Please access this week’s PTO Bulletin here. In this week’s PTO Bulletin…
– Welcome Assistant Principal Coles
– Back to School Supplies
– COVID Testing
– Back to School Supplies
– COVID Testing
– Visitor Parking Passes Needed
– Upcoming Events
- Beautification Day – August 20th
- PTO Welcome Playdates & Uniform Swap – August 21st & 28th
- Shepherd Elementary Open House – August 25th
– Volunteer Opportunities
- Room Parents Needed
- Ambassadors for New Families
- Committee Volunteers & Event Coordinators
– Shepherd 180 Fund
– Other Important Dates
– 1st Day of School (K – 5th grade): Mon August 29th
– 1st Day of School (PreK-3 & 4): Thurs September 1st
– Labor Day Holiday: Mon September 5th
Welcome to Assistant Principal Coles!
Ms. Shamayne Coles is joining the Shepherd Community as Assistant Principal. Ms. Coles is a native Washingtonian, now residing in Southern Maryland and formerly served at Myrtilla Miner Elementary School. With over seventeen years in education, Ms. Coles served as a classroom teacher in DCPS for thirteen years, an Academic Coordinator for one year, and most recently, Math Instructional Coach for five years. Beginning her teaching career in 2005, at Savoy Elementary School in Southeast, Ms. Coles has taught second grade through fifth grade within Wards 5, 7, and 8.
As a student athlete, Ms. Coles received her bachelor’s degree at the University of the District of Columbia in Elementary Education, her master’s degree from Trinity Washington University in Curriculum and Instruction, and she is currently completing her Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Management with an emphasis in Higher Education at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. A member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Ms. Coles currently serves the Washington, DC community as the Chair of Omicron Phi Zeta Chapter’s nonprofit, The Women of the Dove Foundation.
Please help us welcome Assistant Principal Coles to our community!
Back to School Supplies
It’s Back to School season! Principal Russell recently released the list of necessary school supplies by grade for the 2022-2023 school year. You can access the list through the Shepherd Elementary website or through this hyperlink.
If you cannot access the hyperlink or website, please email [email protected] and we can forward a personal copy.
COVID Testing Distribution
DCPS has required that all students and staff provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test for the first day of school. Shepherd Elementary will be distributing test kits on the following dates/times.
- Tuesday, August 23: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Wednesday, August 24 12:00 to 5:30 pm
- Thursday, August 25: 12:00 to 5:30 pm
- Friday, August 26: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
More information can be found here.
Visitor Parking Passes Needed for Teachers
As our teachers at Shepherd return to the classrooms to get ready for the year, we need your help! The parking signs along Kalmia where our teachers park have changed. The Shepherd staff, LSAT and PTO are working together to get the necessary zone 4 permits for the school year, but need to temporarily use visitor parking passes. The parking passes are needed August 22-September 30 and can be requested for free by community members who live in parking zone 4. Ms. Mack is coordinating the process and, if you are willing to request a pass for a teacher, she can provide you with the details. Ms. Mack can be reached at [email protected]
Shepherd Beautification Day
Please join the community and Principal Russell for Shepherd Beautification Day this Saturday, Aug 20th from 10 am – 4 pm. Beautification Day is an opportunity for families in the school community to come together to celebrate and improve the Shepherd campus. This year, the community will be focused on exterior gardening and interior painting & patching. If you specialize in any of these areas, we would welcome your involvement! Please bring any tools you think might help spruce up the school (gardening gloves, rakes, spades, paint brushes, etc). If you plan to purchase any specialized supplies, the PTO can reimburse you. Please reach out to communications@
So that we can have an accurate head-count, please complete this form if you would like to participate. We appreciate your support!
PTO Welcome Playdate & Uniform Swap!
This month the Shepherd PTO will be hosting 2 Back-to School Playdates for new and returning students to meet and/or get reacquainted. We’ll meet at the Shepherd Park playground on Jonquil St. As part of the playdate, the PTO will also coordinate a uniform swap where the community can donate gently-used uniforms and exchange them for a new size.
Please mark your calendars:
Sunday, August 21st: 2 pm – 4 pm
Sunday, August 28th: 2 pm – 4 pm
Shepherd Elementary Open House
Please join Principal Russell for the Shepherd Elementary Open House on August 25th. Open House hours will be designated by grade:
PreK3 – Kindergarten: 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
1st – 5th Grades: 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Room Parents Needed
With the release of class lists this week, we are looking for volunteers to serve as Room Parents. Room Parents are critical liaisons between the teacher/school and families. Responsibilities include sharing class specific information and school events with families; organizing parent help for class activities; helping with fundraisers; and encouraging PTO participation. If you are interested in serving as a room parent, please complete this volunteer form
Ambassadors for New Shepherd Families Wanted
The PTO is looking for parents to serve as Ambassadors for new Shepherd Elementary families. As an Ambassador, you will be assigned a new incoming Shepherd family or families. We’ll ask that you reach out to them at the beginning of the school year to welcome them and answer any questions. The time commitment should be less than 1-2 hours.
If you are interested in serving as an Ambassador, please submit your name and contact information through this volunteer form
PTO Volunteers Needed
The school year is quickly approaching and the Shepherd PTO is looking for volunteers to support its annual engagement, advocacy, and fundraising activities!
Like many public schools, Shepherd relies on its parent community to help bring out the best in our classrooms and community. We recognize that your time is precious and there are a variety of ways to help from your office, on weekends, or during the school day. For the 2022-2023 school year, we especially need
- PTO Committee Chairs/Volunteers
- Event Coordinators
- Recurring Activities Leads.
If you have time and/or special skills that you would be willing to donate, please complete this volunteer form.
Any questions can be directed to [email protected].
Time to Support the 2022-2023 Shepherd 180 Fund
Help the Shepherd PTO fund lots of great events, initiatives, and extra circular efforts at Shepherd this year by donating to the 180 Fund.
It’s called the 180 Fund because there are 180 instructional days in the school year and your donation of a dollar a day per student helps the PTO support sending students on offsite field trips, funding teacher educational wish lists, putting on school plays and concerts, updating outdoor playground equipment, funding additional academic supports, and hosting school-wide events! This budget really helps us give our students even more unique, meaningful and enriching opportunities each year.
Any contribution is always much appreciated. And as a reminder, your contribution is 100% tax deductible. Thanks for your support – we’re looking forward to getting back to BETTER THAN NORMAL!