Sacred Heart

I am very happy at Sacred Heart. I have had three children attend the school, each with different needs. The Principal, Mrs. Svajko, has gone out of her way to reach out to each child. The teachers have been very accommodating and communicate with me regularly. My "gifted" child has been challenged within the regular program. I appreciate that the school doesn't separate these children just to call them gifted. Instead, they meet their needs with a rigorous program in the regular classroom. Their test scores indicate the success of this strategy. Perhaps the children of the previous poster were not "gifted" enough to succeed within a regular classroom environment.
—Submitted by a parent

My child used to attend this school and I can attest that they do not have a gifted program. My child scored in the very high 90s in every area on the ITBS and there was no different curriculum; we had to do do much supplementing at home to achieve these scores because the school refused to create a separate, high-paced track. The last post looks like another example of the faculty writing their own reviews.

To address the post on a gifted and talented program: I have a child who goes to Sacred Heart. My child has been tested by a PHD and scored at a genius level. When my son took the ITBS test which is given every year, the principal, Mrs. Svajko came to me personally with the test results. She discussed with me the fact that my child's scores were exceptionally high. She took the time to meet with both my child and I to discuss our options. We came up with an option that worked for my child and we could not be happier. I could have chose to put my child at a "gifted" program at another school, but we love Sacred Heart, the parents, the teachers etc. Mrs. Svajko and the staff at Sacred Heart are very accommodating when it comes to "gifted" children.
—Submitted by a parent

To say that this school has a gifted and talented program is simply false. Shame on the diocese for allowing this type of outright dishonesty to smear the collective integrity of Florida Catholics. And would certain teachers stop writing their own reviews? It couldn't be mo re obvious! I never expected such a positive change moving into a public school.
—Submitted by a parent

As a mother of 6 w/5 children enrolled @ SHS, I just want to say i feel that this is a phenomenal school and think that switching here last year was the best choice! The kids LOVE the school, teachers, and kids. We are very happy and will be here for the long haul!
—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

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

My rating today is based on the negative postings about the school focusing on the lower children. I find this very insulting as it refers to my own child. The thought that these parents want to just push them aside is sickening. My daughter is being pulled to work with the most amazing teacher for reading & math. She has always struggled & has always hated school b/c she felt she was stupid or couldn't keep up with her classmates. That was until this year. This year I have seen a change in my daughter that makes my heart leap with joy. She loves her various reading projects and she actually tells me that math is fun. She positively adores her reading and math teacher. This incredible teacher has made learning so much fun for the children in her classes. They are being taught the same material as the other class but it's presented to the children in a way that they can understand. This teacher is kind and loving to her students. She is also teaching the students to use different computer programs, which has my daughter rushing home to do homework. I never thought I would see this day! A blessing to the school and the children.
—Submitted by a parent

I was asked by another parent at the school to write a review on this website. They are quite disgruntled with their fourth grade experience. I wanted to write that while I was not pleased with the fourth grade myself, the school overall is fantastic. My child is now in 5th grade and the teacher is terrific. She is part of what makes Sacred Heart the fabulous school that it is. The math is the only downside of 5th grade and that's because it's taught by the same 4th grade teacher and her aide. They are both grumpy and rude to the children and my child hates going to math with them. My daughter does overall love school, especially social studies. Having her come home and tell me about the days lesson is very nice. The students are nice and always well mannered and most of the teachers are great. The new principal seems like she is nice and really cares about what happens at the school. I like that she is always available to speak with if needed. I don't plan on moving my child to another school and am excited for her to have the middle school experience at Sacred Heart. Go Eagles!
—Submitted by a parent

As a parent to a fifth grade student, I could not be more pleased with his homeroom teacher. She is one of the finest teachers I have ever met and she has done an incredible job teaching my child this year. The way in which she teaches Social Studies is amazing and she makes it exciting for my child to learn. I am also very happy with his science teacher. She provides the students with weekly labs that are educational and fun. I like that both of these teachers go out of their way to help my child succeed at Sacred Heart and make education a priority. A superb school!
—Submitted by a parent

I am very pleased with our family's experience at Sacred Heart School. Teacher quality - OUTSTANDING! The teachers stay after hours to make sure all students understand what is being taught. Principal leadership - WONDERFUL! She is always available to listen to any and all concerns. Parent involvement - Parents are welcome to come and help out. Sacred Heart is a "Great School."
—Submitted by a parent

My original review with one star is no longer on here and I changed it to three stars because one was shown (??). My original comments were wiped out and I don't know why, maybe you can only post once. We are most likely pulling our kids out as well because the school simply has no incentive for really bright kids. If you get pulled out for slower classes, you get treats, parties, better technology, better instruction with fewer kids and terrific grades because you get lots of help and you can retake tests sometimes. This is very unfair to the 2/3 of the students in grades 3-5 who don't get pulled out. It's like you're punished for doing well on the ITBS and class the previous year. Theres no longer a clear connection between hard work and reward and I have complained incessantly, but nothing changes. Many kids in the mainstream group are extremely bored ... The curriculum is behind that of other private schools and there truly are a lot of kids there who probably wouldn't make it in public school. If you have high-achievers, I'd look elsewhere as we are right now. Hartcourt math is awful-this is a big problem, too. I'm so upset that the school has gone downhill!
—Submitted by a parent

When another parent told me about this site I felt compelled to come over to voice my opinions. However as I write this I feel guilty for even wanting to write a negative review, but then when I see the previous posts I realize that I am not alone in my thoughts. Like previous posters, I do love the school as a whole. I am not pleased with the 4th and 5th grade math program. I have heard that the small group group class is amazing and every parent I have spoke to from that class raves about all the things their children are doing and they love the teacher. I'm disappointed that because my child scored slightly higher he misses the opportunity of having a good teacher. The 4th grade teacher is evidently not very strong in math and based on what my child says, she gets very frustrated when the students don't understand. Perhaps this is becasuse she herself does not understand. I will be scheduling a conference with the principal and writing the diocese to express my concerns.
—Submitted by a parent

Overall I have always loved this school. The principal is great, the students are nice, most of the teachers are good. However, I am very disappointed with the 4th grade teacher and her inability to teach math. She teaches this subject to both the 4th and 5th grade students and has an aide to assist her. The experience has been dreadful for my child and I have another child getting ready to go into her class next year. This will result in her teaching math to both of my children next year and just the thought of that gives me quivers. I am seriously considering a move to another school because of this situation. Many other parents have said the same thing yet we are unsure why the school keeps her in this position.
—Submitted by a parent