Category Archive

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

Dear K-5 Families, It was WONDERFUL to see you and your children at Shepherd today. Even with a downpour, your children brightened our day. Everyone is excited for school to resume on Monday. Today was also a rehearsal for opening day, and we learned from the experience. It would be challenging to screen every child in K-3 verbally on Monday so I have attached the new Look Look Ask protocol and log to this message. We also want to obtain your student’s dismissal information before they start their day. Here is how we will handle screening and collecting dismissal information at  opening day arrival for K-5 students who start school on Monday: Grades K-3 If you are able, please print out the Look Look Ask Log and fill it out Monday morning before you come to school to ease your child’s entry to the building. We will have a table for each grade where you can either return the completed log or receive one to fill out so that your child has it in hand at the entry. At the table we will also have dismissal forms to complete so we can efficiently and safely dismiss your child on Monday, … Read More

Dear Families, I look forward to meeting many of our new families this Sunday, August 22nd from 10-noon at the DPR Playground, which is behind the school on Jonquil. Teachers returned to the building today, and it was wonderful to be together again. They are very excited about the upcoming school year. Today, Monday and Tuesday, we are receiving training in Responsive Classroom. Here is an overview of the approach: The Responsive Classroom approach to teaching is comprised of a set of well-designed practices intended to create safe, joyful, and engaging classrooms and school communities. The emphasis is on helping students develop their academic, social, and emotional skills in a learning environment that is developmentally responsive to their strengths and needs. Core Belief In order to be successful in and out of school, students need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies—cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control—and a set of academic competencies—academic mindset, perseverance, learning strategies, and academic behaviors. Guiding Principles The Responsive Classroom approach is informed by the work of educational theorists and the experiences of exemplary classroom teachers. Six principles guide this approach: Teaching social and emotional skills is as important as teaching academic content. How we teach is as important … Read More