Good afternoon families, I was out in California celebrating my daughter’s graduation last Friday and delayed the newsletter. There is considerable news to share with you as we close out the school year. Ms. Rottman will be leaving Shepherd at the close of this school year. In July, she will start her next chapter at Takoma Park where they are in dire need of a school leader with math expertise. She will be the community’s new assistant principal. After working with her for two years, I can say that we all need a little Ms. Rottman in our lives. She is organized, committed, kind, diligent and conscientious. She has been a tremendous partner to me since I arrived at Shepherd, schooling me in the DCPS way from the start. Her attention to detail has made school operations and the logistics of virtual and in person learning run so smoothly. Ms. Rottman cares deeply about the children, the work and our community. She is as sad to leave as we are to see her go. Please join us in wishing her well at arrival, dismissal or one of our moving up ceremonies. We will miss her. The personnel committee is comprised of Ms. … Read More
PTO Bulletin
Shepherd Park Community Center Final DPR Meeting – Thursday, June 17 from 6:30pm-8pm DPR will hold its final virtual community meeting regarding the Shepherd Park Community Center. They will review the program survey results, provide an update on the athletic field renovations, and discuss the new facility operations. Please join the meeting at this link with access code ‘172 815 1034’ and password ‘shepherd’. SHEPHERD PTO BOARD AND LSAT ELECTION RESULTS On behalf of the PTO Nomination Committee, we would like to congratulate the parents elected to the PTO Board and LSAT for the 2021-2022 school year! Co-President: Taryn Losch-Beridon Co-President: OPEN Vice President: Sara Faulman Treasurer: Andrea Smith Assistant Treasurer: OPEN Recording Secretary: Ayana McIntosh Corresponding Secretary: Liz Bradley LSAT PARENT REPS: Dominic Ju, Julia Marnon and Rich Pohlman “Moving Up” Ceremonies – DATES AND TIMES Dr. Hedlund and the staff are also planning “moving up” ceremonies in person for each grade level so students have the opportunity to see one another before we close out the school year. Below are the dates and times for each grade level celebration. PK3 – Fri, June 18 from 10-11 am PK4 – Fri, June 18 from 9-10 am Kinder – Fri, June 18 from 2-3 pm … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Good morning Shepherd Families, I hope you all enjoyed the hot, sunny weather this weekend. Here at Shepherd we are busy closing out this year and preparing for the next simultaneously. We are closing out employee evaluations, ordering supplies for summer and closing out this year’s budget, drafting a summer schedule, securing our professional development for pre-service and beyond, and hiring for vacancies. A huge shout out to Madame Gadie who closed out our partnership with Quebec with a beautiful showcase of students’ learning (all in twenty minutes). It was a lot of fun, and this coming week, we have 5th grade exhibitions to behold. It is such a busy time of year, but so exciting to witness the student growth. Our end of year data is coming in, and another huge shout out to the first grade teachers and all the tutors who assisted first grade students these last two terms. I have seen a lot of data, and their growth is STUPENDOUS. Stay tuned for a EOY achievement data presentation soon. Fifth grade reading proficiency rates will also knock your socks off:). So far, it appears that Shepherd students have not suffered significant learning loss, and we will be … Read More
PTO Bulletin
5th Grade Promotion – Mon, June 21 at 10 am On Monday June 21, 2021 at 10:00 am, we will celebrate 5th grade promotion in person for all students and their families who would like to attend. The DPR field should be resurfaced by that date, but alternatively, we will use our playground space. We’re excited to get to celebrate these fabulous students and their major accomplishment! More details to come soon. “Moving Up” Ceremonies – DATES AND TIMES Dr. Hedlund and the staff are also planning “moving up” ceremonies in person for each grade level so students have the opportunity to see one another before we close out the school year. Below are the dates and times for each grade level celebration. More details coming soon. PK3 – Fri, June 18 from 10-11 am PK4 – Fri, June 18 from 9-10 am Kinder – Fri, June 18 from 2-3 pm 1st grade – Fri, June 18 from 1-2 pm 2nd grade – Tues, June 22 from 2-3 pm 3rd grade – Fri, June 18 from 11-12 pm 4th grade – Thurs, June 24 from 2-3 pm Calling all Rising Deal 6th Graders! Please sign-up for the following opportunities for rising … Read More
IB Newsletter
UPCOMING EVENTSStay up-to-date on all upcoming IB events June- Saying Goodbye to Our 5th Grade ClassFriday, June 4th- Classrooms Going Global Morning MeetingFriday, June 11th-Classrooms Going Global Morning MeetingFriday, June 18th- All-School Meeting FEATURED IB FAMILY CONNECTION RESOURCE 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Middle School IB PROGRAMME OF INQUIRY AND IB POLICIES Click here IB LEARNER ATTRIBUTE OF THE MONTH: BALANCED Click here APPROACH TO LEARNING SKILL OF THE MONTH: THINKING SKILLS Click here for family resource HAS YOUR CHILD TAKEN ACTION IN HIS OR HER COMMUNITY? Click here to nominate your child for an IB award Shepherd’s Virtual IB Programme Overview VideoWatch this video to find out more about Shepherd’s Virtual IB Programme! Contact Shepherd’s IB Coordinator, Avani Mack, for more information.
PTO Bulletin
5th Grade Promotion – Mon, June 21 at 10 am On Monday June 21, 2021 at 10:00 am, we will celebrate 5th grade promotion in person for all students and their families who would like to attend. The DPR field should be resurfaced by that date, but alternatively, we will use our playground space. We’re excited to get to celebrate these fabulous students and their major accomplishment! More details to come soon. “Moving Up” Ceremonies for ALL GRADES Dr. Hedlund and the staff are also planning “moving up” ceremonies in person for each grade level so students have the opportunity to see one another before we close out the school year. They are researching and planning for safe celebrations for our students, so please stay tuned for details coming soon! Vote NOW for PTO and LSAT reps for SY 2021-2022 – deadline Tues, June 1 Check your email and remember to vote by Tues, June 1 at 8 pm EST. All people on the PTO AtoZ Connect email list should’ve received an email from the Nomination Committee. If you are receiving this email, you’re on the list! If you have any questions, email elections@shepherd-elementary.org. Thanks again to Ana Ma, Kristin Harrison and Autumn Jackson … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Dear Families, We are in the process of planning our end of the year activities. On Monday June 21, 2021 at 10:00 am, we will celebrate 5th grade promotion in person for all students and their families who would like to attend. The DPR field should be resurfaced by that date, but alternatively, we will use our playground space. Also in store are “move up” ceremonies in person for each grade level so students have the opportunity to see one another before we close out the school year. We currently are researching and planning for safe celebrations of our students so please stay tuned for details but we would love to have the opportunity to celebrate all of our children as we close out what has been a challenging year. At our PTO meeting on Wednesday, I walked participants through the Panorama survey data for students and families. Once our end of the year achievement data is available, I will share it with you. Dr. Leonard and Ms. Freeman are planning our summer program for those students in need of some additional support, and they will be communicating details with those families as soon as possible. I am saddened to inform you that Dr. Wilson is experiencing a family emergency and will have to take leave for the … Read More
PTO Bulletin
LAST PTO MEETING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR – TONIGHT (Wed, May 19) at 6:30 PM Join us here on TEAMS! Agenda will include a deep dive by Dr. Hedlund into the Panorama survey data, election info by the Nominating Committee, and plans for the rest of the school year. Call for PTO Board and LSAT Representatives for Next School Year It’s that time again…we are officially kicking off elections for SY2021-22! Many thanks to our volunteers on the Nominating Committee: Ana Ma, Autumn Jackson, and Kristin Harrison! As was done for the last round of elections, this year’s elections will be held virtually via ElectionBuddy.com. If you’d like to put forward a nomination for one of the open positions/roles, please send these directly to the Election Committee by emailing elections@shepherd-elementary.org. The window for nominations will close at midnight on Friday, May 21st. The PTO board member positions (1-year term) are as follows: Two (2) Co-President positions, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. For more details on the specific responsibilities for each role, please see pages 3-4 of the PTO bylaws here. There will also be 4 slots for parent reps on Shepherd’s Local School Advisory Team (LSAT). Voting will take place online between May … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Good afternoon Shepherd families, Here at Shepherd we are focusing much of our energy on planning for the 2021-22 school year. We are in the process of monitoring and updating our Comprehensive School Plan and securing some high-quality professional development opportunities for this summer and beyond. In addition, the personnel committee is interviewing candidates as several staff members are transitioning out of their roles at Shepherd. Ms. Harvey is moving to Virginia with her family and is pursuing further graduate studies. Her calm, even presence and outstanding instruction will be greatly missed. When I first came to Shepherd, she agreed to move from second to fourth grades, and her flexibility and collaborative nature make her a beloved member of our staff. Mr. Langrock will be relocating with his family to North Carolina. Like Ms. Harvey, Mr. Langrock will be greatly missed for his equanimity and his craft. He teaches every grade at Shepherd and meets students where they are developmentally, always ensuring their safety and promoting their wellness. Ms. Johnson, a consummate early childhood educator, will be retiring at the end of this school year. She has touched so many lives over the course of her career and continues to … Read More
PTO Bulletin
Shepherd PTO Spring Fling “Shaken & Stirred” Cocktail Making Class – TOMORROW (Thurs, May 13) at 8 pm LAST CALL FOR TICKETS TODAY! We will be mixing up two different cocktails — a Strawberry Smash and a Bees Knees — both of which are a perfect way to ease us into the warm weather. Each ticket purchase will gain the adults in your household access to the cocktail class which will be hosted virtually. No more kits are available, but after registering you will receive a “shopping list” to make sure you can gather everything you need. Get your tickets here. TONIGHT (May 12) DCPS Town Hall at 5 pm Hear from the Chancellor and learn about the reopening plans for next school year. Register here. Call for PTO Board and LSAT Representatives for Next School Year It’s that time again…we are officially kicking off elections for SY2021-22! Many thanks to our volunteers on the Nominating Committee: Ana Ma, Autumn Jackson, and Kristin Harrison! As was done for the last round of elections, this year’s elections will be held virtually via ElectionBuddy.com. If you’d like to put forward a nomination for one of the open positions/roles, please send these directly to the … Read More