Dr Hepesh Shepherd is clearly an educator with a difference. As the Principal of Salvation Tree School Greater Noida (West), his mantra for holistic outreach is simple yet profound — Enlightening the Head, Enriching the Heart and Equipping the Hands.
Dr. Shepherd believes in fostering the cause of education creatively by transforming lives passionately. His journey is distinctly guided by God’s Spirit, and he draws his core strength from the Lord Almighty.
His goal is to ensure that every student is provided with the highest quality of well-rounded education in a safe and supportive learning environment. He takes pains and prevails over obstacles to offer a challenging educational programme, supported by an exceptional performing arts and ever-growing sports events and a host of opportunities for each and every child to maximise their God-given potential.
His Staff recognises the role they play in nurturing and developing every child’s future and they do not take this responsibility lightly.
He is delighted to hire the finest faculty who are also provided with a robust continuing education programme to constantly develop new teaching skills.
In Dr. Shepherd’s words, “Our investment in the school infrastructure demonstrates our commitment to exceptional learning spaces. Our students work with modern technologies in classrooms equipped with Smartboards and contemporary learning tools. It is the mission of Salvation Tree School to create conditions that will passionately transform the lives of students, teachers, staff, and parents.”
With Dr. Shepherd as the School Principal, teachers at Salvation Tree School are rich in COMPASSION, COMMITMENT AND COMPETENCE. All his teachers have a sound knowledge of the developmental stages of a child as well as an in-depth understanding of the socio-cultural values, strengths, and the challenges faced by their students. In choosing the kind of knowledge and skills that are relevant and age appropriate, they keep switching roles — from guide and mentor, to facilitator and co-learner.
A specially designed Teacher Development Programme that includes quality and assessment-based workshops ensures that the teachers always keep abreast with the most-recent pedagogical practices from across the world, as well as are aware of innovative teaching-learning ideas that are implementable in their own classrooms.
When asked about his faculty, Dr. Shepherd was once heard saying, “Our Teachers, Salvation Tree School teachers, LEAD BY EXAMPLE and they provide INFORMATION for FORMATION.”
Dr. Shepherd is both firm and gentle with his students. Students love this fatherly figure in the campus. Dr. Shepherd is a strict disciplinarian too. Students know that but behave well not out of fear, rather out of respect.
School Principals do not have a set time each day to build relationships with a particular group of students, yet knowing very well that the Principal-Student Relationship is important, Dr. Shepherd takes out time from his busy schedule and works on it. This effort on the School Head’s part has helped the students recognise the Principal as an ally within the school, and they help Principal stay connected with the needs of students.
Ek Ehsaas Foundation is blessed to have his presence on its Board of Esteemed Supporters. His students visit PHILOMENA’S PARADISE -The Home for the Homeless on occasions and perform cultural programmes and sing carols for the inmates.
The children from the slums enrolled and adopted by the Project – Vidhya ( EEF) were gifted bags, stationery, water bottles and chocolates by the students of Salvation Tree School.
God bless their magnanimity.