M u s t a n g  N e w s l e t t e r

      

Ms. Charles' class working on their fifth grade science Cornerstone assignment.

In This Issue
Dates to Remember
Monday, 1/25:
Science Fair Open House
TBD
NOAA
1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring

Tuesday, 1/26
:
Shepherd Science Fair
TBD

Prospective Family Open House
TBD

Thursday, 1/28:
PARCC Parent Information Session
8:15 AM

Awards Assembly
9:00 AM

Friday, 1/29
:
Class Picture Day

Friday, 2/5:
Report cards will be sent home

Friday, 2/12:
Professional Development - 
NO SCHOOL
IB Learner Profile 
Don't Forget!




Any items left in the lost and found will be donated to a  local charity on the last Friday of the month.


Shop for Shepherd!

Did you know that many local stores like Giant and Safeway will donate a percentage of your purchases to Shepherd?

Visit the PTA website to find out how:   Shop for Shepherd!


Dress Code

Shepherd Elementary is a uniform school. The uniform consists of a white top and navy blue bottoms. All students are expected to adhere to the uniform policy.

Spirit Day

Every Friday is Spirit Day! Everyone is encouraged to show their Mustang Pride by wearing the school colors, gold and green along with any other Shepherd apparel.

Star Achievers
Greetings Star Achievers Families!

It's tax time! 
Our  ID number is  
46-0754979.

If you would like a receipt  for your 2015 tax year payments to Star 
Achievers, please email sesstarachievers@gmail.
com the following info:

Name of student; name of person who paid the tuition; the time period you would like the receipt to cover and the email address to send the receipt.  Please allow 3 business days for the information.

Weather announcements - 
If the school building is closed, before/aftercare is closed.  If school is delayed in the morning, there will be NO Beforecare. 
Aftercare will go on as scheduled if the building is open.

Mr. Langrock takes classes outside in aftercare if the weather permits. Please send your children bundled up on colder days!

Imagination Stage is coming to Aftercare!
Watch the Mustang for exact dates and times.

If you pay by semester your second payment is due by Monday, January 25th.

Thanks to all Shepherd Families for your Support!

Claire Riley
Program Director
January 25, 2016 
A Message from Principal Brawley
Dear Shepherd Community,

Winter Storm Jonas will certainly be one for the record books!

I hope you enjoyed all the things that come with staying indoors and that you are extremely careful as we begin to resume our everyday lives.

Sincerely, 

Jade L. Brawley
Principal

Science Fair
Currently, we are working with NOAA to reschedule the science fair due to the blizzard. Please stay tuned for more information about the new dates and times for this year's fair.

PARCC Parent Information Session - NEW DATE
As of today, we are still planning to have our PARCC Parent Information Session this Thursday, January 28th. 
 

Inclement Weather

Inclement weather decisions affecting schools will be communicated in three ways: 
 
1. Local Media: DCPS will submit inclement weather decisions to local media including TV, radio, and newspapers. Please check local outlets for information about closings and delays.
2. Social Media: DCPS will post inclement weather decisions on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The DCPS username for Twitter and Instagram is @dcpublicschools, and the Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/dcpublicschools.
3. DCPS Website: The DCPS website will contain information on the homepage about closings and delays. Please visit dcps.dc.gov in the event of inclement weather. 

Please consider signing up for  AlertDC, the official District of Columbia communications system.

Passport 2 Peace

Our trait for this week is Tolerance. Students will be listening to one of the following stories or watching a short video that highlights the trait, followed by a class discussion. 

Kindergarten - The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

Grade 1 - How My Parents Learned to Eat by In Friedman 

Grade 2 - Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus

Grade 3 - Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Grade 4 - Mem Fox by Wilfred Gordon McDonald Patridge

Grade 5 - Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King
SY15-16 Basketball Season

Girls

1/26 -  Shepherd vs. Brightwood at                            5:00

Boys

1/28 - TBD

Support our Mustangs!

  
 
Awards Assemblies

As of today, we are still planning to have our second Awards Assembly of the school year on Thursday,  January 28, 2016 . 
Ski Trip 
Each year, fourth and fifth grade students have the opportunity to learn to ski! This year, Mr. Langrock will be coordinating the one-day ski trip to Liberty Mountain Ski Resort, where students will learn the basics of skiing. Information was sent home last week.
New Typing Program

Students in grades kindergarten through 5th are currently beginning a typing program called Typing Agent in the library. Typing Agent is a web-based program that teaches age appropriate keyboarding skills through interactive lessons, tests, and games. Once students have completed the benchmark assessment at the end of January, students will be given a username and password so they can practice typing at home. Students will also be able to practice typing when they visit the library with their class.

A Message from the PTA
Updates: Construction Community Meeting

Thank you to all who participated in last Wednesday's community meeting.  A special thank you to Shepherd parent Kim Barnette who facilitated the meeting and to Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd for pulling the evening together.

Panel members at the meeting:
-  Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd
-  DCPS Facilities Coordinator Christina Weaver
-  Department of General Services (DGS) Director Christopher Weaver

A full report will follow, but here are some highlights:
  • Construction at Shepherd should be completed by July 2016 including construction of the new entrance and atrium.
  • The Turner construction team is currently working 7 days per week and emphasizing activities generating the most noise during non-regular school hours.  DGS Director Weaver acknowledged the difficulty of noise during aftercare hours, said they are attempting to balance moving forward with the project while minimizing disruption, and that the project should soon move out of the demolition phase and into build-out phase which produces less noise.
  • DGS has arranged for testing of indoor air quality monthly.  They have already performed testing for the month of January and report that levels were appropriate in all areas tested.  DGS will make the results available on their webpage for the Shepherd construction project (not currently posted).
  • A pest control/sanitation team will visit the school monthly on the 4th Friday of the month to address pest control issues in the cafeteria and other areas as needed.  The school can contact DGS for urgent issues between scheduled visits.
  • Council member Todd's office will work to arrange a meeting with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to discuss access of Shepherd students to the Shepherd field during school and afterschool hours.
  • The mural on the side of the building will be preserved.
  • Modernization of the cafeteria and auditorium/gymnasium are not part of the scope of this project.  Councilmember Todd suggested that the Shepherd community work with DGS to get estimates on those modernization projects and then work with him to seek funding.
Click  here to visit the DGS website page for the Shepherd Modernization Project.

Shepherd Elementary | (202) 576-6140 | [email protected] 
  http://www.shepherd-elementary.org/
7800 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20012