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. 

A very successful March for the Heart Alumni and Family Giving Challenge concluded with more than $85,000 raised from 156 donors! This week, we share some expressions of gratitude from alums and parents of alums. 

My ASH education is the basis of so many beautiful things I’ve been able to experience and achieve in my lifetime. 

— Jenni Iverson ’84

Coming back to the Academy felt like I was stepping back into time. Walking into the building, memories came rushing back of my time there: school projects, Congé, Camp Lakewood, etc. I remember constantly being pushed and challenged. Being challenged academically and being held to a high standard helped get me to where I am today. It became second nature to push myself; I find I’m bored if I’m not being challenged. Becoming a business owner and being able to lead an incredible team was partially because of the incredible foundation that was given to me at ASH. I’m grateful for those nine years and how it influenced who I am today.

— Suzanne Hunn Luther ’06

This week has been a pleasure to enjoy the richness of community that enhances our lives and is part of what makes our school so unique.

We are honored to have welcomed Sacred Heart students and chaperones from Sapporo, Japan. In the actions of these Sacred Heart students, we see our values reflected. I am immensely proud of the character and inquisitive nature of our Academy students. Their warmth, kindness, and welcoming spirit was evident. The interest of our students in learning from our guests was clear and I know that we are better having spent time with our Sacred Heart friends. Their visit also demonstrates so vividly our deep connection through our shared mission and history. One of the best parts is watching our Sacred Heart identity lived through these young women. Our values are their values. In so many ways, they are so similar to our students.