Preparing Our Students for a Year of Learning

Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Education

"It is not merely for our sakes that we should try to become interior souls; we should have constantly before our eyes the children who will come to us, help that without prayer we shall never be able to give them."  - St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

Now that we are in full session, it is wonderful to see your daughters so engaged and so excited about this new year of learning.  As September begins, let's take a moment and focus on St. Madeleine Sophie Barat's vision of Sacred Heart alumnae, women who live lives rooted in informed, active faith.  From this foundation of faith, Sacred Heart women draw the courage and confidence necessary to be women of communion and compassion.

How do we prepare such women?  I urge you to review the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education so that you know the essential values we educators hold.  Sacred heart education aims at educating our daughters' minds and their hearts.  First, we believe that every moment counts in the education of your daughters.  We also believe that each age level has unique needs; therefore we design the curriculum to be age appropriate and focused on developing skills and attitudes essential to learning to learn to think. We emphasize concepts and recognize each academic discipline as a way of thinking. 

Of course, the challenge for all of us as educators and as parents is designing the program so that each student  -- no matter her age -- comes to know herself in relation to God, and, at the same time, to be faithful to St. Madeleine Sophie's vision.  In the coming days, you will attend Back to School Nights which will give you and insight into our hopes and dreams for your daughters this year.

Taken from a 2007 excerpt of "The Sacred Heart Experience ~ A Collection of Messages From the Headmistress",  by Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ   Red Envelope ~ 2001-2011