Shepardson Newsletter

What a fun week it has been! Students have settled into their routines and are engaging in their learning with enthusiasm and hard work. Next week, we will start our WIN (What I Need) blocks of instruction for reading and math. Our team of teachers has worked hard to make sure ALL students have learning tailored to their unique needs. After all, at Shepardson - our mission is to educate EVERY child, EVERY day.

You are exceptional partners in this mission, and I want you to know how much I appreciate your partnership. If you would ever like to dive deeper into knowing the inner workings of the school, you are invited to join our School Accountability Committee (SAC). This team offers guidance on big picture items such as academic action plans, budget priorities, and safety issues. The first meeting of our SAC team for this year is on September 22, 2026 in the Shepardson Media Center from 4:30-6:00. There are only four of these meetings during the year, and it is expected that members of this team will make it to at least three. If you would like more information, please email me. I hope you will consider being a part of this team! The dates of the meetings for this year are listed below. Ideally, it would be great to have two parents from each grade level on this team.

SAC Team Meetings:

• September 22, 2026

• November 17, 2026

• February 16, 2027

• May 18, 2027

I hope you and your family have a wonderful long weekend! We look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday.

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.

• Mon, Sept 7 - No School - Labor Day Holiday
• Fri, Sept 11 - Shepardson Rollerland Night
• Sat, Sept 12 - CSU Education Day
• Tickets are $15 each.
• $5 from every ticket purchased will be returned directly to our school's PE Department
• Mon-Wed, Sept 14-16 - Fifth Grade Eco Experience at the CSU Mountain Campus
• Wed, Sept 16 - 5:00 - 9:00 - Family Night @ Chipotle (Harmony)
• Mon, Sept 14 - 6:30-7:30 - PTO Meeting in the Shepardson Media Center
• Sun, Sept 20 - 10:00am - SHEPARDSON 4K FUN RUN
• Thurs, Sept 24 - School Picture Day
• Mon, Sept 28 - No School, Teacher Work Day
• Sept 29 - Oct 2 - Spirit Week and Attendance Promotion!
• Fri, Oct 2 - PTO Movie Night

Family members are welcome to join their child for lunch! Here are the lunch times this year, as well as a few updated policies for visitors during lunch:

• Kindergarten Lunch 12:00-12:20
• First Grade Lunch 11:25-11:45
• Second Grade Lunch 11:35-11:55
• Third Grade Lunch 12:15-12:35
• Fourth Grade Lunch 12:45-1:05
• Fifth Grade Lunch 12:20-12:40

Updated Policies:

• Visitors are welcome to join their child for lunch after checking in at the office. Lunch and recess provide important opportunities for students to develop social skills, therefore we recommend limiting lunch visits to once a month.
• Lunch visits begin and end in the cafeteria. Visitors must obtain a visitor badge and go directly to the cafeteria. Family members may not go to recess or the classrooms after or before lunch.
• Parents will be asked to sit at one end of the southern-most table in the cafeteria with their child seated in the open seat next to them.
• Lunch visits are intended to be one-on-one family time. Other students will remain seated with their classmates.
• Please do not bring food or treats to share with other students. Many students have allergies or dietary restrictions, and school staff must monitor food safety and district wellness guidelines.

I'm Laura Sutton, the proud principal at Shepardson! Here is a little bit about me:

• I have two teenage boys at Fort Collins High School. One is a senior and one is a freshman - Go Lambkins!
• Our family LOVES to travel! This summer we toured Portugal and Spain in a campervan.
• Some hobbies of mine include watching football (Go Chiefs!), landscaping, decorating, reading, and hanging with friends.
• I have a master's degree from the University of Texas at Tyler and a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University. Go Red Raiders!
• I LOVE kids - they are the BEST part of my days! This is my 26th year in education - my 7th year as an administrator, and before that - 15 years as a teacher, and 4 years as a preschool paraprofessional.

Click the Picture above to enroll

Families will be notified via email by Friday, September 18th whether they are in the club or not.

*If there are more students interested in the club than I can accommodate, a lottery system will be used to select students.

Please reach out to me, Alison Schutt, Shepardson STEM Media Specialist with any questions.

aschutt@psdschools.org

Starts Sept 10th

Click here for the choir schedule. for the year.

Sign up Today! Click on Picture Below.

REGISTRATION

• Click on Picture Above to Register through School Pay
• Pre-Registration Preferred (PSD is CASHLESS!)
• Pre-Registration CLOSES on Friday, Sept 11th at 12:00pm
• All Pre-Registered Runners will receive a t-shirt upon registering. (Shirts available until gone.)

REGISTRATION COST

Individual: $12

Family (4+): $40

Race Day Details

9:00 am - RACE DAY WALK UP REGISTRATION (Pre-Registration is Preferred) - Card Only!

9:15am - Pre-Registered Check In

10:00am - 4K Run/Walk Begins

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!

PTO General Meeting

Monday, Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m., Media Center

Learn more about how to support Shepardson in ways big and small — all are welcome!

Family Night at Chipotle — Harmony location

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 5-9 p.m.

Enjoy a meal with the Shepardson community and support our school — dine at Chipotle, mention the fundraiser and 25% of sales come back to the school. Order online using code PQBQNCJ.

Save the Date: Family Outdoor Movie Night
Friday, Oct. 2
Bring a blanket, grab some popcorn and join the Shepardson community under the stars for a movie night on the school lawn.

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.

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.

At certain points in the school year, we will have drills to prepare students and staff for emergency situations. These drills include fire drills and lockdown drills...........

Message from PSD

The safety of our students and our staff is a top priority in PSD. We will continue to work as a school community to engage with students, staff, parents and residents in ongoing safety and security practices in PSD.

If you see something, say something. We always tell students that they can report suspicious behavior or rumors to an adult in our building. Kids and adults alike can also anonymously report any safety concerns through the Safe2Tell hotline (1-877-542-7233), by texting S2TCO to 738477, or online at www.safe2tell.org.

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.

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.

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.

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.