Happy First Week of School! And a BIG welcome to the PK students starting TOMORROW! Look for your special WELCOME sign right out by the PK class entrance. In this week’s Bulletin… – Special PTO Board Election results – PTO selling new Shepherd t-shirts THIS Friday morning – Volunteer opps – Seeking Afterschool Club Leaders, Room Parents – Supporting the annual Shepherd 180 Fund – Star Achievers Enrichment Programs Registration – Shepherd Wins New Garden Grant from Whole Kids Foundation – Immunization clinics at schools around us – AND MUCH MORE! Seeking Leaders for Afterschool Clubs Are you a gardening enthusiast wanting to pass on your green thumb? Do you love teaching your children how to cook or bake? Have a special hobby that you love to share with others? Consider leading an afterschool club for students this school year! Interested Shepherd community members should contact Dr. Hedlund directly with your club ideas at Phyllis.Hedlund@k12.dc.gov. Please note that anyone wishing to volunteer at Shepherd must complete the DCPS Clearance process before a club can be initiated. Shepherd Awarded Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Thanks to the amazing grant writing by Siri Warkentien, we were able to secure a garden grant … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Dear Shepherd Elementary School, This letter is to inform you that an individual who was last present at Shepherd on August 25, 2021, has since reported a positive test for coronavirus (COVID-19). The individual is no longer on campus and will not return until medically cleared. Upon notification of the positive case, and out of an abundance of caution, the building will be cleaned and disinfected, including classrooms, office areas, conference rooms, and other common areas. Persons for whom we know were in close contact with the individual were immediately notified and provided guidance based on DC Health and CDC guidelines. Close contact is defined as: (1) being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of an individual with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time (e.g., being in the same office or classroom as a positive and symptomatic individual), or (2) having direct contact with the infectious secretions from an individual with COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed on). Note: The definition of “close contact” does not include all other individuals on the same floor or in the same building as a positive individual unless they also meet criteria (1) or (2). Fully vaccinated people do not need to quarantine if they … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
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
PTO Bulletin
Less than a week until we have all of our Mustangs back in the classroom. HOORAY! Here are a few key updates to help you kick off the new school year. In this week’s Bulletin, you’ll find: – Dates and times for the school open house sessions TOMORROW (Fri, Aug 27th) – Reminder for the final “Back to School” playdate on Sun, Aug 29th at 1 pm – Reopen Strong info and links to Medical and Dental forms required for all students by DCPS – Link to our new, updated SCHOOL WEBSITE! – Tips and articles from Dr. Brown (our amazing school psychologist) on transitioning back to school – Parent Volunteer Opportunities – Welcome Ambassadors for New Families and After School Club Leaders – AND MUCH MORE! See you all on Friday, Shepherd PTO Board Open Houses this FRIDAY! Come join us to meet your teacher and see your classroom on Friday, Aug 27, Below is the schedule for the day so we can better manage safety for all: PK4 students – come from 1-2 pm PK3 students – come from 2-3 pm Kinder-5th grade students – those with last names beginning with A-L should come from 3-3:30 pm; and those with last … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Good afternoon, Thank you to all the families that participated in our information sesssions this Monday and last. Your feedback is informing school procedures, and I left yesterday’s meeting with some important action steps. One of them was to provide an abbreviated version of DCPS Reopen Strong website to address the commonly asked questions at Shepherd. For that, please see below. Students will all receive a folder on the first day of school with carpool/walker signage, a Covid-19 testing permission form that covers asymptomatic and symptomatic testing, a dismissal preference form and an Ask Ask Look protocol log for students in grades PK 3-2. Thanks so much for your patience. I hope this answers many of your question, but please keep asking as you think of the opening of school. I look forward to seeing many of you on Friday. Phyllis Hedlund Principal/Shepherd Elementary Masks · All students and staff must always wear non-medical face coverings or face masks while in the school, and while participating in any school related activities regardless of vaccination status. · Masks may be removed for eating or drinking. · Masks must be removed for naptime. · To be effective, masks must be worn correctly. … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
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
PTO Bulletin
It’s almost the last week of SUMMER! Here’s all the info to help you gear up for the start of the new school year. In this newsletter, you’ll find: School re-opening info from DCPS Tips and articles from Dr. Brown (our amazing school psychologist) on transitioning back to school Reminders about Sunday’s Playdate and Garden Clean Up Dates and times for the school open houses on Fri, Aug 27 Volunteer opps – PTO Audit Committee, Parent Equity Panel, Welcome Ambassadors for New Families and Club leaders Immunization clinics at schools around us AND MUCH MORE! Don’t miss out on the latest news from Shepherd PTO! Our AtoZ Connect database has been updated to the newest version powered by Membership Toolkit. In order to keep you on the PTO email roster, we need all parents to re-register in AtoZ as soon as possible to confirm contact info. Please create your family’s new account here, ideally using the same email you used for your initial AtoZ registration. You will then receive a verification email that you must acknowledge within 2 hours in order to authorize your account. See you all real soon! Shepherd PTO Board School Supplies and Class Lists Just a reminder … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Dear Families, We are very busy preparing for your arrival in a few weeks. The building looks better than ever, and our custodians are finishing up painting and setting up classrooms. The atrium was painted at the end of July. AP Phillips is ordering supplies, and many of our teachers have already been back to work on their rooms. There is so much excitement around school year 2021-22, but there are still some questions, which is why the parent handbook is not yet finalized. I will also be available to answer your questions and listen to your concerns on Monday, August 16th at 5:00 pm at our virtual meeting. Please note that to safely conduct our K-5 Open House on 8/27, I have made the following adjustment: Families whose last names begin with A-L should attend from 3:00-3:30 pm. Families whose last names begin with M-Z should attend from 3:30-4:00 pm. Have a wonderful weekend. Please reach out with any questions, and I look forward to welcoming you to Shepherd soon. Announcements and important dates follow below. Phyllis Phyllis Hedlund, Ed.D.Principal, Shepherd Elementary Conversation about SY2021-22 Please join me at 5:00pm on Monday, August 16th for a conversation about the … Read More
Message from Principal Hedlund
Greetings Shepherd family and friends, I know there are lots of questions about the upcoming school year, so please join me on Monday, August 16th at 5 pm to discuss our return to school plans. Also, you do not need to purchase school supplies at this time as we’re able to purchase all necessary materials internally. Join us here on Mon, Aug 16 to talk about what to expect as we prepare for the beginning of school. Talk soon, Dr. Hedlund Shepherd Elementary Principal
PTO Bulletin
Happy Almost-Back-to-School time! Welcome new and returning families – we can’t wait to see you and your children in real life again soon. This email is packed full of key info – school calendar of events, Back to School events, School Beautification Day info, Shepherd gear updates, uniform swap, and PTO volunteer opportunities! Don’t miss out on the latest news from Shepherd PTO! Our AtoZ Connect database has been updated to the newest version powered by Membership Toolkit. In order to keep you on the PTO email roster, we need all parents to re-register in AtoZ as soon as possible to confirm contact info. Please create your family’s new account here, ideally, using the same email you used for your initial AtoZ registration. You will then receive a verification email that you must acknowledge within 2 hours in order to authorize your account. See you all real soon! Shepherd PTO Board School Community Beautification Project – Jonquil Hill “Clearing” and Garden Clean-upMembers of the Shepherd community will come together on Sunday, August 22 from 10am-2 pm to clear the hill on the Jonquil St. side of the building and to perform other garden clean-up projects. As they say, “many hands … Read More