St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, the founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, is the impetus behind our educational vision.

This week, in anticipation of her Feast Day in May, some Sixth Class students presented a play about Madeleine Sophie’s life. Under the direction of Sister Munch, they provided a beautiful reminder of our roots, for which we are all grateful.

I am very conscious of the MANY parents who have been present on campus these days, volunteering with field trips, service trips, and the many parts of Chemin de Fer—student raffle, silent auction basket-making, decorating, class projects or special projects, and committee chairs—as well as PCC volunteers and Mother’s Club volunteers, just to name a few!

Happy Easter and Welcome Back! 

Yesterday we enjoyed a visit from the Program Director for the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, Mr. Ian Humphreys. In this newly-created role, Ian will facilitate and help plan programs for students, faculty and staff in the 24 Network of Sacred Heart schools in the United States and Canada. He spent the day meeting with various groupings of Academy faculty, staff and students to:

This week we have had four visitors at the Academy helping us with a Religion Curriculum review. They are:

• Dr. Noel Barrett, retired theology teacher and former chair of the Villa Duchesne theology department
• Meg Beugg, campus minister at SLU High
• Fr. Francis Hein, Benedictine monk, priest and theology instructor at Priory
• Stacy Henning, Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill theology teacher

I hope that each of you relishes your conference tomorrow! For our Pre-Primary and Primary friends, the conference will be a “traditional” conversation with the teacher. For those of you who have children in Classes 1–8, your conference will be led by your child. Through the preparation process, each student has been invited to be reflective about him or herself as a learner, as a person and as a member of the community.

Last week we began our Lenten journey with ashes on our foreheads as a way to remind us to repent, change, or grow. Though change and growth are lifelong processes, during Lent we surely put forth some highly-conscious effort in these regards.

Tuesday was a fun and exciting day at the Academy with Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day parties. A big thank you to all the parents who contributed, organized and/or were present as leaders in the festivities.  
 
We launched the liturgical season of Lent with an all-school Ash Wednesday Liturgy.  During the liturgy each person received ashes on their forehead.  The meaning of the ashes is often brought up as a question—especially by the younger children.

This week, in a particular way, we proudly claim our heritage and participation as a Catholic School. It is an opportunity to be reminded of the gift and responsibility we have to enthusiastically educate to the message of Jesus Christ, whose Heart most perfectly reveals the depth of God’s very personal Love to and for each of us!

Within the Church, different gifts, or charisms, are given to both people and groups of people. As a Sacred Heart Catholic School, our charism flows from our founding congregation, the Society of the Sacred Heart, whose mission within the Church has always been this:

To discover (know) and reveal (manifest) God’s Love as we have come to know that Love in and through the Heart of Christ!

The last Parent Goûter Gathering will take place this evening with our oldest students’ parents. Mrs. Renken and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of these reflective conversations. For those parents who have been unable to attend, meeting notes have been posted in the appropriate grade level Parent Portal space. Thank you to PCC President Jennifer Ruffino for attending every meeting and preparing notes.
 
Here are a few topics that have come to light from the first four meetings:

What an amazing week it has been—and continues to be!

• Seventh Class students were enriched by their retreat experience last Friday, under the guided leadership of the REAP team.
• Seventh Class volunteers spent time last Sunday with young people with special needs who visited ASH with the group KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now).
• Sixth Class students and parents had the opportunity to experience the challenges of those less fortunate in yesterday morning’s Poverty Simulation.
• Eighth Class students will experience their retreat tomorrow.
• Some Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Class students and parents who chose to read the book Wonder will join Mrs. Metcalf and some teachers in a book discussion tomorrow night in the library (with pizza and pasta!).
• A group of Middle School girls and their moms have begun meeting in the library on Sunday afternoons for a discussion group called “Girls in the Know.”

In the meantime, all classrooms are full of learning, from whales to simple machines; from the study of matter to the metric system and the periodic table; from To Kill A Mockingbird to Charlotte’s Web. As I walk around the school I see and experience each of the Goals of Sacred Heart Education being lived with vibrancy and depth!  
 
Thank you for allowing your children to learn and grow here!

—Maureen Glavin,rscj