FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Hello Shepardson Community,

Thank you to all families who have participated in their child’s Parent/Teacher Conference! These meetings are vital components of building strong partnerships between families and staff, and we are thankful for our strong participation rate. This is THE most important way to partner with us in cultivating thriving students.

It is hard to believe that the first quarter has wrapped up. The school year is flying by and I hope that you are in the loop about ways to be involved in the next fun community events. Please mark your calendars and find a way to be part of these and other activities in the second quarter of the year:

Read-a-Thon:

Remind your child to fill out their reading log and get pledges for our Read-a-Thon!

This fundraiser is THE biggest earner for our PTO and the proceeds go directly to purchase things like classroom furniture, field trips, equipment for Specials classes, recess equipment, and other important items.

Help your child choose their costume for our Book Character Parade from 9:15-9:45 on Friday, October 30th. Adults are welcome to come see the parade!

The 15th Annual Family STEM Night:

Plan for the whole family to attend and learn STEM concepts from community presenters!
Sign up to be a presenter or ask someone else to be a presenter at our Family STEM Night on Thursday, November 12th from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Email Mrs. Woodcox with questions - bwoodcox@psdschools.org.

This weekend is a long one and, as I always say on Star News to our students, I hope they do something outside, something with friends/family, and that they read a bunch!

Yours,

Laura

Laura Sutton

Principal, Shepardson STEM Elementary
she, her, hers What is this?
Web she.psdschools.org Email lsutton@psdschools.org
1501 Springwood Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525

Shepardson... educating every child, every day by cultivating curious, inclusive, and thriving students who are prepared for the world.

hard work in 4th grade

collaboration in 2nd grade

See current pictures on Instagram and Facebook!

Shepardson Instagram

Shepardson Facebook

SCHEDULES AND CALENDARS

Thurs, Oct 15 - NO SCHOOL
Fri, Oct 16 - NO SCHOOL
Mon, Oct 19 - 3:45pm - Book Club
Wed, Oct 21 - 8:00am - Coding Club
Wed, Oct 21 - 3:45pm - Mileage Club
Wed, Oct 21 - 11:00am - 8:30pm PTO Family Night at Snack Attack!
Thurs, Oct 22 - 8:00am - Star Choir Rehearsal
Fri, Oct 23 - 8:15am - Mileage Club
Fri, Oct 23 - 4th Grade Field Trip to Centennial Village
Mon, Oct 26 - 3:45pm - Book Club
Tues, Oct 27 - 4:30-7:30pm Family Night at HP BOO Crew Haunted House
Wed, Oct 28 - 8:00am - Coding Club
Wed, Oct 28 - 3:45pm - Mileage Club
Thurs, Oct 29 - 8:00am - Star Choir Rehearsal
Fri, Oct 30 - 8:15am - Mileage Club
Fri, Oct 30 - 9:15am - Read-a-thon Parade
Fri, Oct 30 - Classroom Parties

- Kinder: 11:05am - 11:55am
- 1st: 12:15pm - 1:00pm
- 2nd: 1:35pm - 2:15pm
- 4th: 2:00pm - 2:40pm
- 3rd & 5th: 3:00pm - 3:40pm

2026-2027 PSD Calendar

First Day: Wednesday, August 19

Last Day: Friday, May 28

2026-2027 Shepardson Schedule

Arrival time: 9:00am

Dismissal time: 3:43pm

Staff Spotlight - Carlos Meikel

Hi Shepardson Stars!

For those of y’all who don’t know… I am Carlos Delano Meikel, and I am one of you Art teachers here at Shepardson STEM Elementary. I’ve held this position, split with Harris Bilingual Immersion School, for the last 17 years. I’ve taught a total of 25 years so far, 21 of them here in PSD, with 4 in Grand Junction. I have taught High School, Middle School, and joke with folks that the Elementary Art teacher position is perfect for me, because I am an 11-year-old trapped in a 53-year-old body.

My wife, Diane and I have been married for almost 10 years. We have two crazy dogs, Jethro an Ellie Mae… if you are a fan of the Beverly Hillbillies, you get the inside joke. When not in the classroom I thoroughly enjoy being in the outdoors… off-roading, fishing, camping, playing disc golf, etc. I also enjoy anything comic book related, watching sports (Denver Broncos and Denver Nuggets in particular), drawing, reading, Legos, video games on occasion and playing pool on Friday nights with my good buddy.

It has been an absolute honor and pleasure to be a part of this incredible staff for the last 17 years, and I continue to look forward to seeing what the future holds for us here at

I love living in Colorado and particularly enjoy hiking and skiing in the mountains with my family. Of course, I spend much of my spare time reading and listening to audiobooks, but I also try to find time to garden and just hang out with my husband and our silly black cat, Milo.

Shepardson Events

Shepardson READ-A-THON

Oct. 1-30

Shepardson Stars, assemble! The Read-A-Thon is underway! Students earn 1 point for each day they read or are read to for at least 20 minutes outside of school, and families can collect pledges to support Shepardson. Help us meet our school-wide goal of earning $20,000!

STEM Night Presenters

We NEED YOU or someone you know! Please reach out to Becky Woodcox to be an activity presenter at STEM Night!

bwoodcox@psdschools.org

VOLUNTEERS needed for Shepardson Night at the HP/HPE Haunted House!

Help the HP/HPE BOO Crew pull-off a SPOOKTACULAR night for Shepardson students and their families at the HAUNTED House!

Volunteers are needed on Tuesday, October 27, 2026! Times and details are in the sign-up and volunteers are needed for:

1. Actors in the Haunted House – Middle School and High School students are encouraged to volunteer to be ACTORS! This is a scary-fun experience you won’t forget!

2. Event Set-up

3. Activity Guides

4. Clean-up

Where: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Cafeteria: Parking and entry directions for volunteers will be provided prior to the event.

Click the link to sign-up to volunteer: HP/HPE Haunted House Volunteer Sign-up

Questions? Contact Mrs. Woodcox, Shepardson STEM Coordinator

(bwoodcox@psdschools.org)

CSU Chemistry Fun!

Our CSU Partners are inviting Shepardson students to join this fun opportunity to learn about chemistry! Description

Shepardson Partner Event

SPECIAL Halloween Event at HP

The HP/HPE BOO Crew cordially invites Shepardson STEM Elementary students and their families to visit their Halloween Haunted House!

Make this Halloween season unforgettable with this SPOOKTACLUAR, EXCITING, STEM-FILLED event, exclusively for Shepardson STEM Elementary!

When: Tuesday, October 27, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. Divided into four 45-minute sessions.

Where: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Cafeteria: Parking and event entry directions will be provided prior to the event.

Details: This event is free for Shepardson families to attend, but a sign-up is required to reserve a spot. There will be four 45-minute sessions, with 45 attendees invited to participate in each session. The event includes a tour through the haunted house, a special “behind the scenes” look at how the BOO Crew uses STEM to create the magic of optical illusions, and hands-on learning activities.

Please NOTE: ALL children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the evening. We invite the adults to tour the haunted house and participate in the "behind the scenes" and

"hands-on" activities with their children regardless of age.

Click THIS LINK TO SIGN UP!

Please reserve your spot by Friday, October 23, so the HP/HPE Boo Crew can prepare for the number of participants signed up for each session.

Questions? Contact Mrs. Woodcox, Shepardson STEM Coordinator

(bwoodcox@psdschools.org)

2026-2027 INFORMATION

Help us keep kids safe!

Please use only designated areas for drop off and pick up.

The "Kiss and Go" areas are for families to drive through. Those zones are not a parking zones.
The Bus Zone is not for parking and is not a drop off zone.
The red zone next to the cafeteria is only utilized for families that need staff help unloading/loading children. It is not a parking spot.
The "Kindergarten Cove" is where Kindergarteners will be dropped off and picked up on their first day of school.
Please make sure to dismount bicycles when arriving on campus.
Dogs must be leashed

Arrival and Dismissal

Arrival is 9:00 a.m.
- Breakfast opens at 8:30 a.m. in the cafeteria
- Playground supervision begins at 8:50 a.m.
- Students are marked tardy at 9:05 a.m.
- Students that arrive after 9:05 a.m. must enter through the office
Dismissal is 3:43 p.m.
- Students must be picked up outside by 3:55 p.m.
- After 3:55 p.m., students must be picked up from the office
Students enter and exit their classrooms through the exterior doors

Before/After School Extra Enrichment Classes

After School Enrichment Programs Hosted at Shepardson

Community partners often apply to host their programs at Shepardson. If you are interested in these programs please click the link below:

CLICK HERE to go to website for more information!

WAYS TO SUPPORT SHEPARDSON

We love Volunteers!

All volunteers must complete the PSD Volunteer online application.

See individual teachers or our office team for more information about how to volunteer.

To protect student autonomy and the academic environment we recommend a maximum of about one hour a week inside your students classrooms.

Volunteer Before or After School

We need volunteers to help keep our students safe before and after school! Please complete this form to express your availability and interest in serving as a volunteer crossing guard or to help students in/out of their cars at our K/1 Kiss and Go area. Adults must be registered volunteers. Training will be provided, no experience necessary. Ideally we would find a small number of committed volunteers who are available to create consistency in this safety role. Thank you for considering.

Donate to help Pay for Supplies

We are in need of donations from the community for our Classrooms. Teachers our in need composition notebooks, Trifolds and other General Supplies. Feel free to donate any amount! Click on the picture or here and it will take you to the school pay donation item.

Box Tops is an easy way to support the school.

Download the app here to get started.

PTO Information

Shepardson Read-a-Thon
Oct. 1-30Shepardson Stars, assemble! The Read-A-Thon is underway! Students earn 1 point for each day they read or are read to for at least 20 minutes outside of school, and families can collect pledges to support Shepardson. Watch this space each week for our school-wide progress toward the $20,000 goal!

Family Night Day at Snack Attack

Wednesday, Oct. 21 | 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

Support a Shepardson family-owned business by eating in or grabbing takeout from Snack Attack, and a portion of your purchase will be donated back to our school. Stop by for lunch or dinner! Enter code giveback15 for takeout orders.

Join the Shepardson Parent-Teacher Organization! Together, we make up the village that supports our

children — showing up, supporting teachers, building connections, and investing in our school community.

SRO Corner - with Officer Dave Wilson

Dear Poudre School District Families,

This month the School Resource Officer team would like to speak to you about the safety of e-bike/e-motor transportation. There have been severe incidents involving students and children in our community. We believe parent awareness around the safety and laws regarding these modes of transportation is the first step in insuring our children are safe.

Here is a graphic of what is and is not allowed when it comes to electronic modes of transportation (See Photo)

We would like to note, any device classified as a low-powered scooter requires a driver’s license and insurance, and any device classified as an electric motorcycle requires a motorcycle license and insurance. In addition, any device in the class 3 e-bike category requires the ridder to be over 16 on a roadway.

There are several questions when it comes to these modes of transportation. The best advice we have is to research and ask questions BEFORE purchasing one for your children.

Have a great month,

SRO Dave Wilson

COUNSELOR'S CORNER

"SUN BUCKS" or Summer EBT Program

Summer EBT Program: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/summer-ebt

Summer EBT (also known as SUN Bucks) gives eligible children a one-time payment of $120 to help pay for food the summer when school is out.
Your child is eligible and will be automatically enrolled in Summer EBT if...

Your child attends a school participating in the National School Breakfast or Lunch Program (NSLP), AND one or more of the following:
Receives SNAP or Colorado Works (TANF)
Has household income ≤ 185% of the federal poverty guidelines and receives Health First Colorado (Medicaid) or your household submitted an income form to their school
Is homeless, in foster care, is in the Migrant Education Program, or runaway
Your child is between 6–17 years and does not attend an NSLP school but meets any of the above criteria.

Every Child Pediatrics

We want to remind you that the Health & Wellness Centers at Lincoln Middle and Centennial High schools are OPEN YEAR ROUND to see PSD students for medical and mental health care, including annual sports and wellness physicals!

More Community Resources

SCHOOL HEALTH RESOURCES

PSD INFORMATION

No Phone Zones

All PK-8 schools are cell phone free zones from bell to bell. Students must keep phones, headphones, smart watches, and other electronic accessories out of sight and on silent unless approved by an administrator or specified in an IEP, 504 plan or Health Care Action Plan. If a student needs to get in touch with their family during the school day, they need to ask their teacher and/or the school office.

For full details, visit the PSD Code of Conduct page, found here.

Updating ParentVUE information

Sometimes life can be a little hectic, so it is important to make sure that your information is up to date and correct in ParentVUE, especially when it comes to proper contacts and authorized pickup information for your child or children.

Be sure to check this information in your ParentVUE account to ensure that the right people can be contacted when needed or a student can be released to the appropriate person.

Contact Dawnel Meyer, the Shepardson Registrar, if you need any assistance.

PSD Operating Principles and Engagement Norms

In an effort to foster a culture of mutual respect, effective communication, and quality customer service, PSD has created a set of norms for staff, family/guardian, and community engagement. These norms aim to set a positive tone for interactions between staff and parents and community members, whether they happen in person, over the phone, or in writing.

The norms will be posted in all PSD schools and include expectations that:

Calls or emails that are not emergencies will be acknowledged within three school days.

Appointments between the parties involved will be established as a norm for addressing concerns or discussing important matters through direct communication.

Appointments will take place as soon as reasonably possible. Adequate time is needed for preparation and research before an appointment.

Communication will focus on collaboration and understanding – respectful language and non-confrontational behavior from all parties are expected.

Boundaries between personal and professional life will be maintained, and sensitive matters will not be addressed in community settings.

It’s important for everyone in our schools and in our communities to feel welcome and engage in mutual respect to best serve students.

Long-Range Planning in PSD

Poudre School District is planning for the next several decades of public education in our community. That work involves tackling questions about enrollment, facilities, and how we use our resources to serve every student well.

This page under the Community section of the PSD website brings that work together in one place. On that site you will find the committee leading it, the teams doing the detailed planning, the enrollment data behind it, and the timeline for what comes next.

2025-26 Application for Free and Reduced Status

Be sure to submit a Free and Reduced Status application ahead of the first day back. Completing this form not only makes students eligible for waived school fees and benefits through Fort Collins City programs, but also helps PSD receive federal funding to support classrooms and learning opportunities; your child’s eligibility status is confidential and must be renewed annually.

To do this, parents can fill out two forms: the Free and Reduced-Priced Status online application, found here, as well as the Permission to Share form through ParentVUE.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL FROM THE PRINCIPAL