Shepherd Middle BlueJay Bulletin
Chief Sawyer wrapped up safety conversations last week, and this week our focus shifts to compassion in action. During announcements, students are being encouraged to perform small acts of kindness such as offering a helpful hand, writing a kind note, or finding other ways to show understanding and care for someone else.
How you can help at home
Challenge your family to complete at least one kind act each day. Celebrate kindness together and reflect on the ripple effects kindness can create.
Our Leadership class has been busy getting involved and helping around the school. Last week, they began peer-to-peer coaching in preparation for starting support groups next month. Mrs. Bauer and Mrs. Gall joined them to equip students with new skills as they get started.
Mr. Byrne also took his Semper Fit class to the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb to honor the 343 lives lost in the September 11 attacks. Students climbed 2,097 stairs, which is the same number found in the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.
Pictures from both Leadership and Semper Fit are in the remainder of the newsletter below.
September
- 17th- Constitution Day
- 30th-Orange Shirt Day
October
- 3rd-Homecoming Friday
- 9 & 10- NO SCHOOL
- 9- Parent Teacher Conferences
In addition to decreasing the risk of chronic health issues, getting enough sleep at night can help students to be less stressed, improve their overall mood, and help them get along better with their peers. Help your student get enough sleep each night by enforcing a “technology curfew” at least 30 minutes before bedtime each night. Turn off all electronics and avoid exposure to bright light after the technology curfew goes into effect.
Read more about sleep at this link:
A new Pew Research Center study highlights how central social media is in teen life. Almost all teens (95%) use YouTube, and large shares are on TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram daily. While these platforms help kids connect, they can also bring challenges—like pressure to always look good online, respond quickly, or compare themselves to others. About 1 in 3 teens say social media makes them feel worse about their own life, while many others say it doesn’t affect them much either way. Parents and caregivers can help by keeping conversations open and guiding kids toward healthy, balanced use.
Conversation Starters at Home
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Nearly all teens use YouTube and other apps daily—what do you like most about the time you spend online?
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1 in 3 teens say social media makes them feel worse about their life. How does it make you feel?
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About half of teens say social media doesn’t change how they feel about themselves. Do you agree with that?
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Many teens say they feel pressure to respond quickly—do you feel that? How do you handle it?
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Some teens say social media strengthens friendships, while others say it causes drama. What’s your experience?
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/07/10/10-facts-about-teens-and-social-media/
Mr. Byrne took his Semper Fit class to the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb to honor the 343 lives that were lost in the attacks that occurred on 9/11. They climbed 2097 stairs, which is the same number of stairs in the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.
