Principal – Ms. Terry Miller

This year marks my 10th year as principal of Good Shepherd. In the last ten years, I have seen Good Shepherd School grow in all areas, teacher excellence, outstanding academics, advanced technology, an improving athletic program and many parent activities, both social and educational. It has been satisfying to be part of that growth. I have spent my whole life in Catholic Education having attended Catholic elementary, high school and college in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. 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. I am excited about this school year and our continued growth into a competitive school on the Westside. Our focus on STEM will expand to include an added component, the ARTS, so this year, we will focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math).

Good Shepherd Church – Msgr. Thomas Welbers

As both a life-long, faithful Catholic and a priest for  forty-two 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 universities, 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.

Vice Principal / Pre-K Director / Teacher – Ms. Petra Hellstrom (License #197413669)
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There is nothing more inspiring and rewarding than observing how a child learns, develops and masters new skills.  This year will be my thirteenth year at Good Shepherd.  I have taught both kindergarten and 2nd grade at Good Shepherd and in 2006, when we opened our Preschool, I became the Director.  I hold a California multiple subject teaching credential and a Masters in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University.  Through the years I have seen our school go through many changes to improve student learning.  This year I will share the job of Vice Principal with Mrs. Widmann.  I am excited and look forward to working closely with the administration to make our school an even better place for all the students to learn.  Good Shepherd is like a second home.  I enjoy coming to work each day because of our supportive parents, wonderful students, and great faculty and staff.

Pre-K Teacher – Mrs. Natalie Bramon-Simonian
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I have worked at Good Shepherd for the last seven years and have been a preschool teacher for twenty-two years.  I studied Early Childhood Education at Whittier College and have done course work in Child Development at UCLA Extension.  I intend to continue Early Childhood Education course work in the future because I love working with children. I love working at Good Shepherd School and feel teaching young children age-appropriate early academics is a fabulous joy, pleasure and extremely fulfilling.  My husband and I, and our two children, are members of Good Shepherd Church.  I am also a parent at Good Shepherd School and feel blessed to be a part of the Good Shepherd Community.

Pre-K Teacher – Mrs. Maria Aizpuru
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I am very happy to return to Good Shepherd for a second year as a parent and very excited to be joining the staff this year as a Pre-K Teacher. I grew up between Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, CA, and in addition to receiving a bilingual and bicultural education, I feel extremely fortunate to have attended Catholic schools through high school. I attended College in Mexico at the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, where I pursued a B.A. in Business Administration. In addition, I studied the Montessori Primary Course at The Montessori Institute of San Diego, and hold a Diploma to teach children ages 3-6 from the Association Montessori International. I have worked in Preschools since 2004 as a Teacher, School Coordinator and Administrator. This will be my first year working in a Catholic School and I couldn’t be happier to be able to incorporate my Catholic faith in the classroom.

Kindergarten – Mrs. Ruth Luckoff
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I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Arellano University and a Masters in Education, with a major in Chemistry and taught seven years as a college chemistry instructor.  While teaching chemistry I made a decision to work with young children and obtained a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education with a specialty in the Montessori Method.  For over 20 years, I have taught preschool and elementary grades in both public and private schools. This school year is my second year at Good Shepherd School and I look forward to returning to Early Childhood education by working with kindergarten.  I feel very fortunate to have joined Good Shepherd’s staff and will continue to strive to be a positive influence in my student’s lives.

1st Grade – Ms. Kimberly Bender
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I am very honored and excited to be joining Good Shepherd. I have worked in pre-school, elementary, and middle school classrooms. The past two years I have taught Pre-K and am looking forward to teaching 1stgrade this year! I attended Loyola Marymount University where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Sociology. I enjoyed LMU so much that I decided to stay a couple extra years to attain my Master’s in Elementary Education with a minor in Secondary English. Nothing makes me happier than spending my days working with kids and watching them succeed. I am a member of the National Reading Association, where I have learned to value literacy and the strong need to teach it. My philosophy is to encourage independence and an open mind. I also value Good Shepherd’s Catholic foundation, as faith is something I hold dear to my heart and hope to bestow upon children as well.

2nd Grade – Mrs. Carol Kim
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I have been teaching Kindergarten at Good Shepherd Catholic School for 6 years and am excited to begin my first year teaching second grade.  I graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a major in Political Science with an emphasis in American Politics.  Upon graduating, I joined AmeriCorps which is a non-profit organization dedicated to service in our communities.  After working in the non-profit field for two years, I was given the opportunity to join the Good Shepherd family.  While at Good Shepherd, I completed my Masters in Education at Loyola Marymount University. Having attended Catholic schools for most of my education, I feel blessed to give my students the same Catholic education I had.

3rd Grade – Lauren Taylor
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After 20 years of Catholic Education that began at American Martyrs School in Manhattan Beach, I developed my cherished Catholic values and traditions, and pursued further education at Marymount High School in Los Angeles, University of San Diego, and most recently Loyola Marymount University, receiving my Masters in Literacy and Language Arts from the School of Education.  I have a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.  I recognize that my quality Catholic education has set me up for academic success, and also has brought me back full circle to teach in an elementary Catholic setting so that I can provide children with the same education and opportunity.  I believe that a Catholic education is unique because not only do I get the opportunity to teach the body and mind of a student, but also the soul.  I look forward to an exciting year at Good Shepherd!

4th Grade – Ms. Megan Parodi
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I truly believe the foundation I received through my Catholic education from kindergarten to high school has shaped who I have become and prepared me well for life’s endeavors. It is because of this that I decided to teach and give back to Catholic education. I received my B.A. in Psychology, with a concentration in developmental psychology, from UC Santa Cruz. I was apart of PLACE Corps program at Loyola Marymount University where I received my Multiple-Subjects Teaching Credential and Masters in Education. The past two years at Good Shepherd have been wonderful, and I am overjoyed to continue to be part of the Good Shepherd Family! I look forward to another fantastic and successful year!

5th Grade – Ms. Beth Greaney Phillips
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I am happy to be here at Good Shepherd School. I have been teaching for ten years at various levels including fourth and fifth grade, junior high, and high school. I’m excited to be teaching fifth grade again this year! I have a M.S. in education and hold a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential . I attended Catholic Schools here in Los Angeles until I went to UCLA. I then returned to graduate school at Mount St. Mary’s College. I believe that my Catholic education laid the foundation for me to succeed in my profession and grow spiritually. I hope to continue to pass on that foundation here a Good Shepherd School.

6th Grade – Erin Barnhill
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I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and moved to Southern California after graduating from Gonzaga University with a degree in English. I received a Masters degree in English from Loyola Marymount University and completed the course work required for my California teaching credential there as well. My educational career spans 23 years teaching in Catholic schools at the junior high level, and my heart truly lies with Catholic education. It’s with great enthusiasm that I look forward to joining the Good Shepherd Community, and already I have been welcomed with an abundance of smiles and open arms. It is evident that the long-standing traditions of both academic excellence and strong Catholic identity are alive and thriving at Good Shepherd Catholic School. I feel blessed to join such a wonderful team of educators, and I know that the students and families of Good Shepherd will help me to grow as we support each other in becoming “lifelong learners”.

Math – Grade 6 and Social Studies Grades 6-8 – Mrs. Erin Mansoor
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You may contact Ms. Soto-Campos in her absence
ssotocampos@gsbh.net

I am very happy to be returning to Good Shepherd Catholic School as the Junior High Social Studies teacher. I began my teaching career at Good Shepherd in 1998, after leaving my career in public relations and marketing. I received my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature at California State University Northridge, and have pursued post-graduate work there as well.  When my first child was born, I took an extended leave from my teaching career and am now very pleased to have returned to such a wonderful school. I have also taught at St. Martin of Tours School and facilitated Mock Trial programs for Good Shepherd, St. Martin of Tours and Turning Point Schools. I attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through 12th grade.   I am a Los Angeles native who spent many childhood years living in the Philippines as well as in Belgium and have traveled extensively. I am happily married and have three children.

Math – Grade 6 and Social Studies Grades 6-8 – Ms. Susan Soto-Campos
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Email Ms. Soto-Campos at ssotocampos@gsbh.net

My experience as a substitute teacher at Good Shepherd made me eager to fill in for Mrs. Mansoor while she is on a medical leave.  The students are well-behaved and the teaching environment is great. My experience includes many years in good public schools, two stints overseas in American International schools (Greece and Indonesia), and thirteen years in the Los Angeles Catholic schools. It is a pleasure to be at Good Shepherd, if only for a short term.

7th Grade / Science – Ms. Suzy Bhakta
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This year will mark my thirteenth year teaching at Good Shepherd School. Science is my specialty and I have predominantly taught at the junior high level. I am the math/science coordinator, as well as part of our STEP team. 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. It has been a blessing to grow academically and spiritually along with the children I teach.

Vice Principal / 8th Grade – Mrs. Lisa Widmann
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This year will be my thirteenth year teaching eighth grade at Good Shepherd Catholic School and I am just as excited about teaching this year as I was a dozen years ago.  I am completing my Master’s of Science degree in Instructional Leadership and am eager to incorporate my emphasis in curriculum design and differentiated instruction into my classroom.  This year marks a change in my duties and I am thrilled to serve as co vice-principal with Ms. Hellstrom, our pre-school director.  I look forward to working closely with administration in this new position.  I enjoy teaching at Good Shepherd because of the caring and supportive families and because we emphasize the importance of learning about and living our Catholic faith.   At Good Shepherd we believe in educating the whole person and it has always been the highlight of the year to bring musical theater to our students.  Through their theatrical experience, the students learn poise, confidence, and self-discipline. I am happily married and the proud mother of five Good Shepherd graduates.

Music – Mrs. Shellie Bentz, MME
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Make a joyful noise to the Lord! I am so excited about the opportunity to teach music at Good Shepherd. Music is a great gift from God and I believe each student can develop his or her own musical abilities and talents to glorify God throughout life. I am a South Carolina native and received my Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of South Carolina in 2008. While studying at USC, I performed numerous recitals and operatic roles, studied vocal pedagogy and piano performance, taught at St. Peter’s Catholic School, and conducted research on music development in infants and toddlers. Also during my time there, I was privileged to sing the Alma Mater at the USC graduation, represent USC in the National ACDA Undergraduate Conducting Competition, and present my research project, Recognizing Musical Behaviors of Young Children, at the 2008 SCMEA Conference. Prior to coming to Good Shepherd, I taught music at Charlottesville Catholic School in Virginia. While there, I taught general music to Pre-K through 8th grade, directed the Worship Choir for Mass and the award-winning Bella Voce Treble Choir, and directed full-scale musicals each year. I am looking forward to a great, music-filled year at Good Shepherd!

Spanish – Mr. Enrique Teran
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As a devout Catholic, I feel blessed to be able to teach Spanish at Good Shepherd Catholic School.  I received an M.B.A. degree from The American Graduate School of International Management in Arizona and worked over 25 years in international business.  A couple of years ago, I was inspired by our Lord to teach Catholic Religious Education with the objective of sharing my Faith with our youth.  Having discovered a new and fulfilling career in education, I have been teaching Spanish and cross-cultural communication skills to children with the goal of making them more competitive in this new global economy.  I am looking forward to serving our future generation of scholars and community leaders as Good Shepherd’s Elementary Spanish teacher.

Fitness & Wellness – Mr. Michael Lee
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I have been serving in Christian schools as a teacher and coach and am passionate about helping children.  This will be my first year at Good Shepherd where I will lead the school’s Wellness & Fitness Program. I graduated from USC where I studied Physical Education and Journalism.  I am a nationally Certified Coach as well as a coach for the USA Hockey National Development Team. I am very involved in leading Christian humanitarian projects in Latin America.  I believe working in schools is a great way to serve the Lord and am looking forward to being a Godly influence for the children at Good Shepherd.

Office Manager / Admissions – Mrs. Rose-Ann Shevelin
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I have worked in business for most of my adult life and have continually pursued many areas of education during that time. I attended McIntosh Business College in NH, majoring in Business English and Communication.  My Certifications include an Advanced  Degree for Web & Graphic Design  from Sessions,  NY.  From New Horizons in Thousand Oaks, CA I have certifications in Network and Project Administration (CNA).  I am also proficient in many  graphic and web design programs.  I have been at Good Shepherd School since 2003 and enjoy the daily interaction with the faculty, students and their families.  It is great to work at a school that teaches Christian values in everything they do throughout the day.

Executive Assistant to the Principal – Joel Martin-Cox
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As a former Good Shepherd parent, I am happy to be part of the Good Shepherd family once again.

I have spent most of my working life in education. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in English from Loyola University in New Orleans, LA. While in college, I taught preschool, worked in after-school care, and staffed summer camps. After college, I earned my teaching credential and taught high school English for seven years. I have also worked as a freelance writer, mostly focusing on marketing and advertising. Outside the school, I serve as a lector and as a member of the Teen Confirmation Team at Good Shepherd Church.

Facilities Manager – Ruddy Garcia

I came to Good Shepherd Parish twenty-one years ago to be the sacristan for the church.   In 2007  I  joined Good Shepherd Catholic School as the Facilities Manager.  In addition to my major role as Facilities Manager I work once a week with the Pre-K students teaching them physical fitness and dancing. I am originally from Guatemala and love spending time with the Pre-K students and teach them my  Latin dances such as the merengue and salsa.  I also teach the Pre-K students disco dancing which they do under spotlights and a disco ball. They always look forward to dancing with me and see it as one of the highlights of their day.

Faithful Mascot – Sasha

I love to come to school everyday and see all the smiling faces of the students. Their warm hugs and pats make my day! I have been at Good Shepherd for 9 years. I have Level I and II certificates from Dog Obedience School and even though I had planned to get into show business, I am content being at Good Shepherd and will welcome you with a friendly wag of my tail!