The PTO is thrilled to announce we have secured a location for our 2024 Spring Gala! This 'no-kids' event & auction is Shepherd's largest fundraiser and a fun evening that brings the community together.

• Date: May 18, 2024
• Time: 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
• Location: Jinya @ Walter Reed, 1155 Dahlia St. NW

Tickets are on sale now! Early Bird discounted pricing will be available through tomorrow March 21st.

If you can personally donate items for our auction, just complete our simple online donation form!

More information on how you can support the auction is available in this letter that will be sent out to families in the next couple of weeks. You can also visit our website to learn more about sponsorship levels. 

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please email sesgala@shepherd-elementary.org. We hope you can join us on May 18th! 

The PTO Executive Board and LSAT are critical teams dedicated to an overarching goal of developing a strong and vibrant sense of community at Shepherd. 

Many of the PTO Executive Team members are term limited in their roles and will not be able to be reelected. So we are reaching out to the Shepherd community asking you to consider running for office! Voting for the 2024-2025 school year is scheduled for early May 2024.

Please consider running for the PTO Executive Committee or the LSAT. The positions are:

• Co-President (2)
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Assistant Treasurer
• Recording Secretary
• Corresponding Secretary
• LSAT Parent Representative (4)

Please reach out to Michelle Toussaint at elections@shepherd-elementary.org to suggest a nomination, ask a question, or express interest in any of the roles.

The March PTO meeting will be held Tonight, March 20th at 5:30 pm. The meeting will be held virtually and you can connect to the meeting here. The Agenda will feature:

• Upcoming Events
• Q&A with Principal Russell
• March TAP Award
• March Financial Update
• Committee Updates from the Gala Committee, Curriculum & Staff Support Committee, and Nominating Committee

We are excited to collaborate with Deal Middle School for a 5^th grade exhibition series. Through this virtual exchange Shepherd Alumni will serve on a panel to answer questions and give advice to our 5^th graders with their upcoming exhibition. We are excited for this IB school collaboration. 

Our school-wide IB community action project is connected to the Good Health and Well-Being United Nations Sustainable Development Goal. Our community action project is a toiletry donation for DASH-safe housing alliance! 2nd Grade will be leading us in this effort. All donations can be dropped off near the entrance of the school. 

Donation items: body soap, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, band-aids, deodorant, dental floss, feminine hygiene products, hair combs and brushes, cotton balls, baby powder, baby oil, and travel size mouthwash. Additional toiletry items not mentioned are also needed.

As a school community, we will be reading A Handful of Quiet by Thich Nhat Hanh. This book is an introduction to mindfulness for children, based on holding, drawing or focusing on everyday tangible objects such as pebbles, marbles, and beans.

The Teacher Appreciation Program, or TAP, gives parents an opportunity to recognize a teacher at Shepherd for their great work and dedication. TAP invites parents to write a letter of appreciation recognizing a teacher who has been especially helpful or admirable in the classroom. 

Once a month, a special teacher will be selected from the nominations to receive a Wishlist fund bonus. The recognition letters will also be shared with the selected teacher and school community.

TAP a teacher today by submitting a nomination here.

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