Shepherdstown Community Update

Welcome to October! Last week on Friday, we had an excellent first community meeting for the 23-24 school year! During community meetings, all of our students and staff gather in the multipurpose room to review events occurring in our school. We also recognize and celebrate students at the community meeting. During this meeting, we kicked off our Super Paw positive recognition program! There is more information about Super Paws below. A group of our 3rd grade students did a wonderful job singing a song about our schoolwide expectations called the CATS song.

What is a Super Paw Print?

• It is a new schoolwide positive behavior support system that recognizes students going above and beyond exhibiting the Wildcat Way by any staff member.

What makes it different from the past Cool Cat system?

• A Super Paw can be given to a student at any point in the month.

• The recognition for going above and beyond is immediate.

• More than one student from each classroom is able to earn a Super Paw during the month.

• When student earns a Super Paw, they will be presented a certificate, provided a stamp and have their picture taken on the bulletin board below.

• Super Paws can be given by all staff at any time, ex: specials teachers, support staff etc.
  

What’s the purpose of this change?

• Honoring students who, in the moment, are doing the right thing instead of sustaining for the whole month.

• Allows for instant, on the spot recognition

• More than one recognition per classroom

• All staff members are included in the process of awarding Super Paws at any time.

• Increased opportunities for student recognition

A special thanks to our Shepherdstown PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention & Support team) for helping to launch this new recognition system!

Pictured above: Third grade team at Shepherdstown (Mrs. Patchett, Mrs. Bowers, Mr. Petrello, Mr. Elson).

Friday, October 6 - Act 80 Day - No School

Monday, October 9 - No School - Columbus Day Holiday

Wednesday, October 11 - PTO Meeting - Virtual at 7 PM

Thursday, October 12 - Shep Fall Fest from 6-7 PM

Thursday, October 19 - Unity Day - Wear orange!

Wednesday, October 25 - Parent-Teacher Conferences from 3-7:30 PM - Sign up link will be shared on October 10

Friday, October 27 - No School - Parent-Teacher Conferences from 7:30 - 3:00

Please welcome Mrs. Joann Davis to Shepherdstown. Mrs. Davis will be the long-term substitute ELD teacher while Mrs. Robison is on maternity leave. Mrs. Davis has been a substitute teacher at Shepherdstown for seven years. She looks forward to working with your student until Mrs. Robison returns at the beginning of January. Mrs. Davis can be reached by email: jdavis@mbgsd.org.

This year, all K-3 buildings are planning to hold a Classroom Fall Party/Fall Festival on Thursday, October 26th. Your student's homeroom teacher will share more information. While we will celebrate the season with a class party and fall-related activities, we will not be wearing costumes. This is consistent at all primary buildings.

For students looking for opportunities to dress-up in our community, we encourage families to check-out these community events:

• Halloween Parade: October 10 @ 7:00 PM

• Mechanicsburg Streets of Treats: October 21 10AM - 2PM

  
  

Trick-or-Treat

• Mechanicsburg Borough: October 31 from 6-8:00 PM (no rain date)

  Upper Allen: October 26 from 6:00 -8:00 PM Rain date: October 28 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. On October 12, Shep students are welcome to wear blue, yellow, and mismatched socks to celebrate those with Down Syndrome.

Unity Day is on Thursday, October 19! Students and staff are encouraged to wear ORANGE for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

See the flyer below!

Mechanicsburg Area School District is privileged to offer a weekend food distribution program for families in need. The purpose of the program is to provide non-perishable, vitamin-fortified, and easy to prepare foods to children at times when school resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations. Bags will include two breakfasts, two meals, and two snacks. The program is free of charge. Please use the link below to sign up.

Weekend Food Bag Link

Please review this short video presentation here from Mr. Echelmeier, shared at Back-to-School Night.

Please take a look at the district elementary family handbook here.

Meeting Agenda from September Meeting

See the September meeting agenda below!

MAPTO Fundraiser - Help Us Drive the Bus

See the flyer below about our MAPTO fundraiser!

Hospitality

If you are interested in being part of the Hospitality Team this year, please reach out via email (shepherdstownpto@gmail.com) and your name will be passed along to Lauren, our chair.

Yearbooks

We are looking for parents available to take pictures this year for the yearbook. We will also be looking for a new yearbook chair to learn the ropes because this is our chairs last year at Shep. If you have your clearances on file and are interested, please reach out via email and Becca will be in contact with you!

Join us on Facebook: Shepherdstown Elementary PTO Mechanicsburg

Email with any questions: shepherdstownpto@gmail.com

PTO Meeting Dates

Wednesday, October 11 at 7 PM (Virtual)

Wednesday, January 10 at 7 PM (Virtual)

Wednesday, March 13 at 7 PM (Virtual)

Wednesday, April 10 at 7 PM (Virtual)

Wednesday, May 8 at 7 PM (Virtual)

Please take a moment to update your contact information in the Sapphire Parent Portal here.

If you have not had a chance to register for a Sapphire Parent Portal account, please see the information here.

Below is the 2023-2024 Shepherdstown Daily Schedule:

Please see the important information below about the Shepherdstown drop-off and pick-up procedure.

For the safety of all students, please note the following:

• In the car line, please stay in the lane and wait until cars move forward to exit the lane. Please do not go around other cars, unless directed by a staff member to do so.
• For walkers at our front gym doors, please refrain from sending students with extra items, such as balls, bats, gloves, etc. Students at these doors are very close to the buses arriving to school, and sports equipment could easily go out into the bus lane.
  

The MAPTO Spirit Wear Store is OPEN! There are a wide variety of items with the traditional logo, new logos, and the Mechanicsburg Strong Logo. The full store will be open until the end of October and orders will be fulfilled in 7 to 10 days. Please visit the MAPTO STORE to view items and see delivery options or scan the QR in the graphic below.

Last spring, the MASD Dress Code Board Policy was updated. Please take a look at the update here.

We welcome volunteers at Shepherdstown! If you would like to volunteer in the classroom, for a field trip, or during field day, please see the information below.

MASD Volunteer Process Overview

Volunteer Checklist - quick list of items needed to volunteer

Volunteer Handbook - comprehensive handbook

Please complete the volunteer information as early as possible and submit to Mrs. Dentler in the main office or to the MASD Administrative Office.

Email: shepoffice@mbgsd.org
Website: https://shepherdstown.mbgsd.org/
Location: 1849 South York Street, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA
Phone: 717-691-4589