WHERE TRADITION MEETS TOMORROW
By Dr. Julie McLeod Head of School
At Good Shepherd, we are preparing children to learn with confidence, serve with compassion, and lead with courage, today and for generations to come.
This moment finds us in a season of growth, transformation, and shared purpose. With one foot rooted in our Episcopal tradition and the other stepping boldly into the future, we honor what has been and envision what might yet be. Our mission invites us to equip our students not only for the world as it is, but for the world as it will be.
This delicate balance, between honoring tradition and embracing innovation, asks us to consider how we remain true to our Episcopal identity while preparing children for change. We do so by cultivating an environment where faith, intellect, and imagination meet, where our students learn to ask big questions, serve others without hesitation, and lead with heart and integrity. Our six core values guide this work: intellectual curiosity, compassionate service, common prayer, stewardship of resources, welcoming community, and respect for the dignity of others
The Fit For Our Future campaign embodies these values in a tangible form. It is not simply about a new gymnasium, an
updated Classroom of the Earth (COE) space, or campus security; it is a bold expression of our values in action. The new facility will stand as a symbol of wellness, teamwork, courage, gathering, and belonging, and it will be a space where our students can grow in mind, body, and spirit. By investing in this future, we prepare our entire community for the world to come.
This matters now because our children’s future won’t wait. As the world accelerates, we must provide spaces and experiences that match their potential: a gymnasium that also offers a Category 5 storm shelter for safety and peace of mind; a facility large enough to re-imagine how PE, collaboration, movement, and learning happen; a dedicated home for our outdoor-education legacy. These are not ancillary — they are essential.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community, alumni, current families, faculty and staff, friends, students (even young donors who emptied their piggy banks!), we have raised 85% of the campaign goal.
It is inspiring to witness the way commitment across generations is lifting this project forward. And yet, there is
still meaningful work to be done if we are to cross the finish line.
This issue of “Good News” invites you into stories of how we are already preparing students for what’s next: our curiosity meeting innovation through explorations of artificial intelligence; students embodying service through meaningful partnerships in Dallas Parks; faculty going the extra mile to prepare for COE expeditions, and more. These narratives remind us that our work is not about buildings or programs alone — it is about forming children who will step forward with courage, wisdom, and love.
To all alumni, past and present parents, faculty, staff, friends, and supporters: Thank you for being vital to this journey. As we invite you to join us in finishing the race together, let us remember that the future of Good Shepherd is bright because we are building it together.
One word for this moment: Momentum
May you close this magazine feeling proud, inspired, and ready to engage. We walk forward together — for our children today, and for all who will follow in their footsteps.
Then and now photos of Good Shepherd students and campus.
THE A(RT) OF I(NNOVATION) How Good Shepherd is Evolving Learning with AI
By Amy Melle & Catherine Scott Director of Academic Technology & Director of Innovation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how we live, work, and think — much like the printing press and the internet once did. At Good Shepherd, we see this moment not as a challenge to traditional learning but as an opportunity to evolve it. By thoughtfully integrating AI into classrooms, we’re helping students build the skills and habits of mind they’ll need to learn, serve, and lead in a rapidly changing world.
We know relationships have always been at the heart of learning. While technology can never replace the warmth of a caring teacher or the spark of curiosity shared between students, it can amplify them. Our approach to AI is grounded in our mission and guides how we explore age-appropriate, intentional ways to honor both innovation and humanity.
AI is not a shortcut to learning; it’s a tool for deeper discovery. By using AI responsibly, students learn to question, analyze, and discern. They learn that being inquisitive fuels creativity, that technology demands empathy, and that discernment is an essential part of wisdom.
Exploring AI Across Divisions
Our youngest learners in Early Childhood experience AI through guided, whole-group activities designed to ignite curiosity and imagination. Teachers use approved tools to introduce new concepts, enhance language development, and inspire wonder. These early experiences help students understand the difference between toys and tools while nurturing their creativity and confidence.
For example, our Primer class prepared digital scenes for fairy tale puppet shows using AI. To create images, teachers used Google Gemini's image-generation capabilities, guided entirely by the students' language. Initially, students offered simple descriptions, such as "a dirt path" or "a tall beanstalk with a house." Once the first digital backgrounds were generated, the critical learning began. Students observed the images and provided immediate, specific feedback. “I like the flowers, but the path needs to be in the woods," or "the house needs to be in the clouds." The teacher then guided them to adjust their descriptive language accordingly, refining their input to "a dirt path through a sunny forest filled with wildflowers," or "a beanstalk in the sky with a house
sitting in lots of clouds." This iterative process transformed the activity from simple creation into a dynamic, practical exercise in developing precise, expressive descriptive language skills, clearly demonstrating that AI is a powerful tool for learning.
In Lower School, students begin to use AI with increasing independence. Guided by teachers, they brainstorm ideas for writing, generate simple visuals, and explore new vocabulary. These activities help strengthen comprehension
and communication skills while reinforcing that AI supports, yet never replaces, their own thinking and effort
This growth in independence was demonstrated by our second-graders, who tackled their Christmas Market project focused on marketing. After deciding on their products, students used AI tools to help brainstorm effective slogans. They input keywords about their products and target audiences, generating a variety of slogan options. The most exciting phase of learning took place as students evaluated
the results, discussing which suggestions were most persuasive, catchy, or relevant, and why certain phrases might appeal to customers. By using AI as a starting point for brainstorming and critical analysis, students were not letting the tool create the answer for them; instead, it provided them the opportunity to practice the core marketing skills of evaluation and communication.
By Middle School, students engage with AI in thoughtful and structured ways that deepen critical thinking and ethical reasoning. They explore how AI systems can reflect bias or misinformation, evaluate credibility, and use technology transparently and responsibly. These experiences prepare them not only to use emerging tools but also to lead with integrity in a digital world.
This focus on digital integrity is central to the research projects in their subject area. This past trimester, eighthgrade students used AI tools during the early stages of information gathering in several classes, including Faith Studies and Design Thinking. Crucially, this work is structured to prevent uncritical reliance on AI-generated output. Students are required to verify information using high-quality, teacher-vetted sources and school-subscribed databases. They cross-check facts, evaluate sources for bias, and analyze credibility. By positioning AI as a starting point rather than an authority, students practice the critical thinking and digital integrity skills needed to navigate a complex, information-rich world.
Across every division, students are cultivating essential habits of mind — critical thinking, curiosity, self-regulation, and empathy — that will serve them far beyond their time at Good Shepherd.
Faculty and Staff Leading the Way
Our faculty and staff are learning alongside our students. AI is already helping educators save time and refine their practices by generating outlines, supporting lesson design, and helping draft communications, all while maintaining confidentiality and authenticity. Our faculty model responsible use by verifying information, keeping confidential information private, citing sources, and using AI as a starting point for human creativity, rather than a replacement for it.
By approaching AI with a spirit of discovery and discernment, our teachers are demonstrating lifelong learning in action and showing students what it means to explore new frontiers with both courage and care.
Preparing for Tomorrow
As AI continues to evolve, so will our practices. We remain flexible, thoughtful, and mission-driven, always prioritizing the human element in education. Our goal is not just to prepare students to use technology but also to help them understand its power and purpose in shaping a better world.
At GSES, we believe the future of learning blends human insight with technological innovation. Our students aren’t just preparing for what’s next; they’re ready to shape it.
To learn more about Good Shepherd’s AI policy, visit gsesdallas.org/AI or scan the QR code below.
AI Position Statement
Learn with Confidence. Serve with Compassion. Lead with Courage.
AI connects naturally to the heart of our mission: Learn with Confidence by experimenting with approved tools, asking deep questions about the accuracy of output, thinking critically to make informed decisions, and solving problems with clarity and conviction.
Serve with Compassion by engaging with AI tools to practice identifying bias, which develops the ethical awareness required to foster inclusion, respect, and empathy.
Lead with Courage by acting ethically, safeguarding personal information, and modeling transparency and integrity in a digital age.
SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE
Ryan Ma and the Love Your Block
Program
Compassionate Service at Good Shepherd is more than a value; it’s a way of life. It’s a call for students to care for others with intention and respect. We encourage our students to engage in meaningful, hands-on experiences that help them grow as empathetic and responsible members of their community. This commitment comes to life in countless ways across campus, but sometimes a single experience sparks something deeper, shaping a student’s understanding of what it truly means to serve.
For eighth-grader Ryan Ma, that spark happened during a grade-level retreat in September 2024, when he visited William Blair Jr. Park as part of the City of Dallas’ Love Your Block program, a community initiative designed to empower residents to improve their neighborhoods through projects such as park cleanups, public art, and gardening.
Ryan remembers the day vividly. “We painted planters first, then picked up trash around the park,” he recalled. “It felt
good to help not only people but also the park.” While the retreat lasted only a few hours, its impact was long-lasting. What began as a single service day sparked a deeper commitment as Ryan returned to volunteer multiple times.
“The first day, there were supposed to be other people coming, but I was the only one there,” he said. “I saw that not many people were doing this…but it changed my mood for the day, so I actually went back to do it again.”
Through these experiences, Ryan developed a greater awareness of community needs. “We take stuff for granted,” he said. “It’s a great feeling to help out others and do something good for your community.”
Ryan’s volunteer efforts also reshaped how he sees his city. “There are opportunities to help and a lot of organizations to choose from,” he said. His advice to others is simple: start small, look around, and stay open. Service opportunities are everywhere.
Good Shepherd’s culture of service played a key role in nurturing Ryan’s compassion. “We do a lot of service activities,” he explained. “We went to Blair Park, and in fifth grade, we visited To Be Like Me, which gave me a newfound respect for serving and interacting with people with disabilities. My dad always reminds me to help others when I have a chance — you never know what someone is going through.”
Ryan’s dad, Mark Ma, shared that service has always been an important part of their family, as he believes small acts of kindness can create big change. Seeing his son uplift others through service has been one of the most rewarding parts of parenting. “I’ve always told Ryan that true success is measured by how you treat people and the difference you make in someone’s day,” Mark said. “Watching him choose to serve others on his own has been one of the proudest moments of my life.”
Whether through a project such as Love Your Block, hosting summer lemonade stands with his sister, secondgrader Olivia, to raise money for the Hope for Children Foundation, or other school service opportunities, Ryan and fellow Cougar students are embodying GSES’s commitment to Compassionate Service and learning that even small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact on a community.
“If you haven’t done any service, try it at least once,” Ryan said. “Just do it one time, and if you like it, keep going. The biggest takeaway is that helping others is just a great thing. Even just saying ‘hi’ to someone or having a conversation can change someone’s day.”
This reflection serves as a powerful reminder of the spirit found across our campus, where students continue to look for ways to influence their world, both within and beyond the Good Shepherd community.
Compassionate Service
Compassionate service supports and nurtures the physical, mental, and emotional health of all. Good Shepherd values lifting others up through empathy and action, understanding we are God’s hands, feet, and heart for the world.
FIT FOR OUR FUTURE Building the Next Chapter at Good Shepherd
By Mary Duncan & Andy Blount Director & Assistant Director of Development
When Good Shepherd first announced the Fit For Our Future campaign on August 25, 2023, the excitement was palpable. The vision was bold: to build a new gymnasium, create a dedicated space for our Classroom of the Earth (COE) program, and enhance security across campus.
From that day forward, our community rallied together families, alumni, faculty, staff, grandparents, and friends —
all united by a shared belief in the mission of Good Shepherd and the bright future ahead.
By October 2024, just over a year after the public launch, Fit For Our Future reached a major milestone, meeting 70% of its $11.4 million fundraising goal. This achievement, made possible by the generous commitments of so many, allowed the project to officially begin!
Steel beams frame the
With momentum building, our community gathered on campus in December 2024 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new gym, a moment filled with joy, gratitude, and anticipation.
“This new gymnasium, storm shelter, and educational space are vital for the students of Good Shepherd,” Dallas City Councilmember District 13 Gay Donnell Willis said at the time. “The investment in education and safety sends a powerful message: that we care about our children, our future, and the well-being of everyone who walks through these doors.”
As we move into 2026, we are thrilled to see the vision becoming a reality! Construction on the new gym, which began a year ago, is progressing smoothly, with both exterior and interior work well underway. We remain on track for the anticipated grand opening in the spring — a truly transformative milestone in Good Shepherd’s history.
To date, we have raised $9.8 million toward our $11.4 million goal — and with just $1.6 million left to raise, we are closer than ever to crossing the finish line. Our goal is to complete the campaign by the end of the current 2025–26 school year, ensuring this incredible space is fully funded and ready to serve students and families for decades to come.
“With your continued support, we know that we can make this vision a reality and provide our students with the resources they need to succeed,” Fit For Our Future Campaign Co-Chair Ben Appleby said.
Every gift, no matter the size, plays a role in shaping the future of Good Shepherd. Together, we are building more than a gym; we are building a legacy of faith, fellowship, and community that reflects our mission to help each student learn with confidence, serve with compassion, and lead with courage. To make an online donation, visit gsesdallas.org/fitforourfuture
Other Ways to Support
Every gift to our capital campaign matters, and there are many ways to give. Whether you choose to make a one-time donation or explore giving through assets, we’re here to work with you. Please reach out to development@gsesdallas.org for more information about:
• Stock or Appreciated Securities
• Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Gifts
• Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from an IRA
• Corporate Matching Gifts
THE PEOPLE WHO BRING OUR MISSION TO LIFE
By Kristin Jarrett Employee Recruitment & Retention Manager
At Good Shepherd, our mission is clear: to inspire children to learn with confidence, serve with compassion, and lead with courage. Bringing this mission to life would not be possible without our remarkable faculty and staff — dedicated, talented individuals whose commitment to our values shines in every classroom, hallway, and interaction. Attracting and retaining extraordinary employees is not just a goal; it is essential to our students' success and growth.
Attracting Talent Through Mission and Purpose
Recruitment at Good Shepherd begins with purpose. Exceptional faculty and staff are drawn to schools where their work truly matters. Every candidate conversation, interview, and campus visit reflects our professional, warm, and faith-centered culture.
We seek candidates through professional associations, educational networks, employee recommendations, and community connections. Each year, we host our own Career Fair and participate in others, giving prospective employees a chance to experience what makes Good Shepherd special and to meet the people who make our community thrive.
We also show candidates that Good Shepherd is more than a job; it is a place to grow and pursue one’s calling. Growth opportunities, collaborative teaching, and leadership pathways make it clear that here, educators can innovate and inspire.
Our leadership recruitment also reflects this philosophy. For instance, when hiring Moira Burgy, the Director of Teaching and Learning, the role was purposefully retitled to emphasize both curriculum and pedagogical practice.
“What stood out to me throughout the process was the school’s commitment to thoughtful, mission-aligned teaching,” Burgy said. “In this role, I’m focused on supporting teachers as they design meaningful, engaging learning experiences so students benefit from cohesive instruction, innovative practices, and a strong sense of purpose across every grade level.”
Retaining Talent Through Support, Growth, and Community
Recruitment is just the first step. At Good Shepherd, keeping faculty and staff inspired requires ongoing support, meaningful connections, and opportunities to grow. Professional development is encouraged both within the school and through external conferences, workshops, and specialized training.
Retention goes beyond professional growth. Communitybuilding events and activities, from service days to monthly breakfasts, foster connection, collaboration, and camaraderie. Recognition through our Shoutouts program highlights achievements and reinforces the idea that every contribution matters.
“The supportive, collaborative spirit here allows us to focus on students, mentor them, and design engaging experiences,” Middle School math teacher Ed Mendez said.“Opportunities like Classroom of the Earth, professional development, and coaching help us grow as teachers while making a direct impact on our students’ lives.”
Living Our Mission Every Day
Our faculty and staff are the heart of our mission. Whether integrating new technologies, designing innovative interdisciplinary lessons, or connecting with students through creative platforms, our educators ensure that students are engaged, confident, and equipped to learn, serve, and lead with compassion and courage.
Through thoughtful recruitment and retention practices centered on purpose, professional growth, and community, Good Shepherd’s people remain our greatest strength.
Creative Connections
Fourth-grade teacher Kali Meekins uses social media to collaborate with colleagues and generate community. She models writing by crafting her own poetry and stories — including a children’s book awaiting publication — and creates narratives that inspire student creativity while leading by example.
Confidence Coach
Learning Lab Facilitator Henry Medaris is dedicated to helping every child grow in confidence and discover their strengths. His encouragement, positivity, and belief in perseverance empower students to work hard, take risks, and celebrate their progress.
Joyful First Steps
First-grade teacher Dawn Capp brings decades of experience and a heart for nurturing young learners. Her gentle, joyful approach ensures students feel safe, supported, and excited to learn, laying strong foundations for their academic and social growth.
Talk, Think, Inspire
Middle School English teacher Trinajoy Karanja brings a love for storytelling, curiosity, and community into her classroom. She creates space for meaningful conversations and inspires students to wrestle with big ideas, helping them stretch their thinking and grow into confident, thoughtful learners.
Building Bright Beginnings
First-grade teacher Alexandra Haught centers her practice on connection and care, creating a warm and welcoming environment where young learners feel known and supported. Her relationship-focused approach helps students build confidence as they take on new challenges.
Curriculum Catalyst
Director of Teaching and Learning Moira Burgy supports teachers in designing innovative, meaningful learning experiences. Her guidance and expertise help faculty connect curriculum and teaching practice, empowering students to think critically, collaborate, and engage with purpose.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Making of Classroom of the Earth
By Cindy Barnes Director of Classroom of the Earth
For more than 30 years, the Good Shepherd Classroom of the Earth (COE) program has grown into one of the hallmarks of who we are, inviting students to step beyond the classroom and into the wonder, challenge, and joy of the world around us. While other schools offer field trips, class travel, or occasional time outdoors, our distinctive COE program shines as an unparalleled outdoor learning experience. Since its inception in 1991, the program has offered every grade level thoughtfully planned, developmentally appropriate trips, carefully scaffolded to build skills, confidence, and deep connections with the natural world, year after year. Led by two full-time educators, the program provides students with rich experiential learning that grows with them from prekindergarten through eighth grade.
As the COE Director, I am often asked, “What do you do when you’re not on a trip?!” For those unfamiliar with planning multi-grade outdoor experiences, it can be hard to imagine the work that goes on behind the scenes. Here’s a glimpse of what makes COE run smoothly, from early preparation to after-trip reflection.
Trip Prep
Each trip is its own carefully choreographed experience, with countless logistical details woven together to ensure students can explore safely, confidently, and joyfully. We make reservations, finalize packing lists, obtain required permits, and coordinate teachers and trip staff. Spreadsheets are filled with details on class rosters, medical information, reservation numbers, meal plans — and yes, the Texas State Parks Group Reservation desk is on speed dial!
After each trip, the work shifts as gear must be inventoried and repaired, food stored, donated, or discarded, and sleeping bags washed; a process that takes between four and five hours for 70 sleeping bags alone. We also spend time selecting, printing, and adding photos to student COE journals. These journals, filled with pictures and student reflections year to year, help students remember their trips long after they’ve returned home. In fact, our students receive these journals just before graduation. What begins as a simple reflection becomes a treasured record of the experience from their first trip through eighth grade, a tangible reflection of how far they’ve come, one adventure at a time.
Curriculum Support
COE is more than trips; it’s integrated into the school’s classroom curriculum. Before and after each adventure, we visit classrooms to prepare students, review expectations, and reinforce the Leave No Trace principles. For example, before a trip to Dinosaur Valley State Park, fourth-graders sketched their vision of the perfect campsite. Then, they received “Campsite Oh No!” cards showing examples of how failing to follow Leave No Trace (such as littering, picking wildflowers, or dirtying water sources) can ruin a great campsite. These lessons help students understand that outdoor learning comes with real responsibility, not just to themselves, but to the land, plants, and wildlife they encounter.
We also offer a Leadership workshop for seventh-graders as part of their social studies curriculum. Over four class periods, students explore definitions of leadership, practice problemsolving scenarios, and assess their own leadership skills and strengths. These lessons support the school’s mission to Lead with Courage, preparing them to serve as eighth-grade House leaders, COE mentors, and Community Buddy role models. By the time they step into more advanced leadership roles on campus, they do so with confidence rooted in both self-reflection and shared experience.
THE 7 PRINCIPLES OF LEAVE NO TRACE
PRINCIPLE 1 PLAN AHEAD & PREPARE
PRINCIPLE 2 TRAVEL & CAMP ON DURABLE SURFACES
PRINCIPLE 3 DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY
PRINCIPLE 4 LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND
Safety First Families can feel confident knowing that every COE experience is supported by professionals trained to anticipate, assess, and address challenges with care and expertise. Safety is a top priority, and we are proud to maintain an excellent track record. Seth Hogan, Assistant Director of COE, and I, along with select faculty, are certified Wilderness First Responders (WFR) through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). The WFR certification equips us with the experience and practical skills needed to stay calm and responsive in disaster relief and medical emergency scenarios. This 80-hour training ensures trip leaders are ready to tackle medical issues that can arise when exploring the outdoors.
Additionally, we attend the NOLS Wilderness Risk Management Conference every two years, where we learn best practices for assessing and mitigating risk, explore new gear and communication tools, and connect with professional guides who assist with our advanced seventh and eighth-grade trips.
PRINCIPLE 5 RESPECT WILDLIFE
PRINCIPLE 6 MINIMIZE CAMPFIRE IMPACTS
PRINCIPLE 7 BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS
Leave No Trace is a nonprofit organization focused on protecting the outdoors through science-based education and stewardship, empowering everyone to enjoy nature responsibly and minimize their impact. Learn more about them at lnt.org
While the most exciting part of our job is undoubtedly the trips themselves, much of the success comes from the hours of preparation, reflection, and teaching that happens behind the scenes. These efforts ensure each adventure is safe, seamless, and provides students with transformative opportunities to grow in confidence, independence, and their connection with the natural world. With the earth as their classroom, our students discover not only new landscapes but new courage, curiosity, and capability within themselves. Lessons that stay with them long after the backpacks are stored and the trails fade behind them.
CELEBRATING & CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY
Good Shepherd Parents’ Organization
By The 2025-26 GSPO Executive Board
The Good Shepherd Parents’ Organization (GSPO) is a vibrant and dedicated group of parents, faculty, and staff who play a vital role in supporting fundraising efforts at our school. Yet even more than fundraising, the organization’s work connects the entire school community through celebrations large and small throughout the year.
As we start 2026, we want to highlight the many events sponsored, planned, and orchestrated by our incredible parent volunteers.
Faculty and Staff Welcome Back Social Hour
GSPO loves to welcome our faculty and staff back to school by kicking off the academic year with a little fun. This year’s celebration, “Gratitude and Guacamole,” treated the faculty and staff to light bites and fun drinks after a long day of in-service meetings.
Back to School Fiesta
Every August, at the end of the first week of school, GSPO plans and sponsors a free back-to-school party for the entire GSES community. Students, faculty, staff, and their
families gather in the courtyard to share a meal, enjoy a performance from our Cougar cheerleaders, and catch up with friends old and new while celebrating the start of a new school year.
Class Parties
Our GSES students are always excited about their class Halloween and Valentine’s Day parties. All the fun is thanks to the hard-working GSPO Room Parents who plan and orchestrate the events.
Super Dads Hot Dog Lunches
On Halloween, our Super Dads grill hundreds of hot dogs for all of our GSES students, faculty, and staff. Everyone looks forward to the lunch each fall, and the dads come back to do it again in the spring!
Auction
This year, the annual GSPO Auction moved to the fall. Themed “Friday Night Lights,” the event was a laid-back, tailgate-inspired evening at SMU’s Armstrong Fieldhouse. Parents, faculty, and staff bid on fabulous auction items, sipped signature cocktails, played fun field games, and attended a concert by the Diamond West Band. Every dollar raised supported the GSPO’s contribution to the Fit For Our Future campaign. The night was a celebration of our community and the campus's growth and development.
GSPO’s Angel Tree
In late November, the GSES community shows up big when hundreds of students line up to “adopt” an ornament from GSPO’s Angel Tree, with each ornament representing a
charity or child in need. This year, GSPO partnered with The Salvation Army and Family Gateway. Students and their families, along with faculty and staff, donated thousands of Christmas gifts and gift cards, then came together for the annual Celebration of Giving, where they learned how their efforts helped support the broader Dallas community.
Breakfast with Santa
This December, our youngest students and their families gathered in Kincaid Pavilion for a magical Saturday morning Breakfast with Santa. Families enjoyed a catered breakfast, and every guest had the opportunity to spend time with the big man in red while having their pictures taken by a professional photographer.
Birthday Table
We want to make sure all students, faculty, and staff feel celebrated on their special day, so every month we set up the Birthday Table in Kincaid Pavilion during lunch. Parent volunteers pass out cupcakes and small gifts to anyone with a birthday (or half-birthday) that month!
Daddy Daughter Dance
Every little girl in first through fourth grade looks forward to dressing up for a night out at GSPO’s Lower School Daddy Daughter Dance, where our super dads and their daughters dance the night away. This year’s “Winter Wonderland” dance is sure to create lasting memories.
Mother Son Dance
Not to be outdone by the girls, our first through fourth grade boys love to dress up and take their moms out for a date at GSPO’s Lower School Mother Son Dance in February. This year’s “Midnight in Manhattan” dance is sure to be a night to remember.
Carnival
GSPO’s Carnival is a cherished tradition that every GSES family looks forward to each year. The school campus is transformed into a fairground, featuring authentic carnival rides, midway games with fantastic prizes, and vibrant community spirit. It’s an event not to be missed. We hope you’ll join us at “Midway in Bloom” in April!
Faculty and Staff Appreciation
We love to celebrate our faculty and staff! Each trimester, volunteers plan and set up a table of treats for all faculty and staff to enjoy. Additionally, GSPO plans two appreciation luncheons each year, treating all employees to a catered meal and time to bond with colleagues while volunteers cover their classes.
Super Dads Events
Our Super Dads really are super! With three annual fundraising and community-building events — Boss of the Toss Cornhole Tournament, Super Dads Golf Tournament, and Super Dads Car Show — there’s always something to celebrate. Along with these signature events, our dads strengthen the community through monthly happy hours and Lower School carpool duty every Friday, which often features several dads in costume.
Read-A-Thon
GSPO celebrates and encourages our Cougar readers! Our annual Read-A-Thon promotes the love of reading among all of our students.
Festival of Arts
In partnership with the school’s Fine Arts department, GSPO hosts a biennial Festival of the Arts, showcasing artwork from our students of all ages. The entire Cougar community comes out for an evening of creativity, performances, and celebration. Mark your calendar for April 30, when the Festival of the Arts returns!
These community-building celebrations, both new and old, are just a small piece of the magic that makes the Good Shepherd experience so special for our students and families. The dedication, joy, and generosity of our parent volunteers strengthen the bonds that make our community so unique. As the school year unfolds, we remain grateful for the spirit of service that makes GSES what it is today, and warmly invite all parents to share in the experience of helping make this year unforgettable for our students.
CLASSROOM OF THE EARTH
AROUND CAMPUS
A Look Back at Fall 2025
GOOD SHEPHERD LEADERSHIP
2025-26 School Year
Board of Trustees
Paula Hart
President
Tara Flume
Vice President
Ken Moore
Secretary
Laura Kelsoe Vestry Representative
The Rev. Michael Mills Rector
Julie McLeod, Ph.D. Ex-Officio Member
Jessica Allen
Vince Bratton
Kim Cocotos
Jodie Elder
Tom Garrison
Julie Harvey
Becky Hopkins
Justin Kimble
Andrew Lauck
Ben Mimmack
Sawako Miyama
Wyn Smith
Claire Strange
Erin Tate
Jason Winford
Leadership Team
Julie McLeod, Ph.D. Head of School
Krista Volkman Chief Financial & Operating Officer
Moira Burgy Director of Teaching & Learning
Mary Duncan Director of Development
Candie Esch Director of Marketing & Communications
Liz Fleskes Head of Early Childhood
Jessica Grant Assistant Head of Middle School
Casey Martin Head of Lower School
M. May, Ph.D. Director of Community & Belonging
Amy Melle Director of Academic Technology
Jennifer Meyers Director of Admission
Lori Rolke Head of Middle School
Catherine Scott Director of Innovation
PAVING THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE
Support the Fit For Our Future Campaign
As we enter the new year, our community remains focused and energized around a goal that brings us all together: completing the Fit For Our Future campaign. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’ve made significant progress, but we’re not at the finish line yet.
With the theme “Together, We Will Cross the Finish Line,” we aim to complete our fundraising efforts by the end of this academic year. Every gift brings us closer to realizing our new gym, a dynamic facility that will benefit students for generations to come.
One meaningful way to contribute is by purchasing a personalized brick, which will be installed in the pathway leading to the new gym. These bricks will create a lasting legacy and a tribute to those who helped make this dream a reality.
Each brick can be inscribed with your family name, a short personal message, or a dedication. It’s a unique opportunity to leave a visible and permanent mark on our campus, celebrating your connection to the school.
Whether you're a current parent, proud grandparent, or alum looking to give back, we invite you to join us. Together, we can cross the finish line and create a space for community, learning, and celebration for generations to come.
To purchase a brick or learn more about the campaign, please visit gsesdallas.org/bricks
Good Shepherd Episcopal School
11110 Midway Road
Dallas, Texas 75229-4118
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