Shepherd Middle School Update

BlueJay Bulletin

A Little Fun Goes a Long Way! 🥁

There seems to be a National Day for just about everything, and for middle school students (and adults!), that can be a fun reason to celebrate. Last week, in honor of National Hug a Drummer Day, Mrs. Sickles’ class took the opportunity to show some love to our very own Assistant Principal, Mr. Van Loon. Since Mr. Van Loon is a talented musician who plays drums, guitar, piano, and more (he even sings), he was the perfect person for the class to surprise. Moments like these are a great reminder that it’s the little things that make middle school fun. We love finding ways to bring a little extra joy and laughter to our days here at SMS!

Hoops for Hunger

Shepherd Middle School students who qualify for BlueJay Flight Club (BJFC) have the chance to attend the CMU Women’s Basketball game against Old Dominion on Monday, November 2, at 11:00 AM at McGuirk Arena! This is a great opportunity to support CMU women's basketball while helping fight hunger in our communities. Students interested in attending should review the permission slip carefully for eligibility requirements, food drive expectations, and transportation and lunch information. Let’s show our school spirit and help make a difference! Go BlueJays!

📄 Permission Slip Link

Mini Mock Rock

Students in Mrs. Byrne's MS Theater classes had the chance to participate in a Mini Mock Rock last week! This is a fun opportunity for our BlueJays to get comfortable onstage, learn what goes into a great production, and have some fun.

3rd Hour

5th Hour

6th Hour

The Principals' Perch: Tutoring Opportunity

Does your student need help with an assignment? Studying for a test? Are they just stuck on something? Encourage them to stop by The Principals’ Perch this week! Mr. Bohannon and Mr. Van Loon will be available to work with students and provide a little extra support from 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM on Tuesday, October 20 and Thursday, October 22. Students can drop in as they please and we will meet in the main office. No sign up necessary!

Mr. Van Loon

Mr. Bohannon

Counselor's Corner

Mindfulness has many mental health benefits and it is most helpful when you practice many times while calm. Kind of like brushing your teeth, you have better outcomes if you do it daily. Then, when you use mindfulness while feeling stressed or anxious, it triggers calming feelings. Below are two methods to practice mindfulness. We hope you find one that works for you!

Mindful Breathing:

Lie on your back with your legs flat on the floor and your arms by your sides. If you like, you can close your eyes. Feel the back of your head touching the floor. Now, one-by-one, notice the feel of your shoulders, your upper back, your arms, your hands, your lower back, your legs, and your feet touching the floor.
Notice what it feels like to breathe in and out. There’s no right or wrong way to breathe. It doesn’t matter if your breathing is fast or slow, deep or shallow.
Now, pay close attention to your in-breath. Can you notice when you first start to breathe in and then follow the feeling of your in-breath all the way to the very first moment of your out-breath? If it’s hard to keep your mind on your in-breath, silently say the word in every time you breathe in. Do this for a few breaths.
Notice when you first begin to breathe out and then follow the feeling of your out-breath all the way to the very first moment of your in-breath. If it’s hard to keep your mind on your out-breath, silently say out every time you breathe out. Do this for a few breaths.
Now, put it all together and pay attention to the entire breath, taking care to follow every moment. Follow the rhythm of your breathing. Do this for as long as you need.
When you feel ready, open your eyes and sit up slowly. Notice how you feel.

Counting Breaths

Sit with your back straight and body relaxed. You can rest your hands gently on your knees.
Breathe in naturally and say one in your mind. Then, as you breathe out, relax your forehead.
Breathe in naturally and silently say two in your mind. Then, as you breathe out, relax your eyes and nose.
Breathe in and say three in your mind. Then as you breathe out, relax your jaw.
Continue this pattern counting to ten and relaxing the following body parts: neck and shoulders, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, legs, and feet.

These activities come from the Mindful Games Activity Cards by Susan Kaiser Greenland and Annaka Harris. Check them out for more ideas on how to practice mindfulness!

Raising Resilient Kids

Sign up here!

BlueJay Flight Club

Encourage your students to strive to become members of the BlueJay Flight Club! The Flight Club is our school wide rewards system for positive student attendance, academics, and behavior. Qualifying standards are listed below.