Dear Shepard Families:
Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful and restful holiday season and that your 2025 has started swimmingly. We hit the ground running (and, in some cases, skating) here at Shepard to kick off January. Students are roller skating in PE, experiencing virtual reality exploration in 7th-grade social studies, preparing for Shepard Talks in 6th-grade ELA, and more. It has been refreshing to see students in the building again, and it seems like they really came back ready to learn! Despite the cold weather, the warmth of the community within our halls and classrooms continues to shine through.
In this edition, you will find:
New Information:
- Upcoming Culture Fair - May 16th
- Shepard Yearbooks Reminder
8th-Grade Health Curriculum Note
- Pajama Day Spirit Day - 1/15
- 8th-Grade Families: New Bell Schedule at DHS Next Year
- Parental Tech Tips #11
- Upcoming MAP Testing - 1/21 and 1/24
Reminders from Last Week:
Sincerely,
Rob Wegley, Principal
Cathy Van Treese, Associate Principal
Ginger Logemann, Director for Student Services
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We hope this letter finds you well. We are excited to inform you about an upcoming Culture Fair to be held on Friday, May 16, 2025 at Shepard Middle School. This event aims to celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions represented within our student body and community.
We believe events like the Culture Fair provide invaluable learning experiences for our students. It promotes cultural awareness and also encourages empathy and tolerance towards others. Additionally, it offers an opportunity for students to take pride in their own cultural identities while learning about the richness of diversity.
We are looking for participants to lead interactive sessions so students can experience something significant to your cultural or religious background. These may include—but are not limited to—traditional dance, a craft, a piece of clothing, a meaningful ritual, or anything else you feel represents your heritage. Our vision is to have our students actively take part in cultural experiences throughout each session.
Due to the District’s allergy policy, food consumption cannot be part of this event. However, a recipe or food demonstration would be fine (i.e. a tea ceremony).
Presenters would be at Shepard for approximately 3 hours. While we are still in the planning phase, we envision groups of 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students participating in three activities during a 45-minute block. Presenters will be asked to plan a 10-15 minute long experience which would repeat for all three grade levels. Our team is willing to help problem solve the planning process if you need help.
Please complete this form no later than January 31st if you or any family members would be interested in taking part in this event. We look forward to celebrating the rich tapestry of cultures that make our school community so vibrant.
Please reach out to any of the following Culture Fair Committee members below with any questions. Thank you for your continued support.
Warm regards,
Matthew Brown, Kelly Hunzinger, David Komie, Jamie Mall, and Amanda Schatz
Shepard Culture Fair Committee
In alignment with Illinois standards in health, 8th-grade students at Shepard Middle School will be participating in a class, facilitated by Candor Health, called Teen Sexual Health. The class will be held on February 3rd and 4th from 8:30 - 10:00 am and is hosted in a live virtual format. Students will use their Chromebook and headphones to individually join a Zoom call with Candor Health facilitators from our classrooms. PE/Health teachers will be present throughout the class to provide students with needed support. The live virtual format is recommended, as it allows students to use a private chat feature to ask questions they may prefer not to ask in front of their peers.
The following topics are covered in this Candor Health session: consent, definitions of orientation/expression/ identity, anatomy, forms of sexual contact, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
If interested, parents can access Candor Health’s School Program Overview for Parents webinar at https://candorhealthed.org/school-program-overviews-for-parents/. The password for the relevant video is Premier25. If you would prefer to opt your child out of this program, please email your child’s PE teacher and me at rwegley@dps109.org no later than January 29th.
Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, January 15th, Shepard Middle School is celebrating Pajama Day! Wear your comfiest, school-appropriate pajamas and show your school spirit in style. Whether it’s fuzzy slippers, onesies, or flannel sets, let’s make this a relaxed and fun-filled day for everyone. Don’t snooze on this opportunity to show your Shepard pride!
In a couple of weeks, we will be facilitating the winter MAP testing sessions for students on Tuesday, January 21st and Friday, January 24th. It is always helpful for students to get lots of rest and a filling, healthy breakfast so they can be at their best and sustain their energy during these assessments. Next week, we will share the special schedules designed for those days. Friday, January 24th will also include the Choraliers from Deerfield High School coming to perform and a rewards day to end the day for our whole student body to celebrate Shepard PRIDE as well over 200 students have already received Spartan Shout Outs!
As we strive to keep you informed about important events and updates at Shepard Middle School, we are excited to use the Remind app again as a valuable tool to strengthen our school-family partnership. Through this app, you will receive announcements from our Student Council (also known as StuCo), led by Mrs. Greenberg. These announcements will not only keep you informed about spirit days, fundraisers, and other important events throughout the school year but will also actively involve your child in the exciting activities shaping our school community.
To sign up, please follow the directions below. Check out this video if you would like step-by-step instructions.If you require any assistance setting up the app, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Greenberg.
Our amazing PTSO shared information on this in their welcome back letter, too, but we wanted to add a reminder that you can purchase school lunches through Lunch Solutions in advance! Ordering opened Tuesday, August 6th. Ordering for the following week closes at 10:00 am on THURSDAY each week. For information and ordering, please visit http://ptgms.com/lunchsolutions/shepard.
Medication
Please do not send any medication, over-the-counter pain pills (Tylenol/Advil/aspirin), or cough drops with your students. State law prohibits students from taking medication at school outside of the nurse's office with a doctor's note on file. We will confiscate any medications as listed above found outside of the nurse's office.
Attendance
If your student will not be in school, please report the absence to the health office by phone—(847) 948-0620 x5103 or email (shepardattendance@dps109.org) before 8:00 am. If you do not contact our school nurse by this time, she will contact you at home or at work to ascertain your child’s whereabouts. Children must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school. Students will only be dismissed to a parent/legal guardian or to emergency contacts designated in Family Access.
Student Tardiness to School
Students who arrive late are greatly disadvantaged because they miss starting the day with their peers and miss out on the instruction given at the beginning of class. This means that they are often unsettled and confused about tasks, resulting in reduced achievement, regardless of academic ability. It is also very important that students establish good routines and habits in preparation for the rest of their lives. Punctuality is a life skill that is important to develop.
Tardiness to school will be unexcused even if a family member brings the student(s) to school. Oversleeping, missing the bus, car/traffic problems, etc. are all unexcused. Tardies are excusable under the following circumstances: personal illness of student, serious illness or death in the family, a doctor/dentist/professional appointment (a note or phone call from a parent or a professional), family emergencies, and religious holidays.
School begins promptly at 8:00 am. Students are expected to be in class ready to learn by 8:00 am.
Student Tardies to Class
Students are expected to be in class, in their seats, ready to learn at the start of class. Students who are not are subject to school discipline.