Two hundred and five years ago today, on September 14, 1818, Mother Duchesne opened the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi River. Twenty-two little girls came from the village to be the first children of the Sacred Heart in America. Their families were too poor to pay any tuition, and they were rather grudgingly giving education for girls a try. The children were at first impetuous and undisciplined, and the nuns devoted themselves wholeheartedly to them, delighted to find that many of them spoke French. Gradually the children responded to their efforts, and an atmosphere of affectionate respect was created, which made the schoolroom a homelike place where devotion to the Sacred Heart could develop.

When the weather was pleasant, some children had class on the gallery with Sister Aude, while Mother Duchesne and Sister Berthold taught others in the central room. The children were learning their religion, as well as reading, writing, and arithmetic. One period of the day brought everyone together in the large central room for prayer and the singing of hymns. Mother Duchesne wrote: “Now our day pupils sing at Benediction. They have learned some of Father Barat’s hymns, especially one to the Sacred Heart. They are eager to learn, and they learn easily.”

This year, joining the Academy team as Director of Admissions has been remarkable. This is a school community unlike any I have been a part of during my 20 years in education. The warm welcomes, the rich traditions, the clear goals, the collaborative teammates – students, staff, and faculty alike – have been motivating and inspiring since day one.

Now, we are kicking off admissions season at the Academy, which happens to coincide with the Kansas City Chiefs kicking off the NFL season. As a Kansas Citian and independent, Catholic school proponent, I am fired up for BOTH the NFL game tonight and our admissions season kick-off Open House on Tuesday, September 12 at 9 a.m.. Each of you is a star player in Academy admissions: prospective parents hearing about the Academy from you is the key to an epic admissions season and helping us work toward Goal 4 of Sacred Heart education – building community.

Let’s huddle up, Academy team! We are in our fourth week of school. We are flexible. We are warmed up. We are ready for this moment. It’s our time to shine. We’re all in this together, and here is how each of you plays a role in Academy admissions right now.

Everyone, please share both our Academy Facebook and Instagram posts regarding our fall admissions events. Please consider including a message as you share each social media post. “Don’t miss out on these chances to tour our school and meet with Academy faculty and staff!”

A Note from Mr. Horner

I have felt privileged since my first day at the Academy to stand upon the shoulders of giants and follow in the footsteps of saints. Today we honor and celebrate the career and impact of one such individual – Mrs. Marcia Renken – as she moves into retirement in June 2024.

In her four decades at the Academy, Mrs. Renken has guided generations of students, serving with wisdom, faith, and a deep sense of her own Sacred Heart spirit and experience. As a teacher and principal, the character and heart with which she cares for each student, each teacher, each parent is exemplary. I believe that it was with Mrs. Renken in mind that Maya Angelou wrote: “… people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I know that each day working together has been a gift, and each day I am better because of her living the Sacred Heart charism.

John Storjohann, long-time Academy educator and current computer science teacher, shares his thoughts on the significance of Goal V and developing leadership skills in our students.

Goal V:  Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. 

• Criterion 1: Student and adult members of the school community grow in courage and confidence as they discover new abilities, cultivate strengths, learn from mistakes, develop empathy, and exercise resilience in meeting challenges.
• Criterion 7: Sacred Heart schools recognize and educate to motivational, inspirational, and transformational leadership.

Resilience. Initiative. Commitment. Courage. Confidence. Empathy. These are just some of the necessary skills students need to succeed both in and out of school, and this set of skills becomes increasingly important as we prepare our Eighth Class students for graduation and their continued journey to adulthood. All of our students, from their first days at the Academy, are given the opportunity to learn and practice age-appropriate leadership skills and to cultivate the gifts they possess to meet new challenges, yet our Eighth Class students in particular are called upon to hone the skills they have learned in their time at the Academy to be leaders in the school community. 

The arrival of a new school year brings palpable excitement, a reminder of blessings and thoughts of opportunity. Open House and the first day of school bring the brightest smiles of the year. The happiness of students reuniting with teachers, sharing summer stories and long hugs provide a foundation for the year ahead.

It is a blessing to learn at Saint Philippine Duchesne’s school, surrounded by students and faculty of exemplary character and faith, and a community dedicated to the goal of supporting students and faculty.

A message from Mr. Horner…

“It is easy to fall in love with our school.” This wisdom was shared with me early in my time on campus and is perhaps the wisest comment I have heard all year.

Here on the feast day of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, my thoughts go to Goal 4 – the building of community as a Christian value. This year, I have experienced the joy, camaraderie and distinctive spirit that exists at our school. St. Madeleine Sophie said, “Be humble, be simple, and bring joy to others,” and our students, faculty, and staff live that daily.

To our students: Thank you for your warm smiles, your laughter, your kindness, your support of each other. Thank you for taking risks and growing in courage and confidence!

To our faculty: Thank you for all that you do, noticed and unnoticed, for the joy and warmth you meet each student with and for your dedication of time, your care for each student as a person of God, and for helping them become life-long learners.

To our parents and community: Your outpouring of support and generosity have been humbling. I am deeply grateful for your warm welcome this year and for partnering with you for the sake of this extraordinary school.

Thank you all. Have a great summer, and I look forward to welcoming you back next year with a fist bump!

“She has struck deep roots in American soil, and they will one day reap an abundant harvest.“

— Fr. Peter DeSmet of St. Philippine Duchesne

Don Albert, Director of Strategic Enrollment Management, will be retiring from the Academy at the end of June. His deep love of Sacred Heart education has been a gift to the ASH community. Below he shares his heartfelt reflections. 

As many of you know, I have made the very difficult decision to retire at the end of this school year. I look forward to retirement but will greatly miss the Academy family that has become (and will remain) such an important part of my life.

Thank you for making me feel welcome, needed, and so very much appreciated. I’ve always felt like I’ve been part of a huge family at the Academy and now look forward to spending much more time with my own family both in Missouri and California. Cindy and I plan to do more traveling, visiting my California relatives, working in the yard, and of course, spending quality time with our two precious grandsons, Max Upton, Little Acorn, and his brother, Conrad, who will begin Little Acorns in 2025. My wife and I plan to be very engaged grandparents helping their parents with transportation to and from the Academy.

A message from Mr. Horner…

As we head into the final weeks of school, I have some exciting news to share as well as deep gratitude for a Chemin de Fer that exceeded our dreams.

ISACS

The Academy is now a provisional member of ISACS, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. The school’s application materials were approved in late April, and the next step will be to seek full membership through a self-study and visiting team review.

In September, I shared with the community: “As the first step to affirm and refine the academic program, the school administration is committed to joining many other Sacred Heart schools by seeking membership in and accreditation by ISACS. The early stages of this process have begun. We are seeking to join the Association that supports the strongest independent schools of the Central States through professional development, participation with peer institutions, resources and a nationally recognized accreditation process.” I am pleased we have moved quickly in this process and that we can now proudly claim that we are an ISACS member.

A Message from Mr. Horner…

A few months ago in Thursday Mail I shared how we often hear that one of the hallmarks of an Academy student is their confidence and poise when speaking with adults. In February Lower School students met with the Board of Trustees and this practice continued by welcoming Eighth Class students to speak at a recent meeting.

Patrick Gattas, Neel Goriparthi, Abby Maroney, and Madison York spoke eloquently about the Goals of Sacred Heart education, learning experience, the community, and their faculty. Please take a moment to watch the video clips which are insightful and impressive.

A message from Mr. Horner

Today began with a special visitor — Fredbird — who made an appearance with our Little Acorn through Fourth Class students! Now that we’re a month into baseball season it’s hard to believe that in September, I wrote, “We begin dreaming about what is next for the academic program and student experience at this moment because we begin from a position of strength, rather than in reaction to an academic concern.” Thank you to all who have invested their time to share their current observations and future dreams for the academic program and student experience through last fall’s Pulse Survey, winter’s Listening Sessions, and the recent ISACS survey.

This listening has provided a rich data set to analyze current strengths, challenges, and future dreams. We are committed to remaining a school of exceptional academic preparation, faith, and leadership.

April is designated National Volunteer Month and this week is National Volunteer Week, dedicated to honoring all of the volunteers in our communities as well as encouraging volunteerism. This week, as Chemin de Fer kicks into high gear, Colleen Leahy Special Events and Alumni Functions Coordinator, reflects on our Academy volunteers.

Sometimes words aren’t enough, but here they are: “thank you” to our volunteers. In honor of National Volunteer Week, and on behalf of the Academy, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for all you do. You are wonderful! You help us live our mission and make it fun along the way.  From the incredible volunteers who helped make our fall events such a success to those who have been dedicating the past several months to ensuring our Journey to Morocco is unforgettable, I am amazed daily by the dedication and passion of our Academy community.