Sponsor: Stefanie Guggenheim, Room 308, sguggenheim@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None, besides a passion for helping animals!
Season: September-May

Description: The Animal Rights Club is a wonderful forum for students who have a desire for helping all kinds of animals. Members meet bi-weekly in a welcoming environment to discuss animal related issues, plan fundraisers, raise awareness for animal-related causes, and educate their peers about animal cruelty. We focus on a wide range of animal welfare causes so that each student gets to promote positive change in an area that they are passionate about.

Sponsor: Alex Rummelhart, arummelhart@dps109.org, Room 105
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, but a love of reading is welcome

Description: Shepard Book Club welcomes students from across all grade levels.  The members meet and share their love of interesting books while enjoying refreshments.  The members often read the same book for the group discussion, but activities and how they select the book do vary. They learn about the authors and use the internet to expand beyond the book to bring background and resources to enrich the topics for discussion.  It is a fun and friendly conversation, so if you do not have time to read the selection for that session you can come and just enjoy the company of your friends and share what good books you might have read.  It is a great time relax and to engage in interesting conversations with all voices being equal.  Hope you think about becoming a member!

Director: Christine Wells, Music Room 408, cwells@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Audition only, previous choir experience preferred, membership in grade-level Chorus or Ensemble required.
Season: September-May

Description: The Shepard Middle School Choir Program forms a vital and important part of the total middle school experience. The main emphasis of the choir program is on musicianship and the pride of accomplishment, followed closely by citizenship, tradition, morale, spirit, and loyalty. It is the pride of a job well done and the accomplishments achieved that make the sacrifices and commitment worthwhile. It is possible, by managing activities and academics carefully, to have a highly successful choral experience in middle school and still maintain high scholastic standing.

The Shepard Middle School Choir program offers students an opportunity to perform and sing in concert performances at school and various other venues. Students are encouraged to explore their creativity through the aesthetic communication of various styles of choral music, and this year will have input on our rehearsal and performance song choices.

Shepard Chamber Singers is brand new, advanced choral group made up of 6th-8th grade students who sing and perform 4 part advanced and sometimes a cappella choral literature of many different styles and genres.

Visit the Chamber Singers website.

Directors: Christine Wells (Shepard), cwells@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, but a love of music and dance is welcome!
Season: August-May (auditions in early May for the following year)

Description: Open to all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in Deerfield via audition, this show choir rehearses twice a week, learns 3 and 4-part harmony pieces and complex choreography. Students participate in approximately three competitions plus other non-competitive performance events, including all choral concerts, fine arts performing group school assemblies, and community outreach.  We learn singing, dancing, collaborative teamwork skills, and 5-6 songs for our competitive performances. Students must audition for this group and, if asked to participate, must participate in a choir at their home school. There is an additional fee for wardrobe, choreography, and transportation.

Rehearsals: Tuesdays, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (choreography at Caruso) and Fridays 4:00-6:00 p.m. (vocals at Shepard)

Performances and Events: August 2-day retreat, 2 Caruso assemblies, 2 Shepard assemblies, December Preview Concert, All District Choir Concerts, Hinsdale’s Got Talent Event, Spring Celebration, 1-2 public events, 3 competitions*

Visit the Show Choir website.

Sponsor: Alex Rummelhart, Room 105, arummelhart@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, but a love of chess, games, puzzles or logic is helpful
Season: September-May, with winter and early spring as the primary focus.

Description: Chess club is a great club for anyone learning about the “game of kings” or expert players. Here we learn the game, discuss strategy and tactics, apply our learning to help grow our minds, and of course play each other in friendly matches and tournaments.

Director: Janet Butterfield, jbutterfield@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, but a love of music
Season: August-June

Visit the band website. 

Sponsor: Nikki Tye, ntye@dps109.org; Dayna Divenere, ddivenere@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, but a love for creativity, teamwork, building, and improvisational acting.
Season: October-February

Description: The Destination Imagination program is a fun, hands-on system of learning that fosters students’ creativity, courage and curiosity through open-ended academic Challenges in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), fine arts and service learning. Our participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem solving process. Teams may showcase their solutions at a tournament.

Visit the District 109 DI webpage.

Sponsor: Jon Wolfe, jwolfe@dps109.org; Christian Ball cball@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None
Season: March-May 

Description: The SMS Drone racing club allows students the chance to learn a variety of drone piloting skills as well as compete in races through obstacle courses. Students will learn to pilot drones, troubleshoot drone errors and fix physical components caused by flight damage. Drones are supplied and we welcome all students from the avid pilot to those who may have never even seen or know what a drone is! 

Director: Christine Wells, Music Room 408, cwells@dps109.org
Student ages: 7th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, previous experience in 6th grade chorus preferred
Season: September-May

Description: The Shepard Middle School Choir Program forms a vital and important part of the total middle school experience. The main emphasis of the choir program is on musicianship and the pride of accomplishment, followed closely by citizenship, tradition, morale, spirit, and loyalty. It is the pride of a job well done and the accomplishments achieved that make the sacrifices and commitment worthwhile. It is possible, by managing activities and academics carefully, to have a highly successful choral experience in middle school and still maintain high scholastic standing.

The Shepard Middle School Choir program offers students an opportunity to perform and sing in concert performances at school and various other venues. Students are encouraged to explore their creativity through the aesthetic communication of various styles of choral music, and this year will have input on our rehearsal and performance song choices.

Shepard Ensemble is made up of 7th-8th grade students who sing and perform 3-4 part intermediate choral literature of many different styles and genres.

Ensemble Website

Sponsor: Mike Richardson, mrichardson@dps109.org, Room 505
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Fishing knowledge and experience are not required.  The club is open to all students who enjoy the outdoors and are interested in fishing.

Season: Sept. - June

Description: 

Sponsor: Alison Chroman achroman@dps109.org, Meredith McDermott mmcdermott@dps109.org, Lisa Markarian lmarkarian@dps109.org 
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: All are welcome
Season: October-May

Description: The GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) is a club where all are welcome. This club will bring together LGBTQ and straight students to support each other and talk about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity expression. The goal of GSA is to help our school be safe and inclusive for all students.

Sponsor: Stefanie Guggenheim, Room 308, sguggenheim@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required.
Season: September-April

Description: Improv club is a great place for anyone who wants to express creativity, increase confidence, think on their feet, work as a team, and get a good laugh in each week! The club will participate in a wide variety of improvisation and theatre games to gain an invaluable skill set and prepare for an optional act in the Shepard Variety Show. Improv club meets on Thursdays after school.

Sponsor: Alison Chroman, Room 101, achroman@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Desire to help others who are looking to enhance their socialization and meet new people
Season: Year round

Description: Lunch Buddies is a great way to get involved at Shepard DURING the school day.  This is a lunch group that meets year round as a way for students to increase their socialization and communication skills in a small, inviting environment.  It is also a great opportunity for those students who are “experts” in these areas to help their peers as well.  We eat, converse, play games and laugh a ton!

Director: Tom Samorian, Room 206, tsamorian@dps109.org; and Christine Wells, cwells@dps109.orgStudent ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, but a love of music, dance, theater, and/or stage arts is welcome!
Season: First meeting is usually in December with auditions in January.  Rehearsals are Mondays through Thursdays from around the third week in January until the show opens the third week of March.  Rehearsals are from 3-5 except for tech. week (the final week leading up to performance) when they’re from 6pm-9pm.  Students are NOT required at every rehearsal (Monday-Thursday), but they do need to come when scheduled (we make every effort to schedule rehearsals for students around conflicts given).

Description: The musical is a terrific opportunity for students to work in the arts (both on and off stage).  The current musical program has students working on sets, lights, sound, props, costumes, as well as performing onstage.  This program reinforces the skills of working with other while promoting the importance of the arts in our daily lives.

Musical Website

Sponsor: Suzanne Molloy, smolloy@dps109.org, Room 104
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required,but a love writing and a desire to collaborate with other students is helpful!
Season: Year round

Description: Newspaper club is a great club for any student who loves to write. We publish student work for the Shepard Community to read and enjoy. Students may publish any original piece- our newspaper has a variety of articles, poems, recipes, reviews, short stories, etc. Before each publication, we meet as a staff to edit and revise work.

Sponsor: Lisa Markarian, lmarkarian@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Students should be open-minded, collaborative, helpful, good listeners, and problem solvers.
Season: All year, as needed

Description: Peer Mediation is open to students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.  The group meets on Wednesday mornings as needed throughout the year.

Sponsors: Julie Andrews, jandrews@dps109.org; Lisa Odden, lodden@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade

Sponsor: Laura Ashman, lashman@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Enthusiasm and ideas!
Season: September – May

Description: The sky is the limit in helping others. Shepard Philanthropists come with positive energy and ideas to help contribute to important causes both in and outside of our community. The goal is to create a giving environment within our school, while helping those in need. Encouraging inclusion, a giving spirit, and the desire to affect change for those in need are key.

Sponsor: Erika Yaffe, eyaffe@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, bring your own camera or use the school iPads
Season: September-May

Description: Photography!  It is a wonderful creative media that can communicate and inspire.  Photography club members decide on their own photo shoots including seasonal, school activities, trick photography, and photography as art.  

Sponsor: Todd Hyde, thyde@dps109.org, in the lunchroom
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required
Season: January-May

Description: Whether you are an expert or and just a beginner, Ping Pong Club can be a great way to have fun and make new friends. To join you will need to turn in a completed participation form and pay the participation fee.  We will end the year with the cross-town tournament against Caruso.  If you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask.

Directors: Christine Wells, cwells@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisites: None required, but a love of music and dance is welcome!  Students in this group are required to participate in band, orchestra, or choir at their home school.
Season: August-May (auditions in early May for the following year)

Description: Open to all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in Deerfield 109, this show choir will meet one time per week, learn singing, dancing, collaborative teamwork skills, and 2-3 songs at a time. While this group is non-competitive, students will perform at all choral concerts and fine arts performing group school assemblies, as well as public venues and community outreach. Students may elect only to audition for this group, or for both the competitive and non-competitive show choir groups. There is an additional fee for wardrobe, choreography, and transportation.

Rehearsals: Tuesdays, 4:30-5:45 p.m. (vocals and choreography at Caruso)

Performances: 2 Caruso assemblies, 2 Shepard assemblies, December Preview Concert, All District Choir Concerts, Hinsdale’s Got Talent Event, Spring Celebration, 1-2 public events

Pizzaz Website

Sponsor: Kelly Hunzinger, khunzinger@dps109.org, Room 201
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, but a love of poetry is welcome
Season: September-June

Description: 

Sponsor: Blaine Bowers, bbowers@dps109.org
Student ages: 7th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: 7th and 8th grade students only
Season: September-May.  Regional Science Fair is in March.  State Science Fair is in May by invitation.

Description: Students independently select, research, and experiment a project of their choice.  There are 19 different fields for the Regional Science Fair.  All students can participate at the Regional Science Fair, but the State Science Fair is by invitation.

Sponsor: Bonni Solomon, bsolomon@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Classroom bee winner
Season: January

Description:  All students will participate in their classroom spelling bee after winter break. One winner from each room will then compete in the school bee and be given a packet of words from which to study.  We follow the rules of the Scripps bee and the winner of the school bee will go on the regional competition.

Sponsor: TBD
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required, the desire to design and build
Season: First meeting is usually in December with auditions in January.  We work on design and building Mondays through Thursdays from around the third week in January until the show opens the third week of March.  Work days are from 3-5 except for tech. week (the final week leading up to performance) when they’re from 6pm-9pm.  Students are NOT required at every work day (Monday-Thursday), but they do need to come when scheduled (we make every effort to schedule rehearsals for students around conflicts given).

Description: Working on one of the crews for the musical is a terrific opportunity for students to work in the arts (both on and off stage).  The current musical program has students working on sets, lights, sound, props, and costumes.  This program reinforces the skills of working with other while promoting the importance of the arts in our daily lives.

Musical Website

Sponsor: Emily Gurner, egurner@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Students should be leaders, collaborative, and eager to help Shepard be the best possible school.
Season: All School Year – one morning a week at 7:25am

Description: Student Council offers students the opportunity to help lead and make changes throughout our school.  Student Council members promote school spirit, get the student body involved, and help out the school with any needed projects.  Student Council members get to help design projects and work with Mr. C for beautification projects throughout the school.

Student Council Website

Sponsor: Alex Rummelhart, arummelhart@dps109.org; Christian Ball, cball@dps109.org, Room 105
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: A love of frisbee and a desire to learn a new sport!
Season: Fall and Spring

Description: Ultimate club has many activities: we learn the rules of the game and how to play, we learn different types of frisbee throws and catches, we run fun drills to practice, and we play games of ultimate. We meet once a week as long as the weather is nice enough to play outside. Come join in the fun!

Sponsor: Christine Wells, cwells@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Showcase your musical, drama, dance, and other talents; solos, groups, and backstage crew are welcome!
Season: March (info meeting), April (2 rehearsals), May (school & evening performance)

Description: The annual Shepard Middle School Variety Show is a great opportunity for showcasing student creativity and effort. The event usually plays to a full house in the school auditorium during the day, and is open to the public at night. The students perform a variety of acts, which include vocal and/or instrumental music, dance, and drama. This a faculty-sponsored, student-led, non-competitive event that is just as fun to watch as it is to be a part of it!

To be in the Variety Show students must sign up using the online web form, attend two rehearsals and get faculty feedback, be present at the dress rehearsal and both performances.  Acts can be up to 2 ½ minutes in length, and students may participate in a total of 2 different acts. We also need help with student emcees, and a crew that does sound, lighting, and backstage. There will be an information meeting in early March.

Sponsor: Jon Wolfe, jwolfe@dps109.org; Alison Chroman, achroman@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None
Season: September-May (with a minimal 2 week committment to your assigned weeks)

Description: The Video Journalism Club offers students a chance to film, edit, and present news from around the school, called the SMS Student News. Students become reporters highlighting events, activities, games, projects and anything else of interest occurring at Shepard. The students shoot the footage on their own and then record the news during their lunch period that day.  The SMS Newscast is then broadcasted to the school community the following day.

Sponsor: Alison Chroman, achroman@dps109.org); Lisa Markarian (lmarkarian@dps109.org)
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: None required
Season: November-May (Typically during the school day at lunch, sometimes after school)

Description: Join us in making Shepard a place a compassion and kindness.  Come and talk about school related issues and problem solve to promote change through acceptance and kindness.  Foster empathy and awareness within our building by developing and implementing school-wide activities.

Sponsor: Jamie Mall, jmall@dps109.org, Room 203
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: 
Season: Sept - May

Description: If you love to dance and have fun, come join WERQ Fitness Club on Mondays in room 203. WERQ is a fierce and fun dance fitness class based on current pop, rock, and hip hop music. Enjoy high energy dance steps while working out to songs you love. 

Sponsors: Shenach Cameron, room 103, scameron@dps109.org; Tracy Layne, tlayne@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: Editing, writing, layout, photography, and organizational skills are all welcome!

Season/Description: September (informational meetings), with a mixture of in-school meetings, approximately monthly, and “assignments” (photographing school activities and working to create the yearbook online via their staff accounts) through submission at the end of March/beginning of April.  Students also help organize the distribution of yearbooks in May, and the supervisors schedule and run the Activity Day schedule for club photographs in March.

Sponsor: Shenach Cameron, Room 103, scameron@dps109.org
Student ages: 6th-8th Grade
Prerequisite skills: A love of creative narrative writing!
Season: January (informational meeting), February (submission and building judging), March (district judging), May (Young Authors conference at state)

Description: Students are invited to submit their creative writing.  Entries are judged according to a district-wide rubric, and the top 3 entries are sent forward to compete for one of the top 3 spots in DPS 109.  Those students qualify to go to ISU in May for a conference which showcases their talent, allows them to meet with fellow young authors, and introduces them to a variety of adult authors and illustrators who share their professional advice for aspiring writers.