Testimonials

Greg Cabana, Class of 1993James Brodeur, Class of 2006Emily Boni AlumnaLisa DiBona Class of 2008

James Brodeur, Class of 2006 - "After the gift of life and my Catholic faith, my Catholic education is the best gift my parents ever gave me! As I look back fondly on my years at Good Shepherd, I realize how my experiences there were pivotal to my future. I am so grateful to Mrs. Dolores Lourenco, my Grade 8 English teacher, who taught me how to write. I am also grateful to Mrs. Celeste Chudy, my choir director, who allowed me to be a piano accompanist for Masses; this experience was one of the first steps on my journey as a music educator. Above all, I am grateful to GWCRS for providing an environment that nurtured my faith through prayer, daily Mass, and religion classes." 

James Brodeur attended Mount St. Charles Academy and Providence College. He is presently the choral director at Sharon High School in Sharon, MA. 

Greg Cabana, Class of 1993 - "GWCRS provided me a strong foundation, both as a student and as a teacher.  Attending GWCRS schools from kindergarten through ninth grade, the education provided me the knowledge and academic skills necessary to be successful in high school, college, and post-graduate programs.  It is hard to imagine my early years not having been at GWCRS schools.  In addition to receiving an outstanding education, my ten years as a student provided me the care and sense of community which helped to shape who I am as a person.  Years later, I was fortunate to be hired for my first teaching position at Good Shepherd.  My work with strong 8th grade colleagues, parents, and most importantly students, provided me an invaluable opportunity to grow as an educator.  As a National Board Certified Teacher since 2012, working in Arlington Public Schools (VA) for the last fourteen years, I am grateful for all that I learned during my years as a teacher at Good Shepherd.  Being part of the GWCRS family has meant a great deal to me, and it is a System I highly recommend to all students and families today." 

Greg graduated from Smithfield (RI) High School, Quinnipiac College (2000), and is working towards his Master’s Degree. Greg lives in Alexandria VA and currently teaches History at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA and leads many Professional Development Programs for teachers.

Emily Boni - "My education at Good Shepherd has impacted my life for over a decade! Because of this wonderful school, I was able to fall in love with my talents, my schoolwork, and my faith.

The opportunities that I was given during my three years attending were endless. I participated in talent shows, writing contests, extracurricular activities, book fairs, sports, and more. My favorite opportunity there was learning so much more about the Catholic faith from an early age. I still attend the church next door, at St. Joseph Church, where I attended many school masses, as well as participated in the school choir. Today, I assist with Confirmation, Youth Ministry and MANY other ministries in the church. I have been inspired about my faith and service to others, all thanks to the Good Shepherd religious education. I also fell in love with my art classes there, which helped me earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design. I now work at a High Gear manufacturing company and am able to take my experiences from Good Shepherd everywhere I go. I cannot pass this school without smiling and remembering all the wonderful memories I have from there. I still have some of the friendships I made there, the teachers will always hold a place in my heart, and the time spent there was the best choice possible for my elementary education. "

Lisa DiBona, Class of 2008 - "I started my GWCRS journey in preschool at Monsignor Gadoury in 1998. Then I continued through elementary school at Our Lady of Victories and on to Good Shepherd, where I graduated 8th grade in 2008 as Valedictorian of the class and Student of the Year. I excelled in both schools and was always encouraged by the teachers and staff to do my best work. The strong academic foundation that GWCRS provided me served me well as I went on to Mount St. Charles Academy (class of 2012) and to the University of Rhode Island, where I graduated summa cum laude in 2015 - a year early! 

Although the academics are important, the relationships are what I remember vividly from my time at GWCRS. I grew up feeling incredibly loved and cherished at school. The environment created by all the teachers, administrators, and staff is unmatched. Catholic values are at the heart of the school and you undoubtedly feel that right when you walk through the door. In fact, I was given the opportunity to move to Mount St. Charles early during my 7th grade year, and I declined because I loved Good Shepherd that much. Additionally, the friendships I made at GWCRS have stood the test of time and we often reminisce about our elementary and middle school years. I wouldn’t trade my time at GWCRS for anything!

I am currently living in Dublin while pursuing an MD at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Class of 2021. I previously graduated from URI with a BS in Kinesiology in 2015 and Mt. St. Charles in 2012."