Dear Shepard Families:
As we approach Veterans Day, we want to take a moment to honor and express our deep gratitude to those who have served our country. On Thursday, I got to observe our 8th-grade social studies students hearing from both veterans and active-duty members in the armed forces. It was fulfilling to hear students ask questions, listen attentively, and reflect on the sacrifices made by our veterans and active members of the military. To our parents, guardians, siblings, extended family members, and community members who have selflessly served and are serving our country—thank you immensely for your service.
As a reminder, we have no school on Monday, 11/11 due to Veterans Day.
In this edition, you will find:
New Information:
- SMS Spirit Day 11/13 - Crazy Socks, Crocs, and Birkenstocks!
- Parental Tech Tips #6
- Drop-Off Logistics On Deck
- Take 'n Make Book Turkeys from the LC
- District 109 Annual Food and Supply Drive
- 6th-Grade Springfield Trip Registration Deadline
- Parent-Teacher Conference Feedback
- Clubs and Activities at Shepard
- ARC at Shepard
- Shepard Yearbooks
No Place for Hate at Shepard and Caruso
- Middle School Health Curriculum Note
- Remind App Information
- 8th-Grade Yearbook Flashback Page
- Lunch Information
- Medication and Attendance
- PTSO Information
Sincerely,
Rob Wegley, Principal
Cathy Van Treese, Associate Principal
Ginger Logemann, Director for Student Services
Upcoming Dates
November 11 - No School
November 13 - Crazy Socks, Crocs, and Birkenstocks Spirit Day!
November 13 - Tornado and Earthquake Drills
November 13 - 8th Boys Basketball — Away @ Caruso - 4:00 - 5:00 pm
November 14 - 6th Girls and Boys Basketball (Order: Girls/Boys) — Away @ Wood Oaks - 4:30 - 6:30 pm
November 15 - 6th Boys and Girls Basketball (Order: Boys/Girls) — Home (Sachs Center) vs. Gemini - 4:30 - 6:30 pm
First and foremost, we are thankful for the partnership of our parent community who continue to navigate our drop-off procedures in line with the expectations of staying in the drop-off line and not cutting through the parking lot. We have some logistics that we are hopeful will help things move smoother that we'd like to outline here.
Spartan Traffic Guide: Soon, you will see a Shepard staff member stationed out front helping to direct traffic. They will primarily be encouraging cars to move further up and to help facilitate a quick drop off. You can help by gauging the flow of traffic, making sure you have pulled up as far as possible, and making sure your child is ready to get out of the car quickly. Thank you for being kind to our traffic guides!
Spartan Signage: Who doesn't love a good sign? On Tuesday, you will start seeing a sign at the front of the school that states, "Pull All the Way Up To The Other Sign." Further back, you will see a sign that states simply, "This is the Other Sign." Once the buses clear out, we will be moving that sign back further to allow more cars to drop off at a time, and our hope is that visual is a fun and easy way to help us keep things moving.
As a side note, please know that—even with these measures in place—the line will continue to be slower as we get to the end of our typical drop off time (7:40 - 7:55 or so). There are all sorts of factors that lead to this. People have busy lives, it can be hard to get a middle schooler out of bed early, etc. We just want to be clear that this window at the end of drop off seems to be when the majority of cars are coming, so it is going to be the slowest time to drop off. If you can manage, getting to Shepard earlier on to drop off is beneficial!
Thank you to those of you who joined us for parent-teacher conferences at Shepard this fall. We are seeking feedback from our parent/guardian community on how conferences went from your perspective as well as on the structure of conferences. If you are interested in providing feedback, here is a link to a Google Form to do so. Thank you!
As you have noticed, we continue to emphasize inclusion at Shepard. One of the key ways to foster inclusion and a sense of belonging is through students getting involved in athletics, clubs, and activities at school. We have an updated clubs and activities page on our website. We have the same for athletics. We encourage you to take a look with your child to see if they may express interest in any they want to give a try!
As we focus further on student sense of belonging and inclusion, we are excited to announce that both Shepard Middle School and Caruso Middle School will be participating in the No Place for Hate program this school year. This initiative, created by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), is designed to foster a positive, inclusive school environment where all students feel safe, respected, and valued.
As part of No Place for Hate, our schools will focus on promoting respect, empathy, and kindness among students in partnership with student leadership groups. Throughout the year, students will engage in activities and lessons that celebrate diversity and encourage a culture of acceptance and unity. More information will be coming soon after our first student committee meeting. Together, we can emphasize a school community where everyone belongs.
If you have any questions about No Place for Hate or would like more information, please feel free to contact Mark Schwarz at mschwarz@dps109.org (Caruso) or Rob Wegley at rwegley@dps109.org (Shepard).
Thank you for your continued partnership in creating a positive learning environment for all of our students.
As part of the Physical Education/Health curriculum at Shepard, your child will take part in lessons designed to develop life-long health habits. Topics are aligned with the National Health Education Standards (NHES), which are designed to help establish, promote, and support health-enhancing behaviors. Middle school units of instruction are as follows:
Social and Emotional Health (6th Grade)
Nutrition (6th Grade)
Mental Health (7th Grade)
Injury Prevention & Safety (7th Grade)
Violence Prevention (8th Grade)
Substance Abuse & Prevention (8th Grade)
Specific sexual health topics are addressed in partnership with outside agencies. In February, 8th-grade classrooms partner with Candor Health for a live virtual session called Teen Sexual Health. Similar to the 5th-grade session titled Puberty I, an on-demand parent webinar will be provided prior and an opt-out made available. In April, speakers from Childhood Victories, Inc. provide age-appropriate presentations focused on sexual-assault and abuse awareness (Erin’s Law). This program occurs for all grades and an opt-out is made available. While not a stand-alone unit, sexual health topics may be discussed in Health classrooms as a result of student questions or in connection to related topics. If parents/guardians have concerns, they should email their child’s PE teacher no later than 12/20/24.
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.