VIRTUAL Shepherd Halloween Parade!!
In lieu of our annual school parade, the PTO will host a “virtual parade!” We’ll collect photos of kiddos in their costumes for a slideshow for our website and for Facebook, so our community can share those amazing, creative, and spooky costumes! Please send a photo of your costumed kiddo to info@shepherd-elementary.org anytime between now and Monday, Nov 2.
A NOTE FROM THE WASHINGTON TEACHERS UNION
On November 9th, DC Public Schools (DCPS) plans to begin offering in-person classes for 7,000 students. While we understand the desire to return students to our classrooms, we, as teachers, do not believe the plan put forward by the city is in the best interest of students and our community.
Teachers believe that every school community must receive clear, transparent information on how we’ll be safe before we return to our school buildings. To date, DCPS has refused to share detailed information about the improvements they’ve made to ensure the air we’ll breathe in our classrooms is healthy and free of the coronavirus. They have not provided clear protocols or information on the protections that will be in place for your students and for us, as teachers.
The DCPS plan to reopen schools to in-person learning also disrupts learning for the vast majority of our city’s students. Of the approximately 51,000 DC Public Schools (DCPS) students, just 7,000 will receive in-person learning under the Mayor and Chancellor’s plan. The remainder of the city’s 44,000 students will be in larger classes, of up to 40 students, and middle and high school students will see librarians, counselors, technology coordinators and others pulled out of their schools to supervise – not instruct – students in CARES classrooms.
Are the disruptions to nearly 44,000 students impacted by the DCPS plan enough to justify providing in-person learning opportunities to 7,000 students? Are the dangers that having 21,000 students and thousands of adults in our schools worth the risk to public health without clear and transparent data? We do not believe it is.
We ask that you contact your council members and oppose this plan. It is not in the best interest of our school community.
We also ask that you sign-up with the WTU to receive information on what you can do to support Teachers as we work to oppose this plan and develop a community -led plan to safely reopen schools to support ALL students. Sign-up here: https://forms.gle/sf15ummKfgcZukax5
Thank you for supporting teachers and your school!
Buy your Shepherd Gear online now – ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT!
We’ve got a new online store set up via Custom Ink where you can buy masks, t-shirts and hoodies for students and adults. Each item is a separate fundraising campaign, so you will need to buy each item separately and items will be shipped directly to you at the end of the fundraiser in early Nov. Click here to see what we’ve got!
A HUGE thanks to Esther Ntim for setting up our online store!
Support the 180 Fund in lieu of Fall Fest
Thank you to the MANY families who’ve already supported! WE APPRECIATE YOU!
The 180 Fund is Shepherd PTO’s annual fundraiser that supports the many things the PTO covers each year – classroom supplies, STEM materials, field trips, in-school performances, annual Jazz Night, Camp Fair, Movie Nights, Beautification Day, support for our sports and academic teams, etc.
The 180 Fund will allow us to rise up to meet the unexpected challenges we are presented and meet our goal to provide a safe and stable environment for our students, staff, teachers and families. The PTO has recently purchased touchless thermometers and docu-scanners to aid in virtual learning to support teachers and staff this school year.
We’d appreciate your support for the 180 Fund this year.
FALL FUNDRAISER INQUIRY – SEEKING A PHOTOGRAPHER
We’d love to do Fall family photo shoot fundraiser again this year and feel we can do it safely! If you are an amateur or professional photographer who would be willing to donate some time to do family photo shoots outside at a park or on porches in Nov, please let us know and email info@shepherd-elementary.org.
LSAT and PTO UPDATES
Thanks to McKinley Glover and Janice Harris for joining the LSAT as parent representatives this year! We have a full team now!
We’re still looking for a PTO Corresponding Secretary – if you like writing, want to help with the weekly PTO Bulletin, the school website and social media efforts, let us know. We’d love to have you!
THANK YOU to all the parents who’ve signed up to be Room Parents! Here is the list as of now…we just have a few more spots to fill. Help us round out our group so we can start exploring class and school-wide community building and engagement opps.
Room Parent Coordinator – Vacant
PK3
Awunyo-Akaba – TERI SMITH
Johnson – TARYN LOSCH-BERIDON
PK4 – Vacant (Lewis and Holt)
Kindergarten
Rajwani – TAMI WEERASINGHA-COTE and CENDRINE ROBINSON
Trotter – MCKINLEY GLOVER and KATE SNYDER
First Grade
Saxton – VACANT
Denmark – ANA MA and GENE COFFEY
2nd Grade
Pethel – JAIME KUNCE and VALERIE LEWIS TAYLOR
McIntyre – DANA JU
3rd Grade
Mack – KEVIN JENKINS
Montgomery – Vacant
4th Grade
Wilson – MIRIAM SOHLBERG
Harvey – FRANK STEARNS
Romero – ONI JONES, MARIA SIMON and DONNA DAVIS
5th Grade
Scott – JEN LIBERTO
Leonard – LIZ BRADLEY
Clayborn – Vacant
STAR ACHIEVERS BOARD OPPS
Shepherd Elementary School Star Achievers (SESSA) is Shepherd’s unique and amazing aftercare program. Unlike many other aftercare programs throughout the city, SESSA is a nonprofit formed and run by Shepherd Elementary parents, school staff, and community members. As many of you know, SESSA seeks to provide a diverse range of academic and enrichment activities to students before and after the hours of school, and to provide a safe, secure, and fun experience for our children.
As we prepare for school buildings to reopen over the next few months, SESSA is working to figure out how best to provide services to students and families at Shepherd. Our Board is seeking additional members to help guide SESSA through this transitional time and ensure that students at Shepherd Elementary continue to have access to this amazing program when school life returns to normal. The time commitment is relatively small (we generally meet once a month for 1 to 2 hours), but the impact is huge. If you have any interest in potentially serving on the Board, please get in touch with Tami Weerasingha-Cote (weerasinghat@gmail.com).
Shepherd Park Library Branch Highlights
Family Movie Night: We have pre-made bundles with a DVD, coloring/activity pages, and a bag of popcorn for you to pick up! If you have a particular movie that you would like to see included in a bundle for your family, email shepherdparklibrary@dc.gov
Activity Bags are available for pick up! The bags include crafts supplies and decorations, book recommendations, and coloring pages. The recommended age group is 2-10 years.
At Home Spooky Party Kit: Limited Time Only! Shepherd Park Library has created a resource kit for fun Halloween activities at home including games, recipes, and coloring pages for the entire family. Only available this week, stop by and pick up your kit!
Teen Craft Night: We had a great night this past Friday creating an origami skull for the October craft! Origami packets are still available for pick-up!
Blind Date With A Book: This week is banned book week! We have some great books that we would like to give away, so we have wrapped books and put them on display. If you read the hint and are interested in the book feel free to take it home, read, and keep! We have books for adults, teens, children, and some in Spanish, check out our display tables and see what you like.
Vote at the Library
Ballot boxes are now open at the Library. Drop your completed ballots in the ballot box at any time now through 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Ballot boxes are safe, secure and emptied daily.
Cub Scout Pack 24 Invite
Greetings Shepherd Elementary School Community,
Cub Scout season is here, and we are VIRTUAL! We would like to invite you to consider joining Pack 24 this year. Depending upon your age, our Dens meet between 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM for 30 minutes every other Friday via ZOOM.
Join us for fun and exciting adventures this scouting season. Even though we are meeting virtually because of Covid-19, we are still able to make new friends, have great scouting experiences, and develop invaluable skills that will last a lifetime!
Email us CSPack_24@yahoo.com if you have any questions and to sign up.
See you soon,
Samuel C. Washington
Cubmaster, Pack 24
Angela Van Croft
Assistant Cubmaster, Pack 24