The Office: Tried & True

Angela Houk is the Dean of Shepherds College.  She is dedicated, passionate, focused and task-oriented which makes her a perfect leader for a new school in its early stages of operation. She is also caring and committed to parents, students and staff. 

She does what she says and things under her responsibility always get done.

And that is the reason for this blog today.

During opening weekend, several parents asked Miss Houk what she did over the summer. She told them about spending time with family and friends, going to a 4^th of July parade, watching fireworks on a boat on Lake Muskego, visiting the Chicago Botanical Gardens, and - loving to cook - trying some new recipes. 

Miss Houk talking to the families during opening weekend

The results of one of the new recipes went to bless a college instructor in a time of need. Recently, Mrs. Konopasek was out on medical leave.  Miss Houk made beef stroganoff for her to help out during her recovery.  Mrs. Konopasek loved the meal so much, she requested the recipe. 

The parents who were talking with Angela at the orientation also requested the recipe so she told them to look for it on the blog.

Here it is:

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

2-3 pounds beef stew meat, cut in small pieces
1 large onion chopped
2 cans (10 ¾ ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup
2 cans (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cans sliced mushrooms, drained (substitute fresh mushrooms if preferred)
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
6 cups hot cooked noodles or rice

·         In 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker, mix beef, onion, soups, mushrooms and pepper.

·         Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until beef is very tender. 

·         Stir cream cheese into beef mixture until melted.

·         Stir sour cream into beef mixture.

·         Serve over noodles.

Enjoy this meal! Feel confident making it for your family knowing that everyone who made it loved it.

It’s tried and true … just like Miss Houk.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Friday's Top Five: The Big Day

Today starts Opening Weekend for the 2012/2013 school year!

We have 24 nervous and excited first-year students on campus getting ready for Orientation tomorrow.

Over the course of the day, each student and their family will do five things before heading back to their hotels for the night:

1.      Check-in

Each family will be visiting the check-in tables set up in the gym at the Wood Center. They’ll receive their name tags and orientation packets which include their schedule of meetings, class schedules, campus maps and all forms to sign.

Mrs. Harvey at the registration desk

Lots of paperwork!

2.      Meeting with the Nurses

The families will be meeting two of the Shepherds nurses, Melba and Sherrie, to discuss the student’s medications and other health needs.

Sherrie and Melba checking medical records

3.      Meeting with the Business Office

Cindy, Tiffany and Linda are waiting at a conference table in the Findley Center for each family to discuss tuition payments and student accounts.

Our lovely ladies in the Business Office - Tiffany, Linda & Cindy

            4.       Meeting with the Advisors

           Our Academic Advisors are looking forward to greeting each family. They’ll be working closely with  these students and parents throughout the school year and know the importance of this face-to-face relationship-building time. This is also the time when the student’s monthly spending budget will be reviewed.

Miss Luchterhand and Miss Pollard

Mrs. Kolkman

Mrs. Luchterhand and Miss Fye

5.      Moving into the Dorms

I think this is the highlight of the day for the students. They’re greeted by a crew of volunteers, students and staff ready to help them unload their vehicles and carry their stuff into their temporary homes for the school year. The dorms are crowded with parents, students, bins and boxes. Everyone is unpacking, making beds, arranging desks, hanging clothes, meeting roommates. It’s an energetic and fun chaos!

Volunteers, students & staff ready to greet the new students

Moving into the girls' dorm

Excited and ready to make some new friends!

The guys' dorm is pretty busy too!

Once these five tasks are complete, the students leave campus to spend one last night with their families before the start of school.

Please pray for our new students as they start their journey toward Appropriate Independence™.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.