Shepherd High School Weekly Update

As a Capturing Kids Heart's school we start each class with a few minutes to share Good Things." (See the Launch at the end of this update.)

The Power of the "Thank You"

Have you ever noticed how much better you feel when someone genuinely thanks you for something you did, no matter how small? That feeling of being seen and appreciated is what Capturing Kids' Hearts is all about!

This past week we saw lots of great examples of students and staff being thankful. Some of them were appreciative of help given or received, others were thankful for the standard to which they were held for behaviors. The list of these things could go on and on. . . For me, I am thankful for all of you making Shepherd High School such a great place.

High School drop off is at the Atrium doors. Please come through the parking lot to the very south, drop off then head back through the middle lane. This will keep the north lane open for those dropping of Elementary Students.

The upper two lots are for Staff Parking Only. High School Student parking is in the lower lot, outside of the Atrium/Gym entrance.

As a Capturing Kids Heart school we are asking that parents complete this survey to help us celebrate our successes and plan for improvements. This survey should only take a couple of minutes to complete and we appreciate your input. If you have students in multiple buildings you will be receiving multiple survey links as they are unique to each building. If you already completed this, thank you.

https://app.ckh.org/public-survey/7cu7d2xy

If you need Parent Access to Schoology (our online learning platform) please reach out to the HS Office for your access code. With Parent Access you can see the day to day assignments, grades and progress in each of your student's classes. (When they say the don't have homework, you will already know the answer. 😉 )

https://pogo.undergroundshirts.com/collections/shepard-schools-apparel

This order form will end at midnight EST on December 1, 2025. Pick up orders will be available on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 and shipping orders will be shipped out on Monday, December 15, 2025.

On Friday this week we will be gathering the names of all students that have "perfect attendance" for the trimester (7 days). We will put all of those names in a hat for a reward drawing. Maybe a snack? Maybe a few extra minutes a lunch? Something to acknowledge those of you being in class everyday.

Click on image to see the presentation.

Before we start the 2nd Trimester I wanted to give you all a heads up on a few things that will be changing around the High School. Attached is a Fall 2025 State of the High School. This is a snapshot of the academic, attendance and behavior data as well as a few goals and plans to reach those goals during the 2nd Trimester. I am really proud of the input that both students and staff had shared for ways to improve our academic performance, overall attendance and reduce negative behaviors.

• Progressive discipline will be impacting those of you that may reach 5+ lunch detentions. After this many detentions we will be issuing in-school suspensions for future misbehaviors.
• "Robo-calls" will be made home for students that are issued lunch detentions, similar to those calls that go home for absences. These calls will include what the detention is for and the email of the teacher who assigned the detention.
• With the help of our Leadership class we will be doing weekly/regular "drawings" for students meeting attendance, tardy and/or behavior goals. "Winning" students will get prizes or possibly extended lunch time.

If you, or your company, would like to be a part of this year's Shepherd High School Career Fair please scan the QR code below or contact the high school office.

Let's GO GREEN! Any form that is RED needs to be completed!

https://shepherd-mi.finalforms.com/

As we prepare for the 25-26 school year, we want to inform families that Shepherd Public Schools will now implement 3-hour delays in place of 2-hour delays when appropriate.

Here’s how a 3-hour delay will work:

School Doors Open: 10:40 AM

Power Announcement Sent: 5:30 AM

If Conditions Worsen, School Would Be Canceled by: 8:00 AM

Please note:

Sub-varsity athletic events will be canceled on school closing days unless they are part of a combination game with a varsity team. We will begin making decisions about practices, games, and other school activities at 12:00 pm.

We appreciate your flexibility as we prioritize student and staff safety while maximizing learning time.

Cap and Gown packets went home with the Class of 2026 on 9/25. Orders are due 12/1/2025 or a late fee will be charged.

*these dates/times are subject to change.

Your launch this week is a challenge: Commit to giving at least three specific and sincere "thank yous" or "Good Things" to people you encounter—a family member, a staff member, or a peer. Don't just say "thanks," tell them why you are thankful!

Why it matters: When we practice giving "Good Things," we consciously build up the emotional bank accounts of the people around us. It shifts our focus from what's going wrong to celebrating what's going right, making our entire school and home community a more positive place to learn and grow.

Be on the lookout for how you can help someone. Check in on your friends and make new ones. And find ways to make someone’s day better.