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This was the chorus of our Eighth Class students as they ran through the Academy hallways this past Monday. Whistles blowing, horns blasting and shouts of glee rose to create a crescendo of JOY as students, faculty and staff became aware that, yes, this was the yearly surprise day of fun! Books, lessons, tests, essays, quizzes and projects were set aside, allowing the whole school to engage in a day filled with fun activities organized and orchestrated by our amazing Eighth Class leaders!

If you are new to Sacred Heart education, you may wonder why we do this. What is the educational point? St. Madeleine Sophie Barat’s hope was that on days such as Congé, our students would learn, through experience, about the bountiful nature of God’s love!

Helping our students come to know themselves as deeply, completely and unreservedly loved is the BIGGEST lesson of a Sacred Heart education. It is also the source of the courage and confidence which we talk about so often. I once observed a dramatic example of this kind of lesson when I was a young administrator. I walked into a religion class of an older RSCJ and, to my surprise, she was flinging M&Ms out into her classroom as if they were confetti. The children were squealing, shrieking, giggling and diving for them! At the end of a few moments of seeming chaos, this wise RSCJ gathered the children around her and, with twinkling eyes, explained that this is how God wants to love us—abundantly and extravagantly!

In our secular society, it is a particular challenge to figure out how one helps children understand that the CREATOR of the stars at night (and the Creator of everything in the material universe) yearns to love them and have them know themselves as Beloved! Well, CONGÉ is one of the many aspects of life at the Academy, all of which conspire to create an atmosphere and ambiance of love and acceptance, the goal of which is to do that very thing: educate to God’s Love.

A HUGE thank you goes out to the Eighth Class students for the work, time, energy, effort and  LOVE they provided for the whole school community!

United in the Heart of the One Who yearns for us to know ourselves as deeply loved,

Maureen Glavin, rscj

Thank you so much to all of you who attended the General PCC Meeting last Thursday. I know that as parents of young children who are also juggling work and family, you are making choices, and making true sacrifices to attend these meetings. Your presence is essential to our partnership and collaboration.

One VERY IMPORANT piece of information which was disseminated at the meeting had to do with our mission accreditation process. We asked every Academy parent to attend a special THIRD General PCC meeting on THURSDAY, MARCH 27. We will be using the evening to gather information regarding our living of the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education. More information will follow! Please mark your calendar now. Additionally, third quarter report cards will be distributed.

We also used last Thursday’s PCC meeting to talk about the Capital Campaign. Mr. Eric Schaefer provided us with some great follow-up stats. Having just begun the Campaign publically three months ago, we are currently just under 60% of our goal. This is a HUGE SUCCESS. Mr. Schaefer invited everyone to think about what it would take to push us to 100% of goal!

Much interest was garnered when some of the current drawings for the facility/site planning were shown. For the sake of campus security, student safety and clarity regarding way-finding, the plans are to reorient the ‘front’ of the school BACK to our historic front (the Second Street side) and, in the process we will begin to create a safe play and walking space in the interior/center of our campus. As we hit certain targets regarding the cash received for the campaign we will be enthusiastically sharing more information regarding the plan.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for your support in every way! As I always say, I am convinced that the world will be a better place as we send children of the Sacred Heart forth into the world to reveal God’s Goodness, Grace and Love!

Maureen Glavin, rscj

Tonight is our second General Parent Coordinating Council meeting of the year. Your attendance at these meetings is very important. It is not only an opportunity to pick up your child’s report card (for Primary–Eighth Class parents); it’s also an important vehicle of information, communication and collaboration in this educational journey we are taking together.

Tonight’s agenda:

Welcome
Troy Schuster, PCC President

Capital Campaign Updates
Maureen Glavin, rscj, and
Eric Schaefer, Campaign Co-Chair

Chemin de Fer Announcements
Mike Todt and Bob MacDonald

ASH 500
Bob Yanics

Sacred Heart Commission on Goals
Sandy Ahlheim, Joan Runge and Jerry Stauder

Final Prayer

See you this evening,

Maureen Glavin, rscj

As report card are being reviewed and prepared for distribution at next week’s General PCC meeting, we want to remind you to make sure you have it on your calendar:

General Parent Coordinating Council Meeting
Thursday, January 23
7 p.m.
Rauch Memorial Gym

As always, we highly encourage and expect your presence and participation at these meetings. It may help you to know that the teachers will not be assigning any homework that day which would be due on Friday.

In preparation for next week, the following might be helpful to read and reflect upon.

1. Report cards provide objective information.

A report card is information. It might report that any one particular concept is mastered while other concepts are not mastered, or that certain skills are developed and others are in process, or that some learning habits or social behaviors might need some tweaking while others positively enhance the dynamic of the class environment. It is information—mere information.

2. Report cards are meant to be a tool used for growth.

When report card information is used as a springboard for reflection, growth can occur. Perhaps I am a B student who received a C because I didn’t hand in four important homework assignments. When this data is reflected upon, the insight might be that if I really want the B, I need to get the assignments in on time. Perhaps I don’t take time to organize my materials for class, or perhaps I do not actively engage in the classroom learning with my comments or questions. When reflected upon, the insight might adjust my behavior and thus strengthen the habits I develop as a learner.

3. A child’s inherent value does not depend on the report card feedback.

Every child is inherently valuable. A child is valuable because he/she exists. One of our deepest desires at this school is to communicate to each and every child that he/she is indeed inherently loved, lovable, precious and valuable.

4. Communicating honest feedback while also communicating reassuring messages to children regarding their inherent value requires conscious, ongoing conversations with them from both the school personnel as well as from the parents.

This is the great educational challenge—being bravely honest as we extend our invitations to growth while compassionately affirming value. What makes this particularly challenging is that children can quickly place upon themselves the message that they are not valued or valuable because of what they consider a less than perfect “mark” on this thing we call a “report card.” Our collective message needs to be consistent: that report card information is merely data which upon reflection is intended to facilitate growth and is NOT intended as a message regarding inherent value.

Report cards are an important communication tool to begin the reflection process for growth. As a springboard into that process, they require us to work together to support that growth.

The point in all of this, of course, is that what is important is the GROWTH, not the grade!

Looking forward to seeing you next Thursday,

Maureen Glavin, rscj