Sacred Heart Elementary School

Substandard teaching combined with a false sense of elitism. Catholic schools should be kind and christian not militaristic.

The parish is one of the oldest and finest in the city. The school is filled with wonderful families. The school has a rich history and tradition of pitching in to help each other through tough times. Unfortunately the new principle has alienated many and divided the parish by accepting only the "perfect students". Any child that does not fit her mold is cast out to the tune of losing over 30 valuable families last year. She has become a joke tin the neighborhood as our very own Mrs Umbridge from the Harry Potter movies.

I think this is a good school for the average child. Good community (though parents are a bit clique-ish and they tend to "select" who their children play with. Parents also seem to run the school. That's not necessarily bad, but it reflects some of the substandard teaching that is seen. Catholic education overall is very good, but Sacred Heart's CCD program is just as good. If you have kids who are bright and intelligent or if you have kids who have special education needs, they wil have a difficult time at this school. I would suggest going to either Phoebe Hearst (best academic elementary school in all of Sacramento county) or David Lubin (they have a good overall school; good special education program as well)
--Submitted by a parent

Great schools are a reflection of their core components. It takes effort and sacrifice from parents, teachers, administrators, and students to achieve excellence. My son has grown into a fine young man because of his school experiences, life experiences, friendships, strong academic challenges, and solid religious values. The principal is outstanding and has made great improvements over the last two years in hiring staff/teachers, a transition to a brand new school, implementing advanced classes in math, and dealing with the demands of 300+ families. I have found the teachers to be caring and responsive to parent concerns. They do set high expectations for all students and families, so if you are interested in collaborating to ensure the success of your child....this is the school for you.
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers in the primary grade are not very christian. You will find more nurturing and help for your child in a public school.
--Submitted by a parent

I am in the process of using this site to review other schools. I wanted to first see how reliable the reviews were for his existing school. I agree the families are excellent, the teachers in the primary years are far from nurturing and overall it doesn't match my recollection of catholic schools that I attended. in essence, the school has an infallible methodology one must follow. If your main complaint is lack of respect and nurture for your child, they really have no response.
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers at Sacred Heart are excellent. The new principal has really made improvements and holds the students and teachers accountable. I am excited about the new school but more excited about the spirit of all that happens there.
--Submitted by a parent

Ten years ago, Sacred Heart was a good school. Unfortunately, a vacuum of leadership by the pastor and principals has left parents in charge. It's more a neighborhood private school than a truly Christian school. Shop around. We did and found a superior catholic school. A new building does not a community make.
--Submitted by a parent

I think Sacred Heart has many unique qualities which set it apart from other Catholic schools. Families return to this school generation after generation, a testament to the quality education. We are also blessed with a wonderful mix of students, coming from different background which are lovingly accepted by the children and staff. We are blessed to have a wonderful principal, Mrs Sparks. She has true character, strong leadership qualities, and above all a good sense of justice. Sacred Heart has won my heart over and I would highly recommend it to any family who is looking for a quality Catholic education.
--Submitted by a parent

Sacred Hear is a great school. I may not have realized it all these years, but now that I am in 8th grade I have realized that it really is a good school, and the staff does have controllof the classes. I recieved a wonderful education at Sacred Heart.
--Submitted by a student