Mustang Express

Volume 4 Issue 36 May 31, 2026

This Week's Highlights

Thank You for another engaging week!

IB Assembly

We hosted our IB Assembly for May. This month we celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

PK 3 Trip

Tuesday, PK3 classes went strawberry picking at Butler's Orchard.

EOY Testing

This week we continued with EOY testing.

French Virtual Field Trip

On Wednesday and Thursday, 2nd Grade French Students took a virtual field trip to the Island of Martinique.

Talent Show

On Thursday evening, Shepherd hosted its Talent Show. Students in grades 2nd-5th showcased various talents. The show was a wonderful display of our students' unique artistry. Huge shoutout to Mr. Velez and the Talent Show committee. We will have an in-school show on Monday, June 1st.

Battle of the Books

On Friday, we participated in our Battle of the Books competion. A mix of our 4th and 5th grade students competed against multiple DCPS schools. We had 3 teams compete. Shepherd's White Team placed in the 1st bracket. Shepherd's Gold Team placed in the 2nd bracket, and Shepherd's Green Team placed in the 6th bracket. Congratulations to our three teams and a big shoutout to Teacher Dogbe and Ms. Caldwell for their support and coahing.

Announcements

Fire Drill

We will have our monthly fire drill this week. There are no emergency drills scheduled for June.

Last Week for Spring Clubs

Last week, May 25-29, was the last week for spring clubs.

SY 26-27 School Supplies

Please review the flyer below on school supply ordering. Visit https://www.edukitinc.com for ordering.

Early Dismissal

Early dismissal is when a student is picked up by a parent/guardian prior to 2:45 PM. Please remember to also notify Mrs. Wilson, in the Main Office, if you are picking up your student early so that we can ensure they are ready and properly documented prior to your arrival.

After 2:45 PM, students will only be dismissed following normal dismissal procedures at 3:15 PM, as teachers and students are transitioning and wrapping up for the day.

Glow & Groove Fashion Show

GLOW & GROOVE: NEED-TO-KNOW INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES

ABOUT THE EVENT

• Event Time: 5:00pm–6:30pm

• Doors Open: 4:30pm

• FREE Admission

• Featuring performances from:

2nd–5th Grade Fashion Club Students (Art Department)
3rd Grade French Fashion Showcase (French Department)
Ukulele and Dance Performances (Music Department)
Public seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis
Once seating is full, remaining guests will enter as standing-room attendees

ENTRANCE & CHECK-IN

• Enter through the MPR side ramp located on Jonquil Street/14th Street

• All guests must check in at the entrance table

• Scan the QR code upon arrival to access the digital event program

EXIT INFORMATION

At the end of the event, families may exit through either:

The MPR side ramp exit on Jonquil Street/14th Street
The rear MPR exit located near the concession area

CONCESSIONS

• Concessions will be available before and during the event (see attached flyer)

• Cashless payments preferred

VIP RESERVED SEATING

• VIP passes are available only for families of participating students until sold out

• VIP guests may use the VIP entrance line and skip the general admission line

• VIP guests must wear their customized Glow & Groove wristband for entry

• Only VIP wristband holders will have reserved seating

• VIP wristband pickup will take place during dismissal (front courtyard) on Tuesday, June 2, 2026)

Yearbook Ordering

Please create an account using the link below to order a SY 25-26 yearbook. Yearbooks ordered after 5/29 will include a shipping fee, will delivered to your home, and will possibly arrive after June 19th.

The Link is as follows:

https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1013930010262632

Enrollment for SY 26-27

As a reminder, all students need to re-enroll for school each year! Enrollment can be completed online or by completing a paper enrollment form. https://enrolldcps.dc.gov/node/71

Don't forget your proof of residency! Proof of Residency
Please review Frequency Seen Mistakes so your enrollment forms can be processed without any issues! Frequency Seen Mistakes

Is Your Student Leaving Shepherd? (please see below)

PK3- 4th Grade students leaving Shepherd ES for SY 26-27: As enrollment season begins, some students will not return to Shepherd ES next school year. Families whose students are not returning to Shepherd ES and not enrolling in any DC Public School for SY 26–27 (grades PK3–4) must complete the DCPS withdrawal process. To help streamline the process, complete the form below if your student is not returning.

Shepherd ES Withdrawal Inquiry Form for SY26-27: Grades PK3-4th – Fill out form

5th grade Next School: We ask that all 5th‑grade families complete the form to indicate which middle school their child will attend in the fall. This will ensure student records are sent to the correct school. For students not attending a DCPS middle school, the front office will assist families with completing and signing the DCPS withdrawal form.

Middle School for SES 5th Grade Students – Fill out form

Please email ShepherdESEnroll@k12.dc.gov or call the main office at 202-576-6140 and ask to speak with Ms. Offor or Ms. Wilson for any questions.

Happy Enrolling!

The IB Corner

Learner Profile of the Month: Communicator

ATL of the Month: Communication Skills

Heritage Month Celebration: Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

🌍IB Monthly Newsletters:

September IB Monthly: https://secure.smore.com/n/3sydh

October IB Monthly: https://secure.smore.com/n/ye5cj

November IB Monthly: https://secure.smore.com/n/xbn1s

December IB Monthly: https://app.smore.com/n/2s173

January IB Monthly: https://app.smore.com/n/4xt9n

February IB Monthly: https://app.smore.com/n/zfg45

March IB Monthly: https://app.smore.com/n/m2dgk

April IB Monthly: https://app.smore.com/n/q2197

Upcoming Dates 📆

Jun 3- Grove and Glow Fashion Show (see flyer below)

Jun 4- 5th Grade Exhibition

Jun 9- Caribbean American IB Assembly

Jun 11- PK4 Moving Up Ceremony

Jun 12- Field Day

Jun 15- 5th Grade Promotion/Prom

Jun 16- No School for students and staff (DC Primary)

Jun 18- 5th grade Kings Dominion Trip

Jun 18- Last Day of School for students

Jun 19- Juneteenth (DCPS closed)

Jun 22- 1/2 Records/1/2 PD (last day of school for staff)

Order Class Pictures 📸

The Brightwood Family Success Center Upcoming Events

The Brightwood Family Success Center would like to share updates regarding our services and upcoming events. You are welcome to visit us at 6203 12th St NW, Washington, DC 20011, for assistance or to learn more about our resources.

Upcoming Events:

- May Food Distribution: Our next distribution is May 15th, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Please register in advance at: https://forms.gle/Nx8P5QtPfjML2yv77

Please see our Onsite Support Flyer. As requested, we have attached our updated printable flyer. It now includes QR codes for food distribution registration and for navigating our on-site support service.

Available Resources:

- Computer Lab: Open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

- Clothing Closet: Offering spring and summer clothing.

- Employment Assistance: Support with resume writing, mock interviews, and "Dress for Success" preparation.

- Service Navigation: Referrals to community services via our comprehensive database.

- LIHEAP Applications: Assistance with completing online applications.

Deal RISE Program

RISE is an opportunity for students to learn about all things Deal and make a strong transition to middle school. RISE features guidance on everything from opening a lock to learning about our schoolwide International Baccalaureate programming, including:

Opportunities to build relationships with teachers, staff, and fellow students,
Important middle school transition skills (such as keeping organized for multiple classes, checking your grades, and keeping up with assignments),
Time to engage in fun, engaging team-building activities,
And more!

Students must be fully enrolled at Deal for the SY 26-27 school year to participate in RISE. Enrollment opens on Friday, March 27 and can be completed online (https://enrolldcps.dc.gov) or in-person at Deal.

You may fill out the RISE registration forms linked below now to reserve your seat, but your student's participation in RISE will not be confirmed until their SY 26-27 enrollment is complete.
Students who do not complete enrollment may be removed from the roster for RISE.
Families should also complete our Course Information Form.

Your student's RISE week is assigned alphabetically by last name. Please see links below to register. Space at RISE is limited.

Week 1 (July 6 - 9) - Last Names A - F: Register Here
Week 2 (July 13 - 16) - Last Names G - N: Register Here
Week 3 (July 20 - 23) - Last Names O - Z: Register Here

For questions, please reach out to Ms. Gathers, 6th grade assistant principal (stacey.gathers@k12.dc.gov). Please be advised that she will check and follow up on emails about RISE and future students once per week.

Birthday Celebration Policy 🎉

We would love to celebrate each student's birthday. However, Shepherd is a severe allergy school. That means we have students and staff throughout the building who have various severe allergies. Therefore, birthday parties are not permitted during school hours for students in grades K-5; ECE has a separate policy, which has been communicated to their families.

Please refrain from bringing or sending birthday treats to school. Instead, parents may send goodie bags for students to take home at the end of the day. Please ensure that if you are planning on sending goodie bags, that you inform your child's teacher and that there are enough for each student in the class receive one.

As a school community, we will acknowledge student birthdays on the school announcements daily.