Author Haroon Akram-Lodhi Speaking at Sacred Heart March 27th

Sacred Heart School of Halifax is pleased to say that Haroon Akram-Lodhi will be speaking today to both high schools.  Haroon is a professor at Trent University (International Development Studies) where he teaches agrarian political economy.  He is a very compelling speaker.

He is in Halifax to launch his newly released book, Hungry For Change:  Farmers, Food Justice and the Agrarian Question, at Saint Mary's University.  The book uses a story-telling approach to help the reader understand the basis of the current global food crisis.

Sacred Heart School of Halifax Girls' Robotics Team

The Girls’ High School Robotics Team is busy building their robot for competition in this year’s RobotsEAST competition, May 3^rd and 4^th of this year.  The theme this year is entitled “Checkmate”.  The team initially attended the competition in 1999 and has attended the tournament annually since 2004.  Throughout the years, they have been successful in winning various aspects of the competition (logo, multimedia, best engineered robot), and they placed 2^nd overall in the Championship in 2007.  

Good luck, girls!

Meredith Otley, Gr. 7, Raises $15,000 to Build School in Africa!

Congratulations to Meredith Otley, Gr. 7 who raised $15,000 for World Vision to build a school in Africa!  This fundraising took place over a 16 month period and she and her friend reached their goal recently.  Sacred Heart is proud of you, Meredith!

Weekly Update, Ms. Scott, March 25

The unexpected snow day made for a shorter first week back after our March Break, but the sun today does give a feeling of hope that spring is coming.

Today we welcomed fourteen visiting students in Grades 7 – 9.  If you know of students who are interested in Sacred Heart for next year, please encourage them to come and spend a day.  Arrangements can be made through Ms. Robyn Erickson, our Admissions Director.

Congratulations to Hannah Bekkers, Rachel Field and Bailey Francis on gaining their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.

Network of Sacred Heart Schools Summer Service Project - Congratulations to Bailey Francis, Grade 10 for being accepted for the Service and Justice Project in July Greenwich, Connecticut.

Congratulations to Emma McLean, Grade 9 for her perfect score in the Pascal Mathematics Competition administered by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Waterloo.

Meredith Otley, Grade 7, along with a friend from Gorsebrook JHS, raised $15,000 for World Vision to build a school in Africa.  They had a number of fund-raising activities over the last 16 months and we congratulate Meredith on reaching and surpassing their goal!

Athletics: Curling Provincials took place in Chester this week.  Although our team of Claire McCusker, Claire Reardon, Alexandra van der Valk and Clara Westhaver did not win their games they had a lot of fun.  Special thanks to Coach David McCusker.

We are now moving into badminton season.  Congratulations to the following students who will represent Sacred Heart at the Metro Badminton Championships next week: U14 Singles – Carolyn Smith; Doubles – Hannah Baillie, Emma Butler; U16 Singles – Markley Wakeland; Doubles – Razan Al-Sharkawi, Julie Inglis; U19 Doubles – Claire McCusker, Basia Sowinski-Banfield.   Good luck, girls!

‘The Sound of Plaid ‘- tickets are now on sale at the reception desk or outside the study hall before school every morning.  Ticket information is as follows:

Thursday, April 4th at 7:30 pm - all tickets $15, includes a post-show dessert reception

Friday, April 5th at 7:30 pm - $10 adult/ $8 student &senior

Saturday, April 6th at 2:00 pm - $10 adult/$8 student &senior

Saturday, April 6th at 7:30 pm - $10 adult/$8 student &senior

March 20, 2013 - Headmistress Letter

March 20, 2013 Headmistress Letter

Dear Colleagues and Families,  My year of transition to Nova Scotia unfolds day by day. Jogging in the soft snowfall at Point Pleasant Park last Friday was delightful, but Monday's bone-chilling return after March Break floored me. Finally, today the new Headmistress from California heeded Mother Nature's howling call for a snow day. Honestly, I am now eager for pastels, green grass, Easter Eggs and I'm itching to swing a golf club! Fashion is not my thing, but I think Mother Nature might be the only one wearing white in Halifax on this first day of spring. Patience is a virtue, eh? Last week the children were on vacation, and we restored the floor of the Large Parlour. Please stop in to experience the historic beauty of our 1849 building! Also over break, we completed the editing of our school video; it has been played over 1,300 times in these first few days. You can view it on the front page of our website. Thank you for passing it to others, and for the feedback provided. I often take time to consider the whirl of our school activity in light of the five Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education. This morning, as the wind settles down and snow ploughs dig us out, I am pondering our Goals: Holy Week starts on Sunday, Pope Francis was installed yesterday, Emma McLean in grade 9 received a perfect score on the Pascal Mathematics Contest; Meredith Otley in grade 7 raised $15,000 for the education of children in the developing world; the April 27th Bursary Dinner plans are in full swing; we will host another Bring a Friend Day this Friday (HRSB has a PD day for grades P-9); our Parent's Guild will have an adult Karaoke Night this Friday; on Saturday we will give the entrance exam and promote our school at the Sunnyside Mall; the high school students are gearing up for a weekend curling tournament, and fine-tuning the musical production of The Sound of Plaid(April 4-6). Our approach keeps students at the centre and is rooted in the Goals and Criteria that call us to ongoing development - spiritually, intellectually, regarding social conscience and action, community participation, and personal growth. Our Goals shape us, our mission is strong - and I am blessed to be here where warmth emanates from the heart of God alive in our midst. You are in my thoughts and prayers, Sr. Wachter

Prayer Corner (Requests may be sent to Patricia Nichols or Sr. Wachter)

Two of our grandparents have recently died, so please keep their families in your prayers: Kate Yeomans' maternal grandmother, Donna Binns, and Mr. Murphy, grandfather of Kathleen MacLellan. We continue to pray for Cynthia Goshn, Gr. 9, who is in hospital. Zoe, the baby sister of Emma Hart (Senior Primary), was born last week - congratulations to the Hart Family!I am praying for the Roman Catholic Church as Pope Francis assumes leadership. It is unusual for a priest of a religious order to be chosen, and for us it is special to have a Jesuit in this role. The brother of Madeleine Sophie Barat, Founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, was a Jesuit. Our Sacred Heart charism is rooted in Ignatian spirituality. Jesuits are educators. In other words - Jesuits and Sacred Heart are like cousins ... the Sacred Heart people in Argentina have known the new Pope very well.  Fr. Earl Smith, celebrant for our Elementary liturgies is a Jesuit, and St. Mary's University was started by the Jesuits. The religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience (also termed: to share, love, and serve) are the vows of Pope Francis - and already, the influence of this is being experienced. May Pope Francis be true to his name by living a simple life of service rooted in prayer as he leads efforts to lovingly rebuild the church, and uphold the integrity of creation. Related links:  on the finances of the Vatican; the Pope's history in Argentina; and commentary and excerpts ofPope Francis' Inagural Speech.

Admissions NotesContact: Robyn Erickson

Bring a Friend - On Friday, March 22, the HRSB will have a PD day for grades P-9, and we will welcome visitors. Please submit this form in advance. For 2013-14, we are seeking PreSchool children (age 4 by the end of 2013); if you know prospective families, please encourage them to check out Sacred Heart (PreSchool tuition is eligible for a tax receipt).Our Entrance Exam for Gr. 7-12 will be given this Saturday at 9am; walk-ins are welcome. Sunnyside Mall - Our School booth will inside the Bib 'n Tucker Entrance near Pete's throughout the day, join us. Our Sacred Heart banner will be in the Food Court of the Halifax Shopping Centre through March 31.  April 22 will be Movie Night at Empire Theatre, Bayers Lake. Sacred Heart students, friends and prospective students are welcome. The movie, Matilda, is most appropriate for Grades 4-12, however those under age 10 need adult supervision at the Theatre. Tickets are free and available by sending a request toMs. Robyn Erickson that includes the names of attendees, as well as the email address and contact phone number of the parent(s). There are many outstanding opportunities for those who provide home-stay for an International Student; you are invited to contact Alison Boyer for more information (aboyer@shsh.ca, 422-4459). This is a wonderful way to put Goals IV and V into action!

Sacred Heart Community Activities

The Sound of Plaid - April 4, 5, 6 Tickets for our high school musical production can be purchased at reception and during the evening of parent/teacher interviews.  Show times and tickets: Thursday, April 4@ 7:30pm,      $15 (includes a post show dessert reception) Friday, April 5 @ 7:30pm,      $10 adult/ $8 students & seniors Saturday, April 6 @ 2:00pm and 7:30pm,      $10 adult/$8 students & seniors Blessing of the Babies - April 9On April 9 at the 9am Easter Liturgy for the Elementary School, we will have a special blessing for babies (younger than preschool age) for our families and friends. If you have a little one, or know someone with a young child who can join us on the morning of April 9, please RSVP to Barb Martell,bmartell@shsh.ca.Grandparents' Day - April 26We would like to invite our grandparents to GP Day! Please send to the homeroom teachers the preferred Grandparent contact information (student's name, grandparents' names, emails and/or home addresses) so we can include them in this inaugural event! Bursary Dinner - April 27 Soiree Sacre Coeur will be held at the Lord Nelson Hotel. Those who purchase a table of 8 or 10 by Friday, March 22, are invited to join Sr. Wachter for a pre-reception at 6pm at the School. Tickets are available at our reception desk, online (click here), or go to http://shsh.fundraiserorders.com/admin/ Annual Giving Fund  In November, we sent each family an Annual Giving Fund request. As we begin spring, we want to follow-up with this request. 100% of our faculty, staff, administrators and Board members have participated, and we hope to have all of our parents onboard. A more formal reminder will come soon. Our website has an Annual Giving button, we will outline other ways to give as well. Thank you for joining our efforts to close the 10% gap between tuition and cost!

Emma McLean, Gr. 9 Received a Perfect Score on Pascal Math Contest!

Emma McLean in grade 9 received a perfect score of 150 on the Pascal Mathematics Contest which is the grade 9 version of the Canadian Mathematics Competition administered by the University of Waterloo.  Over 22,000 students across Canada write this contest so this is indeed an amazing accomplishment.

Congratulations, Emma! 

Sacred Heart High School Musical "The Sound of Plaid"

Tickets for our upcoming SHHS musical, "The Sound of Plaid" are now on sale and can be purchased at our reception desk or by calling 422-4459.

Thursday, April 4th at 7:30 pm all tickets $15, includes a post show dessert reception






Friday, April 5th at 7:30 pm tickets $10 adult/ $8 student & senior



Saturday, April 6th at 2:00 pm/7:30pm tickets $10 adult/$8 student & senior

Forever Plaid has become a huge hit around the world and a favorite among audiences everywhere. Theatres have come to love the four-character show that is easy to produce and always elicits a great audience response. 

Now for larger groups comes a show that is both old and new all at the same time:  The Sound of Plaid.  Building upon the funny characters and classic songs of Forever Plaid, THE SOUND OF PLAID is a great new twist on the much loved original.

In the 1960's, friends who met in the audiovisual club form a student choral group. When they discover that their high school music program was going to be cut from the curriculum, they decide to do a benefit to raise money. On the way to pick up their custom made plaid tuxedos and skirts, their bus is struck by lightning.  

THE SOUND OF PLAID are taken from this planet, through the Power of Harmony and the Expanding Holes in the Ozone Layer (and other astro-technical stuff) they are allowed to come back to perform the show they never got to do in life

Entrance Tests Gr. 7-12 - Saturday, March 23rd

We invite all prospective students/families from grade 7 to grade 12 to come to our Entrance Testing at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 23rd at 5820 Spring Garden Road, Halifax.

For further information, please contact Robyn Erickson, Admissions Director, at 422-4459 or rerickson@shsh.ca

Spring Cleaning at Sacred Heart - Large Parlour!

Sacred Heart School is Spring cleaning.  Take a look at the large parlour!

Weekly Update, Ms. Scott March 4

March Break smiles abound as everyone heads off home or to places near and far.  Wherever you are I hope the next two weeks will be refreshing.

The Jr.’A’ Basketball team have had an amazing season.  Their playoff game on Monday evening against Oxford went into double overtime and we won 60-57.  The final was on Wednesday against Halifax Central and we lost 43-22.  To reach the City Championship, and be runners up, was a great accomplishment.  Congratulations to all the team members and to Coach Bryan Fader!

Youth and Philanthropy Initiative – For the past three years our Grade 9s, under Mrs. Drummond’s direction,  have been involved in this very worthwhile programme which is sponsored by the ToskanCasale Foundation.  The students learn about social issues in their community, the grassroots organizations that are working to address the issues, and how they themselves can help.  The girls work in teams to create a presentation about their organization.   The final four teams presented on Thursday to a panel of student and teacher judges, as well as to grades 7, 8 and 9.  Congratulations to Alex Baillie, Grace LeBlanc, Caroline Surrette, Markley Wakeland and Mexican Exchange student, Ximena Gómez Mendoza for their winning presentation: Alice Housing will be receiving a cheque for $5000.   All four presentations were exceptionally well done.

Sacred Heart Exchanges – this week we said goodbye to three students from Sacred Heart in Mexico who have been with us for the past four weeks.  They had a wonderful time.  Today Emma Churchill left to spend four weeks at Sacred Heart in Bogota, Colombia.  Although we have welcomed students from Bogota for the past six years, Emma is the first to head south.  We wish her well and look forward to hearing about her experiences. 

Re-enrollment for 2013-2014 – Thank you to all who have sent in your re-enrollment contracts for next year.  If you have yet to re-enroll your daughter I encourage you do so at your earliest convenience.

Mid-term Report Cards – this year your daughter’s mid-term report card will be posted on Net Classroom.  They will be posted on Monday, March 18 and a hard copy will be sent home with your daughters on Tuesday, March 19.

Parent-teacher interviews – these will be on-line through School appointments once again.  Bookings will open on Monday, March 18 at 9:00 a.m. and will stay open until Thursday, March 21 at 12 noon.  Parent-teacher interviews take place on Thursday, March 21 and will run from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Flynn and Roach place 1st and 3rd at Hart House Debate at the U. of T.

Last weekend, two Sacred Heart students competed in the Hart House Debate Tournament at the University of Toronto.  Individually, Rory Flynn placed #1 and Mattea Roach #3. (The only other debater to beat Mattea was the captain of Team Canada who recently placed 11th in the world in Anatalya.) Rory also won the award for the top junior high debater at the event, as she did last year.  As a Team for Sacred Heart,  Rory Flynn and Mattea Roach were 3rd after the regular rounds, and this time the Team Honours went to UCC, the same team the girls had beaten in the final round at the Queen’s University tournament in January. 

The Hart House tournament, held in British Parliament style, is the largest tournament of the year, attracting 264 debaters from Ontario, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Though half of the final round teams were from Nova Scotia, tournament was used to select the Ontario teams to the Nationals;  the UCC team qualified to go to the Nationals in Alberta in April where we will debate them for a third time.

Our Sacred Heart contingent at the Tournament: (L. to R.) team members Rory Flynn and Mattea Roach, Aislin Flynn, SHSH ’12 - the tournament director, Deirdre Casey SHSH ‘09 - President of the Hart House debate club, and SHSH Coach Brian Casey. 

Not pictured, Patricia Donnelly, former SHSH Headmistress.

Youth & Philanthropy Initiative - Winner is Alice Housing!

Since January, the grade 9 girls have been working on YPI, the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative. It teaches students about social issues in their community, the grass roots organizations that are working to address those issues, and how they can help and become more engaged. The students work in teams to create a presentation about their issue and organization culminating in one team winning a $5000 grant from the Toskan-Casale Foundation for their charity. This year's winner is Alice Housing. Congratulations to all of the grade 9 girls for their hard work and amazing presentations!