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.)

As we head into this long weekend, our "Good Thing" is centered on Connection. Whether you are a die-hard football fan, only there for the halftime show and commercials, or just looking forward to the snacks, Sunday's Super Bowl is a great chance to build what we call "Relational Capacity."

In Capturing Kids’ Hearts, we know that the strongest teams aren't just the ones with the most talent—they are the ones that trust and support each other the most.

• For Students: Think about the "team" you have at home or your group of friends. Even if your favorite team isn't playing (or if they lose!), the "Good Thing" is the time spent together.

  • Your Action: During the game or your weekend hangouts, ask someone: "Besides the score, what’s been the best part of your weekend so far?"

• For Families: Use the excitement of the big game to practice Affirmation.

  • Your Action: If you’re watching the game together, point out a moment of great teamwork or sportsmanship on the screen. It’s a low-stakes way to reinforce the values we talk about in our school’s Social Contract every day.

No matter who wins the trophy, the real win is the time we take to connect with the people who matter most.

WE'RE GOING TO SPACE! (kind of...)

Back in December, our team of students submitted a proposal to the NASA Techrise Student Challenge. We are proud to announce that their experiment was selected as one of only 60 across the United States and will be floating around the stratosphere this summer after they spend the remainder of the school year building the experiment. CONGRATULATIONS to Alivia Kirchofer, Elijah Robinson, Eddie Radtke, Brayden Rountree, and Logan Lambert!

Watch for updates as this project progresses.

Students in Coding Class brought their code to life using Micro:bits, turning lines of code into real actions on the board. Watching their programs work in real time made coding exciting, hands-on, and fun!

As students prepare to build their class schedule preferences for the 2026-27 school year, please talk to your student about future plans and what classes will be best for the preparation of that future. Counselors will begin the scheduling process with students the week of January 20, so have those conversations now!

Our newly formed BlueJay Esports teams started their season by winning 3 of 4 scrimmage matches.

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. 😉 )

The Ed Tanzini Scholarship is now live to the public! The application is available at www.gmcami.org or through the form below. The deadline is March 5th.

https://forms.gle/7p6FJXL6EA3FGyLe6

*these dates/times are subject to change.

As we wrap up this update I want to leave you with a challenge about Intentionality. On Sunday evening, we will see athletes who have spent their entire lives preparing for one game. They succeed because they have a "Social Contract"—an agreement on how they will treat each other when the pressure is high.

But for us, the most important "game" doesn't happen on a stadium field. It happens in our hallways, our classrooms, and our homes. Our "Launch" for you this weekend is to use Monday’s day off to recharge with purpose.

• The Challenge: Don't just "get through" the weekend. Use Monday to rest your mind and body so that when you walk through our doors on Tuesday, you are ready to be a Hall of Fame teammate. * The Goal: Ask yourself tonight: "What is one thing I can do this weekend to make sure I show up on Tuesday ready to encourage someone else?"

Enjoy the game, enjoy the extra day of rest, and remember—we are all on the same team. Let’s make the second half of this month our strongest one yet.

Lead with heart, BlueJays!