Shepherd Middle BlueJay Bulletin

Thank you to all the families who attended conferences last week. If you were unable to make it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teachers to check in on their progress and how things are going this trimester.

Shepherd Public Schools is seeking perception feedback through a short district survey. Your input is valuable in helping us improve and plan for the future. Please consider taking a few moments to share your thoughts: Shepherd Public Schools Perception Survey.

This week, we are emphasizing staying on track and setting realistic goals. Our students are learning that choosing goals, ignoring distractions, and following through with persistence brings greater freedom and opportunity in their lives.

How you can help at home:
Consider sitting down with your student to set a small academic or personal deadline together, and celebrate their progress when they reach it.

October

21- Picture Retake Day
31- Halloween

Since the early 2010s, the rates of anxiety among youth have rapidly increased. One way to help your adolescent manage their anxiety is through mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of observing the present moment (your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, your environment) without passing judgment about any of your observations. One way that you can practice mindfulness is by doing the Mindful Music activity. While listening to music, think about the emotions the song evokes, your thoughts while listening to the music, and any body sensations you might have. You could even come up with your own title for the song! Here is a chart from TRAILS to Wellness that can help you practice this method: https://storage.trailstowellness.org/trails-2/resources/mindful-music-activity.pdf

https://shepherdschools.onlinesafetyhub.io/parent/articles/what-is-italian-brainrot

Understanding “Brainrot” Content

“Brainrot” refers to short, fast-paced online videos filled with chaotic humor, random sounds, and exaggerated characters. These clips are designed to grab attention and often appear endlessly on apps like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels.

While much of the content is silly or harmless, constant exposure can overstimulate the brain, shorten attention spans, and make focused activities—like reading or schoolwork—feel dull by comparison. Some videos may also include inappropriate language or themes hidden beneath the humor.

Parents can help by setting healthy screen limits, encouraging regular breaks, and watching clips together to talk about what makes them appealing. Remind children that balance and mindful media use are key to keeping their minds healthy and focused.

https://shepherdschools.onlinesafetyhub.io/parent/articles/what-is-italian-brainrot

On October 31, Halloween, Shepherd Middle School students will be permitted to wear costumes. During SOAR, we will hold a costume contest. We want to promote the students to participate and encourage them to do so, considering these guidelines are followed:

Costumes cannot be offensive in mocking or resembling another student, school staff member, religious preference, or ethnicity.
Costumes cannot feature inappropriate themes, characters or reference to drugs, alcohol, or sex.
Masks may be worn only during the contest. For the remainder of the day, these items will be kept in lockers.
No “look-alike” or fake weapons are allowed in any manner. If brought to school, these items will be held in the office until a parent or guardian can pick them up.
Blow up/Inflatable costumes are discouraged. While students may wear them, they will be deflated during class.
Nothing is to be brought to school that has a possibility of staining (dye, make-up, face paint, hair color spray, etc.), but these things may be worn if put on at home. Time will not be allocated for removal of paint/dye etc during the school day.
Dress must meet our current School Dress Code.
Teachers retain every right to ask students to remove any item during class that is a distraction.

PA 57 of 2023

PA 57 of 2023 requires districts to provide all students in grades 6–12 with the Michigan Department of Education’s (MDE) Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Information Guide, the district’s Title IX coordinator contact information, and the district policies on sexual assault and harassment. This information, for Shepherd Public Schools, is linked below.