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.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “There is something special about this school”? 

I heard this phrase many times from my wife, Carie Covilli ’91, prior to our kids going to the Academy but until I experienced that feeling for myself with my own children, it’s hard to explain. My wife converted me — a Borromeo Bobcat ’92 — a kid from across the street who played on the black asphalt parking lot, into a firm believer that there is something special about the Academy. Between the respectful children greeting you in the hall, the kind warm souls that are hugging their teachers as they leave class for the day, or the smile on the teachers’ faces when they see your child accomplish something they have been working so hard to do, there is something about the Academy that is sometimes hard to put into words because it is a feeling, and not an adjective.

This school teaches students how to be thoughtful, independent, and respectful, and it shows when you pass them and listen to some of their conversations in the hallways. During any event at school you see the Lower School kids getting along with the Middle School kids, and young alumni always return to give their favorite teachers those warm hugs they have become accustomed to. There is a unique bond between children at the Academy of the Sacred Heart and we want them to experience it for many more years to come!

This week, Fourth Class teacher Mary Dougherty Reepmeyer ’96 shares her reflections of Lent as well as heart-felt responses from some of her students.

Every Lent challenges us to become closer to God, which means to trust Him, repent, and change. Change can be a difficult thing especially in these busy times. We get stuck in autopilot and move along each day through our usual habits.  However, each year while educating my students about Lent, I continually tell them it is my favorite liturgical season of the church year. This is because it gives me an opportunity to slow down, create a plan for change, and feel closer to Jesus. I take this opportunity to set goals which help me increase my prayer life and practice making small sacrifices. I encourage them to do the same on their own Lenten journeys.

In religion class, my Fourth Class students have been rereading the Bible readings from each Sunday, watching short videos on Lent, journaling, and establishing Lenten promises. I had them reflect and write about what Lent means to them and was in awe of how much they have understood and discovered about this season over the past week. I hope these reflections inspire you during this sacred time of recommitment to recognize our presence in this world as disciples of Jesus.   

As we enter the Lenten season, Mary Furay, Seventh and Eighth Class theology and history teacher, shares her reflections and those of her students.

Lent is the time of the year when the flowers start to bloom, and everything starts to grow along with your soul. During Lent you become closer to Jesus as you pray more, fast just like He did, and give just like He would. 

— Gabby J.

February is a short, cold month filled with the sweetness of Valentine’s Day, the promise of potential snow days, the fun of Superbowl football, and the revelry of Mardi Gras.  

It is also Academy exam season. For the past several weeks, Middle School students have been defending arguments for history essays, solving mathematical word problems, conjugating verbs in Spanish, and discussing literary elements. Even more impressive than that, as the students journeyed through this challenging moment in their year, they stayed organized and kept up with projects, quizzes, writing assignments, club activities, sports, and more. 

To say we are proud of them would not go far enough. I am inspired by them. The Middle School students, like Rosie the Riveter encouraging those of a different generation, have made it clear: Whatever hard things life throws at us, we can do it!