🎒 YOUR WILDCAT JOURNEY BEGINS HERE // Families with a child who will be age 5 on or before September 1, 2026, are invited to register now for full-day kindergarten at Mechanicsburg Area School District. PLEASE SHARE with any MASD families who have an eligible child for kindergarten in the 2026-2027 school year!

To participate in The Wildcat Expedition — our special kindergarten orientation held later this spring at Kindergarten Academy — registration must be completed by April 1, 2026. During The Wildcat Expedition, families are introduced to Kindergarten Academy while incoming Wildcats enjoy age-appropriate activities and screenings designed just for them — a meaningful first step into their school experience.

Learn more and begin the registration process 🔗 www.mbgsd.org/registration

We can’t wait to welcome our future Wildcats. 💜

#WildcatPride
about 15 hours ago, MBGSD
A graphic of a cartoon wildcat and a message, "Your Journey Begins Here: Kindergarten Registration Now Open."
🧦 HEY JASON AND COURTNEY, YOU KNOCKED OUR SOCKS OFF // Huge shoutout to Jason Petrello and Courtney Robison for stepping up in a big way last week, all in the name of a beloved Shepherdstown Elementary School tradition. When plans for the holiday sing-along had to pivot at the last minute, Jason went home over lunch to grab his guitar so the sing-along could continue, while Courtney jumped in to lead the vocals.

Thanks to their teamwork and willingness to say “we’ve got this,” our Wildcats still enjoyed a joyful community meeting. Tradition saved. Socks well earned. 💜

#WildcatPride #YouKnockedOurSocksOff
2 days ago, MBGSD
Two staff members holding branded socks as presented by the superintendent.
Holiday cheer is in full swing at Shep! 🎄✨

Students and staff showed off their festive spirit by wearing holiday pajamas and cozy sweaters this week. Smiles, laughter, and lots of seasonal joy filled the halls!
8 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday

🎄Festive fun in Phys Ed! Students celebrated the holiday season the past two weeks by participating in themed activity stations that kept everyone moving.

8 days ago, ShepOffice
Gym
Gym
Gym
🎉 December Community Meeting Highlights!

At our December Community Meeting, we celebrated our December Super Paws and recognized the amazing contributions of our students!

Our third grade students also interviewed Mrs. Baughman, our Supervisor of Elementary Education, and Mrs. Wells, our Reading Instructional Assistant, to learn more about their roles and support for our Wildcats.

The meeting wrapped up with our annual sing-along, with Mr. Petrello on guitar and Mrs. Robison stepping in to lead the students in song! 🎶 What a wonderful way to celebrate community and holiday cheer together!
8 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
Community meeting
Community meeting
Community meeting
Community meeting

❄️🍪☕ A Winter Treat for Our Shep Staff!

Today, our staff enjoyed a cozy surprise with cookies and hot cocoa from the Cookies and Cocoa Cart!

9 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
Cookies and cocoa
Cookies and cocoa
Cookies and cocoa

❤️🖤 Plaid was everywhere at Shep on Friday! Students showed off their favorite flannel during Day 5 of Winter Spirit Week.

9 days ago, ShepOffice
Flannel fun
Flannel fun
Flannel fun
Spirit Week fun continues! Day 4 was a sweet success with students and staff showing off their red and white candy-cane style! ❤️🤍
12 days ago, ShepOffice
Candy Canes
Candy Canes
Candy Canes
Candy Cane
❄️🤍Today was Dress Like Snow day! Students wore white and helped turn our school into a winter wonderland!
13 days ago, ShepOffice
Snow Day
Snow Day
Snow Day
Holiday sock spirit was on full display at Shep today! 🧦✨ Students and staff had fun showing off their festive footwear.
14 days ago, ShepOffice
Holiday Socks
Holiday Socks
Holiday Socks
Holiday Socks
Holiday Socks
Holiday Socks
Holiday Socks

TWO-HOUR DELAY // Due to the possibility of a refreeze, all Mechanicsburg Area School District schools will be operating on a two-hour delay tomorrow, Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Special shoutout to our crews at MASD and the road crews in our local municipalities and PennDOT for all of their hard work in making sure roads, parking lots, and sidewalks are passable and safe for our Wildcats!

15 days ago, MBGSD
Two hour delay graphic
🎁 IT TAKES A VILLAGE // Huge thanks to our incredible school social workers and our amazing community volunteers who came together again this holiday season to support Wildcat families through the Sheetz for the Kidz program.

Bundled up and full of generosity, this team worked side by side to pack and distribute holiday gifts—making the season a little brighter for families across our district. We’re so grateful for the care, compassion, and community spirit that make moments like this possible.

#WildcatPride
16 days ago, MBGSD
Ladies surrounded by lots of red bags full of gifts.
A lady in a white jacket holding a red bag full of holiday gifts.
A pile of green bags full of holiday gifts.
A lady in a red cap and black jacket holding a red bag full of holiday gifts.

✨🎉 Spirit Week is officially underway at Shepherdstown! 🎉✨

Today, we kicked things off with students and staff showing their festive flair by wearing their favorite holiday accessories. From bright colors to fun seasonal touches, the energy in our halls is full of cheer and excitement! We can’t wait to see the spirit continue all week long.

🧦 Tomorrow is Festive Sock Day!

16 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
Spirit
Spirit
Spirit
Spirit
Spirit
Spirit
✨ Twinning in 1st Grade! ✨

Miss Gartner and her student showed up matching from head to toe!
19 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
Twinning
📚 First Grade Readers & Writers in Action! ✏️

Our first graders are hard at work during CKLA—building strong reading foundations, practicing partner reading, and growing their writing skills each day! We love seeing their excitement as they explore new stories and share their ideas on paper.

Way to go, Wildcats! 🐾📖
20 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
Readers
Readers
Writers
Writers
🍽️ Special Moments at Shep 🍽️ There’s something special about slowing down and sharing a meal together! Today, Mrs. Locy enjoyed lunch with a group of second graders. Moments like these remind us why Shep is such a great place to learn and grow. 💙🐾
25 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
lunch
🎄 THANK YOU, MECHANICSBURG! // Please help us give thanks to our friends at Operation Wildcat for another successful Project Tannenbaum distribution night. Because of their hard work — and our generous community — 76 families received trees, ornaments, lights, wreaths, garland, stockings, and more. 💜

Special thanks to every volunteer and supporter who donated, sorted, organized, and distributed items. Your kindness continues to brighten the season for our Wildcats. 🐾

🎁 LAST CALL TO SUPPORT PROJECT GIFT BOX! Operation Wildcat is still welcoming gift card donations to help support families across the district. Gift cards may be dropped off at the MASD District Office (600 S. Norway St.) no later than today, Friday, December 5, 2025.

Sign up: https://www.timetosignup.com/operationwildcat/sheet/1379347/
Learn more: https://www.operationwildcat.org/projects

📸 Photos courtesy Operation Wildcat.

#WildcatPride
26 days ago, MBGSD
A group of volunteers standing in a hallway.
Holiday trees lining a hallway.
Two volunteers sitting at a table.
Two men sorting artificial holiday trees.
Chilly Day, Big Smiles!

❄️🥶 A chilly December day didn’t stop our Wildcats from getting a special picture with Kosmo! Lots of smiles, warm hearts, and one very happy pup. 💙🐾
27 days ago, Dave Echelmeier
Kosmo
Kosmo

🎉 Happy 67th Day of School! 🎉

Our Shep staff joined in on the “6–7” trend today with a fun spirit day, showing off their best 6–7 themed shirts to celebrate our 67th day of school! 💙

27 days ago, ShepOffice
67TH DAY OF SCHOOL
67TH DAY OF SCHOOL
67TH DAY OF SCHOOL
67TH DAY OF SCHOOL
67

🎁 PROJECT GIFT BOX // Our friends at Operation Wildcat – Mechanicsburg, PA are once again spreading joy throughout our community by helping ensure a bright holiday season for our Wildcats.

Operation Wildcat is inviting community members to support this year’s Project Gift Box by donating gift cards, which will be shared with families across the district. Currently, more than 200 opportunities to give still remain. Every contribution makes a meaningful difference.

Gift cards may be dropped off at the Mechanicsburg Area School District Office (600 S. Norway St.) no later than Friday, December 5, 2025. The District Office is closed through Monday, December 1, and will reopen from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. To sign up: https://www.timetosignup.com/operationwildcat/sheet/1379347/

To learn more about Project Gift Box and the many ways Operation Wildcat supports our school community, please visit their website. https://www.operationwildcat.org/projects 

#WildcatPride

about 1 month ago, MBGSD
A fall craft display holding gift cards.