Our sympathy and prayers for the family of longtime Academy employee Virginia Orf, who died recently. Virginia was a school staff member for more than half a century, and a boarding employee during her early years.

Of her time at Sacred Heart, Virginia once wrote:  “Yes, the years are filled with so many fond memories and the faces and names of so many friends: Religious, children, fellow workers and teachers come to mind when I reminisce. The good times and bad, the joyous and the sad that we have shared. The fun we had together.”

May she rest in peace.

Carol Haggarty, RSCJ, a member of the Academy’s Board of Trustees from 2005–2011, was called home on Sunday, June 18, succumbing in her valiant struggle with cancer. Sister Clare Pratt wrote: “God called Carol home on this Feast of Corpus Christi. Let us thank God for her wonderful faithful life, for her devoted family and friends and for the gentle way our loving God brought her home.”

Be sure to catch the St. Louis Review story about three pilgrims who walked in the footsteps of St. Philippine, from Mound City to St. Charles, this spring.

The pilgrimage was the topic of Bill McClellan’s May 28 column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Pilgrims walk among us.

PHOTOS

There’s still time to take part in the fun of Chemin de Fer 2017 sign-up parties! Click here.

We were pleased to be a sponsor of the 2017 Baby Kid Expo at the St. Charles Convention Center on Saturday, May 6. More than 3,500 people attended. The Academy’s booth featured fun zoo crafts and activities. View Baby Kid Expo photos here.

The Academy is closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday. In addition, there will be no classes on Tuesday, April 18, so that faculty and staff can attend the NCEA (National Catholic Educational Association) convention in St. Louis. Classes resume on Wednesday, April 19.

Our school Spelling Bee champion, Rishi Tarapareddy, has qualified to compete in the oral bee at McKendree University on Saturday, March 19. Congrats to Rishi, and best of luck to him in this next level of competition! Find his name in this list of finalists.

Spring is a great time to clean out your closets! If you have clothes or shoes that need new homes, consider donating them to our Clothing and Shoe Drive. Shoe donations will benefit the Shoeman Water Project to build wells in developing countries. Clothing will be donated to those in need. Bundle clothes and shoes in separate trash bags, please.

Heartfelt condolences to the Carroll family, whose father, Eugene, died March 4. Mr. Carroll was the father of Laura Suzanne Gallagher, Eugene Carroll, Ann Carroll-Butler, Diane Boerding, and Kathleen Parvis, and grandfather of nine. Read full obituary.

Looking for a responsible way to get rid of your old electronic items? Our EarthWorks club is partnering with Spectrum Ecycle on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25, in the collection of most electronics. See complete list of items accepted. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday (during parent-teacher conferences), feel free to leave small-to-medium size items in the main hallway or the arcade. Bring it all on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., when Spectrum Ecycle trucks will be on campus. Invite friends, family members, co-workers to recycle their electronics, as well! Our EarthWorks students thank you for your support. Read more.

Girls in the Know is a four-part class for pre-teen girls and their moms. ASH will host the first two sessions, Feb. 19 and 26, in Cribbin Hall Library. Assumption School will host the third and fourth weeks, March 5 and 12. Each one-hour session will begin at 4:15 p.m. Click here to learn more. Click here to register.