In this week’s From the Heart, Theology and History teacher Miss Mary Furay shares the history and significance of the Jubilee Year. Three students also offer inspiring reflections on what the word “hope” means to them.

Jubilee Years hold deep religious significance for Catholics, celebrating joy and pardon every 25 years, and are rooted in the ancient Jewish tradition described in Leviticus 25, where debts were forgiven, and servants freed. The 2025 Jubilee began on Christmas Eve with Pope Francis making the 500-year-old traditional gesture: opening the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica to symbolize a passage from sin to grace.  When Pope Francis announced the Jubilee Year, he stated, “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire…”

Relationships built through the years with classmates, and later alumni, are a significant gift of Sacred Heart education. But parents are also beneficiaries of this gift as they become friends with each other after time spent from birthday parties to basketball courts, volunteering or participating in distinctive Academy traditions.

This week, Charla Niccoli Dziedzic ’75 reflects on decades-long friendships that began when her own children started at the Academy and have flourished ever since, including celebrating New Years Eve together in a long-standing tradition.

A group of alumni parents has been gathering for many years on New Year’s Eve. This is what a quarter century of Sacred Heart alumni parent friendship looks like. As we were reminiscing that evening on our group’s longevity, the common thought was “Who knew?”

When I graduated from the Academy of the Sacred Heart (1975, Eighth Class), I knew I would remain friends with many of my classmates forever. But what I didn’t know, when my children, Rose ’04 and Drew ’07, started at ASH was that my fellow parents would become my lifetime friends also.

This week, Jillian Alexander ’18, reflects on the gift of her Sacred Heart education. Jillian began in Pre-Primary and went on to Incarnate Word Academy and is now a junior at the University of Arkansas studying Marketing. Her classmates are very close and she counts those friendships — her Academy sisters and brothers — as a true gift. 

The Academy has given me so much! I am very grateful for my Sacred Heart education. It has taught me amazing communication skills as well as organizational skills. Balancing a full-time job as well as being a full-time undergraduate student has pushed me to put my organizational skills to the test!

The Academy also gave me a strong faith foundation. I am able to go day to day feeling confident in who I am and in my faith because of what the Academy has taught me.

Coming to college I feel as though the manners, faith, education and habits that the Academy instilled in me help me stand out tremendously from the majority of the student population. I am forever thankful that my parents chose to send me to the Academy!

This week Mr. Horner shares highlights from last week’s visit with Mary Menacho, Executive Director of Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) as well as the benefits of becoming a full member of ISACS. In addition, Shawn Leight, Board of Trustees Chair, and Mary share their insights about the visit.

The school’s Strategic Plan, Embracing our Rich Heritage, Creating our Bold Future, envisions our school becoming a full member of ISACS. As a current provisional member, we are progressing toward full membership.

This past week, we were fortunate to host Mary Menacho for two days. She spent time touring our school, visiting classrooms and learning about our history and mission. In addition, Mary met with the Marketing and Enrollment Committee as well as the Board of Trustees during their retreat last Saturday.

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.