Changes made to the south side of campus this summer have created new ways of entering and exiting campus!

We are pleased to welcome visiting students and teachers from Fuji Seishin Joshi Gakuin, a Sacred Heart school in Japan. As part of their two-week visit to the St. Louis area, the students are studying English in the morning and enjoying excursions to St. Louis area attractions. Several Academy students, alums and families are extending ASH hospitality to the Japanese students, as well, spending time and conversing with them, joining them for meals, and inviting them for home visits. We love getting to know these international Sacred Heart friends! Their stay is being coordinated by staff members of the Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne.

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Yee Haw! This summer’s session of “Showtime” staged a rollicking production of “How the West Was ‘One’.” Nearly 20 participants began with a script outline, created characters, wrote dialogue, made props, staged scenes and choreographed songs. Singing and dancing to songs like O What a Beautiful Morning, Shake It Off, and Boot Scootin’ Boogie, the performers told a story of farmers and cowboys coming together to save their land. Thanks to Laurie Strickland and her crew for getting the summer off to a great start for these Showtime campers!

Congratulations to our ASH golfers, who had a wet but productive season in the CYC West County Golf League. Tori F. (5th), Grant V. (6th) and Owen H. (7th) each placed first in their classification in the St. Charles District, as did two ASH teams: 6th Class boys and 8th Class boys. Five Academy golfers competed in the end-of-the-season city/county championships. Congratulations to Tori, who placed 2nd in the championships!

The 2015 Alumni Congé was a beautiful evening of friendship and recognition. Academy Classes of 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1985 were represented and acknowledged as special “honor” classes. Academy Admissions Director Lisa Tebbe ’80—who has also shared her love of Sacred Heart with Villa Duchesne and AASH (the Associated Alumni/Alumnae of Sacred Heart)—was the recipient of the Rose Philippine Duchesne Award.

Coming from as far away as New Jersey and California, alums of honor years were treated to a weekend of plans by their host classmates who had planned brunches, evening dinners and mainly just opportunities for relaxed visits. Many took advantage of the new offerings this year dubbed “Classes for Congé.” A tour to St. Ferdinand’s Shrine in Florissant, a class on prayer, a beer tasting and photo seminar, and a visit to the archives all got rave reviews from their more-than-satisfied participants. A grateful nod goes to Sister Margaret Munch, Mary Jo Hippe, John Storjohann and Theresa Grass for leading these sessions.

While the 40-year class (eighth graders in 1975) had the largest attendance, the hands-down winner for above-and-beyond-the-call presence was their classmate Judie Jakle Beatty, who managed to zip over between her daughter’s afternoon wedding and the evening reception in order to appear in the group photo that was taken before mass.

With construction preventing vehicles from entrance onto the campus, all visitors were forced to park on the street or in a neighboring St. Charles Borromeo parking lot. However, a steady stream of “Congé Cabs” delivered passengers to and from the event in a 2015 version of doing things “the Philippine way.”

Special thanks to Alumni Director Jane Cannon and the Alumni Coordinating Council for once again orchestrating this wonderful event.

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Photos courtesy of Bill Slaughter

Ten of our Seventh and Eighth Class students will be taking part in service projects this summer in Michigan, Florida, New Jersey and New York. These opportunities, organized by the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, offers Sacred Heart students nationwide opportunities for growth. Read more.

It was a beautiful day at the Academy for our May crowning, followed by Maypole with our soon-to-be graduates accompanied by Second Class girls. Just one day left as Academy students for the Class of 2015!

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If parents are happy to celebrate the honors that their children have earned during this season of commencements, just imagine how thrilled we are at the Academy, as bits and pieces of those accolade stories come drifting back to the place where education began for so many high school seniors. This year we find ourselves inundated by the good news of year-end awards that have been heaped upon our Class of 2011—now the Class of 2015.

Congratulations to the ASH track and field team for winning first place overall in the CYC Ken Biermann Memorial Track Meet last Saturday. Individual team finishes included: 1st place, 11 & 12 Girls division; 2nd place, 7 & 8 Boys division; and 3rd place, 13 & 14 Girls division.

Coach Jonathan Gonzalez said, “I am so proud of all the boys and girls. They performed wonderfully and were exemplary representatives of the Academy of the Sacred Heart. I feel truly blessed to have coached all of them. On behalf of the entire coaching staff (myself, Julie Werton, Jennifer Sterkel, Jennifer Lechner and Brittany Tyree), thank you!”

Great job, 2015 Academy track team!

To celebrate the Feast of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, an all-school prayer service conducted by our Social Justice and Student Council leaders was followed by Mission Day. All classes organized games or booths, and took turns playing, too. What a glorious day to be outdoors! We welcomed guests from the Emmaus Home; some of our older students helped them make the rounds of activities, refreshments and prizes.

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