It was a busy and exciting second week of school for our Wildcats as we launched into routines and built our community together!

🚌 Wildcat Way Bus Training

On Monday, students had the opportunity to review and practice Wildcat Way bus expectations. This important refresher helps set a positive tone for safe and respectful bus rides throughout the year. A special thank you to bus driver Karen Hockenberry for leading these lessons and helping our students feel confident about traveling to and from school. Below are some photos, courtesy of Tracy Panzer, District Communication Specialist.

🤝 Grade-Level Community Meetings

On Tuesday, each grade level gathered in the multipurpose room to practice what it looks like to be an audience member during community meetings. Students worked on being respectful, attentive listeners and even learned the CATS clap - ask your child to show you at home! They also talked through what is okay (and not okay) to bring to school, setting clear expectations for the year ahead.

🌟 August Schoolwide Community Meeting

On Thursday, the entire school came together for our first schoolwide community meeting of the year. Students had the chance to meet the full Shepherdstown staff, learn more about Mrs. Miller, our wonderful administrative assistant, and hear all about Super Paws! For September, our Super Paw focus is Communicate with Respect - something we’ll be highlighting and celebrating throughout the month.

📅 Looking Ahead

🐾 Wildcat Wednesday

On Wednesday, September 3, we’ll celebrate Wildcat Wednesday, the first Wednesday of the month! Students are encouraged to show their school spirit by wearing MASD attire or maroon and grey/steel. It’s a fun way for everyone to feel connected as a MASD community.

📚🎉 Back-to-School Night

We are excited to welcome parents and guardians for Back-to-School Night on Thursday, September 4, at 6:00 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet teachers, learn about classroom routines, curriculum expectations, and discover all that is planned for the year ahead.

Have a restful and relaxing Labor Day Weekend! We look forward to seeing our students on Tuesday!

Mr. Echelmeier

Hello and welcome to Shepherdstown Music Class!

My name is Sarah O’Donnell, but your child will call me Miss O’Donnell. I am the music teacher at Shepherdstown. I wanted to let you know of all the exciting and fun times we will be having in our music class this year!

My philosophy of music education is that every person is capable of solo and social music making. Since only 10% of students go on to participate in musical activities after middle school, students should leave elementary school with the musical thinking skills to allow them to continue to be tuneful, beatful, and artful members of society in 30 years’ time. Tuneful people can keep songs in their mind, create short melodies of their own, and sing well enough that people don’t beg them to stop. Beatful (yes, that is how I meant to spell it) people can sway in time to music for their wedding and rock a baby to sleep with a lullaby. Artful people see beauty around them, seek out artistic experiences in life, and support their local artistic scene.

Music is a social art, and I would like your help in building your child’s musical skills.  To do this, I’ll be sending home “Ask Me” card sheets. These will be the lyrics to simple songs, rhymes, and fingerplays we’ve learned in class. These songs have all been passed down from parent to child for generations. I would love it if your child would sing these songs to 3 different people (family members, neighbors, or even pets!) They can do this in person, over the phone, FaceTime, or Skype. Please help make music fun by making this a stress-free activity.  Share songs you learned in your childhood and make up songs with your child as well. This isn't homework, this is a growth activity.

You are always encouraged and welcomed to reach out with questions, concerns, insights into your child, and ways in which I can assist you in supporting them.

Here’s to a great year,                                                                                       

Sarah O’Donnell

sodonnell@mbgsd.org

or via Seesaw Message

https://sites.google.com/masdstudent.org/miss-odonnell-music/home 

As we prepare for the new school year, we’re partnering with Sadler Health Center to help ensure all students are up to date on their required immunizations.

Sadler will be offering free vaccination clinics at several district locations in August and September. Vaccines are covered by insurance and free for those without insurance. Well-child checkups may also be available if requested in advance.

To participate, please contact your child’s school nurse to pre-register and complete the necessary consent forms. A parent or guardian must accompany any student under the age of 14.