Originally delivered on 10/23/2025 6:51 pm

SUBJECT: Shepherd PTO Newsletter - 10/23/25

Shepherd PTO Newsletter - October 23, 2025
Last Call for Family Photos

Join the Shepherd PTO and capture beautiful family photos—perfect for your holiday cards and gifts—while supporting Shepherd! We’re thrilled to partner once again with the amazing Katie Jett Walls for fall mini-sessions at The Historic Rose Garden at The Parks at Walter Reed.

Dates & Times:
📅 Saturday, Oct. 25 – 8:30–10:30 AM & 3:30–5:30 PM
📅 Sunday, Oct. 26 – 8:30–10:30 AM & 4:30–5:30 PM

Fee: $125 per 10-minute session ($50 goes toward your photo package, $75 benefits Shepherd).

👉 Sign up here and submit your payment via Shepherd PTO’s PayPal to confirm your slot.
You’ll receive a confirmation email once payment is processed (please allow up to one week).

Don’t miss out—sessions are filling fast! Contact pto@shepherd-elementary.org with any questions.

Our Fall Fest was a huge success — and it’s all thanks to our incredible volunteers! From set-up to clean-up (and everything in between), your time, energy, and enthusiasm made the day unforgettable for our Shepherd community. We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for helping make this year’s Fall Fest our best one yet!

Tickets on Sale Now

Shepherd Elementary is thrilled to announce our inaugural Homecoming event! On November 15, from 5 to 8 PM in the Multi-Purpose Room, parents and alumni families are invited to come together for an evening of fun and connection. The event will feature music, games, food trucks, and beverages to keep the atmosphere lively and enjoyable for all. This is a unique opportunity to strengthen our Shepherd community bonds and create new traditions. Mark your calendars—this is a celebration you won’t want to miss! 


Tickets are $25. Purchase here.


Note: This is adults-only!

Mustang Gear Shop

The Gear Shop is live and ready for orders. There are a couple of new styles in the shop, perfect for the cooler months. And the car magnets are back! Check out the shop here.

Support Our Amazing Shepherd Teachers!

Help our incredible teachers get the supplies they need to make their classrooms shine! Many have shared Amazon Wish Lists with items that will directly benefit their students and classrooms.

📦 View and Shop Teacher Wish Lists Here:
Shepherd Teacher Amazon Wish Lists »

Every item—big or small—makes a difference and helps our teachers focus on what they do best: inspiring our kids. Thank you for your generosity and continued support!

Purchase Links Below

Poinsettias / Wreaths / Garlands

Donate to the 180 Fund

The 180 Fund was established in 2009 by Shepherd's PTO as an alternative to the traditional "family enrichment fee" that many DCPS schools request from families to help supplement the annual operating budget for the school. With 180 instructional days in the school year, the 180 Fund equates to $1 per school day per student. Each Shepherd family is asked to consider a contribution of $180 per student to the Fund; payments can be made in one lump sum annually, or by monthly installments. Please submit 180 Fund payments directly via this link.

Many employers offer a corporate matching grant program that can match, double, or even triple the amount of your contribution to the 180 Fund. You will need to provide them with a donation receipt along with our EIN/Tax ID number (47-0879109). Please email our PTO Treasurers to let them know that you have submitted the matching grant with your employer so that they can look out for it.

Thank you to our Donors!

Archer Family

Benedetti Family

Cannon-McIntosh Family

Bowie Family

Boykin Family

Jackson and Weaver Family

DeAngelo Family

Gilbert Family

Godwin Family

Riddick Family

Henthorne-Zeigler Family

Hoehn Family

Jabaily Messing Family

Solomon Family


Mintz Family

Molly Raglani

Nicole Cooper

Orlins/Bianchi

Raisa Sheynberg

Riley-Keck Family

Singh Family

Maiers-Woods Family

The Arellano Family

The Boyd Family

Toussaint Family

Walejko / Markham Family

Zettle Kreisberg Family

Mainor-Etienne Family

Papademetriou and Facini Family

🎿 Help Us Plan a School Ski Trip!

We’re exploring the idea of organizing a school ski trip this winter — but before we hit the slopes, we need a planning team to help make it happen!

If you’re interested in being part of the planning committee — helping with logistics, destination options, budgeting, or coordination — please take a moment to fill out our short Ski Trip Planning Interest Survey.

👉 Sign Up to Help Plan

Even if you’re just curious or have past experience organizing ski trips, we’d love your input. Let’s see if we can make this fun community adventure a reality!

Staying Connected

Mustang Express

This week's Mustang Express is here.

IB Monthly

Ms. Alvarez's IB Monthly Newsletter is here

SES Family Portal

We have a new centralized website for our Shepherd Families. Check it out here.

Shepherd Elementary Groups.io

The Shepherd PTO has a Groups.io that can be used to communicate with the community. To join, please click here.

Shepherd Elementary Calendar

Add the Shepherd Elementary Google calendar to your personal Google account. Need instructions on how to add to your own calendar? Click here.

PTO Meeting Invite

PTO Meetings are on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7PM. Access them by using the Zoom link here. Meeting ID: 603 911 4050; Passcode: 061391

Follow Shepherd PTO on FB and Insta

Keep up with the latest updates, events and fun things going on at Shepherd by following our FB page (@ShepherdElemPTO) and Instagram (@shepherd_elementary).

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