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Page 1: GSES Viewbook
Page 2: GSES Viewbook

G R E AT D AY

GOOD SHEPHERD!

- MAKE IT A -

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At Good Shepherd Episcopal School, we start and end with children

- your children, who we share for a few short years. Our exceptional

curriculum and signature programs are designed to encourage

learning through a well-balanced and meaningful educational

experience for all students, prekindergarten through eighth grade.

At Good Shepherd, our mission is to inspire your children to learn

with confidence, serve with compassion, and lead with courage.

From the first day of prekindergarten through eighth grade

graduation, we do our best to provide an environment to achieve

this mission.

Our early childhood program allows the youngest of our students to

discover their own joy and confidence in how they learn. They are

able to participate in a myriad of activities to uncover strengths,

develop creativity, implement important socialization skills,

begin to serve others, and even learn early leadership skills. In

the lower school, our students continue to grow, discovering new

interests, establishing strong moral values, and building self-

esteem and confidence. In the middle school, our students continue

to explore learning, identifying their gifts, stretching their minds,

pursuing their leadership potential while remaining in a close-

knit community where all students are being encouraged and

nurtured. At the end of eighth grade, Good Shepherd students are

well-prepared to matriculate to any top high school in the Dallas

area. They have grown to better understand themselves and can

imagine their exciting futures. This understanding positions them

beautifully to participate fully in the high school search process,

finding that just-right high school fit.

Come by our campus to visit and experience the community that is

Good Shepherd Episcopal School.

THE REAL “US.”

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feel the at gses

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Early childhood and lower school

teachers know better than most that

there is no crystal ball that predicts

the future, so we teach our students to

think and do for themselves. We give

them the skills and substance to be

adaptable, versatile, and able to think

on their feet.

I good shepherd

because it was my

children’s second home”- Alumni parent

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i my teacher’s hugs, and she lets me run and play”- Andrew, PreK student

early childhood

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I good shepherd because we

are a family here. I have fun each

and every day, and I always look

forward to coming to work. I

am lucky enough to have the

opportunity to share my love of

learning, and I truly feel honored

to be a part of this community! It’s a

dream job for me!”

- First grade lower school faculty

low

er sc

hool

Everything we do academically at Good Shepherd is intentional and deliberate, intended to be customizable to the unique learning styles of each child. Our faculty is gifted and exceptional. Through ongoing professional development, they have perfected a delicate balance between telling their students what they need to know and letting them figure things out for themselves.

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The classroom environment allows for a space

of creativity, exploration, and adaptability.

Tables for facilitating teamwork replace

traditional desks. Technology is ubiquitous and

integrated for meaningful, productive learning.

Our student-centered learning incorporates

plenty of time for play, movement, and

collaboration. Students work together to create,

produce, and construct, not consume.

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Throughout the curriculum we encourage

teamwork, partnership, and camaraderie

among our students. From the Classroom of the

Earth trips, where our kids tame the wilderness

together, to the ensemble music-making of the

Orff classes, to the SPARQ Innovation Space,

designed to foster collaboration and a sense

of shared purpose, each of our programs

encourages the intentional development of

mindful habits.

We good shepherd

because the teachers

are dedicated to helping

students achieve both their

personal and academic best.

The school’s dedication to

a solid academic program,

the arts, daily physical

education, and chapel

make it a nurturing place

where young people can

thrive and grow into

confident, compassionate

adolescents.”

- Current family

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Our nurturing environment ensures that all lower school children are ready for their next

step into our middle school. They are ready to follow their own paths to reach their greatest

potential - and blossom into engaged, enthusiastic scholars with a diverse range of talents. At

Good Shepherd, the school day doesn’t end after the last bell rings. Many of our students fill

that tricky time of day, after school but before dinner, with something fun and interesting. Our

Capers extended day program, and our Encore enrichment offerings provide numerous grade-

level activites and a head start on homework.

my teacher taught me that in this world you have to

go with your gut and look for what is true.”- Jack, 4th grade student

Lower school

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mid

dle s

choo

l

Good Shepherd’s middle school academic

program is unbridled vigor! Our objective

is to bring out “the BEST” in each student.

What does “the best” mean? We define it

as celebrating and fine-tuning the unique

qualities inherent in each student and

guiding them to discover and employ

their diverse strengths to develop their

full potential. Being a GSES middle

schooler means taking academic risks,

asking questions, even falling down once

in a while, because we are in a setting

where it is understood we are still learning.

It is through the total experience that each

student receives the type of education that

is ideally suited to their aptitude and their

passions in preparation for high school.

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what I about gses

is that it provides

the quality education

I am looking for in a

private school and

at the same time

is small enough

that every child is

nurtured and treated

special in their

own way! Whether

athletic, artistic,

or mathematic,

my son’s talents

are cultivated.

The entire school

is a community….

students, faculty,

and parents. It is a

great place to call

home!”

- Current parent

Without the influence of a high school

program, our middle school students

have the freedom to discover their

own strengths. Through a variety

of designed learning experiences,

students are surrounded by

opportunities to learn individually and

collectively. Students are challenged

and supported as they navigate

the pathway to becoming lifelong

learners. Perhaps most importantly,

as they prepare for high school, our

middle school students regularly

grapple with higher levels of thinking

and complex problem solving.

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The classrooms in our middle school will look and

feel differently than those of surrounding schools.

They are mobile and modular. Round tables for

group discussions, rolling desks for project partners,

traditional desks for teacher instructed learning – at

Good Shepherd we have it all. Why? Because the

real world is about being adaptable and flexible

to any situation, and our faculty ensure that each

student is equipped with the tools and skills they

will need to succeed here and in whatever high

school they attend.

GSES is a tremendous gift

to our family. The strong

sense of community, the

support our children receive

from their teachers, and

the confidence that has

blossomed in them are

outstanding. GSES has

created a bond between the

school and our children that

gives them so much happiness

every day and memories that

will last a lifetime.”

- Current parent

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middle school

It is no wonder that our students go on to attend

the top high schools in the area, and many receive

scholarships for their academic achievements.

Recent graduates have been accepted to:

Bishop Lynch High School

Booker T Washington High School

Cistercian Preparatory School

The Episcopal School of Dallas

Greenhill School

The Hockaday School

Jesuit College Prep. School of Dallas

John Paul II High School

Parish Episcopal School

School of Science & Engineering Magnet

St. Mark’s School of Texas

Trinity Christian Academy

Ursuline Academy of Dallas

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soccer

softball

19 tapps championships in the past six years

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19 tapps championships in the past six years

football

cross country

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basketball

track & field

80% of seventh & eighth graders particIpate in at least one of our nine athletic offerings

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80% of seventh & eighth graders particIpate in at least one of our nine athletic offerings

golf

volleyball

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Being able to help build a

foundation for children

rooted in Christian beliefs

and traditions while

allowing them to preserve

their own families’ religious

heritage is a true honor.

i gses because i have

the opportunity to help

students understand

different points of view

in a diverse society while

fostering god’s teachings

of caring and sharing with

respect and dignity. for

me, there is no greater

chaplain’s blessing than

to help open the eyes of a

child’s heart!”

- Lower school lay chaplainand alumni parent

Good Shepherd Episcopal

School is an outreach of

The Episcopal Church of

the Good Shepherd and

enjoys a healthy and fruitful

relationship with the church.

As an Episcopal school, we

have a reverence for faith

and reason along with a

sense of duty to serve others

rooted in the Episcopalian

tenets, but inclusive of all

beliefs and backgrounds.

The connection of our

spirituality is Chapel, a place,

program, and sanctuary for

students, faculty, and staff of

all beliefs and backgrounds.

Chapel is where our entire

community comes together

to nurture the spiritual beings

we are and to encourage one

another on our journeys of

faith.

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Our Christian faith and values

explain why we do some of the

things we do - not just why we

start our day with prayer or

have chapel, but why we try to

forge a meaningful community

or take on acts of service and

social justice. All of that comes

out of our understanding of

what it means to be God’s

people in the world. And those

tenets we share with other

faith traditions include our

belief that:

• Everyone has inherent

worth as a creation of God.

• Every individual shares

responsibility for the

community to put their best

effort forward in all areas.

• Individual moral integrity

and a core of common

values are essential to every

community.

• Mutual respect among

people of varied backgrounds

and perspectives leads

to positive, beneficial

relationships.

• Individuals thrive in a safe,

nurturing environment where

they can be comfortable in

taking risks and where they

can develop their talents.

EPISCOPAL TENETS1. Common Prayer 2. Intellectual Discipline 3. Welcoming Community 4. Respect for Others 5. Compassionate Service

chapel

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tech

nolo

gy

While many schools have STEM labs,

Good Shepherd went in a totally

different direction with the creation of

SPARQ (Solving Problems, Asking Real-

World Questions) - a unique learning

space where students at all grade levels

use the latest advances in technology

to enhance projects or create and

gain new skills from leap motion, 3D

modeling and printing, robotics, coding

and circuitry, to rapid prototyping and

film making.Child by child, we harness technology

to customize effective teaching

for a multitude of learning styles.

Hundreds of grade-level applications

are supported by our educational

technologists who know how to use

them to enhance learning. They give

our teachers a framework through

which each child can engage in

individualized and self-directed ways.

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COE is one of the best

things our school has to

offer. camping for days

on end is an exciting,

challenging, rewarding

experience. ”

- Bella6th grade student

classroom of

the earthOur Classroom of the Earth (COE)

program is outdoor education in a

class of its own. It’s the original. It’s

groundbreaking. The wilderness gets

wilder as our students get older.

Nature hikes in PreK through first

grade give way to a ten-day hiking/

camping adventure in the Colorado

Rocky Mountains in eighth grade. In

their years here, the students will hike

over 50 miles, travel over 5,000 miles,

canoe 10 miles, and raft 11 miles,

among other adventures; the scope of

the program goes way beyond nature

study.

You’ll be amazed at the places your

children will go. Children learn best by

doing. They learn that the world extends

way beyond the “walls” of our everyday

lives. And they learn so much about

themselves and how their individual

efforts impact the success of their

peers. It is real world education, and

nobody does it better than we do.

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Our Spanish curriculum is creative,

ambitious, and designed to go way

beyond merely learning to speak the

language. Because students start

Spanish in PreK, our Spanish curriculum

is designed to dig deeper into cultural

backgrounds, advanced sentence

structure, and real world stories. Native

speakers from South America visit our

classes to tell all about their language

and their lives. Due to our students’

comprehensive preparation, they are

both conversationally proficient and

culturally knowledgeable. Most of our

graduates are placed in second-year

Spanish or beyond in their first year

of high school. A summer immersion

program in Costa Rica is available for

older students.

I gses because

of our fine arts and

foreign language

programs. We have so

many interesting tools

for creating, and in my

case, performing.”

- John 5th grade student

span

ish

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fine artsWhat happens at the crossroads of

creative expression, academic freedom,

and ample time? In a word, art, the way

it’s done at Good Shepherd. We give

generously to the arts here, with art and

music classes alternating every day,

starting in first grade. Creativity is free to

blossom, and being creative becomes a

habit without ever being mundane.

Orff Schulwerk is a process of teaching

music that has been around for over

one hundred years. It is beautiful in its

simplicity. Based on things all children like

to do - like clap, dance, sing, and keep a

beat - music is made without constraint

or convention. The Orff process is proven

to make music relevant to children at

all grade levels in a personal way, which

can fuel their creativity as they grow and

develop as artists.

Visual art class is held twice a week, every

week of every year, at Good Shepherd.

Beginning in lower school, students study

painting, drawing, and sculpture. They

learn principles of line, shape, form,

color, texture, contrast, pattern, rhythm,

and space. By middle school, we explore

broader subjects, including two-and three-

dimensional design and printmaking.

A year-long drama class for eighth graders

produces two live events each year. The

class is designed to build children’s

confidence and comfort with presenting

themselves live and in person. In addition,

the Musical Theatre Club for fifth through

eighth grade stages a musical each year.

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During the first eight years of school, your child is constantly growing –

physically, mentally, and emotionally. At Good Shepherd, our programs and

curriculum are focused on discovering how your child learns; allowing them to identify their strengths, interests,

gifts, and learning style in a community where all are encouraged and

nurtured.

eigh

t for

eigh

t

The Good Shepherd connection continues throughout life. Our

students know that just as in choosing a high school that is compatible with their aspirations, likewise they know how to choose colleges and universities to fulfill their potential in

becoming learners, benefactor, and leaders. They maintain close relationships with their friends,

teachers, and coaches throughout high school and college, and often return to give back to

GSES in many different ways. We even have alumni and alumni parents who come back to

serve as teachers, staff, and administrators for future generations of GSES students.

As a PreK-8th grade school we create a well-balanced and meaningful educational

experience around key developmental areas:

Intellectual – A strong foundation of comprehensive instruction across all grade

levels where faculty discuss your child’s academic strengths and needs across the divisions. We know

and understand your child over time and can help them maximize their potential over the years.

Emotional – A -- --community that provides students the chance to join together to serve others with compassion and

lead with courage.

As an outreach of The Episcopal Church of the

Good Shepherd, our inclusive faith-based community provides all students, of every

age, a sense of the values and skills necessary to become an accepting

positive influence in the world around them, respective of their individual beliefs and

backgrounds.

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the eightH GRADE advantageNew studies show that the first eight years of school are the most critical for students in developing their creativity, moral values, self-esteem, and confidence. At the end of eight years, our students emerge with a strong sense of self because they have a multitude of opportunities

to explore leadership and service at all

ages.

For many students, entering Good Shepherd in

our PreK program allows them the freedom to participate in unlimited

activities, uncovering strengths and realizing the things that matter most – free

from the pressure of a K-12 school environment. Our lower school students have the advantage of

being a critical part of the life of our school and experiencing all of the resources, programs,

and extras of a bigger school. As for our middle school students, they are not “caught in the middle” and instead become leaders and role models, recognition usually reserved for seniors in high school.

With an exceptional scholastic background behind them, it’s no surprise that our students matriculate to the top high schools

in the area. Our eighth graders spend a year as part of a well-designed, personalized

process. From creating resumes and learning how to prepare for an interview, to mock high

school admission visits, to meetings and advice from our director of high school placement, our

students are pursued because they are well-prepared, self-assured, self-confident, and

well-rounded, often becoming leaders in their high schools.

Your child

is involved in choosing a high school

that is compatible with their aptitude and passions. Our students receive the high school education that is ideally suited to who they have become – not one that was chosen for them as a preschooler. They know what questions to ask to help guide their journey, making their college selection with more confidence than their peers from 12-year schools.

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All three of my children gained knowledge, courage, confidence, and

compassion because of their Good Shepherd experience. They are who

they are today and where they are today in large part to gses.”

- Alumni parent

at the of gses

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PreK: Application Admission Testing Teacher Evaluation (if applicable) Student Records (if applicable)

Kinder: Application Admission Testing Teacher Evaluation Student Records (if applicable) CATS Testing

First Grade: Application Admission Testing Teacher Evaluation Student Records CATS Testing On-Campus Observation

Second–Fourth Grade: Application Admission Testing Teacher Evaluation Student Records Student Questionnaire CATS Testing Student Visit

Fifth-Eighth Grade: Application ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) Math Teacher Evaluation English Teacher Evaluation Student Records Student Questionnaire Student Essay Student Visit

admission list

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