As we enter into the season of Advent, this precious time of waiting in hope, peace, joy, and love, we share a reflection from Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ, Provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart, United States-Canada Province. Sister Cooke recently recorded a video message for the University of San Diego (formerly a Sacred Heart School) community, which is celebrating their 75th anniversary. Her message resonates with the Sacred Heart family and invites us to carve out time each day to be still.

Welcome to Advent. We know that Advent is a four-week period, but sometimes it can feel mad: the energy and excitement preparing for Christmas can get the better of us. So what might Advent offer us? How can Advent mean something different for us this year?

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, who was the founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, once wrote about Advent, “Prepare for Christ coming into your hearts, for that is why Christ came on Earth—to be born and to develop in your souls so on that beautiful day of Christmas we will taste the peace the angels have announced to people of goodwill.”

Today we celebrate the 224th Birthday of the Society of the Sacred Heart, founded by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat in Paris in 1800. As we begin the season of gratitude, this week reminds us of how much we have to be thankful for. From our founding mothers and the Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ), to celebrating the Feast of St. Philippine Duchesne with Grandfriends to the extraordinary dedication of our faculty and staff, we are grateful. We give thanks for the mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart, the courage and confidence of Philippine to establish our school, the love and support of our families, and the commitment of our faculty.

Below are notes that were received this week from afar that illustrate a deep connection to Philippine and our beloved school as we follow in her footsteps.

This week, music teacher Mrs. Liz Foor shares her gratitude for veterans and for the Academy community that supports her family. Along with Mrs. Alarcon’s Fourth Class, she is planning a special Veterans Day Assembly on Monday, November 11. All are welcome!

Veterans Day is a time to recognize and honor all those who have served in the U.S. Military, both the living and the fallen. My family is fortunate to have the opportunity to honor our own hero every day—Sergeant Major Josh Foor, who has been serving in the Army for 18 years and is still serving.

For those of you who are new to the Academy, I had the privilege of teaching here during the 2021 and 2022 school years. Our daughter, Gabby, also spent her time as a Little Acorn and Pre-Primary student. After we were relocated to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas for my husband’s schooling, we were thrilled when the opportunity to return arose. As a family, we couldn’t be happier to be back. The connections we’ve made at the Academy, the support we’ve received, and the sense of community are what I cherish most.

This week, Mr. Horner shares a publication with our Academy community.

Sophie’s Gift … Our Call to the Future was developed by an international committee of Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ). It illustrates a contemporary philosophy of Sacred Heart education, established by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800 in Paris. When Philippine Duchesne brought this education to America in 1818 and founded the Academy, it flourished and became the root of what is now the Network of Sacred Heart schools.

The Academy has been part of Zach and Allison (Haroian) Stauder’s life since they were Pre-Primary students in 1995. They graduated in 2005 and later married. Over the years, they remained loyal alums and chose to enroll their children — Julia ’31, Dominic ’33 and soon-to-be Little Acorn, Sophia — at the Academy. Below they share their “why” of sending their children to ASH, why they became Annual Fund chairs and invite you to consider your “why” in supporting our school.

When we were approached about becoming the chairs of this year’s Annual Fund, we hesitated. We weren’t sure how we felt about a role in which we would be asking for donations from parents and community members who already generously give money and time to help our school thrive. We also realized that we knew very little about the Annual Fund. What is it? Where does the money go? Why is it needed when we already pay tuition?

We loved seeing many alums at Country Fair last weekend, including Samantha Lynch ’21, a senior at St. Joseph Academy. Inspired by her Academy computer teacher, John Storjohann, Sam plans to study cyber security at the University of Alabama. Below, is a note she recently sent to Mr. Storjohann, who shares, “This is why we teach… this is why we educate.”

As I reflect on my last year in high school, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible impact you’ve had on my journey in Computer Science.

Your passion for teaching truly shines through in every lesson, especially in projects like the stock market and our adventures with block coding through Scratch. These experiences weren’t just fun—they inspired me in a way I didn’t know existed yet. You made coding feel like an exciting puzzle to solve, and your enthusiasm and passion for this subject were contagious!

This week, Mrs. Mary Reepmeyer, principal, shares some exciting learning going on in Lower School classrooms, thanks to creative, innovative learning lessons that inspire a lifelong love of learning.

What happens when your child is engaged and excited about learning throughout each day?

Keeping students engaged is crucial for several reasons, as it directly impacts their learning, motivation, and overall success. They are more likely to understand and retain information as well as apply it.

Engagement fuels motivation. When students feel connected to the content and see its relevance, they are more likely to stay motivated to complete tasks, meet challenges, and push through difficulties. It encourages students to ask questions, explore ideas, and think critically.

Camp Lakewood has long been a favorite annual tradition for the oldest Academy students and provides an opportunity to grow in confidence and leadership skills. Last week, Seventh and Eighth Class students spent a few days away building a special sense of community through team-building activities, archery, challenge courses, ziplining and, of course, time around a campfire. Special thanks to Academy faculty for creating a truly memorable experience. Below students reflect about this time together.

Gratitude is in the air, and this week, Mr. Horner shares some highlights from the first weeks of school. 

In a school with so many blessings, I want to express my gratitude for a few subjects that are currently top of mind for me. 

Students   |   Each student brings joy and purpose to our days. I am proud of them daily. Most recently the respectful attention and speaking skills of our Middle School students were on clear display at the Network Prayer Service hosted in the Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne last week. We’ve received many compliments from other Network Schools about how our students stepped up to the role of hosting this significant event. 

Long-time Academy teacher John Storjohann shares the evolution of instructional technology and how students are benefitting from new Promethean Boards in each classroom. 

In the mid-1990s, SmartBoards were introduced into the classrooms of the Academy of the Sacred Heart, offering the promise of new levels of student engagement through interactive technology.  And while the concept of a SmartBoard held great potential, the reality was that the technology behind the boards offered its own challenges. It was essentially simply a projection of the instructor’s computer screen, required almost daily recalibration to be used effectively as a whiteboard, and as the Academy upgraded to larger, higher-resolution monitors, even calibration became an exercise in frustration; what you “wrote” on the SmartBoard would appear several inches away because of the difference between screen resolution and the board’s resolution. SmartBoards were, in essence, grand ideas that were let down by a combination of rapidly evolving technology and the inherent limitations of the boards themselves.

Alexandra Sanchez Little ’06, Director of Admissions, has been spending time in classrooms and has been busy sharing our school with prospective families. She is also enjoying leading a Communication Skills Class for Seventh and Eighth Class students, which meets every other Thursday to practice public speaking skills with the intent to give student-led tours for prospective families. Mrs. Sanchez Little is enthusiastic for the year ahead and is grateful for your help in spreading the #AcademyLove.

I appreciate the “hello” or “welcome” as you pass my office, and I have enjoyed meeting you all! Our year is off to a great start. Let’s celebrate 42 new students at the Academy this year! We are so happy each of you, new and returning, are here. What a wonderful feeling to grow our community! I am grateful to our Mentor Families for ensuring our new families feel comfortable as they experience many “firsts” and to our AmbASHadors for supporting the Admissions Office and our community.