Preschool Staff

Our Preschool Staff

Our staff are all professionals trained in Early Childhood Education along with CPR and first aide certificates. We are licensed by the State of California and have high standards for our teachers.

Our staff has many years experience teaching in a loving, Christian environment. Teachers have taught here an average of ten years and several of us over twenty! We pride ourselves in our individual attention with all our students, nurturing each and everyone towards life learners as well as kind and thoughtful citizens. We feel our school and family connection is a critical part of the partnership we share in these most precious years of your child’s life.

Becci Lukes is completing her 25th year at Shepherd of the Hills, and has been director for the past thirteen years. She has taught all ages at Shepherd from young 3's to to Pre-K, and Lunch Bunch. Becci is now the Executive Director over our Mission Viejo Site as well as our new Santa Margarite Site which is located in the Santa Margarita United Methodist Church. One preschool two sites. We will now be able to reach families all over our valley with our program. This is an exciting year for our school!

Cindie Reilly, Santa Margarita Preschool Site Director, Jr. Kindergarten Teacher
Cindie is a very organized person, which makes a big difference when multi-tasking amongst 3 and 4 year olds. She is that ray of sunshine beaming from the preschool office each morning. In the afternoon she is busy with our "older children" encouraging each child to be the best that they can be. After 10 years here at Shepherd she has been a great asset to our program's success. This year she will be the Site Director over our newest site in the Santa Margarita United Methodist Church.

Deanna Roberson, Staff Support
Deanna is celebrating her 33rd year of teaching at Shepherd. She is foundational to our school. In 2008 we dedicated our newest building on our playground in her name. "Roberson's Retreat" is a place at our school where children can dance, ice skate, build with blocks, eat lunch, and be well rounded preschoolers. Deanna has given children that strong foundation in all her programs all these years.

Mary Vrooman, Motor-Music Teacher
Mary is truly the consummate matriarch of our staff. She is the standard we all strive for. She gives 110% to her job everyday. She is always here for any of us when we need ideas, support, or advice with a situation. She is a great listener and a modest professional. She has taught at Shepherd over 38 years.

Dorothy Walther, 3 year old Teacher
Dorothy is celebrating her 27th year at our school. She grew upon on campus! She is so patient with our youngest of the young, truly her strength and gift. She always is sensitive to these little ones as they grow in their independence from home. She is always there with a hug and a sympathetic ear.

Elaine Collins, 4 year old Teacher
Elaine is in tune with all her students and their families. She began teaching at Shepherd in 1996 after eight years at another preschool, and she genuinely helps mold a child's future in the most positive of ways. She teaches our four year old program with abundant understanding of what our children need to be ready for kindergarten. She has always been such a great help to young families with her years of experience with children.

Flo Bashaw, 4 year old Teacher
Flo has a cheerful and positive influence on all of her children and their families. She sees only the good in children as she teaches each day. Flo begin teaching with us in 1997 and is an asset to our staff. She is always interested in new ways to develop our program, whether it is skill application or communicating with families. Flo started teaching at Shepherd after her own children attended.

Laurie Canedy, 4 year old Teacher
Laurie is the kind of teacher who develops new curriculum during her summer time off, even after 14 years of teaching. She is always trying new things and adjusting her program for the individual needs of her students. She is our most artistic teacher and her love of art flourishes in each child's interpretation of whatever media she offers them.

Debbie Porizo, Our Enrichment Teacher
Debbie has been a fun loving part of our staff for 13 years now (after 8 years at another school). She has as much fun in her programs as any of her children. Parents love her easy going personality, which brings out the personality of even the quietest in our preschool program. Everyday is full of excitement and song!

Nancy Senerchia, 3 years old and Jr. Kindergarden Teacher
Nancy is celebrating her 12th year at our school (and 20 years experience at other schools). We feel very honored to have such a considerate and perceptive teacher on staff. She genuinely loves teaching. She comes early each day and can't wait for summer to end.

Kris Bell, 3 year old Teacher at BOTH sites
Kris always has a smile as she greets you each day. She has been a positive part of our program since 2003. Working with little 3 year olds requires a lot of patience and Kris is just that lady! She is another one of our staff who brought their children here, then never left!

Michelle Denny, Associate Teacher and Lunch Bunch
Michelle has been a dedicated Lunch Bunch teacher for the past six years. She is very conscientious with her charge and is sensitive to all the children's needs. Even though she spends only an hour her and there with our students she seems to really get to know each child and enjoys their individual personalities. Our Lunch Bunch program is in good hands with such an attentive teacher. this year she will be apart of the children's classroom times as we add to our numbers in out 3 year old programs.

Lisa Arnold, Outdoor Classroom and Curriculum Coordinator
Lisa began teaching at Shepherd six years ago with our oldest children and has really found her age group. The children enjoy Lisa's thoughtfulness to their every need, and the parents in her class always feel comfortable with her easy going personality. Last year we found a way to share Lisa's gifts with the whole campus as she develops wonderful interest areas in our "Outdoor" classroom. Lisa taught for many years, then took time off to raise her two sons before coming to Shepherd.

Sarah Galliver, 3 year old and Jr. Kindergarden Teacher
Sarah started in 2008r and what a great find! We love all the "dramatic" changes she has brought to our playground. She is always making something new with a real "child-like" enthusiasm and attention to detail. Her "English Tradition" has a lovely influence on us all. Sarah will be beginning her second year teaching in our Jr. Kindergarden Program this year. She is amazing with this age group. Everyday was full of excitement as we watched the children bloom!

Lezlie Rodgers, Associate Teacher and lead teacher at our Santa Margarita Site
Lezlie began at our school as a parent, student teacher, the Lunch Bunch and now as Associate Teacher in the classroom in 2010. We have enjoyed watching all the great ideas she has added to our program. Lezlie has a wonderful love for this age group and we know this will be great year for all involved. This year she will have her own class of 3 year olds in our new Santa Margarita Site.

Andrea Thompson, 3 year old Associate Teacher
Andrea began in 2010 as one of our Lunch Bunch staff and we loved her enthusiasm for the children so much we just had to include her in our classroom program with our young threes. She has so much patience and the understanding of what this age needs we knew she was ready and is the right teacher for this age group!

Judy Hall 4 Year old Teacher-Santa Margarita Site Judy has taugh Early Childhood Education for over twenty years and 8 years at the Santa Margarita Site before we brought our program to Santa Margarita. We are proud to include her in our staff as we open this new site. She brings experience and great knowledge to our program as we move to secure accreditation to this school with our already NAEYC accreditated program. Welcome Mrs. Hall!