September 19, 2017
Brought to you by the Shepard Elementary PTA
From our Principal
Dear Shepard Families,
Following your generous donations for the support of Hurricane Harvey evacuees staying in Dallas, our Shepard PTA took three truck/carloads of supplies down to the donation center in Garland. That’s HUGE! The kids were incredibly proud as they came to school carrying blankets, toiletries, and even diapers to place in our collection areas.
I want to continue to celebrate the giving spirit of the Shepard community be letting you know that our Shepard teachers and staff participated in the PISD sponsored United Way Fundraising campaign over the last two weeks. They surpassed the campus goal of $1100. The staff gets to wear jeans for the next two weeks to celebrate that accomplishment. I know the teachers are enjoying the jeans days (I know I am!)
Our community is generous and supportive, and for that I am incredibly grateful. Our kids are being raised in that spirit of giving, and it shows every day in their interactions with each other. Thank you for all your support and for sharing these sweet kids with the staff and me.
Sincerely,
Kristin
Did you know you could attend FREE parenting classes offered by the district?
There are many series coming up, including sessions about parenting strong-willed children, parenting children with ADHD, and grandparents raising grandchildren.
We will also have four parenting classes here at Shepard this year.
The first one is about helping children develop healthy social skills and it is coming up on October 12th, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the counselor classroom.
We hope to see you there!
You can find more information and other free classes being offered by the district at: www.pisd.edu/parentworkshops
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the counselor, Mrs. Christenson, at 469-752-3115 or erin.christenson@pisd.edu
Join Scouting Night, TONIGHT, September 19
Pack 287 is hosting a Join Scouting Night in the Shepard Cafeteria.
Tuesday, September 19 at 7 p.m.
Come learn about Scouting and the Pack's planned activities for this school year. Cub Scouts is open to current 1st-5th graders.
For more information, contact Cub Master David Shipp dbshipp@gmail.com.
Needed: Parent Volunteers for our School Based Improvement Committee
We are looking for parent volunteers for our School Based Improvement Committee.
The committee meets three times per year for about an hour, once in September/October, once mid school year, and once at the end of the year. Although I know the committee can at times seem a bit dry and boring, it does offer a good insight into the deep curriculum work being done by our teachers in the classrooms.
Please email our assistant principal, Ben Braden (ben.braden@pisd.edu) if you are interested in joining the SBIC.
Future Plano Wildcat Cheerleaders!
Plano Sr High Cheerleaders 2017 Cheer Clinic
Grades K-5
Show your WILDCAT Pride at the 2017 Plano Senior Cheer Clinic presented by the PISD Plano Senior Cheerleaders!
Your child will be instructed in cheerleading techniques including cheers, jumps and dances. There will be a performance at the end of the clinic where family and friends can view your chlld's newly acquired cheerleading skills in action! Bleachers will be provided for parent and friends who would like to view the 2:30 p.m. performance.
Saturday, October 7, 12-3 p.m.
Clark High School Gym
$30 if registered by 9127117, $35 at the door
Click here for more details!
CALLING ALL SHEPARD FAMILIES! Join our PTA
As you may or may not know, Shepard’s PTA membership drive is in full swing.
Thank you to all who have signed up as members so far! If you have not had a chance to do so, please consider joining our school’s PTA by visiting www.shepardpta.org . Typically, August, September and October are our most important months. We are working hard to increase our membership not for bragging rights, but to help as many of our children as possible.
Currently, we have 118 out of 346 total families that have signed up as members. That is a 34% membership sign-up rate. I am confident we can do better as a school! Please know that the PTA supports ALL students and faculty at Shepard. Thank you for your consideration!
We need your help!
By simply signing up to become a member, you are helping us fund many activities, programs and resources that PTA provides.
If you would like to volunteer too, you are always welcome. Volunteering is not a requirement for becoming a member! Be sure if you are planning to volunteer at school that you have completed your PISD Background Check and Volunteer application.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Vanessa Hall (vmloya@yahoo.com) . Thank you for your time!
To be added to the current school directory: IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
In order to have access to the directory, you must be a member of the PTA. Texas PTA is in the process of entering all members who did not sign up online. This process may take 2-3 weeks from the time the first official roster and dues were received. Texas PTA received our first roster on September 7th.
Please allow a little more time if you are not able to access the school directory and we thank you for your patience.
Box Tops for Education will be collected October 20
Please start collecting your Box Tops for the first contest of the school year. Each grade level has a container, so your student just puts them in a baggie and brings them to their Grade Level Box.
More prize details to come!
This is a huge fundraiser for PTA, and the funds always go back to the kids!
Elementary PACE Referral Information 2017-2018
For more detailed information about the PACE program, please click here.
Kindergarten – 5th Grade referral deadline is December 6, 2017.
From the Office: Absence & Tardy Information
Running late…
Please remember school starts at 7:45 am. Once the school doors are closed your child needs to come through the office for a Late Pass, and a tardy will be recorded.
If your child is going to be absent or arriving after 9 am…
Please remember to call the school’s Child Safe Line at (469) 752-3100. Dial #1 for English, or #2 for Spanish, and then dial #3 to report your child’s absence.
Please leave your child’s name, grade, teacher’s name, the reason they are absent and when they might be returning to school.
If we do not receive a call reporting the student absent by 9:00 am we are required to call to confirm their absence with a parent/guardian.
If your child has been absent…
Please send a doctor’s note or a note from a parent with the following information:
- Your student’s first and last name
- the date(s) they were absent
- the reason for their absence
- a parent’s hand written signature
All notes must be received by the school within 3 days of your child’s return to school to be considered for excused absence.
Absences due to illness for longer than five days will require a physician’s note to excuse.
Thank you!
October
5- Picture Day
6- PTA Executive Board Mtg 9:15am
9- Student and teacher holiday
10- Parent Teacher Conference Day (student holiday)
20- PTA Carnival/Auction
November
3- PTA Executive Board Mtg 9:15am
9- 3rd Grade Music Program; General PTA Mtg 6pm
10- Picture Retakes Day
13-15 5th Grade Camp
20-24 Thanksgiving Break
Give Back...To Shepard
At smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Shepard Elementary.
Here's how:
Login to Amazon via this link https://smile.amazon.com
And then choose PTA Texas Congress 7434 Shepard Elementary PTA
Tom Thumb's Good Neighbor Program: Another Way to Give Back!
Tom Thumb will pay 1% of our members' total grocery purchases to Shepard Elementary. The amount of the check depends on the amount of our supporters' total purchases.
Click here to sign up give back to Shepard Elementary. Use Shepard Elementary School PTA vendor #: 228023
Helpful Online Links
Online Federal Meal Application
Sign Up for Plano ISD eNews
Plano ISD Food and Nutrition Services
Click here for School Menus
Pre-pay here for School Meals at PayPams
Register here for PASAR (Paid After School Care located at Shepard)
How to Register for Parent Portal
You will need your child's student ID# to create an account. You can receive your child's ID# by calling the Shepard front office at 469-752-3100.
HOW TO CREATE A PARENT PORTAL ACCOUNT
You must have an email address to access Parent Portal. A confirmation email will be sent to that email address when you complete the sign up process. REMEMBER TO WRITE DOWN YOUR PASSWORD AND SECURITY QUESTIONS FOR FUTURE USE.
1. Open up your internet browser and go to http://parentportal.pisd.edu
2. Click on the "Register Here" link near the bottom of the page.
3. Enter the required information. Be sure to complete every field. If you have more than one student in PISD you will only need to submit the form for one student. The system will recognize all PISD students in your household.
4. After your Parent Portal account is created an email will be sent to you at the email address you provided.
5. If you have questions about the process, send an email to parentportal@pisd.edu Include the legal name of your child, their ID# and the school name. They will respond within 48 hours.
6. Your child should know their six-digit ID # if they attended PISD schools. It is the one they use to purchase lunch at school and sign on to the school computers.
Click here for Parent Portal
Shepard Elementary
Sign up for text messaging: https://www.remind.com/join/6k3946
School website: www.pisd.edu/shepard
Staff contact list: www.pisd.edu/domain/2020
Website: www.ShepardPTA.org
Location: 100 Wilson Drive, Plano, TX, United States
Phone: 469-752-3100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ShepardElementary/752234881534911