Girls Cross Country State Champions

We are very proud of the Shepherd High School Girls Cross Country Team.  This past Saturday they won a state championship in division three.  This is such an accomplishment.  I am sure many people in the community saw girls running through town when it was cold, snowy, hot, humid, and rainy.  These girls demonstrated huge dedication to work towards this goal that they achieved.  There was a real sense of family with this team and they came together to be the best in the state.

It was very inspiring to be at the state meet and see our girls cross the finish line.  Though I didn't want to get too excited without seeing the actual results, I didn't know how any other team could have beat us.  It was awesome to see so many people attend and support the girls.  There were band members there playing the fight song and leading the Shepherd fans.  I am sure there was not school that had more supporters that Shepherd.  I think the band took everybody by surprise.  I don't think cross country teams are used to that much support.  The event workers commented on who the heck had a band with them.  It was Shepherd.  But. when you are state champion caliber, you get a little more excited.

Congratulations to the team and Coach Hammel.  The girls represented themselves, their team, the school, their families, and their community well!

Blue Jay Character

One of the things that has been a priority for me has been to help students develop into good human beings.  To that end, we emphasize doing "the right thing,” having good sportsmanship, and simply treating people in a way that makes the world better.  Our students have been awesome.  I think they get tired of hearing how impressed I am of them when we have assemblies and special presentations.  I have been in other schools so I have a comparison from which to judge.  They are the best audience in our league.

I love to get notices from administrators and parents from other schools when they recognize the quality of our students.  This has happened several times in the past few years.  Our students united with the students from Bullock Creek to support one of their students who was involved in a serious accident that nearly took his life and left him in a coma for a long time.  We received many letters of thanks and gratitude for our support.  There were parents who took the time to send me an email of thanks because of the way our students and fans behaved after losing to Bridgeport in a regional basketball game.  Our fans stayed for the trophy presentation for the other team.  They clapped for their players as they were announced.  They didn't walk over the court, leave, disrupt, etc.  They were supportive and it was noticed by the parents and administration of Bridgeport.  I also received a letter from the principal of Valley Lutheran who was impressed by our students and fans during a basketball game at their school.  We had formed a tunnel to congratulate our players.  Their students were doing the same thing so both student bodies just formed together.  There was no conflict.  There was unity in support of the teams.  I recently received a call from the athletic director from Hemlock who commented on how impressed he was when he went to the visitor bleachers after a JV football game.  He said all of the trash was picked up and there was nothing he had to do on that side.  He couldn't believe it.  I don't know who was responsible, but someone took the initiative and it made Shepherd look good.  Just this past week, I received another thank you from Bullock Creek as they were doing a drive to support a student during our football game.  The note said:

Shepherd High School

Creekers for a Cause would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to your parents and students for contributing to our fundraiser for Katie K.  Even though they did not know this special six year old, they dug deep into their pockets to contribute.  That shows the character of the Blue Jays and we appreciate your support!  Together we were able to raise $4,500 for Katie and her family.

Thanks,

Creekers for a Cause

As I have told the students, what they do matters and people do notice!      

Power School Mobile

The following information was provided from Pearson regarding a new mobile app for Android users.

Pearson Tech Notes

Android Version 1.0 of PowerSchool for Parents and Students Apps Now Available!

 

The PowerSchool for Parents and PowerSchool for Students mobile apps are now available for Android devices! Features include real time access to:

• Attendance
• Grades
• Assignments and Scores
• Standards Progress
• School Announcements
• Teacher Comments
• Grade Point Average
• Lunch Transactions and Balance
• Fee Transactions and Balance

Getting Ready for Mobile

If you have previously enabled access for iOS mobile devices, you are all set to use the Android apps. If not, make sure your schools are mobile-ready by completing the following checklist:

1. Parent and student access are enabled on your PowerSchool server.
2. Single sign-on for parents is enabled.
3. PowerSchool version 7.2.3 (or higher) is installed.
4. Your PowerSchool server is registered with PowerSource.
5. Mobile settings have been enabled for each school.
6. Each school calendar has been set with a “Type” and a “Note” for days when school is not in session.

For complete instructions on configuring your school for mobile access, download the Mobile Administration User Guide here.

For questions or feedback, visit the Mobile Solutions forum on PowerSource here.

Click here for a video tutorial to share with parents, demonstrating how to set up single sign-on.

Click here to download and install PowerSchool version 7.2.3 or higher.

Digital Footprints

In the age of social media, kids are "posting" and "tweeting" and "texting" from the time they get up to the time they go to bed.  Students are no longer limited to have conversations or make remarks in person.  Now, everything is instant.  If a person had a risque picture of a friend back in my day, the only way it would be seen would be one person at a time, in person, at a particular time.  Now, pictures can be seen by thousands at a time, any time and any place.  All digital information that is shared via the web is creating what is called a digital footprint.  The purpose of this post isn't to dig deep into this idea but I wanted to share a couple of links that I think are worth a quick look.  The first is "10 Things Your Students Should Know About Their Digital Footprints" and the other is "5 Things to Know About Digital Footprints."  I would also encourage you to look deeper into this issue as it can have huge implications for future success.

Click the links to view these articles.

10 Things Your Students Should Know About Their Digital Footprints

5 Things to Know About Digital Footprints

Tim Elmore - One Gigantic Predictor of Success for Students

Over my years in education, one of the behaviors that has had a huge impact on students in the ability to delay gratification for a future benefit.  We see it with students who skip class or cheat on a test.  There are, of course, many other social areas that effect students as well.  A researcher, author, and social commentator that I follow is Tim Elmore.  In a recent blog post, he spoke of this topic, and the implications for a student's future success.  He also speaks about ways to help students understand these implications.  I would encourage you to check out Tim Elmore's post.

Click:  One Gigantic Predictor of Success for Students - Tim Elmore, October 3, 2013

Homecoming Week

If you came to the school this week, it may seem a little crazy.  It is homecoming week.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, the students and staff have really had a great attitude starting this year.  We held another tailgate on September 27th that included a dunk tank, doughnut holes and cider.

Mr. Willett was the one who organized the dunk tank so we thought is was appropriate for him to be the first to take the special seat.  But, there were several who joined him.  Mr. Howard, Mr. Russell, Ms. Chaney, Ms. Gauthier, and Mr. Bush all took a turn.

Pictures have come in from several sources for the new kiosk system we have to highlight school events.  There have been pictures from cross country, football, cheer leading, the tailgates, and other school events.

So, as we begin homecoming week, we are continuing the school spirit we have enjoyed so far this fall.  The girls cross country team put together a video "promo" to highlight all of the activities from homecoming.  This is a very cool video that will help you see the homecoming plans.  Take a look!

Homecoming Promo

Questions to Ask You Child's Teacher

Now that the new school year has started, we are all very busy.  We often talk about the partnerships that exists among the students, teachers, and parents.  One of communication links that is sometimes hard to develop is the parents communicating with the teachers.  This can sometimes be difficult, because parents don't know what to ask.  I was sent a blog post that offered some questions that could help parents start a conversation with teachers that can help strengthen the educational partnerships.

Parents: 19 Meaningful Questions You Should Ask Your Child's Teacher

Special Speaker

We are fortunate that one of our community partners, Community Mental Health of Central Michigan, is sponsoring a special speaker that will be at Shepherd Schools on Tuesday, September 17th.  Dennis Liegghio will be speaking to the high school and the middle school.  Mr. Liegghio will help students deal with stress, depression, and emotional overload.  In particular, he wants to help prevent youth suicide.  For more information about Dennis Liegghio visit www.knowresolve,org.

Below is the flyer information for the presentation.

September 6th High School Tail Gate

The students and staff have started this school year with a lot of enthusiasm.  The student leaders have been working closely with teachers and other staff members to build school spirit and create a positive school climate.  Several student council members met with the teachers during their opening building meeting to express how they wanted to partner with the teachers to work on school climate.  The first week of school went very well and there is a great deal of enthusiasm.  This enthusiasm led to a last minute idea to have a tailgate for the high school.  Mr. Willett took  the lead, but there were many people who contributed.  The students really stepped up and got behind the event.  The teachers and staff did as well.  I don't want to start naming names, other than Mr. Willett, but I don't want to forget someone.   But, there were eighteen staff members at the tailgate.  Many brought their spouses and kids.  This also does not count the teachers who were involved in the football game in other ways such as coaching, filming, and band.  This was a great success and fun event.  It really showed a caring school community.  Students were competing with staff.  Students who would not normally hang out at school were playing ladder golf against each other.  There was also tug-a-war and bean bag toss.  Everyone was treated to an ice cream sandwich before they entered the game.  As it turned out, the band got stalled at the entrance gate because it was locked.  So, they joined in the fun with an impromptu playing of the fight song while they waited for the gate to be unlocked. There was a great spirit at the game and the student section was great.  The students and staff are already talking about the next tailgate.  Word on the street is they want to make the next one bigger and better.  I have no doubt it will be. If they can pull this off in a couple of days, who knows what they can do when they have a couple of weeks.


What is really great to see is the students and the staff working together to create a great school environment.   Hopefully, even more students will get involved next time!

State of Michigan 2012-2013 Accountability Scorecard System

As many of you may have heard, the State of Michigan recently changed the school rating system for accountability.  The new system is called the school's "Scorecard".  There has been some media coverage, but it is difficult to articulate the process and meaning.  This new system uses a color coded system for schools.  The Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service District's Instruction Division has prepared a presentation to provide an explanation of this system.  Please click the link below to view this presentation narrated by Ms. Kathy Stewart, Associate Superintendent for Instruction, and learn more about the Accountability Scorecard System.

GIRESD Presentation on the Accountability Scorecard System

2012-2013 Annual Report

Each year the High School prepares and publicizes an Annual Education Report.  This is a requirement from the State and provides the community with information about the school for the past year.  We are pleased to present you with the Annual Education Report (AER) which provides key information on the 2012-2013 educational progress for Shepherd High School.  The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal and state laws.  The school’s report contains information about student assessment, accountability and teacher quality.  If you have any questions about the AER, please contact Douglas Bush, High School Principal for assistance.

The AER is available for you to review electronically by visiting the following web site http://shepherd.edzone.net/aer_reports or you may review a copy in the high school office.  State law requires that we also report additional information for the two most recent schools year.  This information can be found in the attachment which is a cover that accompanies the other reports.

Click the link to view the Shepherd High School Annual Report:  SHS Annual Report

Start of the 2013-2014 School Year - Parent Letter

	Shepherd High School

August 5, 2013

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

What seems like a short time ago, we eagerly entered into the summer by closing another school year.  The administrative and office staff members have been working hard during the summer to complete year-end reports and plan for the upcoming school year.  Now, as summer begins to give way to fall, it is time, once again, to provide information that will hopefully ensure that the beginning of the school year goes very smoothly.

Students should have their schedules and locker assignment with this mailing.  It is important to note that the drop and add process is the same as it was last year.  Meetings with a counselor are being arranged by appointment only.  Students/parents should call the high school office and sign up for an appointment time to speak with a counselor.  The appointments are being scheduled for Tuesday, August 20^th and Wednesday, August 21^st.  Additional times may be added if needed.  More specific details can be found on the high school web site.  Students should be aware that they will not be able to change classes after these dates unless one of several criteria is met.  These criteria are in the student handbook, which is posted on the high school website.  Students should see a counselor during this time if they have any questions.  During that same time, new students can meet with a counselor for new student scheduling. 

The building will be open on the dates above for new students so they can pay their book deposit and check on their locker assignment.  Students should take care of their book deposit before school begins to ensure that they are able to receive all of their text books.  The book deposit is $10.00 and is refunded when a student graduates or leaves SHS.  Checks should be made out to Shepherd High School or you should have exact change.  If a student paid his/her deposit but has a media center fine, he/she needs to pay the fine before they will be able to check out a text.  Students who drive are required to get a parking pass for the student lots.  There is a $5.00 deposit for the pass, which will be refunded when the pass is returned.  Students may park in the lot on the west side of the building and the lot on the south-west corner of Hall and Fourth Street.

Parents with students who attended Shepherd High School or Middle School should remember that we have a student management system that has a Student/Parent Portal that allows parents/students to check student progress and attendance.  For those who do not have a user id and password, you should be able to click the link on the high school page and follow the prompts to create an account.  Power School has added a good feature that should help parents with more than one student in Shepherd schools.  Parents will be able to have a single “parent login” that is linked to all of their students so you will not have a separate login for each student.  If you have any trouble, please contact the office.  Enclosed with this letter is a “Request For Progress Report” form.  Because parents can access grades at any moment through Power School, we no longer send a hard copy progress report through the mail.  The new student management technology not only gives parents and students instant access, but it enables us to save postage cost by not sending progress cards through the mail.  However, some may wish to receive a hard copy or may not have access to the Internet (Power School).  In this case, please return the “Request For Progress Report” form so we know that you wish to have a hard copy mailed home.  We only send progress reports home for students who are achieving below a 70%.  We create a list of these students and compare that to those who want a hard copy that is then mailed.  We will also mail home report cards to everyone at the end of each trimester.  Please make note of the parent/teacher conferences for the coming year.  The high school schedule is slightly different from the other buildings.  The first conference opportunity will be October 7^th in the evening in the high school gym.  This will be an open format where parents can meet with teacher stationed around the gym.  No appointments are necessary these conferences.  Another block of conference will be held on November 7^th and 8^th for which we will set up appointment.   

The first day of school is a half day on September 3^rd starting at 8:05 with a brief assembly.  The opening assembly will take place in the auditorium.  The first day is a half day for students, and there is a predesigned half day schedule that we will follow.  Students will be release at 11:05 on the first day.  Students should bring their enclosed schedule with them when they come to school on the first day as we will not have reprinted copies available.  Please be aware that students will receive a student handbook on the first day and the contents will be reviewed.  The student handbook will also be posted to the web site for your reference.

The athletics department is once again offering passes for 2013-2014 sports.  Family passes are $150 and includes immediate family, but excludes post high school children/siblings.  An individual pass is $90, and a student pass is $60.   Please be aware that these passes do not include tournaments including SHS invitational and state tournaments. These passes can be purchased in the high school counseling office between the hours of 7:00 - 2:30.  Please make checks payable to Shepherd Athletics or have the correct amount.  The office does not have money to make change. 

Daily student announcements and updates related to the building are posted by 9:30 a.m. on the high school web page, http://shepherd.edzone.net/hs/index.php.  Please use this resource to remain informed about building activities and important dates.  We have also added a Parent Resource Center link on our website.  The Parent Resource Center will have information that will help parents support their son/daughter’s educational and social development. There is also a link to my blog which will have information about school events and helpful information about the state of education at Shepherd High School and the state.  The blog link is http://shepherdhigh.blogspot.com/.  This blog has an RSS feed so if you utilize an RSS reader, you can have updates automatically post to your RSS reader. 

We look forward to another great school year and to having the school busy with students, parents and teachers once again.  Shepherd Public School is a great school in a great community.  Student, parents, community, and staff working together make the difference that ensures that students meet their highest potential.

Sincerely,

 

Douglas J. Bush

Principal

Youth in Government Banquet - The Final Night

One of the highlights of the conference is the banquet.  The students like the dance, too!  Each delegation sits together as awards given and outstanding performances are noted.  There were about 600 students at the conference from the Upper Peninsula to Detroit and every where in between.  This was a great group of students.  There were hundreds of bills written but only a small  percentage were actually passed.  I am proud to say that one of those bills was written by our own Stephanie and Taylor.

I don't know if it was intentional, if not it should have been, but the main dish for the banquet was turkey.  The last night the students can get a little wound up.  A little tryptopham might not be a bad idea.  It really worked on James.  But, not for long!  Once the banquet was over, he perked right up!

Capitol Hardware

One of the interesting things about the Michigan State Capitol is that most of the hardware is stamped with the state seal. The pictures below show that the door knobs and even the door hinges have the seal.

Click the link to see a quick virtual tour of the capitol.   This was filmed by Michael Delaware, a REALTOR® in Southwest Michigan during a tour he was taking.  Take Capitol Tour

There are many interesting things about the Capitol.  The history is very interesting.  For a more historic look, please click the following link.  Your State Capitol

An Experience That Most Michigan Citizens Will Never Have

The state capitol is an amazing building.  There was a time when it was in very rough shape, but in the late 80s and early 90s, the state embarked on a restoration process that really made the capitol itself a work of art.  Please click the link to get more information on the renovation project. Michigan Capitol Renovation

One of the highlights of being a part of Youth In Government is that the delegates actually get to go on the chamber floor, sit at the desks, use the podiums and mics, and become legislators.  They discuss bills, make amendments, and vote on legislation.  Here are a few of this year's delegation on the chamber floor.  Some are in the House and some are in the Senate.

James and Jacob on the Senate Floor

                                             Kennedy in the House

 Stephanie in the House

                        Taylor in the House from the Gallery









Hannah in the Senate

Swearing In of the 2013 SHS YIG Delegation

Today is the first day of serious business.  The students, or delegates as they are called at the conference, have a long day of meeting in committees and being in session.  But, all of that can't happen until they are actually sworn in as legislators.  The Honorable Judge E. Thomas Fitzgerald swore in the delegates this morning.

First Day of Youth in Government

Though the weather made things a little dicey,  we made it to Lansing for this year's Youth In Government Spring Conference.  We contacted Representative Cotter's office before we came down. They invited us to meet Representative Cotter in his office for pizza and conversation.  This went very well.  We were very grateful for this invitation.  We want to thank Representative Kevin Cotter and his staff (Matt and Anthony) for taking the time to meet with us.

We were able to see Rep. Cotter's office and where he works when he is not in meetings or when the legislature is not in session.  We went to their conference room to enjoy the pizza and talk about current political issues. We were very privileged to be able to sit and talk with Representative Cotter in a very relaxed setting.  It was especially meaningful having a connection to Representative Cotter, as he is a Shepherd High School alumnus.

Hadn't Thought of a Career In That Field

Here is a great opportunity for students in our area.  Please see the information below about careers in manufacturing.

Attention, Parents!

Bring your Middle School and High School Students to the Manufacturing Career Expo.  Together you can discover why manufacturing is a great career choice!

When:  Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Where:  Winding Brooke Conference Centre, Shepherd, MI

Time:  3:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Why You Should Attend…

The Career Expo will give you a chance to explore some of the vast career opportunities the world of manufacturing has to offer your son or daughter.  Information regarding scholarships sponsored by the Central Michigan Manufacturer’s Association will also be available at the venue.

Did You Know…

Career opportunities abound for all kinds of jobs in the advanced manufacturing industry with dozens of job titles from robotics operator to manufacturing engineer.  There is something for everyone from hands on (machine operator) to high-tech (semiconductor engineer) to creative (design engineer) to scientist (pharmaceutical researcher).  You can work at a manufacturing plant using your hands, in an office using computers to design parts, doing research in a lab or negotiating deals in a conference room.  You can work for a large firm or a small start-up or even explore entrepreneurial opportunities.

A recent report by Deloitte for the Manufacturing Institute, based on a survey of manufacturers, found that as many as 600,000 jobs are going unfilled.

2013-2014 Scheduling

It is hard to believe that it is already almost February.  Most people probably do not know that this is one of the busiest times of the year for the counselors who help with scheduling.  The process of preparing the Master Schedule for 2013-2014 start right now! We actually feel like we are little behind where we would like to be.

The main purpose of this post is to inform students and parents that we will be starting to meet with students to discuss and select classes for next year.  It really helps us out when students have taken some time before hand to think through their education and career plans.  Having some ideas in mind helps the counselors work with students.  There are a couple of things students should consider when planning for next year.

I think that all students should review their EDP on Career Cruising.  If you are a parent and you have never heard of this, ask your student.  They all have access to this application which provides a lot of information about careers and post-secondary education based on a student's interests.  If you need help with this, see a counselor.  Once the students have reviewed the EDP, here are some things to consider regarding their high school schedule.  Does taking a class through the Area Technical Center align with the student's career path?  Is it in the student's best interest to pursue dual enrollment options?  Would these dual classes work toward a particular degree?  Are there classes at Shepherd that should be taken to best prepare the student for the next step.  I can say that students who plan to attend a four-year university should be trying to take as many of the most rigorous courses we have in our core subjects.  Sometimes student steer away from these classes because they may not be required, but it is their best interest to take these content specific, rigorous course.

As all of the parents know, the time goes so quickly.  A little pre-planning can go a long way to ensuring that each student maximizes his/her potential!  As always, feel free to see a counselor or administrator is you have questions.

Five Greatest Predictors of Student Success

It seems that my office door should be one like those in busy city buildings that continuously revolve.  There are students, parents, teachers, administrative colleagues, vendors, agency representative, and others who need to meet for various reasons.  One common theme with students and parents is student success.  Of course, it is a primary goal that all students reach his/her highest potential and achieve success in their life.  I follow a blog by Tim Elmore.  He is very knowledgeable about behavior and social trends.  In a recent blog post, he discussed “The Five Greatest Predictors of Student Success.”  I thought it was very good for students and parents so I am sharing the link with you.  I hope you enjoy it.

http://growingleaders.com/blog/  It is the January 11, 2012 post.  

High School Has a Special Speaker About Bullying

On January 9, 2012, Shepherd High School had a special speaker come to speak to the middle school and high school about the topic of bullying.  The district has a clear policy on bullying, and we always want to promote positive relationships with our students that foster a positive learning environment.  In addition to the meetings that administrators have with student regarding bullying and what our expectations are for our learning environment, we also bring in outside experts and motivational speakers to help reinforce these messages.  The speaker this year was Tom Thelen.  He was well received by the students and the teachers.

As administrators, we always struggle with person or program we bring in to help support our goal to create a positive school culture.  We are often bombarded with offers from individuals or groups wanting to present at the school.  I am sure all of these are good, but we have to pass on most and pick and choose who we bring in based on timing, funding, and recommendations.

Mr. Thelen speaks all over the country, but he is right here in Michigan.  I know the student took a positive message away from his presentation.  Each person was probably struck in different ways.  But, there were a couple of things that struck me.  One of the biggest points Tom seemed to make was that students need to stand up for what is right when they see others being bullied or treated inappropriately.  He said that studies show that only 10% of the time others speak up when they are witnessing bullying.  The other 90% just sit and do nothing.  They may be afraid or just don't know what to do.  Tom pointed out that we each have the ability to support those who may be being bullied.  There are times when a simple, "Hey, knock it off." would work.  It could be sitting with a student at lunch a helping them be less of a "target" for those looking to bully others.  Mr. Thelen's message about "Being the Change" that make a difference to those who might be bullied.

Another key point that I took from the presentation was that often time bullying is a projection of an individual's own hurts.  The hurts from inside end up coming out in the form of bullying to cover over the individuals own hurts or make their hurts seem less significant.

Another key point was that sometimes people "self-bully."  Sometimes people hear a message about themselves that is negative or they meet failure at something and then tell themselves that they are not good or they are stupid, or ugly, and on and on.  Tom talked about the damage this "self-bullying" does and suggested that if a person found they were doing this that they find a person who can keep them accountable to not self-bully.  Most of the time people don't even know they are doing it.  With the help of other and time, people can slowly stop the self-bullying.

Though there were many good points, one other that struck me was how students respond to being bullied.  In an interesting way, Mr. Thelen was able to show how certain responses lead to increased or decreased difficulty.  It was a message of empowerment and coping skills.

We were glad to have Mr. Thelen present to the students.  If you are interested in finding out more information about Mr. Thelen, his website is http://tomthelen.com/.