Shepherd Middle BlueJay Bulletin

Report cards will go home with students later this week. They are being finalized early in the week, and families will receive an email and text message on the day they are sent home so you know when to watch for them.

On Thursday, our students will have the opportunity to see a preview of the high school musical, The Olympians. We appreciate our high school performers sharing their work with our middle school students and look forward to celebrating their efforts.

The deadline for ordering yearbooks is quickly approaching. Orders must be placed by March 20. Please see the ordering information included below in the newsletter.

This week’s character focus is courage. Students are discussing how courage helps strengthen our school community. Courage can mean standing up against bullying, being an ally to others, or choosing kindness even when it is not the popular choice. These actions help create a respectful and supportive school environment.

Try this at home: Talk with your child about a time when someone showed courage by standing up for what was right. This could be from real life, a book, or something you have seen in the news.

March

• 9 - Beginning of 3rd Trimester
• 30 - April 3 Spring Break

This week in Counselor’s Corner, we’re focusing on persistence—another key ingredient in creating your own luck. Luck isn’t just about chance; it often comes from sticking with something, even when it’s challenging.

Encouraging students to keep going when things get tough can help them build skills, confidence, and resilience. For example, a student learning to play a new instrument or practicing a sport might face setbacks at first. But by practicing regularly, asking for feedback, and staying committed, they often see results—and sometimes even “lucky” breakthroughs that feel like magic.

Persistence also works in school and friendships. Completing a tricky assignment, trying a new strategy on a project, or reaching out to a new friend may not pay off immediately—but continued effort can open doors and create unexpected opportunities. In other words, luck favors the persistent!

This week, talk with your child about a time they stuck with something challenging and how it paid off. You could ask, “What’s a time you kept going, even when it was hard, and something good came from it?” Remind them that consistent effort and resilience often lead to opportunities that seem like luck.

For more information:

• Luck by Richard Wiseman — Recent research by Richard Wiseman about luck

• Encouraging Persistence - Methods to help you build persistence in your child

The Science of Luck: Probability, Bias, and Strange Coincidences— Explains the mathematics, science, and ability to harness “luck”

With the time change this weekend, many families are thinking about sleep. Screens and phones often get the blame for teens staying up late, but research shows they are only part of the issue. During adolescence, teens experience a natural shift in their internal body clock that makes it harder for them to fall asleep early, even though they still need 8 to 10 hours of sleep. The combination of biology, busy schedules, and technology can all make rest challenging. As we “spring forward,” it may be a good time to talk as a family about healthy sleep routines and consistent bedtimes.

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/08/nx-s1-5737426/time-change-teens-sleep-screens

Isabella 911 wants to push out their Smart 911 sign-up information for everyone in the community. Smart 911 is a critical alert system that is used in emergencies. This is a free app that is available to anyone who resides in Isabella County!

Now that the village road construction has been completed, some reminders:

DROP OFF SAFETY REMINDER

MS/HS Students → Use the Yellow Pick Up/Drop Off Area

Elementary Students → Use the Blue Drop Off Area

Staff will assist elementary students at drop-off

PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE SOUTH ON 4TH Street to access the Pick Up/Drop Off Lines

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's building.

PA 57 of 2023 requires districts to provide all students in grades 6–12 with the Michigan Department of Education’s (MDE) Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Information Guide, the district’s Title IX coordinator contact information, and the district policies on sexual assault and harassment. This information, for Shepherd Public Schools, is linked below.

Email: sps_sms_office@shepherdschools.net

Phone: (989) 828-6605