club is for students in grades K-5.Where? Mrs. Zepeda’s room (A101).When? Kindness Club begins the week September 30th.• Kindergarten – 2nd Grade: Tuesdays from 3:30 – 4:30• 3rd Grade – 5th Grade: Thursdays from 3:30 – 4:30If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Mrs. Zepeda via email at sarah.zepeda@k12.dc.gov.Culture ClubDo you enjoy learning about different cultures from around the world? Activities will include:• Playing geography and culture games• Art and craft activities• Tasting different foods from … Read More