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5 THE SHEPHERD • JULY 2026 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO Dear students, families and friends of our Greek School, As we enter July, I want to extend my heart- felt thanks for another wonderful and pro- ductive school year. Our students showed impressive progress, enthusiasm, and a gen- uine love for the Greek language and culture. Their growth is a reflection of their and their teachers’ hard work and your continuous support. Classes Performance Highlights This year’s results were truly encouraging. Across all levels, our students maintained strong averages — with most classes scor- ing between 90% to 96%. Our Level 2 and the Foundational Support Level averaged around 90%, our Level 3 around 91%, and our Level 5 close to 96%. Although our youngest “Tiny Greeks” and Level 1 weren’t graded they are now very confident with their ABCs. These numbers speak to the dedica- tion of both our teachers and families, and to the joy our students bring to learning Greek. With the school now on summer break, we wish all our families a restful and joyful summer. This is a great time for the children to recharge, while still staying connected to Greek through songs, books, games, and small everyday moments. I would also like to remind you that our school has a lending library, and both you and your children — of all ages — are welcome to borrow books for the summer. Preparing for the New School Year – News & Information Registration for the new academic year will open August 10, 2026 . A detailed announce- ment will follow with information on class levels, schedules, and materials. Families in- terested in Ellinomatheia preparation class- es will receive a separate update. If you are interested in Ellinomatheia and have not yet taken the placement test, there will be anoth- er placement test offered before the start of the year (August 31st). School will officially begin on Tuesday, Sep- tember 1, 2026 , and there will be no class- es on Mondays. Next year, children’s classes will begin at 5:30 PM, while adult classes will start at 6:30 PM or 7:00 PM, depending on student and teacher preference. Acknowledgements A warm thank you to our dedicated teachers for their commitment and consistency, and to all of you for your trust and collaboration. Our community continues to grow stronger because of your involvement. Summer Wishes We wish everyone a beautiful summer filled with health, joy, and meaningful time with your families. We look forward to welcom- ing you back in the fall, refreshed and ready for another great year of learning. Καλό καλοκαίρι σε όλους! Warm regards, Dr. Eleni Sinopoulou San Diego Greek Language School Director GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΓΛΩΣΣΑΣ COMMUNITY UNITED IN STEWARDSHIP As Orthodox Christians, we all believe that stewardship is far more than just the obliga- tory offering of financial support. It is meant to be a core spiritual discipline rooted in gratitude, humility, and love for God. If we truly believe that everything we possess is ultimately a gift from the Lord, we also be- lieve that as faithful stewards, we are called to offer these gifts back to Him for the good and growth of His Church. Christ teaches that faithfulness in small things prepares us for greater spiritual responsibilities and this wisdom should guide our own approach to stewardship. Our Greek Festival is a perfect example of how an entire community came together, in the spirit of patience, sacrifice, and unity, to make this special event a wonderful suc- cess. For two days, every one of us offered our time and brought a unique set of talents to bear in order to share our faith and cul- ture with our neighbors. We endured long days, short breaks, and minor frustrations but through God’s boundless grace, we did it together. Through our collective expres- sions of faith, we sustain the liturgical life of our church, and we support our ministries, our families, our seniors, and our youth; all to ensure that future generations will receive their inheritance as members of the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22; 23). We offer our deepest thanks to the com- mittee members, the chairs, volunteers, and contributors that made our Greek Festival possible and we look forward to seeing all of you on Sundays so we can give thanks for ev- ery good and perfect gift. The Stewardship Committee: Ben De La Riva, Jim Gilpin, Bill Navrides, Timmy Paraskevopoulos, Stephen Thiros, Nektarios Tradas, and Spero Tzathas STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE ahead to an exciting year. Our Youth Choir has begun preparations for the 50th Folk Dance and Choral Festival (FDF), a mile- stone celebration that promises to be very special. At the same time, both our youth and adult choirs are preparing for the Light and Legacy 100, Centennial Celebration of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in 2027. We have many exciting musical pre- sentations planned throughout the year and look forward to sharing them with our par- ish family as we celebrate 100 years of faith, fellowship, and community. As we enjoy the beauty of summer, we leave you with this poem by Ralph Waldo Emer- son: “Live in the sunshine, Swim the sea, Drink the wild air.” May God bless you and your families with a safe, joyful, and restful summer. Singing His Praises, Katherine Loukatos Meck Choir Master 3 NEWS FROM THE LOFT