Good Shepherd Catholic School

5902 Oleander Drive

Orlando, FL 32807

20 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 13, 2023

Good Shepherd is one of the BEST schools in the area! My Son loved walking in every morning greeted by a warm welcome from all the staff and safety patrol kids! All the teachers in the school are nurturing and loving.. they make learning such a wonderful experience for the kids! Mrs. Heather is one of the greatest Principal we have ever had! And the staff at the school is phenomenal! All so friendly and helpful! The curriculum that Good Shepherd offers is very good one and the teachers cater to each child’s needs… their system of communication is excellent in which they keep the parents informed on what their children’s day to day work/ activities/socialization looks like and pictures are included in the emails .. this of course made my husband and myself feel like we were in the classroom with our son! Good Shepherd is more than just a school it is a community.. we highly recommend joining the Good Shepherd Family! .. you will be giving your child the best education and the most wholesome environment possible!!!!
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2021

I started my relationship with Good Shepherd 7 years ago when I enrolled my oldest. In that time I have seen this school transform. It started off great with lot's of support from teachers and administration. It also seemed at the time like a somewhat tech-savvy school. As an added plus, the majority of the teachers there were awesome. But the GREAT teachers have left or retired. The new administration did a great job of gutting everything that was right with Good Shepherd and turning it into a shell of what it once was. I have rarely run into any trouble with any of the admins in the office. They all seem nice enough. But if you have any interactions with the leadership there, prepare to be condescended upon, mistreated, and genuinely not valued. I always felt like I was being punished anytime I had simple questions or concerns, which was barely ever. Technology wise, they are very behind. My oldest now attends public school, where he was assigned a new laptop for the year. At Good Shepherd, I have provided my own technology for all my children, however it has not done much good as it really never even served a purpose pre-pandemic. But when the pandemic started here in FL, it was very evident that there were absolutely NO continuity plans. Covid-19 really showed how unprepared the school was. It was so evident, that my child finally asked for me to switch schools because they did not feel they were learning any more. All in all, I would NOT recommend this school. Your would have a better experience at a local public elementary or middle school versus Good Shepherd.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2018

This is great institution with a strong commitment to a high quality education of its students. Great teachers at this school make this possible. Great use of blended learning with technology in the classrooms. Call today to tour the school and find out for yourself.
Submitted by parent on November 28, 2017

Excellent, the school staff is focused on the children's needs and learning.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2017

My children have spent five years at this school. It used to be a great school until the new Administration team came in. They do not care for the students as a whole, only for the money. My children are behind academically and I am having to spend their summer catching them up. The school uses old curriculum that is worth more in the recycling bin rather than the classroom. The teachers are burnt out because of the lack of support from Administration. They have too many students in their classrooms- some classrooms even have students with ASD with no individual student support. This school is spiraling down the drain fast and I am shocked that the Diocese have not had an intervention with Administration. It's become that bad. Please do not make the financial sacrifice to send your children to this Carhoc School. There are other nearby Catholic schools that will better meet your child's educational goals and needs.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2017

Let me begin by stating there are some wonderful teachers at GS. The Middle School Social Studies teacher is arguably the best teacher I have encountered. That being said, the Middle School Spanish teacher is probably the worst teacher I have ever encountered. She is the main reason we left the school after one year.On multiple occasions we had meetings with the Administration and the Spanish teacher; at first it was to see how we could allow my daughter to succeed in the class (all we really wanted was clarity which she could never provide). Eventually we just wanted to pull our daughter from the class because the teacher acted unprofessional (my wife came close to tears in one conversation and the teacher's response was "I see where your daughter's emotional behavior comes from") and was a bit of a bully (she actually "Shamed" several students because they did not know a prayer even though the assignment was not due for several weeks). When we raised concerns about this teacher's behavior the Administration more or less circled the wagons and did nothing. I would have thought the school should have looked into this and reported back to us (we basically were brushed off).Anyway, it's a real shame things played out as they did. My daughter has many friends at the school, pull straight A's (even in Spanish) and was involved in several activities. I really feel that some type of compromise could have been worked.
Submitted by parent on May 28, 2017

Their offer spanish as second language.I have to say they don't teaches anything diferent to the very basics of spanish. In 5 years at GS never seen somenthing different than teaching the colors or numbers to kids. No matter the grade. Always was the same spanish program.No speach therapist or other special support as they advertise
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2017

My children have attended GSCS from K-4th grades and are excelling in all aspects of their education and development. They are confident and adequately social in all environments, both at school and outside of school.While raising my children in a "shared parenting environment" and acknowledging that living in two households has its own challenges, the curriculum at school does not overwhelm them but instead engages their energy and efforts. Additionally, the after school and other family oriented activities that support the ideals and goals of the school complement the programs that are being offered.My children are not overwhelmed but are challenged daily, both academically and socially. I am yet to notice anything in their behavior that would lead me to believe that they are being bullied or picked on and they are constantly expressing how happy and proud they are to be at that school.GSCS is an extension of the work ethics and morals we exemplify to our children at home. It is not a childcare facility that is there to impose their beliefs and morals on our children. You (we) get back what we invest in our children so if you are not pouring into your children don't take for ranted that GSCS will fill that void.In comparison to other schools, they offer "good stuff" and as such I believe it is inappropriate to compare it's value. I have three older children whom attended another private school (non-catholic) and they too are by far impressed with the care and attention that is given to the students at GSCS.I have to commend the staff and teachers at GSCS for the way they engage families and enable ample opportunities for parents to socially participate in their children's school activities. I wouldn't want to place my children anywhere else in the world!
Submitted by parent on November 24, 2014

I have not received the best service from the faculty at good sheperd. They are very clickish and at times have been rude to me.
Submitted by parent on November 07, 2014

I completely agree with previous comments that stated that the curriculum in this school is behind other private schools and even some public schools. After moving to Orlando, we enrolled our son in GS as the closest option to our house. Three weeks after he started, all problems started after lack of communications and educational structure with the teachers. We ended doing most of the teaching at home. It was like home schooling him but paying GS for it. After so many disappointments, we changed our son to another catholic private school in ORL and confirmed that we were correct. They were not teaching him at his grade level and were not following the educational plan established from the Dioceses (we took the time to revise this plan with his teachers prior to make the move). It took our son one intensive semester to catch up with all the material that was supposed to be taught in an earlier grade. He is now being challenged academically and is exceeding all expectations, not just in his classes but in music and sports offered in his current school. The registration cost per year is even lower than GS with a much higher academic quality.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2014

My daughter is in the 7th grade at GSCS. I have been nothing but impressed with the teachers, staff and administration. They are dedicated, understanding and professional. When I am on campus I feel such a positive energy and goodness. They do have a large class size, but I have not felt this impacted her education at all.
Submitted by other on January 13, 2014

I attended this school K-8 and it is something I have definitely have not regretted. This school set me up for great achievements in AP classes and a giving me good life morals. I recommend this to be a great school for children to attend. The students all become a amazing dysfunctional family while still being set up for future success.
Submitted by other on October 22, 2013

I would like to know which school did you register your children. I am looking for a good school for next year for my children. They are currently at GSCS but I am not too happy and I am not sure about register them for next year.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2013

After trying this school for 2 years, we had no choice but to remove our child from this school. Now that he attends a different private school, we can really compare GS with other local academic curriculums. Unfortunately, we would say that they are a good year behind other private schools. They are also behind some public schools in the area which make us very upset as we really waisted time and money on our child's education while he attended GS. The competence of some of the teachers are questionable as they do not even have educational plans prepared for academic year. We now find ourselves teaching him skills that he should have acquired while in GS just to catch him up to where his current peers are academically.
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2013

We start at Kindergarten and know we are in 4th grade, my concern is the negative enviroment and the poor interaction of the teachers and the principal, if you are lloking for a safe enviroment for your kid, do not go there, the teachers are not positive in their way of talking to the children on grades 3rd, 4th and 5th, also there is high ratio 28 in a classroom for 1 teacher that in sometimes of a day get and assistant, the food is serve outside and when they are outside the suppervision is poor, so many incidents happens with the kids, injuries, teassing and bulling for example.
Submitted by parent on October 27, 2012

My son -- who normally doesn't care for anything academic -- LOVES the teachers, environment , and challenges he experiences on a daily basis. He is in a multi-age classroom where the teacher crafts her instruction for his abilities. He is pushed to achieve his potential every day. He has found friends who accept him and extra curricular programs that he enjoys. I also love being welcomed into the school when I volunteer by friendly staff who make me feel important and integral to the learning environment. Teachers, staff, and administration work hard here, and I can see that mirrored in my son's emerging work ethic.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2012

We have been part of this school for over 6 years and are very happy with the education, parent communication and student care they provide. I feel the school has taken proper action when we've had concerns regarding the interaction and development of my kids. Overall I feel is a well balanced school not only strong in education but also in extracurricular activities like sports, arts and music.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2012

This is my children's second year at Good Shepherd. After having them in various other public and private schools, I can absolutely say what an outstanding institution Good Shepherd is and how blessed we are to have found it. Their current principal is the best I've seen. She embraces technology and is building a culture of excellence there which she leads by example. They not only permit, but encourage students' use of technology and the school boasts Smartboards in every classroom. Even the VPK (preschool) students have access to technology including iPads and enrichment activities. The teachers are second to none. The teachers genuinely care about their students and take the time to learn their strengths and weaknesses. They have no issues adapting their styles to help their students excel and learn in the ways best suited to them. The Multi-Age Class (MAC) philosophy provides a challenging environment and allows kids to learn at their own pace be it ordinary, accelerated or with extra time. My children also benefit from a host of other activities including sports, PE, art, music, computers and foreign language. If your kids aren't there - they should be!
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2012

This school is backward than public school. Some teachers are not nice and some of them are arrogant with our kids. I thought that because this school is a "religious" one my child would be better emotionally but I was wrong. This school is a waste of money and I really do NOT Recommend.
Submitted by other on February 24, 2011

I have had two children attend this wonderful school! The Administration, Teachers, and entire staff are both warm and caring. What a wonderful Educational base they received from Good Shepherd Catholic School. The community is one of the most caring you will ever find.