PTO Bulletin - Shepherd Elementary

All School Morning Meeting is this Friday (Jan 24th) at 8:45 am in the Multipurpose Room and will be hosted by First Grade. Come join us if you haven’t been to one of the All School Morning Meetings yet!

Monthly Breakfast for Faculty and Staff – Hosted by the Fifth Grade Families this Month – Fri, Jan 24th

The Parent Engagement Committee has started a monthly breakfast to show gratitude for all the Shepherd ES teachers and staff who support our children every day. Below you will find a sign-up link for the remainder of the year. This month FIFTH GRADE is hosting. There should be NO NUTS or NUT PRODUCTS brought into the school. Items should be dropped off on the assigned date noted in the sign-up form between 7:30 am and 8:00 am to the teachers’ resource room. If you have any questions, please reach out to Lyly Yonkwa Rijmen at [email protected]. Sign up here: Shepherd Teacher/Staff Appreciation Breakfast.

STAR ACHIEVERS’ “NO SCHOOL DAY” – OPEN on Mon, Jan 27th and Tues, Jan 28th

Star Achievers has partnered with Trak Sports to engage kids in a variety of exciting sports games and fun activities for ALL AGES (PK3-5th grade), including basketball, kickball, soccer, arts and crafts, and much more!

Group Relays- Focusing/Emphasis on Effort, Leadership, Integrity, Teamwork
Exercise Fitness Circuits- Exercise stations focused on healthy habits and healthy living. (I.E fun fitness assessment)
Basketball- Focusing on Teamwork, Sportsmanship
Capture the Flag – Focusing on motor skills, reaction, quick thinking
Cup Stack Relay- Focusing on speed, teamwork, motor skills
Speed & Agility – Focusing on footwork, motor skills, teamwork
Sharks and Minnows- Focusing on strategies, motor skills, communication, teamwork

Students need to arrive as early as 8:30 am and must be picked up by 3:00 pm or no later than 6:00 pm depending upon your registration. You will be billed an additional $20 if you do not arrive by 3:00 pm. Additional late fees will also occur if you are not at the school by 6:00 pm.

ALL STUDENTS are required to bring a BAG LUNCH along with multiple SNACKS. Breakfast or lunch will not be served.

Children need to wear proper athletic shoes along with relaxed clothing. Also, PK3 and PK4 scholars will have quiet time after lunch.

Looking for Volunteers – Shepherd Jazz Night and Shepherd Gala and Auction

SAVE THE DATE…our 31st annual Shepherd Jazz Night will be Fri, Feb 28th in the Shepherd Multipurpose Room and we’re looking for parent and teacher volunteers to help organize the potluck dinner, help with set up and clean up, decorate the room, and help with promotion!

For those who haven’t been before, the event includes a potluck dinner, live and up-close jazz music by outstanding artists (including both talented students and veteran professionals), creative activities, and fine company!

Jazz Night founder, Dr. Michael Wallace, introduced this special event 31 years ago—when his own children were Shepherd students – and he still helps us plan and execute this long-standing event every year. Jazz Night was created with Shepherd students in mind; to introduce them to jazz music in a kid-friendly environment. Bring your children to enjoy the music and see the musicians—and their instruments—close up.

Email Caroline Smith at [email protected] if you can help be on the committee!

SAVE THE DATE for our annual Spring Gala and Auction – Shepherd’s largest fundraiser of the school year!

Join parents, teachers, friends and neighbors of Shepherd Elementary School on Saturday, April 25th, 2020 at Bobby Van’s Grill, for our 16th Annual Spring Gala and Auction! Your ticket purchase secures your entrance to a fantastic evening of entertainment, featuring our live and silent auction, while you enjoy cocktails, diverse beer & wine offerings, and delicious bites as you select your top auction items of the night.

New Silent Auction offerings will include experiences and offerings from local businesses, as well as beloved class creations, parent parties, teacher treats, and more. Get ready to bid with our live auctioneer who will help us raise the paddle and entice the crowd with the best items of the night. Tickets can be purchased here: https://events.handbid.com/auctions/shepherd-16th-annual-spring-gala-and-auction/tickets.

We are looking for parents and teachers to help us put on this MASSIVE event! See the link below for many volunteer opportunities. Let us know how you can help! https://forms.gle/kZyWke6cqkJVtE4z5

THE KINDNESS CLUB THANKS YOU!

Thanks to everyone who helped the Kindness Club surpass their goal in kindness t-shirt/gear sales. The club made $550 and the PTA will be helping the club purchase materials for Kindness Week in February and support the purchase of a buddy bench for recess.

Printing School Directories – VERIFY YOUR INFO

We will soon be distributing the annual family school directory. Please verify your info in AtoZ Connect so we can share the most updated info. Please email PTA President Liz Bradley at [email protected] if you would like to have your family’s info removed from the directory.

Local Information of Interest

DCPS launched our Panorama Family Survey and it is open for feedback from January 13-February 14. Last year, only 31% of Shepherd families completed the survey. One of our Comprehensive School Plan action steps this year is to increase our response rate to 60%. Take a few minutes to take the DCPS Panorama Survey that evaluates progress in our school. Share your thoughts by following the link: bit.ly/dcpsfamily. We need your feedback!

The Multilingual Education Fair of DC will be held on Saturday, January 25 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. It is free and open to the public. For more information, please see: https://www.mefdc.org/register/.

The first DCPS Parent University Workshops were held at Brookland and Hart Middle Schools in the Fall.

The Ward 4 Ed Alliance signed on to a letter in support of additional money to be added to the DC budget for technology maintenance and implementation, including support for teachers. Lots of anecdotes about how the program hasn’t been very smooth or fast in getting the technology out to kids in schools.

During the workshop, families shared questions that they have asked at Parent-Teacher Conferences, practiced having conversations with their child’s teacher and talked about the importance of a strong relationship with their child’s teacher. Additionally, families discussed what they look for in their child’s next school. Families discussed the top five qualities they are looking for in their child’s next school. Families were also very interested to hear about the selective school’s application process.

The next set of workshops will be held at Brookland Middle School at 6 pm on February 25th and Hart Middle School at 6 pm on February 11th.

Reminder of Upcoming Dates:

Friday, Jan 24th – All School Morning Meeting (hosted by 1st grade) at 8:45 am
Friday, Jan 24th – Staff and Teacher Breakfast provided by Fifth grade families
Monday, Jan 27th – Records Day (NO SCHOOL) – STAR ACHIEVERS OPEN
Tuesday, Jan 28th – Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL) – STAR ACHIEVERS OPEN
Monday, Feb 10th – Ward 3 Education Network meeting (7pm)
Wednesday, Feb 12th – LSAT and PTA meetings (4:30 pm and 6:30 pm)
Monday, Feb 17th-Fri, Feb 21st – February Break (NO SCHOOL)
Wed, Feb 19th – DCPS Oversight Hearing (DC CITY COUNCIL)
Tuesday, Feb 25th –DCPS Parent Workshop at Brookland Middle School ( 6 pm)
Thursday, Feb 27th – Black History Month event
Friday, Feb 28th – Jazz Fest (6:30-8:30 pm)
Wednesday, March 18th – LSAT and PTA meetings (4:30 om and 6:30 pm)
Friday, March 20th – Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)
Friday, March 27th – Health/Wellness Fair
Monday, April 13-Fri, April 17th – Spring Break
Wednesday, April 22nd – LSAT and PTA meetings (4:30 om and 6:30 pm)
Saturday, April 25th – Shepherd Gala and Auction
May 4-8th – Teacher Appreciation Week
Thursday, May 21st – International Day