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
Message from Principal Hedlund
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
PTO Bulletin
Good evening Shepherd families and friends, Looks like weather will be cooperating tomorrow, so we’ll be out in front Wednesday morning selling gear by 8 am! AND 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 our school! In this week’s PTO Bulletin… Gear Sale in front of the school – Wed, March 16th at 8 am PTO meeting – Wed, March 16th at 6:30 pm Rescheduled “Coffee and Convo” with Dr. Hedlund and 2nd Grade Families – Tues, March 22nd at 8:45 am Deal Middle School Open House – Saturday, March 26th at 10 am Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets NOW and help us with auction donations! Calendar of Events Spring Gear Sale – Wed, March 16th Come get your new Spring gear in front of the school at 8 am tomorrow! Cash and cards accepted! Complete the DCPS Panorama Survey We’ve had more than 129 responses, but the goal is 69% of family participating! Please complete the DCPS Family Survey by April 1st. Dr. Hedlund and the Shepherd team greatly value the input and … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
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
PTO Bulletin
Good afternoon Shepherd families and friends, BIG CONGRATS to this year’s Black History Bowl winners – Mason Smith, Sanjay Singh, and Sadie Bertania. AND 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 our school! In this week’s PTO Bulletin… Parent Teacher Conferences (no school for students) – Thurs, March 10th Professional Development Day (no school for students) – Fri, March 11th PTO Restaurant Night with Potomac Pizza – Mon, March 14th (Pi Day!) Gear Sale in front of the school – Wed, March 16th (8 am) Shepherd Gala and Auction – Sat, April 30th – buy your tickets NOW and help us with auction donations! Calendar of Events Spring Gear Sale – Wed, March 16th Our sale planned for yesterday got a bit thwarted by rain and wind, so we’ll be out again next Wed morning at 8 am in front of the school selling new items! Complete the DCPS Panorama Survey Please complete the DCPS Family Survey by April 1st. Dr. Hedlund and the Shepherd team greatly value the input and analyze the data carefully to respond to our community. It … Read More