Tuesday: We welcomed back Ms. Ripley. There was a grade wide Strong Start meeting with all of 4th grade.
Wednesday: Our 3-5th grade students started the ANET ELA assessment. Wednesday evening we hosted our LSAT and PTO meetings. In LSAT we went over the CSP goals with families. In PTO, we discussed new events coming up such as Donuts with Grownups, Coffee and Conversation and later in the year our showcases. All were opportunities for families to engage in the building.
Thursday Principal Russell attended our Cluster 6 Principals' Meeting. We conducted our annual earthquake drill by participating in "The Great Shake Out". We also hosted our 3rd Annual Staff & Family Kickball Game. Staff and family had an amazing time. Shout out to the Green Team for winning this year.
Friday We hosted our Town Hall meeting with the 4th grade families. In this meeting, we reviewed the following:
- 4th grade ELA teacher role.
- Ms. Ripley's return. Students were happy to see her back and participated in a grade-level Strong Start with Administration, Mr. Bardach, and Ms. Caldwell.
- Addressed the loss of learning, citing additional small group opportunities and ways to adjust the lessons and merging when we can.
- Parents asked about a schoolwide conversation around civil rights. This was a message from Central Office and the Becoming Team. There will be more information to come about this conversation.
We also welcomed in our new IB Ambassador cohort. Shout out to our new ambassadors!
Picture Day
Strong Start
Shout Out to our Strong Start Team for an amazing October Strong Start. Our strong start sessions will include all components of our daily strong start. Our strong start meetings will fall on a rolling schedule.
Dates
Tuesday, November 26th
Friday, December 20th
Thursday, January 30th
Wednesday, February 19th
Monday, March 10th
Thursday, April 10th
Friday, May 30th
Monday, June 2nd
Coffee and Conversations
This year we will continue our coffee and conversation series. Instead of a grade level session each session will be open to all families. This event is hosted by Shepherd Admin and will take place monthly in the MPR. Our first session will be held on November 7th.
Doughnuts with Grownups
This year we will implement a donuts with grown-ups program. Once a month 5 or less families ,per homeroom, will be invited to join scholars for breakfast and the strong start meeting. Grown-ups and special guest will be asked to RSVP. The event will go from 8:30-9:10. Guests will be asked to RSVP prior to the event. The room parents will monitor RSVPs as well as providing donuts. Our first event is scheduled for Tuesday 11/12.
October
IB Learner Profile Attribute of the Month:
OPEN-MINDED
We appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We have tolerance. We consider other points of view and are willing to grow from the experience.
IB Approach to Learning Skill of the Month:
Social Skills
This month, Shepherd Mustangs Celebrate:
- Family History Month
- Indigenous People's Day
- Diwali
IB Evaluation
What is the IB Evaluation?
- It is a reflective process that involves the entire school community
- Assesses whether a school continues to meet the requirements of the IB
- Supports school’s efforts in continuing the delivery of the program
- Results in next steps for future plans and actions
IB Evaluation Date
- IB Visit from February 26th - 27th
Strong Start Morning Meeting
Strong Start is a set of rituals and routines that get students ready to learn by fostering a sense of safety, belonging, community, and self-efficacy. The routines begin as students enter the classroom and continue through morning meeting. Students must be taught the routines at the start of the school year and provided with extensive practice opportunities for Strong Start to run smoothly. When running smoothly, the group portion should not be longer than 15 minutes. The Strong Start morning routine includes the following components, seen in this overview video.
Stay Connected!
Main Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Principal Russell: tyra.russell@k12.dc.gov
AP Coles: shamayne.coles@k12.dc.gov
Ms. Wilson, Main Office: Brenda.wilson@k12.dc.gov
Ms. Offor, MSL: Uchenna.offor@k12.dc.gov
School Phone: (202) 576-6140