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Shepherd High School Weekly Update

Shepherd High School Weekly Update
Shepherd High SchoolWeekly Update
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Good Things

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.


We have officially turned the page to May! With about four weeks of school remaining, our "Good Thing" this week is The Endurance of Connection. In the final stretch of the school year, it is easy to let our "Relational Capacity" dip as we focus on graduation, final projects, and summer plans. However, some of the most meaningful memories are made in these final weeks. Our "Good Thing" is seeing how our students continue to show up for one another, even when the "May exhaustion" starts to set in.


  • For Students: Look back at the Social Contract you signed in your new Trimester 3 classes last week.

    • The Action: Identify one person in a new class whom you don’t know well yet. Your goal this week is to find out one "Good Thing" about their life outside of school. High school moves fast—don't miss the chance to make a new connection before the year ends.

  • For Families: The "May Slide" is real, but so is "May Magic."

    • The Action: This week, celebrate the "small wins." Did your student get to school on time? Did they finish a tough assignment? Acknowledge the effort it takes to stay focused when the sun is shining and the school year is winding down.

Handbook Reminders

So far this spring we have had a few things (see below) that have come up and we need to remind everyone about. The text below is copied from the Student Handbook, please review and make adjustments accordingly.

Deliveries

To ensure a safe and focused learning environment, all deliveries for students, including gifts, flowers, food, and packages, must be directed to the building office. Items will not be given to the student until the end of the school day to minimize disruptions to the educational process.

Dress and Grooming

In general, clothing should be clean and appropriate for the climate and the situation. Student dress, cleanliness, or personal appearance that is a threat to the safety, health, or welfare of others; violates any statute, Policy 5101, or the Dress Code; or substantially disrupts the educational environment or that school officials reasonably forecast will substantially disrupt the educational environment, is grounds for remedial or disciplinary action.


The final decision in any situation involving inappropriate attire rests with building administrators.

Students who are dressed inappropriately will be asked to change clothing immediately. If necessary, parents will be called to bring appropriate clothing, students can use extra clothing provided by the District, or the student may be sent home to change. Repeated dress code violations may result in more severe consequences.

Dress Code

Tops must not be see-through and must have straps or sleeves and must cover the student’s entire torso from armpit to armpit and to the waistline of the student’s pants. Pants, shorts, and skirts must have an inseam at least 4 inches in length; and rips or tears in the pants, shorts, and skirts must be below this area. Footwear must be worn. Clothing may not display material that:

  • Is materially and substantially disruptive or that school officials can reasonably forecast will create a substantial disruption;

  • Is obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, or lewd;

  • Promotes the use of or advertises illegal substances, including but not limited to substances illegal for minors;

  • Incites violence;

  • Contains “fighting words”;

  • Constitutes a true threat of violence;

  • Demonstrates hate group association/affiliation or uses hate speech targeting groups based on their membership in a protected class; or

  • Displays nipples, genitals, or buttocks.

Unless administration publishes an exception in advance for a specific holiday or spirit day, students are prohibited from wearing:

  • Hats, hoods, or other headwear;

  • Trench coats, or bulky coats;

  • Masks, costumes, or costume accessories;

  • Flags.

Students who represent the District at an official or school-sponsored function or public event (e.g., athletic teams, bands, choirs, and other groups) may be required to follow specific dress requirements as a condition of participation or attendance.

Driving and Parking Personal Vehicles

Student driving and parking on District property is a privilege, not a right, that may be revoked at any time. Students who drive to school must obey the following rules:

  1. Students may not move their vehicles, sit in, or be around their vehicles during the school day without permission from administration.

  2. Students may not drive carelessly or with excessive speed on school grounds.

  3. By driving to school and parking on school grounds, students and parents consent to having that vehicle searched when school officials have reasonable suspicion that a search will reveal a violation of school rules, Board Policy, or law.

  4. Students must park in the student parking lot/spaces outside of the gymnasium entrance.

Over the past three months, our NASA TechRise Challenge team has been hard at work meeting with engineers, building prototypes, and creating models to prepare for their space-bound experiment. They are now focused on building the final capsule that will be launched into space this summer. They are running computer-simulated test flights to check sensors, gather data, and ensure everything works perfectly.


Great Work Alivia, Elijah, Blake, Eddie, Logan, and Brayden. These BlueJays are taking their ideas from the classroom all the way to the stars!

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Dear Parents and Guardians,


We’re just one week away from the Shepherd High School Student Film Festival! Please join us on Friday, May 8 at 6PM in the Shepherd High School Auditorium for an evening celebrating the creativity and hard work of your Film Review students. Doors open at 5:30PM, and there will be a $3 suggested donation at the door.


This year’s festival will feature a red carpet theme, and students are encouraged to dress up for the occasion as we celebrate their premieres in true film premier style. Parents and guests are welcome to join in the fun and dress up as well!


Our students have spent the trimester writing, directing, filming, and editing their own short films.

We can’t wait to share their storytelling achievements with you and our school community. See the attached event poster for all the details. Feel free to share it with friends and family who’d like to attend.


Thank you for supporting our student filmmakers and the arts at Shepherd High School.


Sincerely,


Mr. Henry Van Loon

English Teacher

Shepherd High School

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BlueJay Wellness Center
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Shepherd High School Daily Schedule Shepherd High School Daily Schedule

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2025-2026 School Calendar
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2026 - 2027 School Calendar
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GI-TEC Week At A Glance
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*these dates/times are subject to change.

Secondary Student Handbook

Launch

As we head into tomorrow morning, I want to leave you with a thought about Legacy. In Capturing Kids’ Hearts, we talk about the Social Contract as a living document. It isn’t just something we do in September or at the start of a trimester; it’s how we promise to treat each other until the very last bell rings.


Right now, it’s tempting to "check out" or let our standards for how we treat one another slide. But character isn't defined by how we start; it’s defined by how we finish. Whether you are a freshman just beginning your journey or a senior counting down the days to commencement, you are currently writing the final chapter of this school year's story.


Your Launch Challenge: Tomorrow, when you feel that mid-May urge to be frustrated or disengaged, ask yourself: "Is this how I want to be remembered?" Choose to be the person who stays kind, stays focused, and stays true to the commitments we made to each other. Let’s finish this year with the same heart and intentionality that we started with.


Make it a great week BlueJays! The finish line is ahead—let’s run through it, not just to it!

Garth Cornwell
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