Dear Shepard Families:
We hope your summers are going swimmingly and that you are as excited for the start of the school year as we are! We want to share some important updates and information below for the upcoming school year.
On Monday, August 12th, Shepard families can expect a more detailed communication about arrival and dismissal procedures, lunch information, bus routes, and a few other back-to-school reminders. In the meantime, check out this back-to-school page from the District.
Sincerely,
Rob Wegley, Principal
Cathy Van Treese, Associate Principal
Ginger Logemann, Coordinator for Student Services
Upcoming Dates
August 5 - Student Schedules go Live
August 14 - Spartan Day 1-3pm and 4-6pm (See below for more information)
August 19 - First Day of School! (8-11am)
August 20 - First Full Day of School (8am-3pm)
August 29 - Picture Day
August 29 - Shepard Open House 6-7:30pm (Parent/Guardian event)
September 2 - No School (Labor Day)
Class Placement Information
SPARTAN DAY August 14th (1 - 3 pm & 4 - 6 pm)
Spartan Day is an optional time for families to visit our building and walk their student’s schedule. Traditionally, this event has been focused on allowing our 6th-grade Spartans and new students a chance to walk their schedules, know their lockers, and feel more comfortable coming into Shepard for the school year.
This is not a guided tour, teachers will not be in attendance, and classrooms will not be open; however, maps and signs will be available to help you navigate the building. We will also have some stellar Spartan students around and ready to help you find classrooms, lockers, and more! We’re super grateful for our Spartan volunteers. Spartan Day is an “open house” format. You may come and go as you please.
A Note on Locks: Using a lock on a locker can be a source of anxiety for students, especially those who have not done it before! Especially for new students and our rising 6th-grade students, we highly recommend you have your child take their lock home and practice the combination. It can be tempting to set up lockers during Spartan Day, but saving that for the start of school and—instead—getting familiar and confident with the lock at home can help set your child up for success with using lockers this year and beyond!
Save the Date — Shepard Open House on August 29th
Shepard will hold our annual Open House event on Thursday, August 29th from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. We will open together in the Shepard Gymnasium, hear from encore teachers, and then head off to hear from core teachers. More information will come as we get closer to the date.
Greetings from the Shepard PTSO
The Shepard PTSO is looking forward to a great 2024-2025 school year! Please make sure to follow their Facebook page, "Shepard Middle School PTSO." Be on the lookout for an email from the PTSO regarding the upcoming school year once class placements are released. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to contact the PTSO at shepardptso@gmail.com.
Cross Country and Fall Athletics & Clubs
The Shepard Cross-Country team is looking for athletes. This is a fun, no-cut sport open to all! It is a great way to meet and hang out with friends and classmates, get into good physical shape, and compete in races against other schools! All skill levels are welcome! The informational meeting to learn more, receive the schedule and forms, and talk to the coaches is Wednesday, August 21 at 7:15 A.M. in the SMS lunchroom. If a student cannot attend the meeting, they can email or talk to a coach to receive the information. The first practice is Monday, August 28th from 3:10-4:00 P.M. To participate in practice, all athletes MUST have a physical on file with the school and all required paperwork for the team signed and brought in to the coaches. You can also quickly upload required health documentation here. Please email Coach Ramsden (sramsden@dps109.org) or Coach Rummelhart (arummelhart@dps109.org) if you have any questions!
We also have many other athletic and club offerings—more information will come for those soon.
Ensure Your Child’s Success: Bring a Public Library Card Number to School!
As we strive to provide the best educational experience for your child, we want to highlight an important resource that can significantly enhance their learning journey: a public library card. Having access to a public library card number at school offers numerous benefits, including access to valuable digital resources such as databases, audiobooks, and e-books. Please take time to ensure your student has access to a public library card number for the 24-25 school year; we recommend students type the number of their cards in a document in their DPS109 Google Drive to allow for convenient access. To learn more about obtaining or renewing your public library card, please visit Deerfield Public Library's website. If you have any questions about how we use public library resources at school, don't hesitate to reach out to our school's library information specialist, Dr. Andrea Trudeau. Thank you for your support!
Our First Day Back (11am Dismissal)
Students should arrive to school between 7:40-8:00am. Our first bell rings at 7:45am, allowing students to head to their lockers and homeroom locations. All late arrivals should come to the front office. Thank you for your help getting our students to school on time!
Entry Locations/Doors
All students should enter at our Main Entrance Doors.
**Signs and staff will help guide students on the first days of school**