The Patriot Post

Dear Patriot families,

What an exciting week for our Shepard Patriots! The Sock Hop was incredible. A big thank you to our PTA for their hard work in planning, decorating, and hosting this event. This Shepard tradition has already become one of my favorites, and I will look forward to it each year. If you haven’t joined the PTA yet, please consider doing so. Membership doesn’t require a commitment to volunteer, but the modest fee supports the memorable events that make our school so special!

We’re excited to share our goal of achieving a 96% attendance rate this year, and we need your help to make it happen! Regular attendance is key to helping students make academic growth. Your commitment to having your child attend school regularly and to limiting unnecessary absences sends a powerful message to them about the importance of education. Thank you for partnering with us to support your child's success and for helping our school continue to shine!

It’s hard to believe we’re already getting ready to begin the 6th week of school! Our students are working hard, and we’d love to keep building the home-school connection. Regular nightly reading and practicing math facts boost students' learning and help build important skills like time management and self-discipline. If you have any questions about how to help your child at home, always feel free to reach out to their teacher!

Next week, the district will celebrate "Education Go-Get-It Week," which emphasizes the importance of having a postsecondary plan. Optional dress-up days are detailed in the flyer below, and information about the College Fair can be found on the PISD website. Additionally, Tuesday is picture day—students will have their photos taken for the school yearbook (with parent permission through Skyward). This event also serves as one of our school fundraisers, and you can find more information in the flyer linked below as to how to purchase the portraits online.

We wish everyone a wonderful weekend and are looking forward to another great week ahead at Shepard.

Sincerely,

Christy James

Dot Day! Wear polka-dots.

School Fundraiser---School Picture Day!!!

Watchdog Dad Sign-Up Meeting 6:00-7:00

PTA Spirit Night-Taco Joint

Book Fair Saturday

Coach B. is our Wellness Champion for Shepard. She is promoting wellness for staff, students, and the community! She will be giving Patriot Points to those students who complete their calendars and return them to her by the end of the month! Please contact Coach B. with any questions at julianne.barragan@pisd.edu

The Watch DOGS program is an opportunity for fathers and father-figures to get involved and volunteer for an entire day at the school. If you are interested in learning more about the program and signing up for a day to participate, please follow the link below to RSVP for our info night on 9/17 at 6pm in the cafeteria. The event is open to students and their fathers and father-figures (e.g. uncles, grandfathers, etc.). Pizza will be provided. Deadline to RSVP is 9/13. https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fforms.gle%2fzSAUue3ikKqKQD4L8&c=E,1,tw4NV09i2yeVZiQ0KD_RP8uWnhcmW6R5g6ji7Xd_heId7j0B2-UQURk0CZ6VXWH31GkZfmFjxYQUoFJP4V67MDzG57kYRAa28L7RLBNHz5G5e7mJlA,,&typo=1

At Shepard, we take great pride in sharing the stories and successes of our students through photos and updates on our social media pages. We would love to include your child in these posts to help tell our story and celebrate their achievements.

If you would like to give us permission to share your child’s pictures, please update the enrollment forms in Skyward. Your consent will enable us to showcase the wonderful experiences and milestones of our amazing students.

The Kindness Card Contest is going on now through September 26th. Plano ISD and The Plano ISD Education Foundation are seeking student talent to assist the district in designing artwork for the official notecards utilized by district administrators and staff throughout the year. Mrs. Rodriguez will be passing out information to interested students. Email emily.rodriguez@pisd.edu for more details.

Students who qualified for free or reduced-price meals at the end of last school year are eligible to participate at their current eligibility status for the first 30 operating days of the 2024-25 school year or until a new eligibility determination is made, whichever comes first.

In order for meal benefits to continue, a federal meal application for the 2024-25 school year must be completed. Students with no application on file after 30 calendar days will return to full-paid eligibility status effective September 25, 2024.

Households that have submitted a federal meal application for free or reduced-priced meals for the 2024-25 school year do not need to reapply.

Households who wish to apply for free or reduced-priced meals will need to complete an online federal meal application for the current school year via the website at www.pisd.edu/mealprogram.

Applications will be processed within 10 business days. Eligibility notification letters will be sent via email. If you have not received the letter in your inbox, please check your junk and spam folders.

Shepard teachers and staff will begin wearing happy faces or positive message tshirts on Mondays. We would love our Shepard community to join us! Also, don't forget to wear your awesome new Shepard spirit wear on Fridays!

At the elementary level, PACE (Plano Academic and Creative Education is a weekly pull out program in which students are removed from the general education classroom to work under the guidance of a gifted specialist. Students participate in PACE based upon the results of standardized tests and observation/performance in the classroom. Parents, teachers, and/or students may make referrals for PACE assessment by completing the appropriate grade level referral form by Friday, October 11, 2024 at 5pm. For more detailed information about the PACE program, please refer to the link below.

PACE Information. Online referral forms are available now. Referrals are due by Friday, October 11.

PACE Referral Form . Please contact kelly.bender@pisd.edu with any questions.

Plano ISD’s volunteer management platform, VOLY, is open and ready for 2024-25! Every person who wishes to serve as a volunteer must complete/update a VOLY volunteer application and criminal history search each school year. For more information, please visit our district’s volunteer web page.

Our PTA has been so instrumental in creating this unique Shepard experience. By joining, you are not committing to volunteering (although we would love your help) but you are helping support their wonderful experience at Shepard.

Our Book Fair is coming soon! Celebrate reading with hundreds of fun, engaging, and affordable books. Giving kids access to enjoyable books and the opportunity to choose their own books motivates them to read more often. Every purchase supports our school.

SAVE THE DATE 📣 Shop our Book Fair in the Shepard Library:

Saturday, September 28 from 1:00-4:00 PM

Monday-Thursday, (Sept 30- Oct 3) will be open:

7:20-7:40 AM, 11:00AM-1:00 PM, and 3:00-3:30 PM

Don't feel comfortable sending cash to school with your kid? Set up an e-wallet for a safe, convenient alternative to cash. It's super easy!

-Anyone can contribute: Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, friends

-Remaining funds never expire

-Can be used to shop online

-Saved to shop the next fair

-Can be transferred from e-wallet to e-wallet: to siblings, to teachers

Go to scholasticbookfairs.com/ewallet to create an account and learn more.

We need your help! Share the joy and excitement by volunteering for a shift or better yet, shifts! 😉 Volunteer opportunities include: set-up, helping students make wishlists, cashier and clean up. Someone will be available to show you how to use the registers! (

Sign UP Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084FAAA622A7FDC34-51349891-shepard#/

Questions? Contact Book Fair Co-Chairs:

Jordan Humphries jomamaandco@gmail.com

Emily Butler emilyp143@gmail.com

Katy Brannen katy.r.brannen@gmail.com

The PTA Merch store is open for business! Click on the picture for the link.