I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but somewhere along the way I became a "Shepherd" parent. It may have been the first time my chest swelled with pride at a Spring Sing. Or maybe it was the first time I cried in chapel. Or the countless times we rushed to beat the bell in the morning while balancing a diorama, a book report, and a science project.
I guess it really doesn't matter when it happened, just that it did. Because being a "Shepherd" parent is to be part of something really special. It means you are part of a family. A family that includes the most amazing teachers and staff, two incredible Pastors that can only be viewed as a special gift from God, a community of the most wonderful people that bakes, and sells, and wraps, and spring boutiques, and room parents, and hot lunches, and does whatever needs to be done--and always with a smile.
Mostly it means that everyday, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that your children are loved, and cared for, and being taught to be good people. What greater gift could there be? Thank you.
-Neil & Jill, Shepherd Parents
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I like that at SOV all the teachers are nice and fun. They really teach you things and make all problems solved. I love that all the grades are connected and everyone is friends. I love that the school makes everything fun, and the teachers do really fun things. I love that the sixth graders have certain responsibilities in chapel and for the flags. It's cool that we get to have sugar babies and go whale watching. I also love that it's not just sixth grade that does fun stuff, but the whole school, including the teachers.
-Grace, 6th Grade
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We wanted a campus that would celebrate our children for the unique gifts that they are; one that would reinforce the important lessons of God's love, and one that would help them grow into good citizens. All these things, we felt, were just as important as reading, writing and arithmetic.
Indeed this was the place. It has been a joy to watch my boys grow here where they can feel comfortable among their peers, their teachers and their pastors. They have experienced many fun activities, from enrichment programs and assemblies, to sports and plays. They have grown into confident readers, skilled public speakers and strong students in all subjects. Their interest in piano began here, as did their interest in singing (through Cherub and Chapel Choir) and acting.
They've survived Science Fairs, Speech Meets, dioramas, animal reports, planet reports, California reports, reports on other states, and most recently, the massive 6th-grade Country Report. They've taken field trips to local museums and other sites of interest, including the state Capitol. And our whole family (Mom, Dad and Nana included) survived their week away at 6th grade camp earlier this year.
-Danielle, Parent
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Enrolling our two daughters in SOVLS was one of the best decisions that my late husband and I ever made. Even here in sprawling Los Angeles, we found a small town of like-minded parents whose priorities and Christian values were consistent with our own. The friendships that we forged here will last a lifetime. Our eldest daughter will be married soon, and two of her bridesmaids will be girls she met in kindergarten at SOV. Our younger daughter is in college now, and her closest friends are those she, too, met in kindergarten at SOV. The mothers of these girls are some of my dearest friends. As a mother, it is impossible to put a price on knowing that when my daughters played at their SOV friends' homes, they would be surrounded with the same safe, sensible atmosphere that they found at home.
Each of our daughters attended private Christian colleges on academic scholarships after excelling academically in junior and senior high school. This reflects the rigorous college prep academics provided by SOV. The teachers, administration, and staff at SOV are dedicated professionals who work from the heart for "their" kids at SOV. Along with the pastors and church staff, these Christian men and women have always given good advice and encouragement to our children, and to us as parents. Finally, when tragedy struck our family, the "small town" of SOV rallied around us with hot meals, prayer, child care, and, most of all, with love.
- Elisabeth, Parent
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