Family Newsletter

Dear Shepherd ES Families,

Happy Friday! Please be reminded that there will be no school for students on Monday, November 2 or Tuesday, November 3, 2026. We also encourage families to review the school-wide events calendars for November and December to stay informed about upcoming activities and important dates.

Additionally, International Night is scheduled for Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. We look forward to coming together with our families for this special event.

As a reminder, the primary email address for general school-related inquiries is shepherdes@k12.dc.gov. Please use this email address for questions, requests, or other school-related communication.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Calvin Hooks, Interim Principal
Shepherd Elementary School

Please feel free to save the dates! Additional details for each event will be shared closer to the date of each activity. Please Note: As a school, there may be updates to scheduled dates and events. We encourage families to review the weekly Family Newsletter for the most up-to-date information.

Hi Shepherd family!

I’m so excited to join the Shepherd Elementary community as your new ELA Instructional Coach! Throughout my career in education, I’ve had the opportunity to serve as a classroom teacher, English Language Development (ELD) teacher, instructional coach, and district and state-level leader. I began my career with Montgomery County Public Schools, where I discovered my passion for literacy instruction, collaborating with teachers, and ensuring all students have access to meaningful, high-quality learning experiences. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to support statewide literacy initiatives at the Maryland State Department of Education and, most recently, serve as one of the Elementary ELA and Social Studies Managers for DCPS supporting Clusters 2 and 5.

While I’ve loved supporting literacy instruction at the district and state levels, I’m especially excited to return to a school community and work alongside teachers every day! I believe the best instructional growth happens through collaboration, reflection, a little laughter, and a shared commitment to doing what’s best for kids. I'm looking forward to learning alongside you just as much as I am to supporting you!

Outside of work, I love spending time with my husband, my stepdaughter, and our St. Bernard, Professor Bunsen Honeydew (yes, named after the Muppet, and yes, it's a mouthful!). I'm also expecting my first baby very soon, so I'm joining the Shepherd family just as my own family is getting a little bigger!

I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone, building meaningful relationships, and being part of the wonderful work already happening at Shepherd!"

Our students had a memorable day with friends, teachers, and family members showcasing their creative costumes celebrating characters from books. Taking pictures by the festive fall backdrop, creating banners, and being cheered on by loved ones made the day extra special! The treats provided by families and staff added to the fun for many students yesterday. Thank you for coming out and supporting this event!

International Night is on Thursday, November 5 from 5:30pm-7:00pm. Please sign up here if you are interested in participating! The link contains more information. We welcome all families to join the celebration!

My School DC has shifted to the mid-year application period for SY26-27 lottery applications. As a friendly reminder, this is the annual shift that occurs every year after Count Day - through mid-March during which My School DC no longer accepts online applications. During this period, schools and families must call the My School DC Hotline at 202-888-6336 (M-F, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) to submit new lottery applications for SY26-27.

POC: Lauren.Brooks@k12.dc.gov or Lanika.Womack@k12.dc.gov

Join Chancellor Jackson for Java with Jackson, a series of community conversations hosted at local coffee shops across the District. Families, educators, and community partners are invited to meet Chancellor Jackson, share experiences, ask questions, and help shape the future of DC Public Schools. Register here.

Dates & Locations:

• Thursday, October 8, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | La Coop Coffee, Ward 4

• Thursday, October 15, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | Grounded, Ward 8

• Thursday, October 29, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | Bread Furst, Ward 3

• Thursday, November 19, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | Ebenezer’s Coffee, Ward 5 & 6

Registration is not required, and attendees may join a coffee in any Ward, regardless of residence or the location of their school.

POC: Lauren.Brown@k12.dc.gov

At DC Public Schools (DCPS), we use a framework called the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). MTSS is a prevention and early intervention framework. The goal of MTSS is to ensure that every student gets help to reach their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally. This approach reflects our commitment to supporting the whole child. Through regular collaboration and data review, school staff work together to provide support for students. Intervention intensity should reflect demonstrated needs and student response data.

MTSS includes three levels of support:

• Tier 1: Support for All Students
Every student receives high-quality instruction, including universal instruction and supports. Teachers use a variety of strategies to help all students learn and grow.

• Tier 2: Extra Support for Some Students
When a student needs a little extra help, they may receive additional support in a small group setting. This could include academic interventions, social-emotional support, and attendance support. Progress is monitored over time. Families are informed and collaborate with staff.

• Tier 3: Individualized Support for a Few Students
Some students may need more intensive, personalized support to help them succeed. In these cases, Tier 2 progress monitoring data demonstrates additional needs. School staff and families collaborate closely together to address the students’ specific needs and monitors progress.

Classroom teachers should deliver Tier 2 interventions. Interventionists may also provide Tier 2 supports. Special education teachers are considered when Tier 2 interventions have been implemented with fidelity, and a student still is not making gains. This indicates they may need Tier 3 supports. Tier 3 supports are still part of general education/MTSS. Students receiving Tier 3 supports may or may not be eligible for special education services.

It is important to note that Tier 2 and Tier 3 do not replace Tier 1 instruction. Supplemental interventions should generally be provided in addition to high-quality core instruction. Supplemental interventions are not a substitute for access to grade-level learning.

Lastly, strengthening Tier 1 instruction is critical for all students! Strong Tier 1 instruction is the first opportunity to prevent academic gaps from widening. Strong Tier 1 instruction also can reduce the number of students requiring supplemental interventions and improve overall student achievement. Effective Tier 1 instruction helps school teams understand which students need improved core instruction and which students require supplemental, targeted support.

Greetings, Shepherd Community!

I hope everyone is doing well! As we continue supporting our students' social emotional well-being at school, I wanted to share a few simple coping strategies that families can also practice at home. Coping skills are healthy ways kids can deal with big emotions like anger, sadness, frustration, or anxiety. I created a flyer with a list of coping skills that you can practice with your child at home. Please let me know if you have any questions at sjo@pavingthewaymsi.org.

Learner Profile of the Month: Open-Minded

ATL of the Month: Social Skills

Heritage Month Celebration: Hispanic Heritage Month

Upcoming Event: International Night on Thursday, November 5 from 5:30-7:00. Please sign up here if you are interested in participating!

🌍IB Monthly Newsletters:

September IB Monthly: https://app.smore.com/n/3sydh

Related Arts Newsletter.docx​

SESSA New Parent One Pager

Families, PTBoard is officially live; the new home for all things Shepherd Elementary PTO. Most of you received an email invite already, but if you missed it or prefer to join another way, here's how:

1. Go to shepherdelementary.ptboard.com
2. Log in
3. On the "Join School" screen, enter school code: 7JBP37

Why it's worth a few minutes:
Everything now lives in one place: announcements, the calendar, volunteer sign-ups, classroom and grade-level groups, and forms. No more piecing things together across ClassDojo, email, and multiple links.

Once you're in, take a minute to confirm your child's grade and classroom so you get the right updates.

Something not working? Let us know at pto@shepherd-elementary.org. We're new to this platform too, and we'd much rather hear it's confusing than have you give up on it.

SES PTO

https://linqconnect.com/public/meal-application/new?identifier=UH9WGK

https://dcps.dc.gov/page/volunteer-our-schools

https://dcps.dc.gov/page/school-health-requirements

Please email shepherdes@k12.dc.gov to request a card.

Please use this link to learn about DCPS meals and payments.

Assistant Principal Erika Moss

Blake Lind

The Early Childhood Education Division has several family facing resources available at ReadyForPreK.org including the Pre-K Family Toolkit and the Kindergarten Playbook. These digital resources have information for families on how you can support your child's transition into school!

If you are planning to chaperone field trips, help in classrooms, or support school events during the upcoming school year, now is the perfect time to start the volunteer clearance process. All volunteers, including parents, must complete the DCPS Clearance process before volunteer services can be provided.

Clearance can take several weeks, so we encourage all interested family members to begin early to avoid delays. Once completed, please email your proof of clearance to shepherdes@k12.dc.gov .

Please use these links to access the DCPS Notice of Non-Discrimination and Anti-Discrimination Policy.

When you receive the Family Newsletter by email, on Fridays, you will have the option to view it in a web browser. Accessing the newsletter this way allows for automatic translation into over 20 languages and provides enhanced accessibility features, including high-contrast display settings and adjustable font sizes for improved visibility.

November

November 2, 2026 ~ Teacher Records and Wellness Day, No School for Students

November 3, 2026 ~ Election Day, No School for Students

November 5, 2026 ~ International Night, 5:30pm-7:00pm

November 11, 2026 ~ Holiday, No School

November 24, 2026 ~ Yoga: Breathe and Bend Family Event (Details to Come)

November 25-27, 2026 ~ Holiday, No School for Students

December

December 4, 2026 ~ 5th Grade Career Day, 10:30am-12:30pm

December 9, 2026 ~ Pk3 - 1st Grade Winter Concert, 5:30pm-7:00pm (At Shepherd ES)

December 10, 2026 ~ 2nd - 5th Grade Winter Concert, 5:30pm-7:00pm (Details to Come)

December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027 ~ No School for Students

Main Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Address: 7800 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20012

Website: Updates Coming Soon

Email: shepherdes@k12.dc.gov

School Phone: (202) 576-6140