Greetings! 

I am so excited and fortunate  to be teaching at Jeannette Rankin Elementary and working with your child this year. It’s going to be a great year full of fun, learning, and adventure. I can’t wait to see what 2019-2020 has in store!

My husband, Nate, and I have lived in Missoula for 17 years. We moved here from Ann Arbor, Michigan where I was born and raised. For those of you who don’t know me, I am a HUGE Wolverine fan! I moved to Montana to live in the mountains where I would be able to access the outdoor activities I love such as: hiking, snow boarding, cross country skiing, rock climbing, and camping.

I have two children, Gabriel (11) and Alayna (14), who keep me busy when I am not at school. Gabe plays piano/percussion, hockey, and soccer. Alayna is a gymnast, dancer, and plays volleyball and the flute. They both love to ski as well!

This will be my 22 nd year of teaching! I taught 1st grade in Saline, Michigan after receiving my Elementary Teaching and Masters in Reading degrees from Eastern Michigan University. When I moved to Montana, I taught 7/8 grade English and 5th grade in Bonner while taking Educational Leadership classes at The University of Montana. Once I came to MCPS, I taught kindergarten at Lowell and then moved to Cold Springs/Jeannette Rankin and taught 2nd grade for 13 years. I’m excited to get back to 5 th grade this year!

I believe strongly that a winning combination for a successful school year is when a parent and teacher work together to monitor the child’s progress and well-being. Good communication is very important, so please help with me information you think I should know, and do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. Thank you for all that you do to support your child. I know we are going to have a wonderful year!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Shepard