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!