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Good Shepherd Staff
Principal - Ms. Miller's Blog Ms. Terry Miller
This is my 7th year as principal of Good Shepherd School. I have lived in California all but five months of my life and graduated from Catholic elementary, high
school and college in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. I have taught in elementary and high school for eighteen years and have been a principal for eighteen
years, serving a total of thirty-six years in education! I have both a Lifetime Teaching Credential and an Administrative Service Credential along with a Master’s
Degree in Educational Administration. I love the Good Shepherd community of students, teachers and parents. Our diverse school community focused on
providing the BEST educational experience for their children makes it a joy to come to work each day.
Pre-K Director / Teacher - Ms. Hellstrom's Blog Ms. Petra Hellstrom
License #197413669
This coming school year I will begin my tenth year at Good Shepherd. After earning my BS in education at the University College of Gavle in Sweden, I moved
to Los Angeles and taught preschool for several years, then joined the staff of Good Shepherd in 2000. The first four years I taught second grade, followed
by kindergarten for two years. Three years ago, we opened the Good Shepherd Preschool, and I became the director and teacher. I hold a California multiple
subject teaching credential, and a Masters in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University. Teaching is the passion of my life. There is nothing
more inspiring than observing how a child learns, develops and masters new skills. To me, Good Shepherd is like a second home. I enjoy coming to work each
day thanks to supportive parents, wonderful students, and a great faculty and staff.
8th Grade - Mrs. Widmann's Blog Mrs. Lisa Widmann
I am a native Southern Californian. I have been teaching 8th grade at Good Shepherd Catholic School for nine years. My departmentalized areas include
Language Arts, Social Studies and Religion. I also teach 7th grade Literature. Currently, I am the Coordinator of the S.T.E.P. (Support Team Education Plan).
My teaching experience includes California State University Dominguez Hills, The Wiz private school, and St. Bernadette Catholic School. I believe in educating
the whole person so I bring my skills as a Thespian to Good Shepherd by directing a musical each year. I have performed in several non-equity stage and film
productions and share my love of the “Arts” with my students. Our school provides a safe and nurturing learning experience that challenges the mind and
nourishes the spirit and I am so proud to be a part of the Good Shepherd family. I am happily married and the proud mother of five Good Shepherd graduates.
7th Grade / Science - Ms. Bhakta's Blog Ms. Suzy Bhakta
This year will mark my 10th year teaching at Good Shepherd School. I have predominantly taught at the junior high level and science is my specialty. I like
teaching at Good Shepherd because the students are kind and well behaved and their families are caring and supportive. The faculty and staff are easy to
work with; everyone is so helpful and considerate. In December 2008, I graduated with a Masters in Counseling from USC. Good Shepherd has given me the
opportunity to continue to work on the hours I need to attain my license as a therapist. It has been a blessing to grow academically and spiritually along with
the children I teach.
Spanish/7th Math & Religion Ms. Hernandez-Ball Blog Ms. Angelica Hernandez-Ball
¡HOLA AMIGOS! I am so excited to now be a part of the Good Shepherd Family! Catholic education is something I hold very dear to my heart and I am overjoyed
that I am now able to share my love for God as well as my passion for education simultaneously here at Good Shepherd School. I am a Los Angeles native and
a graduate from California State University Long Beach with a B.A. in Spanish. During my undergrad, I was blessed to study abroad in Cuernavaca, México to
broaden my knowledge in language and culture, as well as provide me with opportunities in voluntary service to help those in need. I am now a proud member
of the PLACE Corps at Loyola Marymount University where I am currently pursuing my M.A. in Secondary Education as well as my Single Subject Teaching
Credential in Spanish. I am ardently looking forward to helping my students achieve their goals and follow their dreams to prepare them for a bright and
successful future!
6th Grade - Mrs. Dickson's Blog Mrs. Georgette Dickson
Being a teacher for twenty-eight years in both public and private schools in NJ and CA, my experience includes teaching in self-contained classrooms for 1st,
2nd, 5th, 6th grade and departmentalized 7th grade English, Science and Social Studies. I have taught elementary basic skills as a special education resource
teacher, as well as, a high school instructor for After School Study Skills program. While teaching 2nd grade at St. Bernardine of Siena School I was a
Sacramental Coordinator for the First Eucharist Program and a mentor teacher for the "Teacher to Teacher " program which provided support, classroom
instructional observations and seminars for first year and new teachers to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles schools. Additionally, I have taught junior high
summer school for English and Literature for 12 years at Our Lady of Grace School. I graduated from the College of NJ with a Bachelor of Science degree in
Elementary Education, K-8 with a Life Time Teaching Credential and have completed 26 units toward my Masters Degree in Special Education from Grand
Canyon University. I have two daughters that graduated from Catholic school in Woodland Hills. This is my third year at Good Shepherd and I enjoy teaching
here because our school creates a Christian-valued environment with high academic expectations. The faculty, principal and staff are supportive and helpful
to work with as a team for students' educational success.
5th Grade - Ms. Murphy's Blog Ms. Madeline Murphy
Attending Catholic school from kindergarten to high school in Pasadena has influenced my decision to return to the amazing morals that Good Shepherd
inspires. I recently graduated from Loyola Marymount with my Masters in Education while being a part of PLACE Corps, an amazing program in conjunction
with the Los Angeles Archdiocese. As I return for my second year at Good Shepherd, I will apply my wealth of information from my psychology and early
childhood education background. Good Shepherd has become like a second home for me. I enjoy getting to know each and every child on a personal basis,
in order to help them reach their full potential.
3rd Grade - Mrs. Centeno's Blog Mrs. Michelle Centeno
This will be my 11th year of teaching at Good Shepherd Catholic School. The majority of the time I have spent as the 3rd grade classroom teacher, however I
have also taught both 2nd and 5th grades. I have a Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University and am in the process of clearing my California
Credential. I am a mother of 2 GSCS students and enjoy sharing my knowledge of learning with them and all of the wonderful students at Good Shepherd. I
am thrilled to be part of a school that promotes Catholic beliefs and strives to give their students the tools they need to meet their academic needs with
confidence.
More Good Shepherd Staff
More Good Shepherd Staff
Good Shepherd Church Msgr. Thomas Welbers
As both a life-long, faithful Catholic and a priest for forty-one years, I owe a tremendous debt to Catholic education. I started in first grade (at St.
Elisabeth's in Van Nuys), and my faith and life have been deeply formed through Catholic schools and seminaries. Each of the seven parishes where I've
served could boast of a fine school as part of the fabric of parish life. Eleven years in Campus Ministry, working with students and faculty of secular
colleges and univiversities, has made me intensely aware of the importance of a solid grounding in the understanding of our faith as the foundation for
Christian life and leadership. I am delighted to be a part of Good Shepherd School's program to infuse academic excellence with strong Catholic identity to
ensure that our Church and world will have outstanding leaders in the years to come.









Admissions Director - Ms. Sharon Monroe
My work life has been varied… I came to Good Shepherd School from UCLA where I worked in both the Department of Medicine and the California
NanoSystems Institute. I have also worked in the Space and Communication Division of Hughes Aircraft Company, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and
Seattle University School of Law. I started my work life in education, where I was a teacher, science advisor, school coordinator and Vice Principal. I have
both California Life Teaching and Administrative Credentials and feel as if Good Shepherd is my “encore career”. I am a Los Angeles native, who has lived in
the Philippines, Japan and Seattle, but I keep coming back to Los Angeles. I am excited to be at Good Shepherd School and have the opportunity to work with
the wonderful faculty, staff, children and parents. Good Shepherd is a special place and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to tell others about what a
great school Good Shepherd is.