PTO Bulletin

Shepherd PTOPTO Bulletins

Shepherd Elementary School logo

Hi Mustang Families!TONIGHT – December PTA meeting at 6:30 pm. Childcare and pizza for the children will be provided.AGENDA: Minutes approval from Nov meeting and budget update Shepherd STAR Rating overview with Principal Brawley Other updates from Principal Brawley Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE) speaker on parent advocacy (Rachael Berman) DCPS budget process – next steps and suggested requests DCPS/DPR Community Center update and conversation to develop a statement Shepherd Spring Auction – updates and next steps Teacher Wishlist and PTA Teacher Assistance funds timing and next steps Upcoming events: Mama Lucia Restaurant Night (tomorrow – Dec 20), Movie Night (Jan 11), Summer Camp Fair (Jan 16) and Jazz Night (March 1)TOMORROW: Mama Lucia’s Restaurant NightEat dinner and support Shepherd! Mama Lucia’s will donate 20% from every dine-in or take-out order from 4-9 pm. Make sure to show this flier! Will have copies at the meeting tonight too. Mamma Lucia Flyer.pdf

PTO Bulletin

Shepherd PTOPTO Bulletins

Shepherd Elementary School logo

Hey Mustang Families – we’re on the countdown to winter break…and we’ve got a busy week next week! Spirit Week, PTA meeting and Teacher/Staff holiday party, and Mama Lucia’s Restaurant Night out!LYNCH CREEK FARMS HOLIDAY GREENS FUNDRAISER – DEADLINE THIS SUNDAYDeadline is Sun, Dec 16 to get your holiday wreath, centerpiece or mini tree! Shepherd PTA gets 10% of every purchase – help us reach our goal!!HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK @Shepherd – Dec 17-21Mon – Dec 17 – Ugly Sweater DayTues – Dec 18 – Winter Hat and Sock DayWed – Dec 19 – Classroom Door Decorating ContestThurs – Dec 20 – Snowflake Day (wear something with snowflakes or that is blue and white)Fri – Dec 21 – Winter Pajama DayMon, Dec 17 – Monthly Teacher/Staff Breakfast ReminderIt’s time again for the monthly Teacher and Staff breakfast – thanks to all who’ve signed up for this one! Bring in items on Monday morning between 7:30-8:30 am in the Resource Center room behind the main office. Click here to sign up!Wed, Dec 19 – PTA meeting and Teacher/Staff Holiday PartyHoliday party for teachers and staff from 4-6 pm – we’ll be in the Special Ed room next to the Art Room. To … Read More

Message from Principal Brawley

Shepherd ElementaryPrincipal Newsletters

Principal's Newsletter

DC Report Card Shepherd received a STAR rating of 4 out of 5 stars! In addition to the letter sent home on Friday, please use the link below for more detailed information about the STAR Framework. I am coming to the PTA meeting on Dec 19th to talk more about the new rating program and our score. https://dcschoolreportcard.org/schools/1-0313 Shepherd Tutoring Program The Shepherd Tutoring Program is in its 22nd year at Tifereth Israel Congregation. Between 5 and 6 pm most Sunday nights, members of Tifereth Israel and the Shepherd Park community are available to tutor students across subject areas at no cost to parents. Please reach out to Ms. Catler, [email protected], for more information. Winter Reading Festivities – Dec 21 On Friday, December 21st, students will engage in various reading festivities led by our school librarian, Ms. Anderson and Ms. Pethtel. All students are welcome to wear their pajamas to school! Shepherd Science Fair – Jan 31 All third through fifth grade students should have a received an information packet, including a timeline, for their science fair projects. The science fair will take place on January 31st at the NOAA building in downtown Silver Spring. Pizza Hut Book It! Pizza … Read More

PTO Bulletin

Shepherd PTOPTO Bulletins

Shepherd Elementary School logo

Hi Mustang Parents – a few more important messages to be aware of related to the school and budgets! Stay tuned for more info! NEW DC School STAR Report Card Rating Tomorrow, OSSE and DCPS will be releasing a new School Report Card system, including a STAR Rating, and Principal Brawley will be coming to the Wed, Dec 19th PTA meeting to talk about the new program and Shepherd’s rating. See here for more.  Dec 12 DCPS Budget Engagement Community Forum – Janney Elem at 6 pm Parent, Grandparents and Community Members – we are going to need your support as we fight for more budget Shepherd in the FY20 budget! The first community forum is on Wed, Dec 12 at 6 pm at Janney Elementary. The School Advocacy Committee is working on draft testimony and talking points. We will be sharing very soon how you can support – but mark your calendars to attend, ask questions, and push for more support for Shepherd Elementary! If we don’t show up, we won’t get what we want! Below is the timeline for how and when the final DCPS budgets get approved. Click here for more info. Parent and Community Input Begins (November and December)The Chancellor kicks off the collaborative … Read More

PTO Bulletin

Shepherd PTOPTO Bulletins

Shepherd Elementary School logo

Helloooo Families!We have a lot cooking at Shepherd this week! Easy ways to contribute to a few families in need, make a little $$ for the Shepherd PTA, and enjoy a night off!BAKE SALE – TODAY – from 3:30-6 pm in the AtriumPlease donate baked goods and drop them off anytime before 3 pm TODAY in the Resource Center room behind the main office area. Mark your Tupperware/tins and we’ll leave them back there for pick up on Tues., Dec 4.This effort is a long-standing Shepherd Elementary tradition and is part of our Shepherd Gives Back effort. We’re donating the money raised to support the Shepherd Park Citizen’s Association (SPCA) Holiday Hope and a Home children’s program! If you can’t donate baked goods or come by for the sale, we’d gladly take financial donations to support the cause.Potbelly RESTAURANT NIGHT – TUESDAY from 5-8pmCome join us on Tuesday, December 4th, from 5 to 8PM at Potbelly’s, located at 917 Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring for dinner in or takeout for your evening meal. Potbelly’s will donate 25% of sales to Shepherd Elementary for every sale with a presented flyer. Don’t forget to bring a copy of the attached flyer with … Read More

Message from Principal Brawley

Shepherd ElementaryPrincipal Newsletters

Principal's Newsletter

Thank You Second Grade Families! The entire staff enjoyed last Monday’s Monthly Teacher and Staff breakfast. We really appreciated all of the healthy and fulfilling breakfast options. Thanks to all the families who are helping to show teacher and staff appreciation all year long!  Yearbook Cover Contest Ms. Holt and the Yearbook Club are sponsoring Shepherd’s First Annual Yearbook Cover Contest. All designs must include the current school year, creative artwork and this year’s theme: Our school is out of this world! The deadline for all submissions is Friday, January 11th. Deal Buddy Day This past Thursday, Shepherd’s fifth graders visited Deal Middle School for our annual Deal Buddy Day. Students were able to experience middle school by participating in sixth grade classes. Check out our Facebook page to see pictures! In the Spring, several Deal students will come to Shepherd to share their middle school experiences and help our 5th grade students get ready! Shepherd Science Fair All third through fifth grade students should have a received an information packet, including a timeline, for their science fair projects. The science fair will take place on January 31st at the NOAA building in downtown Silver Spring.   Pizza Hut Book It! Pizza Coupon K-5 and Beanstack (October 2018 – … Read More

PTO Bulletin

Shepherd PTOPTO Bulletins

Shepherd Elementary School logo

Good evening, Mustang families!Hoping you all had a lovely and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!And now back to our regularly scheduled program…TOMORROW (Monday, Dec 2) is the first of our monthly teacher/staffbreakfasts and tomorrow it is provided by the 3rd grade families. Seehere for sign up and dates for the remaining breakfasts! Drop offfood/drinks in the teacher’s lounge anytime before 8:45 am. We lovedoing something extra special for our teachers and staff!FRIDAY (Dec 6) is the Annual Shepherd Bake Sale! Sign up here todonate a baked good – remember, no peanuts or peanut products! Allproceeds will go to help Shepherd families in need during the holidayseason. Many thanks to Jasmine Riley for leading this effort!MANY THANKS!The Shepherd PTA team

PTO Bulletin

Shepherd PTOPTO Bulletins

Shepherd Elementary School logo

Hi Mustang Families,We hope you all enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving and are ready to kick off a busy December with us and join in the many activities we have going on during the next few weeks!And speaking of holidays, go buy a wreath or some garland from Lynch Creek Farms for your home…we’re getting 20% back on every purchase and our goal is $1000!Paint, Sip and Support – THIS Fri, Nov 30 at 6:30 pmJoin 25 of your parent friends and Mr. Garner for an evening of painting (and wine!) to support Shepherd! $30 per person and max is 25 people to fit in the art studio comfortably. Sign up before all the spots are taken! Snacks and wine will be provided; but feel free to bring a bottle to share! Meet in the Art Room by 6:30 pm.Parents’ Night Out @Shepherd – Fri, Dec 7 at 6:30-10 pmEnjoy a night out while the kids have fun with their friends! We’re working with Star Achievers to provide childcare and we’ll have fun arts and crafts, sports activities in the multipurpose room, and an Incredibles 1 and 2 movie screening!$40 for the first child and $30 for a sibling – open … Read More

Parents Night Out

Taryn Losch-BeridonEvents

Hi Mustang Parents! Thanks to the MANY who donated for #GivingTuesday yesterday. We appreciate your support and look forward to doing more great things this year by providing the school with more needed materials for Art and more educational support for our students taking PARCC testing. And, today we are happy to bring you our first PARENTS NIGHT OUT of the year on Friday, Dec 7 from 6:30-10pm at school…just in time for the holidays! Go to a holiday party, do some holiday shopping, or just relax by yourself! We’re working with Star Achievers to provide childcare and we’ll have fun arts and craft activities, sports activities in the multipurpose room, and an Incredibles 1 and 2 movie screening! $40 for the first child and $30 for a sibling – open to all PK3-5th grade students, not just Shepherd students! Bring a neighbor friend! Pizza, a drink and a treat are included in the cost. Register here by Tues, Dec 4 – https://www.shepherd-elementary.org/parents-night-out/ See you then and enjoy some time to yourself! Liz

Giving Tuesday

Taryn Losch-BeridonEvents

#GivingTuesday – a day set aside during the busy holiday season to reflect and give back. We wanted to take a moment and let you know how thankful we are for everything the Shepherd community has done to support our school this year. Your donations are hard at work supporting our school already by providing: Supplies to our classrooms, including keyboard headphones for the music classroom, a reading intervention program for the Special Education team, and new leveled reading books to build out our K-5 classroom libraries Support for Family and Community Events like Movie Nights, Fall Fest, and Summer Camp Fair Funding for a field trip per grade level, including the 3rd graders recent trip to the U.S. Capitol and the Pre-K 4 trip to the Green Meadows Pumpkin Patch As we work to continue to build the Shepherd PTA 180 Fund, help us reach our goal of more than $6,000 this year. A suggested donation of $180 per child covers $1 for every school day of the year, but a gift at any level helps us reach our goal. We are very close and appreciate all who have donated already! Thank you for supporting the Shepherd PTA and all we are doing for our … Read More