Sacred Heart

This week we received great news about the next school year. We found out that our absolute favorite teacher would be moving into 4th grade in the fall. We could not be happier as this is one amazing teacher and my child adores her. Rumors have been circulating about where she would be placed next year and most of the parents in the current third grade feel like we've hit the lottery. The parents are excited, the kids are excited. Can't wait to see what next year brings at this fabulous school. We are all especially thankful to the principal for taking the time to meet during the year and just listening and for working so hard to make Sacred Heart a great school. Her efforts are not going unnoticed. Older elementary and middle school can no longer be surpassed by any other school now! This will be by far the best school in the county and my family is so excited to be a part of it.
--Submitted by a parent

As a previous poster who voiced some concern I felt it was important to follow up and report that some of the concerns have been handled. The 4th quarter in math has been a great experience and as a parent I have never felt more informed and aware of what was happening in the class. The new teacher has excellent communication and is very helpful and understanding. My child is thoroughly enjoying math and is being challenged appropriately. She is able to participate each day without feeling as if she is asking a "stupid" question. Her confidence has returned! The only down side right now is the study period where the kids were told by their former math teacher that they were not allowed to ask any questions except to ask permission to go to the bathroom. The aide who thought she taught the former math class is also still rude and condescending to the students when she goes into the main classroom. However, the positive now far outweighs the negative! I love Sacred Heart and am so glad that I decided to stick it out and just pray about my concerns.
--Submitted by a parent

This is our first year at Sacred Heart and it won't be our last!!! We are Catholic, and feel so fortunate to have such a wonderful Catholic School in our community. Our daughter is in Pre-K with the most wonderful teacher & teacher's aide. The curriculum has exceeded our expectations, and our child is so excited to attend school. Learning is fun in the Pre-K class! We see our child growing academically (with confidence) and love that strong values are also taught- reinforcing what is important to us as a family. Additionally, we have found that S.H. has such dedicated parents, and a wonderful new Principal. Thank you Sacred Heart! We look forward to the years to come!!!!!!
--Submitted by a parent

While disappointed parents have every right to express their opinions regarding curriculum and teachers, I offer my experience as a parent of three SHS children. Children in their tender years are being pushed to excel, be challenged, be advanced, and be the stars. I understand that these parents intentions are to facilitate what is best for their children academically; I am no different but, as my children get older, I now know there is more. What my teenager took from Sacred Heart and holds onto most during high school, when faced with the pressures that high schoolers encounter each day, is a moral compass that stems from the Catholic based education received at Sacred Heart. It is that foundation which grounds these young people as they move on in life and is the catalyst for their success, academically and elsewhere. My AP/Honors high school student is thriving, currently carrying the highest possible GPA that can be attained, including in honors math, and remains committed to the Catholic faith. The reality is that elementary-level math class, while important, is just one very small piece of the much larger puzzle of life. Thank you, Sacred Heart School.
--Submitted by a parent

This is our third year at Sacred Heart. Let me just tell you, this school is A-MAZING! We have never seen more dedicated teachers, staff, administration AND parents. Our new Principal is absolutely fantastic and will listen to and try to find a solution for any problem/issue you bring to her. We are Catholic and feel so lucky to be able to provide this Faith-based education to our children. I think that most of the trouble makers are forgetting that very important component. This is CATHOLIC School, and the principles under which the school operates are based upon the Religion. Personally, we find the negative talk surrounding this school despicable. Parents ought to be ashamed of their class-less behavior. If this school is not for you, then please leave quietly. To keep adding fuel to the fire by making a project out of your departure is disgusting and intolerable. For the sake of those of us that love this school and the people in it, good riddance! Your place will be taken by someone who wholeheartedly wants to be here!
--Submitted by a parent

This is our eighth year at Sacred Heart and we would not consider going anywhere else. Both of my kids have had the fourth grade teacher and they both loved her. One child excells in math and the 4th grade teacher pushes that child further. My other child, although now excelling in math, had a harder time when in 4th grade and the teacher was there to help. The 4th grade teacher did a lot to get that child over the mental math block that developed. For those not happy at Sacred Heart, you should move on; not every school is for everyone. However, for anyone considering coming to Sacred Heart I hope you will come to the school, meet the teachers, principal, students and parents and decide on your own if Sacred Heart is for your family and not base your decision on reviews by parents who were seeking to have all the "smart kids" leave the school. FYI, every 8th grader who applied to get into the IB program at SCHS was accepted. My kids are smart and they aren't going anywhere. Neither Sacred Heart nor the 4th grade teacher deserves the bashing that has been done to them. GO EAGLES!!!
--Submitted by a parent

Let me set the record straight here about a few things. The recent negative posts about the 4th grade teacher and her math lessons are not from us, the family who just pulled put a fourth grader. Don't forget, there are a few families with current 3rd and 4th graders. My problem is the general curriculum (& Hartcourt math) being behind that of other schools we looked at and the one we now attend. My daughter really liked the 4th grade teacher. There are some very nice things about SHS and we just loved the PreK teachers and the 3rd grade teacher's dedication to the kids. The classes are too large and not set up for the students to excel at his or her own speed. We felt that the school was focusing an unfair amount of resources on the slower learners and was aiming just to keep people on grade level, rather than to greatly surpass it. We paid full tuition for three kids, gave much in-class help and also donated thousands of dollars for the school to increase technology...of course my expectations are high, and beyond the PreK curriculum, they were not met. The "bashers" you mention are still there, I believe.
--Submitted by a parent

As a parent of a child diagnosed with a learning disability, I have been incredibly pleased that the school has provided a wonderful teacher, in a smaller class environment, to teach my child in Reading this year. This has allowed him to thrive, gain confidence, and become not only a better reader, but an avid one, as well. It is disheartening to read that other parents somehow feel that this is, in some way, unfair to their "brighter" children; or that the school is making "allowances" for the children who aren't quite " up to snuff." That's hardly the case, and I applaud the school's principal, for ensuring that all students who need additional subject help, receive it. We send our children to Sacred Heart so that they will receive an excellent education, and also because we hope we are teaching them to be kind, thoughtful, and compassionate people, and we believe that the school teaches this as well. My son may not be the best reader in his class, but I guarantee you he'd share his last cookie, help you up if you fell, and compliment you every chance he got. Isn't THAT the kind of student you want your child sitting next to in class?
--Submitted by a parent

I have a 4th grader and a pre-K-er at Sacred Heart. To date, we have been pleased with every teacher my children have had. And we love our 4th grade teacher! I, too, find it insulting that parents are disgruntled over separating classes into two groups. But these are the same parents that were disgruntled last year that the class size was too large. So Administration obviously listens; they hired an extra teacher and group the class in half to address the problem. What difference does it make which group our child is in; it accomplishes the same goal--smaller class sizes! Our 4th grade teacher is great, and my child loves her. The Pre-K teacher should be cloned and put into every school in the country! Her enthusiasm is infectious, and any child in her care will be better for it. Our new principal is awesome, always available to anyone interested in being part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Let's all remember, there are no "perfect" schools, and it's not possible to please everyone all of the time. Anyone looking for a quality, caring, educational environment for their child should consider joining our school community! We'd love to have you!
--Submitted by a parent

My children attended Sacred Heart for 3 years until we had to move to Texas at the end of last year. My son graduated from the 8th grade and was well prepared for high school in Texas. He takes several AP classes, plays football, and participates in the Navy JROTC and Civil Air Patrol in our community. His grades are excellent and he has the confidence to add more AP classes to his schedule next year. My 11 year-old daughter completed 4th grade last year and my 8 year-old completed 2nd grade. My current third grader received an excellent foundation at Sacred Heart. She currently reads at a 6th grade level and performs at the 4/5th grade level in math. My current 5th grader thrived at Sacred Heart due in large part to the emphasis on utilizing various teaching modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and incorporating technology in the classroom. Both girls attend a private Catholic school in Texas that emphasizes more rote learning. As a result, my 5th grader is quite bored and feels unchallenged. We really miss Sacred Heart. The teachers were great (certified; several with Master's degrees). Our students do very well in IB programs and the Catholic High School.
--Submitted by a parent