Good morning, Mustang families! Below are all of the nominations we’ll be voting on at tonight’s PTA meeting. The meeting will be at 6:30 pm in the Multipurpose room and you must be present to vote. Childcare will be provided in the cafeteria by Star Achievers. PTA, LSAT and Principal Selection Panel Nominations PTA Exec Board Nominations President: Liz Bradley I’m Liz Bradley and am running again for PTA President to help maintain consistency of school communication, fundraising efforts and community building while the school transitions with a new administration. We have done some amazing things this year – improve communications, engage more parents, better support and appreciate our teachers and staff, build more community with parents and neighbors, diversify our fundraising, work with more partners and have fun! We have more work we want to do next year – focus on more community-building opportunities, implement PTA-supported STEM efforts for all grade levels, and engage the team to further support our efforts to stay in the Deal/Wilson feeder pattern. I am currently a Communications Strategy Director at AARP and have taught Communications Strategy and Planning at Georgetown University. 1st Vice President: Taryn Losch-Beridon Taryn Losch-Beridon is the parent of a current PK3 … Read More

Hi Mustang families – we are getting close to finishing up the year (whew!), but have a few more items of business and activities to do before we call it done!PTA, LSAT and Principal Selection Panel Elections – Wed, May 15 at 6:30 pmElections are this WEDNESDAY! Parents running for PTA and LSAT, please submit your name and 100-word write up about your interest in joining the PTA Exec Board or LSAT.For those interested in the Principal Selection panel, please submit your name and your child/children’s grade levels for the 19-20 school year – please note you must be available ALL DAY on Mon, May 20 for interviews.Submit ALL nominations to info@shepherd-elementary.org by midnight on Tues, May 14 to be on the ballot.PTA candidates must be PTA members in good standing; LSAT and Principal Selection Panel candidates must be parents.All seven PTA positions are open:• President— preside over meetings and the executive board, serve as primary contact for the principal, represent the PTA outside the school and more. • First vice-president— assist the president and stand in for the president when he or she is unavailable. • Second vice-president— assist the president and first vice-president, and stand in for them … Read More

Want to contribute more to Shepherd Elementary? Run for the PTA Exec Board, the Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) or the Principal Selection Panel Committee. Election is at the Wed, May 15 PTA meeting, but all nominations must received in advance – by midnight on Tues, May 14. Meeting on May 15 starts at 6:30 pm in the multipurpose room. Must be present to vote.  PTA candidates must be PTA members in good standing; LSAT and Principal Selection Panel candidates must be parents.  For the Principal Selection Panel: You can nominate yourself or someone else, but please make sure the other person knows they are being nominated. You need to send your/nominee’s name and your/their child/children’s grade levels for the 2019-2020 school year to info@shepherd-elementary.org by Tues, May 14 at midnight to be added to the ballot. Must be available for the ENTIRE DAY on Mon, May 20 for interview panels. For the PTA Exec Board (7): Candidates should provide a brief (100-word) statement for distribution to attendees prior to the meeting.  Send nomination to info@shepherd-elementary.org by Tues, May 14 at midnight. All seven PTA positions are open: • President— preside over meetings and the executive board, serve as primary contact for the principal, represent the PTA outside the school … Read More

Hi Mustang families!I know it’s hard to get back in the swing of things after Spring Break…but it’s almost GALA time! I’m sure you’ve received several emails and flyers this week to encourage you to buy tickets and register to bid online if you can’t be there. We have well over 250 auction items now – and that could mean A LOT OF MONEY for Shepherd PTA with your help!Do you want students to go on more field trips, have more classroom materials and supplies they desperately need, and offer more social emotional learning training for our teachers? THEN WE NEED YOU!Register to bid or buy tickets: https://events.handbid.com/auctions/sespta-spring-gala-2019Tickets are $65; VIP sponsorships start at $250. Be thre – Bobby Van’s Grill on Sat, May 4th.A few other important notes:PTA meeting tonight at 6:30 pm with FREE GALLEY FOOD SAMPLES at 5:30 pmWe’re doing a RESTAURANT WEEK (April 28-May 4) with Galley (HOME DELIVERY FOR DINNER!) as a twist on RESTAURANT NIGHT! Tonight they’ll have samples and below is info on Galley… Galley Foods has partnered with Shepherd Elementary for a school fundraiser. Galley empowers you to eat well on your schedule, with freshly prepared fully cooked dinner made from scratch … Read More

Hi Mustang families,Enjoy a GREAT Spring Break…but don’t forget to buy your Gala & Auction tickets before you go…and sign up for the May 18-19 Camping Trip!Shepherd Gala & Auction – Sat, May 4BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR SPRING BREAK…GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!AND YOU MIGHT WIN THE SHEPHERD HOODIE IF YOU ARE LUCKY TICKET #100!Buy tickets: https://events.handbid.com/auctions/sespta-spring-gala-2019YOUR SUPPORT HELPS US RAISE MONEY TO DO THINGS LIKE: Fund a field trip for every grade level this year Provide more than $200 of supplies/materials/equipment for each teacher at Shepherd Help teachers go the “extra” mile to do special in-class learning experiences like the Academic Carnival and Cendrillon, the French play Help with school-wide activities like Field Day and School Beautification Days Put on School/Community Events like Fall Fest, Jazz Night, Movie Nights, Camp Fair, and the Health and Wellness FairShepherd Elementary Camping Trip – Sat, May 18We’ll be heading to Cunningham Falls in Thurmont, MD on the morning of Saturday, May 18th then heading back to civilization on the afternoon of the 19th. We will organize a hike to the waterfall on Saturday afternoon, a campfire that evening, and one more activity on Sunday morning.All children must be accompanied by an adult responsible … Read More

Happy Wednesday, Mustang Families!PTA meeting tonight – 6:30 pm in the Multipurpose Room (pizza and childcare provided for Shepherd students)Agenda includes:School Advocacy Updates – Budget Hearing requests on Social Emotional Learning, IB and SecurityCommunity Center updatePTA Bylaws refresh effortPTA/LSAT Elections to be done at May meetingGala update – May 4Health and Wellness Fair – March 29School Spring Clean Up – April 28Shepherd Gala and Auction UpdatesThanks to the AMAZING sponsors who’ve committed at the GOLD level – Ledo’s, Chevy Chase Pediatric Dentistry and Kids Elite Sports!Party It Forward – HOT Auction Items WANTEDFrom whiskey or wine tastings and child vs parent basketball games to guacamole or pasta making and Lego and Pokemon parties, the ideas and possibilities are endless! Think about how much you would love to just show up to a fun event someone else plans for you or your kids…and how fun it will be to meet Shepherd parents and kids you may not know! Think about what type of party you or a group of parents might be able to host and let us know! Send auction party ideas to sesgala2019@gmail.com.Amazing Travel and Experiences WantedWe are seeking vacation homes, in the U.S. and abroad, airline miles, or … Read More

Early Bird Price – TODAY IS THE LAST DAY!Early bird ticket price is $55 through March 15th, and $65 thereafter. You can also purchase “Angel” tickets to cover the cost of Shepherd teacher/staff attendance at the event.Consider supporting the Gala as an official sponsor – rewards and recognition are available for various VIP ticketed sponsor levels and are on the event site below. Ticketed VIPs will receive early admission to a VIP-only reception, featuring open bar, passed hors d’oeuvres and entertainment.Even if you can’t make the event, we’d appreciate your support. Money raised from the Gala goes to support supplies and materials for the teachers, field trips for our students, putting on events like Fall Fest, Jazz Night, Movie Nights and the Camp Fair and Health and Wellness Fair… and we are focusing some specific money from this year’s Gala on STEM materials for next year.VIP, Earlly Bird and Angel Tickets are now on sale – https://events.handbid.com/auctions/sespta-spring-gala-2019.PTA Restaurant Night – BLUE44 – Tues, March 19 from 5-10 pmHave Dinner and Support Shepherd Elementary School PTA! Bring a copy of this flyer to BLUE44 at 5507 Connecticut Ave NW, Wash, DC from 5PM – 10PM on TUESDAY, MARCH 19th BLUE44 will … Read More

Shepherd Elementary School PTA needs your help!We are just beginning the massive effort of planning and preparation for Shepherd’s 15th Annual Spring Gala and Auction. This year’s Gala will be held on May 4th, 2019, at The Atrium at Bobby Van’s Grill in Washington, DC. Historically, the Spring Gala has been the PTA’s best fundraiser of the year, and we hope to raise over $40,000 this year to support Shepherd’s academic and enrichment programs, which will benefit all students.HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?There are so many ways you can participate to help us to throw a wonderful Gala and Auction. Here are a few suggestions:• Assist your classroom parent(s) and contribute to classroom project and basket donations – information from your classroom parent should have been sent to you (if not, feel free to follow up with Caroline Smith at mrthbtn@gmail.com• Either provide or solicit donations of goods or services for the auction – do you have a special talent for cooking and can host a cooking party, a vacation home, access to tickets or a box for concerts or a game, or professional services to offer? If you have an item to donate or know a business owner you … Read More

Hi Mustang Parents – lots going on this week and the coming weeks…stay tuned!PTA meeting – TONIGHT – 6:30 pmPrincipal Neal from Deal Middle School will be with us tonight to talk about transitioning to middle school and what Deal is all about! We’ll also have a guest speaker from PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voice in Education) to come talk about how to best advocate for our schools and students and how to help us prep for the March 29 hearing.Yesterday’s DCPS Oversight HearingTHANKS FOR THE MANY PARENTS WHO CAME OUT YESTERDAY AND HELPED MAKE AN IMPACT YESTERDAY!We got the attention of Chairman Grosso and we have already seen some positive impacts from our testimony yesterday. For those who couldn’t attend yesterday, please submit written testimony by Friday, March 1 to Ashley Strange, Committee Assistant, at astrange@dccouncil.us or mail a copy to the following address:Council of the District of Columbia Committee on Education 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 116 Washington, D.C. 20004Jazz Night – THIS FRIDAY – March 1 at 6:30 pm at ShepherdOn Friday, come enjoy some Jazz music by local musicians and a pot luck with Shepherd families and neighbors! Thanks to Dr. Michael Wallace for his continued support … Read More

Welcome back, Shepherd families! We’ve got a busy week – hope you’re ready to go! DCPS Oversight Hearing is Tuesday, the PTA meeting with Principal Neal from Deal Middle School is Wednesday, and Jazz Night is Friday. Whew!Jazz Night – this FRIDAY (March 1) at 6:30 pm at ShepherdIt is our 30th Annual Jazz Night this year! Please sign up to bring something to the potluck and invite some of your friends and neighbors! Dr. Wallace has some great musicians lined up and it’s a great time to chat and meet with other Shepherd families! This community event is supported by the Shepherd PTA. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f49aea82fabff2-jazzPTA meeting – Wed, Feb 27 at 6:30 pmPrincipal Neal from Deal Middle School will be joining us to talk about tranisitioning to middle school and what Deal is all about! More on the agenda will be sent out tomorrow.DCPS Oversight Hearing – TOMORROW (Feb 26) at noon at the Wilson BuildingCome join us and SUPPORT SHEPHERD! And please submit written testimony by Friday, March 1 to Ashley Strange, Committee Assistant, at astrange@dccouncil.us or mail a copy to the following address:Council of the District of Columbia Committee on Education 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 116 Washington, … Read More