School Leadership Team

School Leadership Team

Glenn Duncan

Executive Director and CEO

To change the world would be impossible for just one person, but to change the world one person at a time is not only a possibility, but a personal mission for Glenn Duncan. As the Executive Director and CEO since 2004, Mr. Duncan has led Southlands Christian Schools to become a premier private Christian school in Southern California.  During his tenure, Southlands Christian has experienced dynamic growth and the changing of many lives.

In his previous occupations, Mr. Duncan pioneered marketing and brand management success for a number of companies, including a four year stint in Melbourne, Australia as the Director of Business Development for Linfox Distribution Group. After working closely with a pastor who encouraged him to learn the importance of waiting on God, a passion awakened in him to live his life to please God, which eventually led him to Southlands Christian.  It is Mr. Duncan’s mission to raise up global leaders by first bringing each student to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and envisioning them to fulfill their God-given destinies.  His dream is to see Godly, passionate students graduating and becoming agents of change in the world.

High School

School Leadership Team

Grant Schmitter

Principal

Mr. Schmitter graduated with a BA in History and received his multiple-subject teaching credential.  He is currently working on his MA in Educational Leadership and Administration.  Starting in 2010, he has worked at Southlands Christian in our high school, middle school, and elementary levels.  He has served as the 6th grade teacher in elementary and as of 2017, began serving as Elementary Vice Principal.  In this role, Grant began to work closely with the school administration and operations team, being involved in a variety of projects at all levels. In 2019, Mr. Schmitter began serving as Director of School Operations and will refine and develop programs that will continue the innovation that Southlands Christian has brought to Christian education.  His hope is that every student who enters Southlands Christian feels the love of Christ and is given the foundation to impact the world in the name of Jesus.

School Leadership Team

Mary Sheriff

Vice Principal - High School

Mrs. Sheriff has a BA in psychology and has taken numerous classes in educational leadership from Azusa Pacific University. She has served at Southlands for twenty-eight years and therefore brings a wealth of experience to her current assignment as Director of Student Leadership. Some of her previous positions at Southlands have been a teacher, Vice-Principal of the High School and Middle School, Principal of the Elementary School, and mentor to new teachers. Her goal is to encourage students to be the best version of themselves daily, in their decision making process and in their interaction with others. Her passion is to equip students with the necessary skills to be exceptional leaders now, in college, and in their future careers!

School Leadership Team

Lauren Cancio

Principal of SCSO K-12

Lauren Cancio is our Principal of Southlands Christian Schools Online. She has been with Southlands for over a decade and has her bachelor's in English Literature with a minor in Biblical Studies. She continued her education and received her Masters of Education with a single-subject credential in English. She has held various leadership roles at Southlands Christian Schools, the brick and mortar institution, as a lead and mentor teacher, department chair, advisor, and vice-principal of curriculum and instruction. She is passionate about serving her online teachers, online students, and parents with utmost care and excellence. Her greatest desire is to ensure that every student soars and becomes all that Christ has called him or her to be for His Kingdom. 

School Leadership Team

Ted Marvel

Athletic Director

Mr. Marvel graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. Mr. Marvel is a former certified Emergency Medical Technician and is currently a certified American Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED Instructor. After spending the last seventeen years at Eastside Christian School, Mr. Marvel joined the Southlands Christian family in 2019. During those 17 years of service at Eastside Christian School, he served as the Director of Student Life, Director of Athletics for the Middle School and High School, and Director of Campus Security/Emergency Preparedness. In addition, Mr. Marvel taught Middle School Life Science and Physical Education. No matter where the Lord directs him, Mr. Marvel's hope is that every single student makes the decision to follow Christ.

Elementary & Middle School

School Leadership Team

Sara Gaylord

Vice Principal - Elementary & Middle School

Mrs. Gaylord was the 5 th Grade teacher at Southlands for seven years before stepping into the role of Elementary and Middle School Vice Principal. While teaching 5 th Grade she also served as the Upper Elementary Department Head, NEHS Advisor, and Math Olympics Coordinator. Mrs. Gaylord is a proud Alumni of Azusa Pacific University where she received her BA in Physical Education and MA in Educational Leadership. She has a passion for supporting and encouraging the teaching faculty, helping students to succeed both in and out of the classroom, and working alongside the SCS administration team to continue to bring excellent Christian education to families.

Preschool

School Leadership Team

Lorraine Smith

Preschool Director

Mrs. Smith has been a part of the Southlands family since 1988, initially as a teacher’s aide, then a teacher and ultimately became the director. Always having a passion for children’s ministries, she knew upon graduation from high school what her life’s calling would be. Her desire is to instill in our students the knowledge that they are children of the One True King; that they are beautifully created, loved, equipped and empowered to influence the world for Christ.

International Department

School Leadership Team

Jane Zhu

Director of Student Advancement

Mrs. Zhu received her BA in English and previously had been a high-level administrator at the Education Bureau of China where she worked with hundreds of students and top school leaders to develop academic and student growth programs. As an immigrant herself, she understands the academic, social, and personal needs of immigrants and international students from both the parent and student perspective. Her vision is to create a close community between students, parents, and the school, where each individual can better understand each other’s perspectives. Her desire is to be a vessel to guide parents and students through this personal and spiritual journey so they can become aware and thankful of God’s blessings.

Southlands Schools International

2018-10-10-15-11-54-902-240x300-circle

Sue Yoon

SSI Principal & Director of Education

Sue Yoon has a BA from Biola University in Education and Sociology and received her MA in Education and Curriculum/Instruction. She has been a part of Southlands Christian Schools for 28 years; at an administrative level for the past 11 years. Mrs. Yoon started at SCS as an elementary school teacher. While still teaching, Mrs. Yoon became the Elementary Vice-Principal and eventually moved on to become the Elementary and Middle School Principal. She currently serves as the Principal and Director of Education for Southlands Schools International. All her years of service show that Mrs. Yoon is passionate about learning and teaching. Her favorite quote comes from a respected educator by the name of Dr. Rita Pierson. She said, “every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.