I am loving the support Shepherd is receiving

[Anonymous]

I'm not bitter. At all. I do think, as I shared with our old principal recently (from another school, and who agreed with me), that 30 million dollars spent should have some oversight. Saying that does not make me a hater. I gave honest reasons why Shepherd didn't work for us. That also doesn't make me a hater. Now, being called a hater whenever I ask a simple question like... "What is the money from the fundraiser going for?" That might make me dislike some of you... But I am definitely not alone in that.

[Anonymous]

We would also happily give Shepherd more money if they outlined a few solid fundraising goals and the budgets for same.

[Anonymous]

I am not calling you a hater, I simply want to know why you continue to be obsessed with this school that you aren't at? It's really not healthy. Move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I repeat: we are all sitting in our giant houses typing away. I am just the outlier who admits I don't like Shepherd. I still want to! And I hope the gala is awesome. Hopefully they will raise money for productive that their thirty million dollar renovation has not yet provided. Ponies? Ant farms for all? We seem to have ruled out band instruments, or playworks, or expanding the after school offerings.

You have to educate yourself on some of these points. They received a 10k donation for all new music equipment over a year ago. After school offering has been expanded to double of enrichment programs such as math mania, chess, lego robotics and etc.

[Anonymous]

I am ok with peoples opinions but what bothers me is people work off of notions from 3-5 years ago when it comes to Shepherd. A lot has happened in the last 2 years but folks tend to hold on to what was mentioned in a thread 3 years ago. Every school has its issues but rather than continue with the miscommunication of issues educate on what has been done and achieved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. You sad sweet summer children. I'm like the most positive critical poster you could ever have. Unlike many, I believe in Shepherd. I support it. I think you actually make the school look worse in the way that you booster it. It is not just a jack and Jill enclave, it is not just a school for the affluent, and it had a lot going for it that the jklm schools do not.

Sadly, it also had some Shepherd parents, sitting in their giant houses with large glasses of gin and more than a little ego.

17:35 here. I don't have a kid at Shepherd and I live in a small 1400 sq foot house. I literally just think you are crazy and should let go of your bitterness.

PP has proven that she is little "off". Like a moth to a flame, she cannot help herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I repeat: we are all sitting in our giant houses typing away. I am just the outlier who admits I don't like Shepherd. I still want to! And I hope the gala is awesome. Hopefully they will raise money for productive that their thirty million dollar renovation has not yet provided. Ponies? Ant farms for all? We seem to have ruled out band instruments, or playworks, or expanding the after school offerings.

You have to educate yourself on some of these points. They received a 10k donation for all new music equipment over a year ago. After school offering has been expanded to double of enrichment programs such as math mania, chess, lego robotics and etc.

Actually I believe the music teacher did the work for this, securing the finding on his own then having it funneled through the PTA. I believe he said that at the PTA meeting I attended. He is quite an accomplished musician and kind man, but he seems overwhelmed without an assistant to help when kids get rowdy in class.

[Anonymous]

NP. I have nothing against Shepherd Elementary, and I have several friends who live in the neighborhood and enjoy it, but I do really dislike a couple of Shepherd boosters who post on threads like these. They often make up facts about their own school.neighborhood, and also enjoy trashing other schools/neighborhood. Because I have friends in Shepherd Park, I know most people in the neighborhood aren't like that. But these boosters really make Shepherd Park look bad, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Posts like this highlight the separate and unequal education children are getting in the city. There is no way that our Title I school would even have this type of discussion. And before y'all jump on me and say that Title I schools get Title I funding so it all evens out. Newsflash, it does not. We're struggling to find enough funds to keep our Special Teachers every year and see where we can cut from our budget to keep our school psychologist full-time. These are real problems people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I repeat: we are all sitting in our giant houses typing away. I am just the outlier who admits I don't like Shepherd. I still want to! And I hope the gala is awesome. Hopefully they will raise money for productive that their thirty million dollar renovation has not yet provided. Ponies? Ant farms for all? We seem to have ruled out band instruments, or playworks, or expanding the after school offerings.

You have to educate yourself on some of these points. They received a 10k donation for all new music equipment over a year ago. After school offering has been expanded to double of enrichment programs such as math mania, chess, lego robotics and etc.

Actually I believe the music teacher did the work for this, securing the finding on his own then having it funneled through the PTA. I believe he said that at the PTA meeting I attended. He is quite an accomplished musician and kind man, but he seems overwhelmed without an assistant to help when kids get rowdy in class.

Flat out WRONG, ex-PTA president cultivated the relationship with the philanthropist who donated. The music teacher didn't even know anything about it until they were in talks.

[Anonymous]

Back to the OP's original point. Best wishes to Shepherd in raising money for their school. Galas are a great way to get the community and parents involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. I have nothing against Shepherd Elementary, and I have several friends who live in the neighborhood and enjoy it, but I do really dislike a couple of Shepherd boosters who post on threads like these. They often make up facts about their own school.neighborhood, and also enjoy trashing other schools/neighborhood. Because I have friends in Shepherd Park, I know most people in the neighborhood aren't like that. But these boosters really make Shepherd Park look bad, IMHO.

NP and not Shepherd affiliated. I have never seen a Shepherd booster put down another school, it's usually the other way around, any time there is a pro Shepherd thread other, more affluent school posters put Shepherd down. Do you have any links to substantiate this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. I have nothing against Shepherd Elementary, and I have several friends who live in the neighborhood and enjoy it, but I do really dislike a couple of Shepherd boosters who post on threads like these. They often make up facts about their own school.neighborhood, and also enjoy trashing other schools/neighborhood. Because I have friends in Shepherd Park, I know most people in the neighborhood aren't like that. But these boosters really make Shepherd Park look bad, IMHO.

NP and not Shepherd affiliated. I have never seen a Shepherd booster put down another school, it's usually the other way around, any time there is a pro Shepherd thread other, more affluent school posters put Shepherd down. Do you have any links to substantiate this?

I agree with the first poster, no links (where are yours?), but the boosters do come across as pushy and us vs. them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A seated dinner cots more and severely limits attendance numbers. If the goal is to raise money rather than honor people then you don't do seated dinner. Who knows how many people you are turning away when you hit a low capacity cap?

I have done galas at 4+ different schools and attended lots more. If you have around 300 kids in the school your goal should be about a 70% attendance rate out of 600 (or so given either both parents attending or single parents bringing someone with them), plus staff with them bringing someone with them and community members who may want to attend. A 350 cap is much too low. Take the seated dinner out and your cap would go up a lot-- with a lot more tickets sold.

Just some helpful hints. Take it or leave it.

The school has 350 students and the gala has sold over 300 tickets, I think that is excellent. No one goes to the Mayflower for light food and drinks. You have to cater to your audience and what they feel a $125 ticket should command. Shepherd Gala use to be one of the highlights of DC social scene for the middle-upper class AA community. There is a history to this that i believe it is not known.

Proof? Most upper SES AA families in SP have been going private for at least two generations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A seated dinner cots more and severely limits attendance numbers. If the goal is to raise money rather than honor people then you don't do seated dinner. Who knows how many people you are turning away when you hit a low capacity cap?

I have done galas at 4+ different schools and attended lots more. If you have around 300 kids in the school your goal should be about a 70% attendance rate out of 600 (or so given either both parents attending or single parents bringing someone with them), plus staff with them bringing someone with them and community members who may want to attend. A 350 cap is much too low. Take the seated dinner out and your cap would go up a lot-- with a lot more tickets sold.

Just some helpful hints. Take it or leave it.

The school has 350 students and the gala has sold over 300 tickets, I think that is excellent. No one goes to the Mayflower for light food and drinks. You have to cater to your audience and what they feel a $125 ticket should command. Shepherd Gala use to be one of the highlights of DC social scene for the middle-upper class AA community. There is a history to this that i believe it is not known.

Proof? Most upper SES AA families in SP have been going private for at least two generations.

OMG stop with this nonsense. Who CARES??? I am an IB Shepherd resident with kids starting this fall. Kids in our neighborhood go to charters, private other DCPS schools, and ...gasp...Shepherd. A mix of schools are represented in our neighborhood just like every other neighborhood in the city. Shepherd Park/Colonial Village is not a monolith, we all do not have a shared history, and we all do what is right for our families and our kids.