Faculty

Mr. Renteria serves as principal of The Good Shepherd Academy. He has taught in both the Traditional Academy and Homeschool Academy, currently teaching middle school Latin and high school Logic. His love for the Catholic faith motivates his teaching. 

“Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face.” (Psalms 67:2)

Mrs. Melissa Villegas serves as Office Manager and has two children attending The Good Shepherd Academy.

Mrs. Arambula has taught Kindergarten at The Good Shepherd Academy for the last four years. She has over 15 years of experience in pre-school education and supervision. 

Miss Macias teaches First grade and is a catechist for our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. She has a deep love for glorifying God through song and working with children. She has taught music, math, and religion at different schools and has led the youth in confirmation programs throughout the archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Miss Cindy Gonzalez is the homeroom teacher for Grades 3-4 and the art teacher for the elementary grades.

Miss Hutt is the homeroom teacher for Grades 5-6 and teaches pre-algebra in the middle school.  She graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2023 with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics. 

Caroline Cobo is the homeroom teacher for Grades 7-8 as well as the IEW instructor for Grades 5-12.

Miss Teresa Esser is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College and teaches science for grades 5-12.

Sister Francis Mary teaches Latin and theology to Grades 5-12.  She has been a member of the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church since 1970. She earned a Liberal Arts degree from Mount Saint Mary’s College (now University) in Los Angeles and has a multi-subject California Teaching Credential. Sister has taught in Archdiocesan and Catholic independent classical schools since 1973, primarily in grades 6, 7 and 8 (Theology, Latin, Science, Math) and Sacred Scripture to high school students.

Mr. Andrew Valdez is the homeschool teacher for the high school and teaches history, literature, and Latin. He received his Bachelors of Arts in Social Science from the University of LaVerne. He ushers, serves, and participates as a member of the Holy Name Society.

Mr. Valdez is teaching Algebra II at The Good Shepherd Academy. He holds an A.S. degree in Mathematics from Chaffey College, a B.S. and an M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics from California Polytechnic University Pomona. He has taught at Cal Poly Pomona, Bishop Amat High School, and is a professor at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. He has over 30 years of mathematics teaching experience at the high school and college level. 

Mrs. Valdez teaches algebra to our middle school students. She has been married for 26 years and has four children, the youngest of which is a student at TGSA. She has homeschooled her children for 15 years. She graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a B.A. in Mathematics and received her M.S. in Mathematics from Cal Poly Pomona. She has taught Math and Statistics at Cal Poly for over 25 years. She also serves as a catechsim teacher. She is very excited to be part of a school that nurtures students' Catholic faith and education.

Mr. Geier is the Director of both Sacred Music and the Schola. He was a Music Composition major at California State University Fullerton, where he attended from 2013 to 2017. He is a member of the Wessex Consort, which is a professional ensemble that plays music of the Medieval and Renaissance eras in period-accurate style and attire. He has broad experience in musical ensembles, choirs and theater.

Mrs. Valdes is the Lower Schola teacher for grades K-6th. She is a 2012 graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, with a M.M. in Classical Voice. She is a certified cantor for the Diocese of San Bernardino and regularly sings at her home parish. Mrs. Valdes also has a private voice studio where she teaches one on one voice lessons to aspiring singers. Although music is her passion, Mrs. Valdes’ greatest joy is her husband and two children. 

Miss Lauren Macias teaches science in the Traditional Academy for Grades 3-4, as well as R.C. History and science for Grades K-5 in the Homeschool Academy.

Mr. Ruiz teaches R.C. History in the Homeschool Academy for Grades 6-8.