After eight remarkable years at Shamrock Gardens Elementary—six of those as our fearless principal—we say a heartfelt goodbye to Ms. Potter. Ms. Potter has led with vision and resilience, steering our school through a major building renovation, temporary relocation, and the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. She did it all with a calm strength and focus on what mattered most: our scholars.

Shamrock would not be the Shamrock we know and love without her leadership, compassion, and dedication. While we are sad to see her go, we are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she’s had on our community.

We wish her the very best in her next endeavors—you will always have a home at SGE, Ms. Potter!

While we're going to miss her more than we can say, we're also incredibly happy for Ms. Tillman's well-earned next chapter. Ms. Tillman has been a huge part of Shamrock for the past 30+ years, not just as the school's treasurer, but also as a parent and grandparent of SGE scholars. Whether it was giving a scholar a hug or pep talk to help them through their day, working behind the scenes to help Shamrock operate smoothly, or just being a friendly face in the hallway, Ms. Tillman has made a difference in the lives of all Shamrock scholars. 

Thank you, Ms. Tillman, for everything. You've been such a big part of what makes Shamrock a special place. Enjoy every moment of retirement—you've definitely earned it! 

Allen has been involved with the PTA for the past several years. He leads our Lucky Dads group and helps coordinate that team of dads when volunteer support is needed. But Allen is more well known because rain, snow, or shine, he is out front EVERY morning directing traffic into Shamrock. When Allen noticed that morning traffic was becoming a problem, he jumped in. Since that first day last fall he has made sure to not miss a morning. This is not a paid job for Allen. He does this out of the kindness of his heart and the joy of helping scholars arrive at school safely each morning. If you pass Allen out front in the morning, please roll down your window to show him your thanks! We appreciate you, Allen! 

Andrea has been an integral part of the PTA for the past three years. She started as Events Co-Chair and Social Media Chair and more recently has been the Executive Vice President, handling fundraising. For the past two years, Andrea has been in charge of generating income so the PTA could fund all of its programming, activities, and staff support. Whether it was sending out emails to potential donors or CMS facilities managers at 5:30am or helping the Shuffle generate over $50,000, Andrea has helped Shamrock to be successful for years to come.

Without her hours and hours of work each week, the PTA would not have been able to fund all the teacher meals and treats, scholar events, and capital improvements like the outdoor classroom, playground shade and turf. She has poured her heart into Shamrock, and we are so lucky to have her! Thank you, Andrea for your tireless efforts and selfless service!  

You may not see Laura around the school or know what she does because she is the woman behind the curtain. She runs the PTA's Helping Hands Committee that volunteers every Wednesday to copy, laminate, and sort all the flyers and learning materials in the school. Every flyer you see in your Thursday folders was likely copied and sorted by Laura and her team. With this support, the teachers and staff can continue to devote their time to planning and teaching our scholars. Thank you, Laura for all that you have done for Shamrock these past several years. We will miss you!

Join us this Saturday, May 31st, at 8:00am, to help complete the final touches on SGE’s Edible Walkway at the intersection of Anne Street and Country Club Drive. This special planting day is more than just getting our hands in the soil—it’s a heartfelt tribute to Principal Potter and Ms. Tillman for their many years of service. We’ll be dedicating the walkway to Principal Potter and a bench along the path to Ms. Tillman. Everyone is welcome, and no experience is necessary. The more hands we have, the quicker we'll finish (likely by 10:00-10:30am). Sign up to volunteer here, and join us for a morning of community, gratitude and growth!

Get ready for a day full of fun, teamwork, and friendly competition! Field Day will be held on June 4th (with a rain date of June 6th). Grades K-2 will participate from 8:50-11:10am, and grades 3-5 from 12:00-2:10pm. Scholars will participate in various outdoor games and challenges designed to encourage physical fitness, cooperation, and school spirit. 

Scholars should wear comfortable clothing and sneakers (NO dresses, skirts, bathing suits, flip flops, or sandals). Hats may be worn, and sunscreen should be applied before school. There will be water activities, so scholars should pack a change of clothes and towel. If you do not want your scholar to get wet or participate in field day, send a written note to your scholar's teacher by Friday, May 30th. 

We need about 40 volunteers for each group to make sure the day goes smoothly, so sign up to volunteer here! And even if you don't volunteer, we encourage all families to join and cheer on our scholars.

School's .... out ... for ... summer! Have a wonderful, safe break! A couple events to look forward to over the summer:

• Sunday, July 20th at 3:00pm: Rising Kindergarten Summer Playdate at Veteran's Park
• Thursday, August 14th at 4:30pm: Lucky's Birthday Party in the school cafeteria! Rising 1st through 5th graders will receive their teacher assignments.