Welcome To Good Shepherd Catholic School

Updated Thursday, February 2

Application packets for Financial Aid for the 2012-13 school year are available on our website and in the office. The application deadline for mailing is April 21, 2012.

Annual Giving
Campaign video
Thank you to the Good Shepherd Digital Yearbook class for demonstrating the benefits of our Annual Giving Campaign in this short video clip. We are exactly half way to this year's $40,000 goal! Watch the video to see how students are benefiting every day from your generous contributions.

Announcements

Paint your tiles for the new play structure The new play structure is now complete and you can help beautify it by purchasing and painting a 6-inch by 6-inch ceramic tile that will be inlaid into the concrete footing that surrounds the play structure area. Tiles will be for sale for $25 each and payable via cash or check only at Family Fun Night on Friday, February 3rd. If you cannot make it for that event, please leave a check in the office “Tuition” box made out to: Good Shepherd School, and write in the memo line, “Playground tiles.” We are able to offer only 260 tiles and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so take advantage of this opportunity while available.

New microwave Does anyone have a gently used microwave that they would like to donate to our kitchen? The Hot Lunch program is looking to replace the one that is currently in there. If you would like to donate, please contact the office or bring to the kitchen after school.

Spelling Bee The 2012 Spelling Bee finalists for Good Shepherd Catholic School are:
Grades 4-6: Jacob Shipley, Clare Tershy, (alternate) Paulina Shearer, (alternate) Ryann Liljenstolpe.
Grades 7-8: Nate Armstrong, Emily DeFrancesco, (alternate) Emily Knapp, (alternate) Chloe Tschirky.
The Santa Cruz County Spelling Bee will take place at UCSC on Saturday, February 25, from noon to 3:30 p.m. Good Shepherd is able to send two spellers in each category.

Mark you calendars You are Invited to the Good Shepherd Catholic School Spring Auction, Saturday, March 3, 2012, at Seascape Golf Course. 5 p.m., Silent and Live Auction. Formal Cocktails & Hors D' Oeuvres. Evening Cocktail Attire.

Parent Service Hours Please login to RenWeb and view the number of Parent Service Hours you have completed and how many are left to complete between now and May 1. Thank you for getting your completed hours into the office at least once per month so that these can be updated.

Tentative 2012-13 Calendar Included in the January 17 eRam is a tentative draft of the school calendar for 2012-2013. If you have any questions, please contact the office.

Enrollment for 2012-13 In order to receive a contract for the 2012-13 school year, your account must be in good standing. Please resolve outstanding balances no later than February 14.

Registration fees and tuition contracts will be due for the 2012-13 school by April 2, 2012. Remember that tuition will be due in March this year for those on an 11-month payment plan. Kindergarten currently has only 11 available spots for 2012-13, so if you want to enroll a sibling in Kindergarten who is not currently in the Good Shepherd Pre-K, please let us know as soon as possible to receive priority registration.

2011-2012
Good Shepherd
Catholic School
Annual Report
Click here to view PDF

A time to play

Eighth-graders Allen and Nico (from left in center of top photo) help break in the new playground structure -- not literally, of course -- during a recent sunny January day.

In the photo at right, fifth-graders Sophia, Sierra, Charlie and Devin are loving life at the top of the spider's web.

As for everyone else on this sun-drenched day, well, they were just hanging around and taking it all in. (See the photo below of Peter, Rory, Vince, Travis, Sierra, Alex and the always-entertaining Jordan.)
-- Greg Lathrop

The school's 50th anniversary is coming in 2013. We want to update your information in our graduates database so that you can receive correspondence and invitations from Good Shepherd.

Good Shepherd graduates, please email your contact information. In the subject line, write "Attention David Teherani." In the body of the email include your email address, current address and phone number, years you attended Good Shepherd and the year you were graduated from Good Shepherd.

We would also appreciate if you know other alumni graduates to pass this information along to them.

Look for a special invite to an event we will have just for alumni graduates this spring!

Shepherd Spotlight

Maddison is friendly and outgoing. She is well liked by teachers and fellow students. Her bright smile lights up the classroom and the playground. She works well in small groups, supporting and assisting her classmates. Maddison is an inquisitive and persistent student. She asks articulate questions, while learning new concepts. She is a prepared and successful fifth grader who works hard, cares for others and enjoys life. Maddison models the ideal Good Shepherd Catholic School student. Thank you and Congratulations, Maddison!

Newsletters

For insight into the happenings at Good Shepherd, read the latest edition of our weekly newsletter, the Ram Review. And to stay current with the sports program, check out the Coach's Corner.

January 31   | Ram | Corner
January 24     | Ram | Corner
January 17    | Ram | Corner
January 10     | Ram | Corner

Ram Review Archive
Coach's Corner Archive

Family Handbook

To access the 2011-12 Good Shepherd Catholic School Family Handbook, click here. You may print it (40 pages) or save it to your computer.

Paper copies of the handbook are available from the school office for $5.

Sports schedules

Schedules for the 2011-12 late winter/early spring sports season are now available on the Athletics page. Please check the roster of your child's team; if their name is listed, their forms have been submitted.
Forms packet

Click on the button below to enter the RenWeb Parents Site. The School ID for Good Shepherd Catholic School is gscs-ca.

Need help?

Kudos

... to all the parents and students who made Catholic Schools Sunday a huge success at each of our three parishes: singers, readers, gift-bearers, ushers, and all in uniform. We extend a special thank you to the adults and students who had the courage to speak or lector at each of the masses: Carolina Letamendi, Martha Bernal, Ryann Liljenstolpe, Brian Airoldi, Bella Airoldi, Tom Nelson, Jack Watson, and Katie Tripp.

Please note that “Kudos” may be written and submitted by any parent, staff, student, or community member to recognize the outstanding service that so many give to our community. If you’d like to submit recognition to be written in the Ram at any time during the year, please send an email to Arefa Chavarria and write “Kudos for Ram” in the subject line.

Mid-Year Parent
Survey Results
November 2011
Click here to view PDF

School calendar

February 3
Mass at 11 a.m. with Fr. Patrick Dooling
Minimum Day with NO SEP
Staff Appreciation Day
Family Fun Night will not be February 10 as originally planned. It was moved from February 10 because of a scheduling conflict with the Junior High Dance.

February 7
Science Fair for Grades 5 through 8
After-school choir begins for all students in grades 2 through 8, 2:45 to 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday through the end of May. Sign up with Ms. Conley by emailing her.

February 8
Science Fair visitation for all community and family members, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

February 8
Free Dress Day for students who wore their uniforms on Catholic Schools Sunday.

Remember to check the calendar and announcements on RenWeb.com

2011-12 calendar
Liturgy calendar

Rental facilities

Good Shepherd's gym and soccer fields are available for non-profit youth and adult groups to rent. For more information, call 476-4000.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter

Welcome to Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd Catholic School, a fully accredited PS through 8th grade, is located in the heart of Santa Cruz County. Within the context of Christian values, parents and teachers, like a family, work together towards a common goal. By striving for excellence, Good Shepherd gives students the life-long skills of mind and heart required for self-esteem and service to others. Good Shepherd is supported by the parishes of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Resurrection, and St. Joseph’s and falls under the auspices of the Catholic Diocese of Monterey.

Prospective families may visit the school on Thursdays from 8 to 10 a.m. This time includes our school-wide assembly and the chance to observe specialty classes such as music, Spanish, and computers.

Tuition is made affordable through the efforts of fundraising and community contributions. To see ways that you can give to the school, please visit the “Fundraising” link on the school’s homepage. The entire community of Good Shepherd Catholic School thanks you for your support as we work towards educating the whole child with faith in the future. To read about Principal Dan Anderson, click here.)

Need information?

Families may inquire about Good Shepherd Catholic School by filling out a Web Student Inquiry Form. Click here to be taken to the form.

Email, phone numbers and extension numbers of the Good Shepherd Catholic School staff members.

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