Good afternoon Shepherd families and friends, A HUGE THANK YOU to our GOLD LEVEL Gala and Auction sponsor: BLUE PATH LABS! LOTS OF LOVE for our SILVER LEVEL SPONSORS: The Browder and Raglani families, Rock Star Pediatric Dentistry, Captain Cookie and Crumbs DC And BIG CHEERS to all the BRONZE-level family sponsors: Beridon, Bingham, Boykin/Chase, Bradley, Eliot/Mueller, Francis/Liberto, Gallagher, Greenfield, Haynes, Johnson/Snyder, Ma/Holdridge, McIntosh, Robinson, Romine, Skapik, Taylor, Varda, C. and R. White, Yang, and Zettle families. In this week’s PTO Bulletin… All School Morning Meeting hosted by PK4 – Fri, April 29th Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets NOW and register to bid if you can’t attend! Teacher Appreciation Week – May 2nd-6th PTO Restaurant Night at Mama Lucia – Thurs, May 12th Shepherd PTO Camping Trip – May 21-22 Calendar of Events Walkability Study at 16th and Kalmia St NW – Friday, April 29th A group of concerned parents have been in touch with DDOT about the lack of crossing guards in our neighborhood. There has been an increase of traffic on 16th street as people head back to the office and are less likely to take metro and with the closure … Read More
PTO Bulletin
Good morning Shepherd families and friends, A HUGE THANK YOU to our GOLD-LEVEL Gala and Auction sponsor – Blue Path Labs! And BIG CHEERS to the BRONZE-level family sponsors: Mueller, Varda, Yang, Bierdon, Bingham, Skapik, Bradley, Boykin, Francis/Liberto, Zettle, Ma, Lewis/Taylor, Snyder/Johnson, Robinson, Gallagher and C. White families. We’d still love more family sponsors – click here for more info! Also, Principal Selection and PTO meetings this evening! See info below on how to join both meetings. In this week’s PTO Bulletin… DCPS Principal Selection meeting – TODAY at 5:30 pm April PTO meeting – TODAY at 6:30 pm BIG DEAL Day and Flower Market at Deal Middle School – Sat, April 23rd at 10 am All School Morning Meeting hosted by PK4 – Fri, April 29th Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets NOW and register to bid if you can’t attend! Teacher Appreciation Week – May 2nd-6th PTO Restaurant Night at Mama Lucia – Thurs, May 12th Shepherd PTO Camping Trip – May 21-22 Calendar of Events BUY TICKETS AND GET READY TO BID! Are you getting excited to bid in the auction? We’ve got something for everyone with more than 130+ auction … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Good afternoon Shepherd families, On Monday, April 18, students are to take the easy to use, at-home test and follow the instructions provided. Families may choose to utilize your own testing option, but tests administered before April 18 will not be accepted. Upload your test results the same day. Provide proof of your test results to dcpsreopenstrong.com/safereturn by Monday, April 18 at 9 PM. Coming out of Spring Break, I have some important staffing announcements: Ms. Scott will be the new Shepherd librarian for SY22-23. Mr. Morris will be the CES teacher for grades 3-5. Ms. Zepeda is back as of today!!!!! Ms. Deane will teach Art for the remainder of this school year. Ms. Hernandez will teach Spanish for the rest of the school year. Mr. Hernandez is on leave. AP Phillips will not be returning as Assistant Principal next year. Thank you for your service to our community. We are almost fully staffed for next school year. We are still in search of a custodian and 6 instructional aides for our CES classrooms. Thank you for your support, Principal Hedlund April 19th 3rd grade Coffee and Conversation April 2oth Faculty Meeting April 20th LSAT 4:30 pm April 20th … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Dear Shepherd Families, Today was the 1st grade marketplace, which provide hands-on experience in economics. Parents and fifth graders (and, of course, our fantastic 1st grade team) were there to support their learning. Check it out! Thank you for the kind emails and texts that I received today. I am taking a year to pursue a creative project and determine in what capacity I would like to return to education. When you lead the best school in town, there is no other school to go to. Erin Scott, fifth grade teacher, will be the new librarian at Shepherd Elementary. With her deep knowledge of IB and STEM expertise, Ms. Scott will be a valued thought partner across grade and content areas. Thank you for taking on this role that will enhance the learning experience of all students. We are excited to see what you will do!! Attached is information for our i-Ready challenge in Math and ELA for students in K-5. The challenge starts on 4/11-4/30. Top performers will be invited to an all-school celebration!! Please enjoy the break and time with family and friends. We will see you on April 19th. Principal Hedlund April 11-15 Spring Break April 18th … Read More
Announcement from Principal Hedlund
Dear Shepherd Community, I hope that this letter finds each of you well. Serving as principal of Shepherd has been a great joy and privilege. However, I am sending this letter to inform you that I will not be returning as principal for School Year 2022-2023. When I joined this community in July 2019, I served as your interim principal and would never have imagined that I would be appointed principal in a global pandemic during which we would serve virtual learners for nine months. We worked hard last year to bring back as many children in person as we possibly could, and I am so grateful to have all your children back in the building this school year. It has been a journey, and this community has demonstrated tremendous grace, generosity, and adaptability during my tenure here. In April 2020, numerous families were wary of accepting a laptop because someone may have needed it more than they did. When I walk out of my office after a long day and a parent thanks me for addressing an issue or communicating succinctly, that is Shepherd. And our magnificent teachers and staff who always hold high expectations and show abundant love … Read More
PTO Bulletin
Good morning Shepherd families and friends, A HUGE THANK YOU to our GOLD-LEVEL Gala and Auction sponsor – Blue Path Labs! And BIG CHEERS to the BRONZE-level family sponsors: Mueller, Varda, Yang, Bierdon, Bingham, Skapik, Bradley, Boykin, Francis/Liberto, Zettle, Ma, Lewis/Taylor, Snyder/Johnson and Robinson families. We’d still love more family sponsors – click here for more info! In this week’s PTO Bulletin… Spring Break – April 11th-15th Easter Monday/Records Day (no school) – Mon, April 18th 3rd grade Staff Breakfast and “Coffee and Convo” with Dr. Hedlund – Tues, April 19th April PTO and LSAT meetings – Wed, April 20th All School Morning Meeting hosted by PK4 – Fri, April 29th Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets NOW and help us with auction donations! Teacher Appreciation Week – May 2-6 PTO Health and Wellness Fair – Thurs, May 12th PTO Restaurant Night at Mama Lucia – Thurs, May 12th Calendar of Events BUY TICKETS AND GET READY TO BID! Are you getting excited to bid in the auction? We’ve got something for everyone – tickets to concerts, theatre productions, summer camps, restaurants, museums, games, yoga classes, paddle boarding and more…plus donations for home design … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
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
PTO Bulletin
Good morning Shepherd families and friends, It’s April 1st and that means 29 days until the BIG EVENT! So get your Gala and Auction tickets here now and help us raise $50,000 for the PTO to fund field trips, purchase additional in-classroom materials, support extracurricular activities and events, and promote family and community engagement! In this week’s PTO Bulletin… DCPS Panorama Survey deadline – TODAY! Ward 3 Ed Net call – Mon, April 4th at 7 pm Shepherd PTO Restaurant Night at Blue 44 – Tues, April 5th from 5-9 pm Deal Feeder School Chat for Shepherd 5th grade families – Tues, April 5th at 6:30 pm Spring Break – April 11th-15th Easter Monday/Records Day (no school) – Monday, April 18th 3rd grade Staff Breakfast and “Coffee and Convo” with Dr. Hedlund – Tuesday, April 19th April PTO and LSAT meetings – Wednesday, April 20th Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets NOW and help us with auction donations! Calendar of Events BUY TICKETS AND GET READY TO BID! Are you getting excited to bid in the auction? We’ve got something for everyone – tickets to concerts, theatre productions, summer camps, restaurants, museums, games, yoga … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
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
PTO Bulletin
Good evening Shepherd families and friends, We’re almost a month out – so get your Gala and Auction tickets now and share any gift, party, service or product donations for the auction! Our goal is to raise $50,000 for the PTO to fund field trips, purchase additional in-classroom materials, support extracurricular activities and events, and promote family and community engagement! In this week’s PTO Bulletin… All School Morning Meeting hosted by Kindergarten – Fri, March 25th at 9:15 am Deal Middle School Open House – Saturday, March 26th at 10 am 5th Grade Science Fair Judging – Thursday, March 31st DCPS Panorama Survey deadline – Friday, April 1st PTO Restaurant Night at Blue44 – Tues, April 5th from 5-9 pm Spring Break – April 11th-15th Easter Monday/Records Day (no school) – Monday, April 18th Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets NOW and help us with auction donations! Calendar of Events BUY TICKETS AND GET READY TO BID! Book your sitter, get out your finery, invite some friends, and come have some fun for a good cause! Get your Gala and Auction tickets now! Click here to purchase. Even if you can’t attend, consider buying … Read More