Dear Shepherds Friends,

I’ll tempt fate a bit and start this September newsletter off optimistically anticipating a “normal”, healthy, in-person, be together, see each other’s smiling faces year!

What makes me think so? Independent of the health context (I’d rather not mention that other word perpetually lurking out there), Shepherds comes off a celebratory 2021-22 school year and has many exciting and we hope valuable events planned for the coming fall and year. This newsletter provides some of those details but most of all I want to identify a few themes.

The first is the extraordinary outpouring of generosity of those of you who mentor and sponsor our Shepherds student. I refer both to the current Classes of 2023 to 2025 mentors and sponsors as well as the incoming Class of 2026 mentors. And the generosity I’m talking about is not just the financial support, which is gratefully recognized, but as importantly, the time and attention you give your students. The last two plus years took a toll on the well-being of this population of young people in particular. You responded! We’ve witnessed your increased time attention and expressions of caring in the academic, social and even emotional growth of the students these past two plus years. A collective and deserved thank you!

The second is the sense that this September we are taking another step on Shepherds’ 24-year journey of “changing lives…one student at a time.” We’ll have 63 Shepherds students this year, our largest group in the last six years, an equal number of mentors, solid financial funding, and an expanded program of educational, social, and college prep programs. I am also pleased to make several announcements regarding our team of professionals supporting you.

The 2022 -23-year theme that I hope all constituents can feel and take advantage of this year is the attention and care we give our mentors, both one-on-one and in group activities. Our goal is to provide more opportunities to spend quality time with your student. Your input and engagement with those initiatives are both requested and appreciated.

Let’s have a great year!

DRM

Dear Shepherds Friends,

We here in the northeast know this time of year is a season of transitions – a driving cold rain one day, 70 degrees and shorts the next, birds returning to wake us, but probably most noticeable are the brighter mornings and longer days…..

Translate that to our everyday life here at Shepherds and we have the close-out of a great winter sports season for our two schools (Kolbe Cathedral in State basketball finals, Notre Dame winning State Hockey Finals!), finally indoor mentor and student events, the return to touring colleges, and this year, say Hallelujah, a healthier environment and at least a mask-optional school life for our students!

What does Spring bring Shepherds?  The exciting news is that our seniors are receiving a great number of college admissions letters with financial packages coming in, our juniors are getting serious about their grades and their prep work for the college, freshmen and sophomore teams rebuilding variably dormant Covid relationships, and our mentors and staff are jumping in with more organized activities for students and mentors to enjoy time together.

Here in Bridgeport, my colleagues and I are very actively recruiting and screening new mentors and reviewing and interviewing student applications for the incoming Class of 2026.  With 15 students graduating and the strong momentum of our organization, we hope to bring in at least 20 students this fall. To do so, we continue to need your support financially and networking for mentors and donors to support this large class.  All ideas are welcomed!

Our deep appreciation as always goes to Shepherds mentors, parents, and our school partners for the guidance and support you provide our 61 Shepherds students. We look forward to seeing more of your smiles many times this spring!

Dan

Dear Shepherds Friend,

What do the Super Bowl, the onset of serious basketball, the anticipation of spring training,  and the lowering of masking requirements have in common?

Spring is almost here! The first three have been long with us, the last we hope is soon long gone! For many these late winter months can be dreary, but for Shepherds they’re never weary… this is when Shepherds hits its stride.

Our students are in the heart of their academic year. We’re especially proud of the 32 Shepherds students who made their school’s Honor Rolls for the first semester. Our 15 Shepherds Seniors have received an impressive number of college acceptances and now await their financial packages.

Shepherds Mentors are engaging their students with in-person lunches and outside activities that help expand our students’ world beyond Bridgeport and New Haven.  Shepherds school liaisons have organized several student – mentor opportunities as the Newsletter describes. This is also the time when we begin building the students and mentors for the incoming Class of 2026.

As we await warmer days and shorter nights, spring’s optimism for the future has already sprung at Shepherds! Thank you to all the mentors who joined us at the January ND Mentor Appreciation Game Night and the February KCHS Mentor Appreciation Cocktail party. Here’s to our Mentors!

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to the sunny skies and bright futures of our wonderful students.

Dan

Dear Shepherds Friend,

The start of 2022 brings with it a feeling of a fresh start, and I don’t think it is just this very chilly weather! We have a great many exciting things to look forward to in the new year.

Firstly, Shepherds is excited to announce that Shepherds Alumna Gina Garzon, Shepherds/Trinity High School Class of 2005, will be joining the Shepherds board of Directors. Gina will be a great resource to our program. The entire Shepherds community welcomes her talents, experience, and ideas.

Over the past two years, the Shepherds team and community has perfected our motto of, ‘Adapt, Innovate and Overcome.” The new year gives us another chance to build on what we’ve experienced and learned and do a better job at accomplishing our education, social, and development goals.

• Education: Our school partners, in particular, have adapted and overcome. Kudos to them for achieving the priority of what is most important and most at risk for our young people. Both of our partner schools are back fully in-person in the classroom, following appropriate health safety protocols and precautions, and being flexible as needed for individual circumstances.
• Our Shepherds Liaisons are closely tracking academic performance and intervening swiftly with helpful guidance and support as we approach the end of the first semester. All mentors are welcome to reach out to either Lisa Matson (KCHS) or Martie Giammatteo (NDWH) if they have concerns.
• Social: On top of academic support, each school’s liaison is organizing fun student-mentor activities to encourage the post-holiday re-connection of our student-mentor teams. Recognizing the challenges that Omicron presents, flexibility and potential rescheduling are part of their game plans and will be communicated in advance. I encourage mentors and students to make the effort if all parties feel safe in the settings planned for events.
• Development: There are two critical elements in addition to our students and their families that keep Shepherds going: Mentors and Money. This month we begin our recruiting process for mentors and financial sponsors for the Shepherds Class of 2026. We also begin the process of identifying prospective Shepherds students for this Class with our partner schools.

I invite all members of the Shepherds community to think about and invite any friends, family members, work colleagues whom they think might be interested      in joining the Shepherds team as a mentor or a financial sponsor to contact me or Jane MacDonald to discuss the opportunity.  KCHS mentors are welcome to      invite a mentor “candidate” to our Mentor Appreciation event on Feb 10. See below for more information.

Thank you to all mentors, students, families, our partner schools, and supporters for continuing to be such generous and considerate believers in the Shepherds’ mission. You are truly changing lives!

Dan