Recent Posts

Dear Academy Parents,

Next week in our student-led conferences, we will be experiencing our students’ living of Goal V, Criterion 3.

Goal V:  Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.

Criterion 3: Students grow in self-knowledge and develop self-confidence as they learn to deal realistically with their gifts and limitations.

Two aspects of this practice tap into deep roots of our educational philosophy:

1.  The preparation process invites each student to be reflective about themselves as a learner and as a person. Our belief is that the very act of introspection launches our students to:

• Self-awareness, which is a precursor for self-confidence
• Openness to growth, which is a necessary ingredient in the process of life-long learning, healthy relationship building, and moral development.

2.  The presentation process invites each student to:

• Courageously own their truth,
• Courageously use their voice,
• Experience their ownership of their growth and development,
• Experience the affirmation of honest assessment.

We hope you enjoy the work the students have done in trying to be self-reflective beings. We also hope you delight in the growth you will see as they share what they know about themselves as learners, as members of a community of learners, and as children of God, growing to become ever more reflective of the Heart of Christ.

From our perspective, it is a true privilege to see the growth and progression from the First Class students, who can share their strengths with clarity, to the Eighth Class students, who can not only own their strengths but identify their challenges and set the next set of goals for ongoing growth.

See you on the campus next week!

Maureen Glavin, rscj  

With the trimester model, our students in Classes 3–8 are busy thinking about exams at this time of year. An important reminder for all of us through this experience is that the process is just as, if not more, important than the outcome.

The process allows for:

• Learning to create study guides or other preferred study tools
• Using time management skills to pace reviewing
• Practicing the application of information, rather than simply regurgitating information
• Recognizing what skills/information need to be practiced/studied
• Appreciating the amount of information that has been learned

The outcome allows for:

• Honoring the outcome, whatever it may be
• Understanding that best effort/personal best is the reward
• Reflecting on what worked for me, and what needs to be changed for me in this process

The exam process has been a valued tool at the Academy for many years. As educators, we continue to see value in the process and reevaluate both the process and the content annually. Alums often tell us that the experience of exams at the Academy gives them an advantage in high school.

So may our collective support, encouragement and reassurance energize our children throughout their experience as they gain confidence in knowing themselves as a learner.

As a point of information, the results of the exams will be shared with the student the week of February 17.

United in the desire to make learning a joyful experience,

Maureen Glavin, rscj                 Mrs. Marcia Renken