Category Archive

Good morning Shepherd families, Great news on the horizon as approval for a Covid-19 vaccine is in reach for our elementary-aged children. It will be a game changer for our work at Shepherd. Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day when we celebrate the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples. I know families are making time to explain the significance of this holiday and the cultures it celebrates. We look forward to welcoming your students back to school tomorrow, and I hope you enjoy the day. Below please find important announcements about additional clubs and our all-school celebration of Family History Month. Principal Hedlund Family History Fashion Show A message from Ms. Mack: Shepherd has put together a family engagement team to work more closely together with the PTO. The members of the team include Mrs. Hagan, Mrs. Holt, and Ms. Mack. So far this year, there has been a virtual ECE activity as well as a warm welcome to new families. We want to celebrate you this month since October is Family History Month. We would like to gather family photos that highlight your culture and uniqueness through special clothing and fashion if possible. If you would like to participate, … Read More

Happy October Shepherd families, Next week, you will have the opportunity to hear about your children’s performance from their teachers at conferences on Thursday. On Friday, teachers will participate in another full day of Responsive Classroom teaching. Monday is a holiday for students and staff. With the students out of the building on Thursday, I am taking the opportunity to meet with a consultant from Out Teach to brainstorm outdoor learning experiences for Shepherd; Ms. Akaba will participate as well. This work is being conducted through a grant from OSSE. Also on Thursday, I will have my first meeting of the Chancellor’s Principal Advisory Board, and I am excited to work with other principals at these meetings. If they have not already done so, teachers will be reaching out with additional information about signing up for conferences. Please let me know if you have any questions. Please continue to remind your children about masks and social distancing. Enjoy another beautiful weekend, Principal Hedlund Club Expectations Student Expectations:  1.    Be safe- Maintain safety protocols of the building- distance 3 feet, wear a mask, no snacks, and use hand sanitizer upon entering a space  2.    Be responsible- follow directions, fully participate in the given activities of the club  3.    Be … Read More

Good afternoon, Shepherd families,  As we enter week five of the school year, I encourage you to remain steadfast in your efforts to protect our community. Students should continue to wear their masks properly and maintain social distance as much as possible. To date, there has not been any spread of the virus in our community, meaning none of the close contacts has contracted Covid-19. Having to quarantine impacts parents’ work and students’ schooling. Let’s do our best to protect one another by being as safe as possible. The vaccine for children under 12 cannot come soon enough. Thanks for your support and cooperation.  After-school clubs are on the horizon!!! Please see sign up information below. Sign up is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please click here to view a Back to School welcome from me, Ms. Mack, our service providers and specialists. We hoped you enjoyed your time with teachers on Wednesday and know you look forward to more detailed information about your child during Parent Teacher Conferences in two weeks.   Enjoy the beautiful weather,  Principal Hedlund  Club information and sign up   Mondays  K-2nd Running Club/Mr. Muskett  Start Date: October 4th  Frequency: Weekly until January  Link for Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044FA4A72AA4FE3-running   Tuesdays  3-5 Chorus/Ms. Pereira  Start Date: October 5th   Frequency: Weekly until January  Link … Read More

Dear Families, I know the beginning of the week was stressful with the announcement of two confirmed Covid-19 cases at Shepherd. Many of you reached out for more information; others just expressed concern. No news is good news on that front, and I am glad that we did not have to send additional community announcements this week. On Wednesday afternoon, faculty engaged in a Courageous Conversation during our staff meeting.Ms. Scott, fifth grade homeroom teacher, thoughtfully facilitated the meeting. We discussed developing our racial consciousness through challenging our assumptions. Next we analyzed the Four Agreements that will guide our work: (1) Stay engaged; (2) Experience discomfort; (3) Speak your truth; and (4) Expect and accept non-closure. Teachers were engaged and generously shared their experiences and insights. Our monthly faculty meetings this school year will be grounded in Glenn Singleton’s Courageous Conversations about Race. Some important announcements follow. Have a great weekend! Principal Hedlund Health Self-Assessment Thank you for your adherence to this important policy. If your child is experiencing two or more symptoms related to Covid-19, please keep them home and have them tested. It is our responsibility to keep the greater community safe and will need to follow our … Read More

Good afternoon families,  Your children are enjoying being back in school. They are having a lot of fun and learning a lot. Most importantly, they are learning how to be back together again. Please continue to encourage them to maintain their distance from one another and wear their masks at all times; this is a great way to support our work in the building. We are working around some staff absences, which have been unavoidable; substitute teachers are few and far between, and staff members are demonstrating their grace and flexibility as we cover each other. Hug a teacher today (virtually). Back to School Night Back to School Night is Wednesday, September 22nd from 5:00-6:30 pm. It will be virtual. Your teacher will be in touch about scheduling since they will provide multiple sessions for our many families who have more than one student at Shepherd. The Leadership, Wellness , English Learners, Special Education and Specials teams will pre-record a message, which I will send to all of you so you can connect faces with names. In addition, I will be offering two building tours for families who were unable to attend our Open House on August 27th. Please sign … Read More

Dear Families, It was a busy week full of logistical details, anticipation, and lots of fun. Most students seem thrilled to be back, and so much learning is already taking place, thanks to our highly skilled and deeply committed staff. Thank you for entrusting us with your children. As educators, our job is bigger than ever, but we have the right team to meet any and all challenges that might come our way. Enjoy your long weekend! We should have perfect weather to enjoy. Arrival Arrival goes more smoothly if students in PK-3rd grades have their Ask Ask Look logs in hand. Please help us get them in the building more quickly by helping your student with this. Dismissal Please let your child know the plan for dismissal before they enter school. For safety’s sake, 1st through 5th grade families should remain on the sidewalk. Your child’s teacher will see your sign and release your child to you. When adults enter the courtyard, it is much more difficult to maintain safe, secure conditions for dismissal. Thank you for your cooperation. Car pool If you are using the car pool lane on 14th Street, you should remain in your vehicle. Please make sure your child … Read More