Attendance Line Number - 490-3062

August 26, 2005

Shepardson's Home Page: http://schoolweb.psdschools.org/she/

In this issue...

(Table of Contents)   (Top) PRINCIPAL REFLECTIONS

We thank all of you who were able to join us for our Back to School Open House on Tuesday. We truly appreciate your rearranging your schedule to make this visit a priority. As a result, it was very calm on Wednesday when the students arrived for they knew their teacher, knew where they sat and already had their supplies put way. All available staff was outside waiting for the buses and walking students to their classrooms. The first day was close to resembling a family holiday! It feels so exciting to have the students back at school.

A very special welcome to those of you who are new to Shepardson. Be sure and read these weekly newsletters so you can join us for events, know what to expect and ask us questions. It will truly be another outstanding year of education, friendship and fun!

A special thanks to PTO and many other parents who organized a special information event prior to the Open House. Many parents have been actively planning such events that encourage families to get to know each other. Major thanks also to the custodial team of Stretch and Roger and the office staff of Sharon and JoDee and Elaine who have worked long hours prior to school starting to ensure that we were ready. The teachers have been in throughout the summer as they planned for this first day and the rest of the school year.

The staff was trained last Thursday on strategies to help students improve their narrative writing skills. It is exciting and highly productive to have our entire certified and classified team be equally prepared to help students learn these skills with a consistent methodology. We are enthused about using these techniques this year.

We strongly value our working together throughout the school year. Research shows that students will make the most gains when parents and the school work together. Shepardson highly values having a strong partnership with parents. We look forward to our next visit as we conference right after Labor Day. We value your ideas and recognize that you know your child best. We don't want to wait until the end of October to learn about your child's strengths and needs. We seek 100% attendance at our parent conferences. The second set of conferences will be January 17 - 19th when we share your child's academic growth. However, we often have additional conferences throughout the year as needed. Developing this partnership early and keeping communication open during the school year will enhance our ability to help your children reach our high expectations.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-	Mary Kay Sommers
	email: msommers@psdschools.org

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CALENDAR

August 26, 2005

AUGUST 2005			SEPTEMBER 2005
26	Fri	Gold C Book Sales kickoff	6-8	Tue-Thu	Parent Conferences K-6; 3:20 - 8:00 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 2005			7	Wed	Gold C Book Sales ends today
1	Thu	6th Grade Parent Night - 6:00-7:00	8	Thu	Ice Cream social for Shepardson community And New Family Event-6:00 pm-Gym/Outside
5	Mon	Labor Day; NO SCHOOL	8	Thu	Picture Day (individual shots)
6	Tue	PTO Meeting - 7:00 pm; Pre-meeting for Pod Reps and Room Parents at 6:00 pm

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Mr. Gordon, Mrs. Feeney, and Mr. Passantino WELCOME NEW TEACHERS Please help us welcome our newest teaching staff! Mr. John Passantino, 5th grade. John is actually not new at all but is returning from a two-year at Poudre School District Administration Building where he served as a Curriculum Generalist focusing primarily on math instruction K-12 among other areas. His skills and knowledge about curriculum have grown significantly as a result. However, John has missed teaching children and chose to return to the classroom. John will also be serving as our Administrative Assistant at Shepardson. We are so pleased that John has returned to Shepardson in these capacities. Welcome back, John!!! Mr. Angelo Gordon, 4th grade. Angelo has most recently been teaching 5th grade in Estes Park and grades 2-4 earlier in California. He is clearly a dedicated professional educator who consistently seeks the most effective strategies that will keep students engaged in the learning process. Angelo brings many years of experience, outstanding recommendations and multiple creative talents to share with students and staff. Having such a highly qualified, professional educator will even further strengthen our Shepardson team. Welcome, Angelo! Mrs. Danielle Feeney, special education for AM Kdg, 3rd and 4th grades. Danielle has been teaching for six years, specializing with children who have exceptional needs in an inclusive setting, similar to Shepardson. In addition, she has developed strengths as a district trainer for multiple areas with a special focus on parent support groups. We are so fortunate to have someone with these technical and personal skills that are highly aligned with Shepardson's mission and philosophy. Welcome, Danielle!

(Table of Contents)   (Top) SIGN UP FOR CONFERENCES BY NEXT MONDAY AT NOON!

We thank you for signing up for conferences. If you have not yet done so, please call the office by noon on next Monday to schedule a time. Teachers will be assigning you a conference time if you have not signed up. Most teachers are conferencing Sept. 6 -8th. A few held some of their conferences prior to school starting.

At these conferences we listen to you share what goals, dreams, and suggestions you have to help your child be a successful learner this year. We value working in partnership with you.

Working together we can reach the stars!

(Table of Contents)   (Top) ANNUAL FORMS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL

In your child's Fridayfolder are two forms that we need completed or considered each year.

1. Early Dismissal Form is needed for every child so we are prepared for this unlikely event.

2. The Non-Permission Form is needed ONLY if you do NOT want your child to have access to the Internet or be videotaped or photographed for publications.

(Table of Contents)   (Top) WHAT'S COMING HOME NEXT FRIDAY?

We need parents with students in grades 4-6 to be aware of some special items coming home next Friday with their children. These results will be in sealed envelopes addressed "to the parents of". If you wish to pick either of these items up personally, please let the office know prior to next Friday morning.

1. Code of Conduct Books that specify those behaviors that violate the state laws designed to ensure school safety.

2. Formal Testing Results from spring of 2005
   1. Grade 4
      1. CSAP Math and Writing results

      2. CogAT testing results

   2. Grade 5 and 6
      1. CSAP Reading, Writing, and Math results

(Table of Contents)   (Top) UPDATE ON PSD BOUNDARY PROCESS

By Debbie Bostak, Shepardson Boundary Rep

Many of you are aware of the potential boundary changes for the Shepardson neighborhoods that were being discussed at the end of last school year. Since some of you are new to the Shepardson community and others may not have heard the information that was shared last spring and at the boundary meeting held at Shepardson this summer, I'll start by giving a short history of the situation:

History:

PSD is in the process of examining potential boundary changes. At the end of last year, the PSD Boundary Committee had proposed several changes to district boundaries. Two of those potential changes could impact Shepardson. One of the changes would shift the Village East neighborhood from a joint Shepardson/O'Dea neighborhood to an O'Dea only neighborhood. The other potential change affecting the Shepardson neighborhood attendance area is to shift the neighborhoods that currently attend Boltz Junior High to Lesher Junior High i.e. all of the Shepardson neighborhoods would feed into Lesher Junior High. There are many implications to these changes, but the major one would be a potential decrease in the number of students attending Shepardson which then affects the staffing of our school and particularly specials staffing.

As of early last summer, the board was planning on voting on these changes in October. We were particularly concerned that this did not allow much time for community feedback. Thus a petition was started at Shepardson which expressed concern with the changes and the process. The petition was presented to the PSD Board on August 8. Thank you to all Shepardson families who signed the petition, attended the Board meeting on August 8, and signed up to keep informed through an e-mail distribution list. A special thanks to Chuck Hubbeling for organizing us.

New Process, PSD Challenges:

At the August 8 Board meeting, a new process and timeline for boundary changes was adopted by the Board. At their August 22 meeting, the Board will establish a committee called the Student Enrollment Steering Committee, composed of administrators, principals, and the Boundary Committee co-chairs. The steering committee's charge is to consider the challenges the District faces and recommendations of the Boundary Committee in order to formulate a recommendation for the board. During this process, there will be opportunities for community input before decisions will be made. At this time, the focus of this group will be on elementary schools.

The challenges facing PSD:

• Flat or declining enrollment. PSD currently has 1200 open seats for students in elementary school and 500 for junior high.

• Per pupil funding increases have been small (1.1% for the upcoming year) and are projected to remain small in the coming years. Many of the district's costs, particularly energy costs and employee benefits, are increasing at a greater rate.

• There is an uneven distribution of students across schools. Wellington Elementary and Zach Elementary will reach critical overcrowding in the next few years, while there are some schools at only 60% capacity.

• Approximately 28% of PSD students exercise school choice.

The Student Enrollment Steering Committee will present the Board with detailed scenarios at the September 19 Board work session. From October 10-November 15, community meetings will be held to gather feedback. This is where we all can and should be involved. The goal is to have the Board's final decision by January 23.

What We Can Do:

Please contact Chuck Hubbeling at charlesandjulie@comcast.net to be added to the e-mail distribution list of those interested in being kept informed of potential boundary changes. If you have any questions about the process, please contact me at Bostak@verinet.com or 207-0446. You will definitely be hearing more from me as the district finalizes boundary scenarios and decisions. My role in the upcoming year is to gather input and feedback from the Shepardson community, to use that input as Shepardson's representative to the PSD Boundary Committee, and to keep everyone at Shepardson informed of potential boundary changes and of opportunities for us all to participate in the Board's process of gathering community feedback.

(Table of Contents)   (Top) DON'T MISS THE HOTTEST MUSIC FESTIVAL IN FORT COLLINS:
The 2005 Crossroads at the Council Tree Native American Music Festival!

September 2nd and 3rd, 2005 mark the third year of the Crossroads at the Council Tree Native American Music Festival, an exciting and innovative musical experience for the entire family!

The Artists' Welcome and Opening Reception will kick off the event on September 2 from 5-8 PM at the Museum. Meet the musicians and artists, view the Museum exhibition Art Covers Science: Winds of Change, the Magazine of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and participate in the silent auction of items donated by local artists and businesses benefiting the event. Refreshments and entertainment will be provided as well, and all events are free and open to the public. All proceeds from the event benefit the Fort Collins Museum's Native American Initiative, supporting this Festival and other educational opportunities for and about Native Americans.

This free outdoor Festival begins September 3 at 10:30 a.m. and runs until 6:30 p.m. in Library Park and the Museum's Heritage Courtyard. The mission of the Festival is to promote culture through music. The Festival aims to educate the public about contemporary Native Americans through music, and to bring Natives and non-Natives together in celebration of the Native American legacy. This event showcases musicians who are Native American and whose music speaks to the Native American experience in modern day America. "Not all featured music is what you might expect," adds Brent Carmack, Assistant Director of the Museum. "There will be traditional drum, of course. But Native musicians play more than drums and flutes. They play rock, reggae, folk - it will be a true mix of musical genres played by Native musicians and bands. It really is a very unique concert," he adds.

The 2005 Festival features Lance All Runner as emcee; reggae and rock with Red Earth; Hoop Dancing with Kevin Locke; folk with Sharon Burch; an Intertribal Drum Group and the Iron Family Dancers. While listening to the music, visit the Native American Arts and Crafts vendors, enjoy refreshments, participate in children's activities in the Heritage Courtyard, and tour the Museum exhibition Art Covers Science: Winds of Change, the Magazine of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, highlighting the cover art of this Native American journal. Be sure to pick up music CDs and limited edition event tee shirts in the Fort Collins Museum Store before and during the event!

The Crossroads at the Council Tree Native American Music Festival is sponsored in part by grants from the Bohemian Foundation, Fort Fund, the Colorado Endowment for the Humanities, the Colorado Council on the Arts, and the Museum Foundation.

In addition to public events, the Festival also reaches students in the Poudre School District and at Colorado State University during the week before the event. On Friday, approximately 900 elementary students from four schools will attend a performance by Festival performer Kevin Locke, who will talk to the children about Native culture and the significance of the Hoop Dance. Several hundred Poudre High School Students are expected to attend the Poudre High School Mini-Chautauqua, featuring several Native speakers and a performance by the reggae and rock band Red Earth, also performing at the Festival. Students at Colorado State University will hear a performance by local band The Atoll, led by Crow member Cary Morin, on Thursday afternoon.

The Crossroads at the Council Tree Native American Music Festival provides opportunities for the entire family to learn, reflect and have fun. For more information about the Festival, or any of the Museum's programs and events, call the Museum at 970-221-6738 or visit the web site at www.fcgov.com/museum. The Fort Collins Museum is located at 200 Mathews Street, Fort Collins. The Museum is free and fully accessible.

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