Category Archive

Dear Shepherd Families, I know your students are excited for our Halloween parade next Friday, October 29th at 2:30 pm. We will parade around the perimeter of the school, and PK 3 will lead the way. You will have the opportunity to pick your child up immediately afterwards if you choose to do so. Children may wear their costumes to school on 10/29. Please just remember not to send you child wearing anything that would frighten our youngest learners. Fridays are officially dress down days at Shepherd. Some students have already presumed this to be the case:). Students are also free to wear their uniforms on Friday. The same goes with Picture Day on Tuesday, November 9th. It is your family’s choice whether or not your student is in uniform that day. It is hard to believe we are approaching the close of the first term. Please see the important dates that follow. Principal Hedlund 11/2 Election Day — No school 11/5 End of Term 1, Records Day — No school for students 11/9 Picture Day 11/11 Veterans Day — No school 11/16 Coffee and Conversation Kindergarten 11/17 LSAT meeting 4:30 pm 11/17 PTO Meeting 6:30 pm 11/24-29 Thanksgiving Break

Dear Shepherd Families, We have a lot of good news on the staffing front. Ms. Mami Buxton joined our staff as a first-grade teacher, and students will transition from Denmark-Lawal and Saxton’s sections on Monday. Welcome Ms. Buxton! She taught at Leckie for 8 years and is thrilled to be back in DCPS. Next week brings the return of Ms. Romero. She will serve as our TLI Mathematics and will provide coaching to teachers and internvention to students. This week also saw the return of Mr. Talbert-Jackson who has and will be substituting in the building and will be an educational aide once he is onboarded. Ms. Fatima Raji, will also be an aide after she completes the onboarding process. In addition, the Chancellor has notified us that a full-time substitute will be assigned to each school. We are excited to have more hands to help serve the children. Next week, we have our PTO meeting from 6:30-7:30 pm on Wednesday. There will be a Coffee & Conversation for PK 3 families at 8:30 am on Tuesday in the cafeteria. Enter at the Jonquil entrance, adjacent to the community center. Please see the important announcements below as well as Panorama … Read More

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