Category Archive

Dear Families, This week fifth graders wowed us at their Science Fair. They taught us so much. I learned which water bottle will keep my water the coldest. I learned about impact of disposable diapers. I learned which light will make marigolds grow most quickly. I learned the impact of energy drinks on speed. I learned which surface grew the most bacteria. I learned what type of balloon to buy if longevity is key. I learned that tap water has more bacteria than rainwater. Their projects were creative, thoughtful, well-researched and beautifully presented. As a former middle school teacher and principal, I can safely safe that these projects would have earned high grades as eighth grade projects. Many thanks to Ms. Caola who coordinated this opportunity for our students to shine. We continue to experience behavior incidents and have made some shifts in structures and systems in response. Please continue to discuss what it means to be a good friend and community member. Remind them when to seek help from adults. Review strategies for remaining calm in a crisis or when things do not go their way. If you find out any information you think you should share, please contact … Read More

Dear Families, Spring has sprung at Shepherd Elementary, and students are enjoying a comfortable outdoor recess. In the last several weeks, we have seen an uptick in behavior incidents. Please spend some time over the weekend speaking with your student about what it means to be a good friend and community member. Remind them when to seek help from adults. Review strategies for remaining calm in a crisis or when things do not go their way. If you find out any information you think you should share, please contact me. I can only address issues when I know about them. Thank you, as always, for your partnership. Thank you so much to everyone who completed our Panorama survey! We have reached our goal, and I will share the results with you as soon as we receive them. Ms. McIntyre’s 10th Annual Toiletry Drive in honor of Women’s History Month, which benefits DASH Safe Housing Alliance, ends on Thursday. Please donate toiletries in the bins in between the doors at the man entrance. Have a great week! Phyllis Dates to remember: April 5th – Deal Feeder School Chat for Shepherd 5th grade families at 6:30 pm April 11-15 – Spring Break … Read More

Dear Families, I hope you enjoyed your weekend and the warmer weather. I was able to see the cherry blossoms on my way to the East Potomac Park yesterday, and all the tourists who were in town to see them too. It definitely seemed like old times. Please pardon the delay with this week’s newsletter. My youngest was back from college for Spring Break, and I tried to spend all my non-Shepherd time with him until I dropped him at the airport this evening. The Panorama family survey window is open, and I encourage every family to complete the survey. You can find it here. At this point, we have 180 responses, which means we need 20 more responses to meet our Comprehensive School Plan (CSP) goal of maintaining or increasing the parent participation rate of 69% survey participation rate from last year. Please know that the data from the survey informs our Comprehensive School Plan, and your participation matters a lot. Ms. McIntyre’s 10th Annual Toiletry Drive in honor of Women’s History Month, which benefits DASH Safe Housing Alliance, is in full swing. Please donate toiletries in the bins in between the doors at the man entrance. Have a … Read More

March 12, 2022 Dear Families, I hope you enjoyed meeting with your child[ren]’s teacher on Thursday and gained some insight on their achievement and how you can best support them at home. The big news yesterday was that masks for students and staff will become optional on Wednesday, March 16th. If you have individual concerns regarding this protocol shift, please reach out to me at phyllis.hedlund@k12.dc.gov. If transmission rates increase (fingers and toes crossed that they don’t), mandatory mask use could be reinstated. It has been two long years as we all know, and although a return to normalcy feels like a relief to some, it may induce anxiety in others. Please let us know if your student needs support through this transition. The Panorama family survey window is open, and I encourage every family to complete the survey. You can find it here. At this point, we have 101 responses, which is a distance from our Comprehensive School Plan (CSP) goal of maintaining or increasing the parent participation rate of 69% survey participation rate from last year. Please know that the data from the survey informs our Comprehensive School Plan, and your participation matters a lot. Ms. McIntyre’s 10th … Read More

Dear Families, Welcome back from break! The week felt a little lighter than the rest of this school year. Maybe it was some warm weather during recess or the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate or just entering the month of March with its longer days. Next week, we will only have students in the building for three days. On Thursday, we have parent teacher conferences. Please make sure you sign up to learn about your child’s progress with their teacher. Friday is district-wide professional development for all staff. The Panorama family survey window is now open, and I encourage every family to complete the survey. You can find it here. The data from the survey informs our Comprehensive School Plan, and your participation matters a lot. Ms. McIntyre has launched the 10th Annual Toiletry Drive in honor of Women’s History Month, which benefits DASH Safe Housing Alliance. Please donate toiletries in the bins in between the doors at the man entrance. Thank you for your commitment to this project, Ms. McIntyre. I know I am always bragging on our Shepherd staff, and I know you do too. They think beyond the parameters of their classrooms and work collaboratively and … Read More

Dear Families, I hope you had the opportunity to watch at least part of today’s All School Meeting celebrating Black History Month. It was uplifting, educational and sentimental — I get teary every time I hear PK 3 singing “It’s a Wonderful World.” Our students make our worlds wonderful, and every month, I am awestruck when I watch them leading the way. Go Mustangs! Picture Day will be Tuesday, March 1st. If you want your child to have their individual picture taken, please send them to school with the envelope that was sent home in their backpack this week. Otherwise, homeroom pictures will be taken on that day. Middle of the Year (MOY) Data was reviewed at the PTO meeting on Wednesday. The PowerPoint I used for the presentation is here. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. We are seeing growth, but two years ago, our proficiency rates were higher at this time of year. We are on track to achieve the academic goals on our Comprehensive School Plan. Overall, the students in grades K-2 are trending lower in reading than they were pre-pandemic, and students in grades 3-5 are trending lower in mathematics. If your child … Read More

Dear Families, Next week is Black History Spirit Week at Shepherd Elementary! Join us as we celebrate! Please tune into our school’s virtual all-school meeting on Friday, February 18th from 9:15- 10:00am. The theme for all-school will focus on Black Entrepreneurship. Please see below for important information regarding our school’s Black History Month Spirit Week! Shepherd’s Black History Month Spirit Week Monday, 2/14- Pan- African Flag Day/Spread the Love (Please wear red that represents the blood uniting the people of the African Diaspora). Tuesday, 2/15- Black Excellence Day ( Please wear HBCU pride gear, career costumes, etc.) Wednesday, 2/16- Pan- African Flag Day/Black Lives Matter Day (Please wear your favorite BLM t-shirt or Black t-shirt representing the people of the African Diaspora.) Thursday, 2/17- Book Character Day (Please wear the outfit of your favorite Black book character *clothes only) Friday, 2/18- Pan- African Flag Day/Shepherd Mustang Day (Please wear your Shepherd gear to represent the diversity of our school or green representing the abundant natural wealth of Africa) Please pay careful attention to the announcements below. Enjoy your weekend, Phyllis Upcoming Events Tuesday, February 15th 8:45 am Coffee and Conversation 1st grade Week of February 13th Black History Month Spirit … Read More

Dear Families, We are past the midway point of the year, and we are making it! The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases dropped in our community last week, and I am hopeful that we will continue that downward trend. Thank you to all our ECE families who are testing their children on Sunday and posting their results by 4:00 pm. It may not feel that way, but things are looking up!!!!! Thank you to everyone for your steadfastness, flexibility and grace. It has been a roller coaster ride in a whirlwind, but through it all, we have felt the support of our families and their willingness to help in any way possible. Thanks to the PTO for providing breakfast to staff this week — we enjoyed it immensely. It is DCPS Feeder Spirit Week, and I want to shout out our Mustangs’ next step, Alice Deal Middle School, which is also an IB school. Principal Neal and her team provide outstanding educational opportunities, and students can participate in anything from debate to cross country to lacrosse to musical theater to Model UN. They also have the opportunity to travel internationally in the eighth grade. Students leave Alice Deal well prepared … Read More

Dear Families, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others. In dangerous valleys and hazardous pathways, he will lift some bruised and beaten brother to a higher and more noble life.”― Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love Dr. King had the courage to dream, to create a vision, and devoted his life to make that vision a reality, even though he faced imprisonment, brutality, and death. He endured so much to lift so many. In his honor, may we teach our children to have the courage to dream, to lift others and to build a better world. They are our hope, and although our challenges are myriad, we must inspire them to be creative and courageous, not despondent, in the face of adversity because Dr. King’s work is far from done. Thank you for the continued support. Even when I have bad news to share, someone always sends a brief note thanking me for my leadership or praising our staff. Those words … Read More

Dear Shepherd Families, There was a lot of holiday cheer at today’s All School Meeting! Thank you to Ms. Pereira, Ms. Mack, Ms. Murali, Ms. Hagan and Dr. Leonard for bringing us so much joy this morning. They spend a lot of time rehearsing to get it just right, and because they have so much fun as a team, we have so much fun as an audience. If you missed today’s broadcast, you can see it Tuesday night 12/21 at 6:30pm here. For more holiday cheer, look here. Mr. Hernandez, Madame Gadie and Ms. Hernandez collaborated for their students to create Christmas cards. And, on December 21st, the PTO is sponsoring a celebration for staff from 3:30-4:00 pm in the courtyard. As all of you know, Covid-19 cases are spiking again. Here are a few reminders as we approach Winter Break: Reminder #1: Get vaccinated, and if eligible, get your COVID vaccination booster. Reminder #2: Practice healthy hygiene habits such as hand washing. Reminder #3: Always wear your mask unless you are eating or drinking. Reminder #4: Remember to practice physical (social) distancing. Reminder #5: Do not send your children to school if they are feeling ill or experiencingCOVIDsymptoms. Ready … Read More