At Good Shepherd School, spiritual development of the student is as essential as the student’s intellectual, emotional and physical development.  The elements of our program develop and strengthen students’ faith and theological understanding. Our program weaves spirituality and faith throughout the day and in a variety of ways.

Preschool and Elementary School:
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

At the heart of the spiritual growth of the child from Preschool through Sixth Grade is the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. This is a special place set aside for the child to encounter Christ as the Good Shepherd.

In Preschool and Kindergarten, the child learns about Christ and the Church through Sacred Scripture, song, prayer, the celebration of the liturgical seasons and feast days, and the nomenclature of the articles of the Mass. Academic areas are represented here as well through activities such as working with a map of the Holy Land, handwriting Bible verses, and learning the liturgical seasons.

In First, Second and Third Grades, the child is captured by the image of the True Vine: “I am the vine, you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) This proclamation responds to the deep need of the child to better know his or her relationship with God, family, friends, and the community. Moral parables offer examples for comparing and contrasting their behavior with that of the Good Samaritan, Pharisee, or the Tax Collector. Children see the parts of the Mass—the Liturgy of the Word, the Preparation of the Gifts, the Eucharistic Prayer, and the Communion—as one unified prayer made of many smaller prayers. Children prepare for the celebration of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion through a series of meditations focusing on their relationship with Jesus.

In the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth grades, students study the history of salvation focusing on the plan of God as one of communion– a plan which links all people together through God’s love. The emphasis is on our response to this generosity of God and recognition of the responsibilities that come with receiving God’s great gifts. “What is the kingdom of God and my place in it?” is a cosmic query which lays the foundations for a deeper relationship with God. Materials on prophets of the Old Testament, the gifts of God, the miracles of Jesus, and expanded presentations on Liturgy and Scripture are areas of study.

Middle School: Confirmation Preparation

The two years of Middle School are spent in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Becoming a confirmed Catholic means making a public declaration of one’s faith and a life-long commitment to the Christian life of prayer, charity and evangelization.  To that end, the following areas of study are studied: Jesus and His message; personal growth; moral theology; Church history; saints; and prayer.  In addition, students study the Sacrament of Confirmation in salvation history; the effects of the sacrament; what it means to live the sacrament; and the fruits of the Spirit.   In recognition of the responsibility of confirmed Catholics to be ambassadors of the Church, an Apologetics course is taken in Eighth Grade.  This class prepares students to address today’s common objections to Christianity, including scientific proof for the existence of God; evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and performed miracles; and why God allows suffering.  Finally, students perform works of discipleship based on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Celebration of the Liturgy

Twice a month, the students of Good Shepherd School attend daily Mass at St. Francis de Sales in Purcellville, VA.  Sitting together by grade, the celebration of the liturgy and sacraments is a special event for the school.  Upper Elementary and Middle School students often serve as altar servers, and eighth grade students serve as lectors.

Preparation for the Sacraments

Sacraments are so much more than a ceremony to prepare for.  They are God’s way of reaching down to us and offering us a lifelong gift – a gift of grace that gives us a glimpse of heaven a taste of eternity.  At Good Shepherd School, students are guided through the preparation process for the First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation sacraments in two-year programs, which are approved by the Diocese of Arlington.  For First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, preparation is done at the First and Second Grade levels through both the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program as well as supplemental in-class and retreat-like sessions.  For Confirmation, preparation is done in the Seventh and EighthGrade classes through a series of Theology classes, Confirmation classes, an Apologetics course, discipleship hours and retreats.

Monthly Reconciliation

Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus expresses His love for children.  He influences their lives; He demonstrates His power to heal them, to free them from the bondage of sin, and to raise them to new life.  Students are blessed with the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation each month, thanks to our local pastor who comes to the school once a month to hear Confessions.  

Celebration of Feast Days and Other Special Events

Feast days and other special events provide wonderful opportunities to introduce students to saints, who provide inspiring examples of discipleship and models for living out their faith.  At Good Shepherd School, examples of these celebrations include:

- On All Saints Day, students (and teachers) dress as their favorite saints, share about their selected saint and take part in a school-wide procession.  

- Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on her feast day with a Mexican devotional dance, flowers for Our Lady and a Mexican meal.  

- St. Nicholas is celebrated with a visit from a version of the saint himself.  

- May Crowning honors Mary after Mass, and we celebrate in conjunction with feting the students who have recently received their First Holy Communion.

- School-wide celebration for the recently-Confirmed Middle School students

- Many of the feast days, such as Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Fatima, are celebrated by attending Mass.  

Prayer

Teaching children to pray provides an opportunity for a close relationship with God, and the achievement of the ultimate goal– getting to Heaven.  Each teacher institutes a variety of ways to encourage group prayer and individual prayer throughout the days, weeks and months. Common elements of the prayer life at Good Shepherd School include:

- Weekly Rosary

Each Monday morning, the students gather as a school to pray the Rosary.  Led by the Middle School, this is a time of quiet reflection as students prepare for the week ahead.  The younger children often sit with the older children who guide them through the Rosary, teaching them to understand and cherish this special time spent in prayer.

- Daily Prayers

Each school day begins and ends in prayer at Good Shepherd School.  In Preschool and Lower Elementary School, students spend time in the beginning of each day in prayer.  These morning prayers teach students to experience all forms of prayer: petition, thanksgiving, praise, intercession and adoration.

In Upper Elementary and Middle School, students say the Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours as a group.  It is through these prayers, which differ each day, week and liturgical season, that children recite and become familiarized with Psalms and other readings from Sacred Scripture in a personal way.  Led by the students, these prayers recited together offer a beautiful time for quiet reflection and shared intentions.

To end the day, each class ends with some form of prayer, whether it is the recitation of the St. Michael prayer or some other form of prayer.

Focus on the Virtues

An essential component in the instruction of students is the practice of virtue, good habits that properly dispose them to receive and benefit from God’s grace.  At Good Shepherd School, students focus on the virtues in a variety of ways.  One example is participation in the Virtues by Practice program, which covers 27 virtues over a three-year cycle, with 81 saints studied as models of virtue.  Another example is the school’s support of student participation in the National March for Life.  Each year, school is not held on the day of the March so that students and their families can participate in this pro-life rally.