A Son’s Breakthrough Thanks to the Power of a Small School

For Jane, Jesus the Good Shepherd School in Monroe, Louisiana, is much more than a place of work—it’s a second home. Her connection with the school spans three generations.

"I feel like I grew up at Good Shepherd, even though I never attended," Jane says. "My mom has been a first-grade teacher here for over 30 years. She was a single parent, so she couldn't afford the cost of a private school for my brother and me, but I was always around, helping in her classroom or doing homework after school."

Inspired by her mother, Jane became a teacher after college. She eventually married and had three sons: Reece, now in sixth grade; Ryan, in third grade; and Reagan, a first-grader. All three attend Jesus the Good Shepherd as Arete scholars.

Even as a teacher at the school, Jane and her husband couldn’t afford the tuition. However, after experiencing multiple job layoffs and financial setbacks, the family qualified for Arete scholarships, opening the door to a nurturing academic environment and a faith-based education they would otherwise have been unable to access. The opportunity has been especially meaningful for their youngest son, Reagan.

“When Reagan started pre-K, his teacher came to me with some concerns,” Jane recalls. “He was struggling with basic motor skills. He couldn’t even make a peace sign.”

"We had him evaluated for occupational therapy," she adds. "When they tested him, he was incapable of doing what a typical three-year-old should do regarding hand strength and mobility, and so we got him in therapy."

With this delay in fine motor skills, Reagan struggled to keep up with his classmates, especially with his handwriting. 

"He couldn't keep up with the amount of work they did in kindergarten," Jane says. "It didn't help that he was young for his grade. He's the baby of the family, so he's a little more immature because of that."

Reagan's struggles weren't academic, but as someone much younger than his classmates, he lacked some maturity. Jane and her husband understood this, and together, they decided it was best not to let him advance to first grade unless he demonstrated that he was ready. 

"Good Shepherd is a very small, close school, and there are only two kindergarten teachers, one of whom has been here almost as long as I have," Jane shares. "I trusted them and what they saw in the classroom. Reagan continued to struggle after the Christmas break as the work got harder. He was overwhelmed by the amount of work. When they came to me and said they were thinking he needed to be held back, I said, 'Okay, as long as we all agree.'" 

That repeated year made a significant difference in Reagan's development. His hand strength and dexterity improved enough that he no longer had to use a pencil grip or take as many breaks as he used to. Eventually, he was able to drop occupational therapy. 

"Now he's still a boy," Jane chuckles. "His handwriting is not the best, but he doesn't struggle to keep up with the workload like he did his first year of kindergarten."

Now, in first grade, Reagan is thriving at Good Shepherd. Although his homeroom teacher is Ms. Green, the classes switch for a few hours every day, which means his grandmother gets to spend time teaching him. While he excels in math and science, she helps him with his reading, spelling, and language arts—subjects he finds more challenging.

"My mom gets to spend time with him every day, and I know he's taken care of," Jane says. "I know she's got it, and I don't have to worry. And then, of course, she'll call me and share when he reads out loud in class or when he raises his hand all by himself and volunteers to do something for her and how he does such a great job."

"The little things like that make a big difference because, as teachers, you usually don't have time to call parents and share how their child is excelling," she adds. "Learning is clicking. He is getting it and doing what he needs to do."

Moreover, Reagan truly enjoys being a student at Jesus the Good Shepherd School.

"He just loves coming to school every day, especially knowing that his big brothers are here, too," Jane says. "He gets to follow in their footsteps. Whatever they do, he also wants to do. If one of them plays basketball, he also wants to play basketball. If one of them is reading Harry Potter, he wants to read the books and watch the movie." 

In truth, Reece and Ryan, as well as the older students at Good Shepherd, serve as role models for the younger classes. 

"Again, we're not a huge school," Jane says. "His friend Lily has a fourth-grade brother, and Reagan thinks he's the coolest thing ever because his friend Lily thinks that. If they go to recess and see her brother, and he speaks to them or plays with them, he thinks that's the coolest thing."

This kind of community creates a family-like environment where the older students don't look down on the younger kids. Instead, they embrace them, spend time with them, and invest in them—something that speaks to the younger kids and lets them know they are special.  

"One day, I walked into the library and looked over, and one of the sixth-grade classes was in there reading to the first-grade class," Jane recalls. "I saw my oldest, Reece, who's in sixth grade, reading, and I thought, 'Oh, how sweet.' The librarian had paired the kids together, putting my oldest, Reece, with my youngest, Reagan. It was really special to see."

"There was another sixth-grade girl who had been paired with her first-grade sister, and that little girl," she adds. "The big siblings got to read to the little siblings. That won't happen at most schools, but it's a sweet moment."

This interaction, where bigger kids serve as role models and read to the younger kids, is just one example of what makes Jesus the Good Shepherd School a special place.

As Jane reflects on the educational opportunities her boys have had at Good Shepherd, she's thankful for the education and environment they have access to, thanks to the financial support they receive from Arete Scholars. 

I'm thankful that we're all able to be here at this school," she says. "Being able to attend a Catholic school where they can study religion as part of their curriculum and attend mass as part of their school day is wonderful. That is such a blessing because it helps their spiritual growth."

"Reagan could have easily been overlooked in a bigger classroom," she adds. "Here, he's only got 13 kids in his class. It's a very small group, which means he's been able to receive more individualized attention, especially when he struggled in kindergarten."

Jane wants to express her gratitude and encouragement to all those who support Arete Scholars and make the funding for these scholarships possible.

"Thank you for what you've done," she says. "These scholarships have been a game changer for our family. My husband and I both have decent jobs—we have college degrees—but we are still one of those middle-class families trying to make ends meet from month to month. So, to see that my kids can go to school with me and receive a solid foundation of learning is a great blessing."  

"I want to say to the people who donate to Arete to support our children that it is such a blessing," she adds. "Thank you for providing a life-changing experience for all of us who benefit from Arete. You are helping way more people than you probably realize."