FROM THE
Making a Meaningful Difference in the World Sacred Heart Greenwich | FALL 2018
A Deep Respect for Intellectual Values INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMICS | PG 2 THE ALL-GIRLS ADVANTAGE | PG 6 FAITH-BASED LEARNING | PG 10 SUCCESS AFTER SACRED HEART | PG 14 ACADEMICS AT A GLANCE | PG 16
Sacred Heart Greenwich is part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart schools in 44 countries. Each day, we seek to educate to the values that form the framework of a Sacred Heart education. The 24 independent network schools located in the United States/ Canada province share a common heritage and vision. The spirit and essence of a Sacred Heart education are exemplified by our shared Goals & Criteria, and we are committed to education that develops: • A personal and active faith in God • A deep respect for intellectual values • A social awareness which impels to action • The building of community as a Christian value • Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom
Cover: Upper School math teacher Janelle O’Neill speaks with students in her Advanced Placement BC Calculus class.
Dear Friends, When we think about academic excellence at Sacred Heart Greenwich, we focus on two main components: the quality of instruction and the level of student engagement in the learning process. Whether we are discussing our youngest students in the Barat Center or our global leaders in the Upper School, our lesson plans must be flexible enough to adapt to the varying needs of our students. Our Columbia Teachers College Reading and Writing Workshop curriculum is designed so students mastering concepts quickly can continue learning at that pace the same way an Upper School student with a penchant for math can choose honors or Advanced Placement coursework. 2 PMS Colors: 342 & 416
We strive to meet the needs of our students and the society in which they live. Focusing on critical thinking and problem solving creates an intellectual discipline that is necessary for our students to make an impact in the world outside of Sacred Heart. The addition of an Anatomage Table, or digital 3D cadaver, to our Biology Department allowed for a new course in human physiology this year for our students interested in studying medicine. Students at all grade levels are benefitting from our partnership with IBM and the upgrade of the Mary Aloysia Hardey, RSCJ Observatory as they allow them to put their various levels of physics and life science knowledge to work. Classroom studies must spark deep curiosity in order for students to make connections across subjects and to inspire continued work outside the classroom. Deeper learning in classrooms creates motivated and challenged students who can see how their classwork relates to real life. During their time here, students gain mastery of core academic content, but more importantly, the critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and communication tools to succeed beyond King Street. This is how Goal II “A deep respect for intellectual values” is lived at Sacred Heart Greenwich. With confidence,
Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 Head of School
Individualized Academics How a N-12 education at Sacred Heart and the formative Lower School years develop strong problem solvers and critical thinkers BY CHRISTINE D’ALESSANDRO, Head of the Lower School
A
cademic excellence can be hard to visualize in a Lower School setting full of colors and textures, reading nooks and games, and complete projects
that sometimes contain misspellings or other mistakes. However academic rigor not only exists with our youngest students, this term defines our teaching methodology.
Just like an Upper School student might add elective courses in her areas of greatest strength and interest, so too do we customize our curriculum to challenge our students. The Lower School at Sacred Heart offers a truly differentiated approach to learning, where our teachers and curriculum adapt to the individualized needs of each student. There is no academic ceiling and students can achieve at their developmental levels. Four columns provide the structure that enables us to build on foundational concepts and skills by grade level. • The first is an academically rigorous curriculum that provides students with challenging skill development, a solid knowledge base and opportunities to bridge new understandings and ideas. We teach students not to settle for simply the answers, but to learn how to explain their strategies, reasoning and lines of thinking. • Our second column, the nurturing of our spiritual compass, is a fluid practice of continually connecting mind and heart. This practice is how our faith-based curriculum complements the development of the whole child.
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INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMICS fall 2018
There is no academic ceiling and students
can achieve at their developmental levels.
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
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| Individualized Academics – cont.
Students learn how to access their spirituality and transcend how they treat themselves and one another in the small and in-between moments. • Strong communication is the third vital column. It provides students with essential, life-long skills to express and articulate their growth, ideas and innovations. • Lastly, self awareness is a necessary component to our foundational platform, because it provides the inner tools and guidance for all growth to occur. The students learn how to be aware of themselves in a group, of the materials they study and of their experiences. How does this differ from other elementary educational experiences? Our STUDENT VOICE
Starting fourteen years ago in Barat Center, I can’t remember a time before
understanding of development and each student’s individual needs dictates our approach to learning and instruction. This mindful teaching is rooted in traditional instructional practices where our young learners are exposed to new concepts and then moved along into skill work to apply those concepts.
Sacred Heart. The Lower
The learning style in the Lower School at Sacred Heart is process-based.
School laid the foundation
We believe that process has to be personally and intimately reached by each
for both my educational and
student. Through a challenging curriculum and extensive specials program,
personal development, an
Lower School students not only acquire and master foundational skills and
atmosphere that fosters a
concept understandings but gain a love of learning and the ability to apply
deep sense of commitment
their knowledge to moral, intellectual and social questions.
to compassion and growth. Now, a senior, I am prepared
PA R E N T V O I C E
to apply to college and tackle the academic challenges
We want our children to view school as more than just a place of
and personal growth that
academics, and Sacred Heart plays a vital role in how our daughters
come my way. Sacred Heart
mature and view the world. Sacred Heart’s value system, which
has taught me that an
begins in the Lower School, has been an integral part of our
education is much more
experience and its emphasis on the development of the whole
than academics: it is about educating the entire person. EMMA O’CONNOR ’19 ▲
child resonates with us as a family. We know our daughters are receiving a wonderful education in top-notch facilities, but they are also developing a moral compass and sense of compassion that will guide their actions and decisions in the days and years to come. That is what sets Sacred Heart apart. BRIAN NEWMAN P ’17 ’21 ’26
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INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMICS fall 2018
PA R E N T V O I C E Kate’s high school experience at Sacred Heart has given her the foundation for success in college. The academic experience in high school has been challenging and has helped prepare Kate for the rigors of the college classroom. The quality of the instruction and her own engagement in the learning process have been key to her preparation. One of the most unique academic advantages of Sacred Heart is the atmosphere of individualized learning. The freedom for students to choose their classes in order to meet their own needs and desires is extremely rare. The amazing faculty and staff have been motivating and supportive. Sacred Heart is a powerful environment for students, teaching them to be critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. The combination of broad intellectual and spiritual horizons found at Sacred Heart will serve as a strong base to build future success. —MEG CHMIEL P ’18, ’20
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
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The
As effective educators, it is our job to push the students out of their comfort zones
in order to allow them to grow.
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THE ALL-GIRLS ADVANTAGE fall 2018
All-Girls Advantage How a single-sex education propels students forward BY SAMANTHA MCCOY, Middle School History Teacher
T
eaching at an all-girls school is both a challenge and a profound responsibility. Being entrusted with educating and shaping any child can be a large task,
but attempting to shape young girls of all backgrounds and personalities into mature, capable, confident women requires particular skills and flexibility. The lessons I’ve learned while working at Sacred Heart for sixteen years can be summarized into three primary themes: it’s process, not product; resilience is crucial; and always respect the individual. In the 21st century information is ubiquitous. The vast majority of us carry a tiny supercomputer in our pockets almost everywhere we go; access to raw facts does not mean a fraction of what it did hundreds of years ago when the printed word was scarce. What matters more now, rather than the ability to memorize and retain basic facts, is the ability to use, interpret and share that same information with others. I’ve started implementing this concept in my eighth grade classes by focusing on open-note in-class writing assessments. I’m much more interested in my students being able to organize their thoughts clearly, lay out an argument and incorporate primary documents than being able to memorize a list of legislation passed in a given time period. Effective assessments in an all-girls setting must push the students to synthesize and share what they’ve researched, rather than regurgitate information. The ability to make an effective argument in writing or in an oral presentation is the key to future success in life.
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
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| The All-Girls Advantage – cont.
As effective educators, it is our job to push the students out of their comfort zones in order to allow them to grow. Hand-in-hand with that process is the need for our students to know that it’s okay to fail. In fact, it’s necessary to fail from time to time. Just like how babies need to fall down a hundred times in order take their first real steps forward, it is particularly important in an all-girls environment for students to be challenged — and occasionally hit an academic wall — in order to figure out how to pick themselves back up and learn from what happened. In my course, for instance, each type of challenge I present to the girls happens at least twice during the year — assembling timelines, crafting and delivering speeches, on-demand writing — because if the students fall on their face with a task the first time, they need to be able to try again. When they learn from their mistakes and demonstrate success on a future attempt, it helps to build PA R E N T V O I C E
a growth mindset. This tactic helps the girls get out of the mindset that everything always needs to be correct or perfect, which can be a fear and
Like all parents, we want
pressure both in and
our daughters to reach
out of the classroom.
their full potential and
At Sacred Heart, we
excel in whatever path
give the students a
they choose. We believe
safe place to fail and
our choice of Sacred Heart
then guide them in
as an all-girls school
the process of trying
increases our daughters’
another approach and
self-confidence, encourages
building their skills.
their individuality and empowers them
STUDENT VOICE
to take risks. DAN BELLISSIMO P ’27 ’27 ’29
Going to an all-girls school you never have to worry about finding a friend because everyone has similar interests. Your teachers can be a friend too. My teachers know me for me and know how everyone is different. Once they know what you like to do, they know what to expect from you. My teachers know I like challenges, so they challenge me — especially with tough math problems — and then help me overcome the challenge and get really good at it.
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THE ALL-GIRLS ADVANTAGE fall 2018
▲
GABRIELLE HUGHES ’27
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
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Faith-based learning How community, morality, ethics, and theology impact our global leaders BY LUDNIE RENE ’19
I
am so grateful to be a part of the Sacred Heart community because the teachers and administrators set the tone for the community, but my classmates, friends and sisters,
provide the support I need to find success in school and with my academics.
At Sacred Heart, every student brings a different gift to the table and when we work together we are destined for success. In the classroom, we can take chances knowing that if we falter, someone will be there to pick us back up by giving helpful feedback. This level of support is not unique to one project or my Sacred Heart experience — it happens all the time. The way we work together exemplifies the sisterhood I have with all of my classmates at Sacred Heart. In this sisterhood, each student has been inspired by one another in some way, whether it be in the classroom, on a team, in the play or musical or clubs, or during class retreats. During Upper School, there are moments when everyone needs support, but sometimes it is hard to know where to find it at first. What is unique about Sacred Heart is that I can turn to any classmate, any one of my sisters, to help me overcome an obstacle or achieve a goal.
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FAITH-BASED LEARNING fall 2018
What is unique about Sacred Heart is that I can turn to any classmate, any one of my sisters, to help me overcome
an obstacle or achieve a goal.
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
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F A C U LT Y V O I C E
Upper School is a busy, exciting time in a young woman’s life when she is challenged to balance the demands of academics, athletics, extracurricular activities and service to others. It is a time of great growth, but is also accompanied by inevitable times of stress as our dedicated students strive to excel in all areas. I have seen, year after year, how the strong sense of community at Sacred Heart serves to support and nurture students through the challenging times, and how the community takes joy in celebrating successes and accomplishments. Our students also have the gift of space in their lives, through theology classes as well as campus ministry and retreat programs, for development of their own personal faith and spirituality during these years — a dimension which is too easily lost in the frenetic pace of today’s world, yet is so important to each student as the foundation of who she is and who she will become. GAIL CASEY H ’12 Dean of Student Information Systems & Academic Dean
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FAITH-BASED LEARNING fall 2018
STUDENT VOICE
The theology program in the Middle School has helped me reach my goals in and out of the classroom by helping me develop my faith. Theology class comes with a lot of difficult questions, ones for which no one has concrete answers, and the teachers take the time to carefully answer our questions in order to help us learn. Although not all students and teachers at Sacred Heart are Catholic or even Christian, each one strives to be kind and to follow in the path of their God or what they know to be right. With my faith and my teachers, I have the base I need to reach my goals. BELLA NARDIS ’24
PA R E N T V O I C E
With every college tour we went on, I realized that finding an environment that was as supportive and communitybased as Sacred Heart was equally as important to Sophia as its academic rigor. Ultimately, Sophia chose Vanderbilt University because she believes it to be an extension of the community she has grown up in. She is equipped to succeed in this larger and more competitive environment because of her experience at Sacred Heart. I sent Sophia off in August knowing that she has a strong moral base firmly rooted in Catholic teaching as well as a courage to always speak up, both of which I believe were fostered by her years in a singlegender school. MICHELLE BRUSCO P ’18
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
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Success After Sacred Heart
SARAH HIRSHORN ’13 How have the Goals & Criteria shaped the person you have become? How do they resonate with your career today? I have been particularly influenced by a deep respect for intellectual values. Once at college, I was grateful to realize how well Sacred Heart prepared me for a rigorous academic experience. For example, the Harkness round table discussions and abundant public speaking opportunities prepared me for contributing in both academic and workplace settings and respectfully and meaningfully engaging with viewpoints that differed from my own. I am grateful for such a stellar education based on solid values. Looking back on your Sacred Heart education, was there a particular class, program, club or extracurricular activity that has shaped the person you have become? I benefited immensely from participating in the future problem-solving program at Sacred Heart. Through this program, I worked both individually and on teams to brainstorm and identify significant issues affecting society, pinpoint the root causes, and craft forward-thinking solutions and action plans to address emerging challenges. This systematic approach to problem solving gave me the tools to think critically and develop creative means for serving my community while at college. Sarah Hirshorn ’13 Stanford University ’17 Morgan Stanley, Analyst
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SUCCESS AFTER SACRED HEART fall 2018
ALEX LEWIS ’01
KATIE COLFORD ’12
How did an all-girls education prepare you to succeed in college, your career and the world beyond?
Looking back on your Sacred Heart education, was there a particular class, program, club or extracurricular activity that has shaped the person you have become?
When I reflect on my education, I realize how blessed I was. I learned so much from the experiences I had while attending Sacred Heart. I learned how to study independently, how to articulate my thoughts in a clear manner, and how to suppress my fears of public speaking and always project confidence in a room. As a woman working in a male dominated field, I encounter situations where others use intimidation. My education at Sacred Heart taught me not to back down when challenged and to fight to for what I believe in. Have any members of the Sacred Heart community (alumnae, former teachers, etc.) served as mentors in your career? There are several teachers that made a lasting impact on me. I was a terrible math student in middle school and I had one teacher, Ms. Brueningsen, who was committed to working with me after school so I could improve. I worked with her outside of class, and she changed how I viewed math. I ended up loving math so much and made it to AP calculus in my senior year. I also had a religion teacher, Dr. Holmes who was spectacular and very encouraging. He gave me great advice on how to navigate challenges in high school and college, and we still keep in touch as he continues to give me words of encouragement.
At Sacred Heart, I was encouraged to apply the abstract lessons of Physics and Calculus to the personal and spiritual questions of Senior Seminar, and likewise to employ the close looking of Art History to analyze experiments in Science Research. After the first lecture of an introductory architecture class at Yale, I knew I had found not just a major but a vocation that had its roots in my Sacred Heart experience; equipped with the lens of a holistic education, I quickly saw the elegant way in which architecture unites art, science, philosophy, and mathematics. How have the Goals & Criteria shaped the person you have become? How do they resonate with your career today? The Goals and Criteria are a lifelong compass for me. In my career, I am prompted to consider the social responsibility of architecture and its power to build community, and I credit Goal 2, a deep respect for intellectual values, with sparking an intellectual curiosity that guided me through both Sacred Heart and Yale. Katie Colford ’12 Yale ’16 Davies Toews Architecture, Architect
Alex Lewis ’01 Yale University ’05 London School of Economics ’06 University of Pittsburgh Medical School ’10 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard ’14 Thoracic Anesthesia Fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ’15 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Anesthesiologist
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
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Academics at a Glance How we define a contemporary, Catholic education at Sacred Heart Greenwich
S
acred Heart educators share fundamental principles in alignment with the philosophy and charism
of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart. The mission was the restoration of Christian life in France through the education of young women from all social classes. The aim: to transform society through the education of women. This vision was global and forward thinking. Madeleine Sophie believed that “present day society will be saved by education; other means are almost useless.” The enduring hallmark of a Sacred Heart education is the focus on human dignity and moral action, combined with academic excellence. Spiritual and intellectual leadership informs the principles articulated in the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, developed in 1975. These define all aspects of our program of excellence and shape the unique bonds of union and community among the global Network of Sacred Heart Schools. This relational experience develops virtues and habits of mind, heart, and will that cultivate the capacity to live a fully human life of faith, critical thinking, and compassion.
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ACADEMICS AT A GLANCE fall 2018
A Sacred Heart education guides students to become morally responsible citizens of the world, who affirm the human rights of every individual. Sacred Heart Greenwich provides a core curriculum oriented specifically towards women’s leadership. The curriculum offers an unparalleled, diverse intellectual foundation for further studies. Students learn self-direction, structure, and academic coherence — and they also enjoy flexibility, agency, and choice. The centerpiece of the Sacred Heart experience in preschool through 12th grade is a curriculum of traditional intellectual exploration — in the humanities, mathematics, the sciences, world languages, visual and performing arts — infused with Catholic theology, philosophy, and service. This structured model is enhanced with many opportunities for innovation — for exploring topics and passions that personally excite each student. Because Madeleine Sophie also believed that “fear of innovation is weakness of mind.” Through varied ways of knowing, preschool through 12th grade students develop a deep and broad range of habits of mind, thinking dispositions, and intellectual capacities that equip them to make a difference in the world of their classes, families, communities, and eventually beyond campus.
F A C U LT Y N E W S
At the end of the 2017-2018 school year, Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes ’64 appointed David Olson as Assistant Head of School. In
At every stage of their Sacred Heart experience, in academic, student life, athletic, arts, and service programs, our girls learn: • To acquire, synthesize, and communicate knowledge through multiple approaches, cultural perspectives, and Catholic intellectual tradition. • To recognize and raise ethical questions in their own lives, evaluate choices, and act with integrity • To contribute to the common good through the learned practice of compassion and empathy
addition to his role as Head of the Middle School, Olson’s new position focuses on programs that further the School’s commitment to academic excellence for young women. He is also working on internal and external professional development programs for faculty and staff. Olson now co-leads the Curriculum Team with Linda Vasu, who was appointed Assistant Head of preschool-12 Academic Programs and Curriculum. The duo, in addition to other roles,
• To practice the self-regulation necessary to advance towards their personal passions and goals
will help set academic policies and design the
• To think critically and creatively when solving problems
three divisions.
• To develop the courage and confidence to lead
“It has been a great pleasure for Linda and
Our focus is on the competencies required for a life of self-reflection, intentional decision-making, compassion-in-action, and wise freedom. Small student-centered classes and intimate discussions inspire intellectual investigation that carries beyond the classroom to the world. Since 1848, Sacred Heart Greenwich has produced women who are leaders, women who are strong, persuasive, and roll up their sleeves to get things done.
curricular direction of the School across all
me to work with our talented and dedicated Lower School, Middle School and Upper School faculty and staff members this fall,” Olson said. “There’s a palpable sense of excitement as we set out to coordinate our academic and wellness programs across all three divisions. Ensuring cohesion across divisions will help us build on the strengths of our academic programs and best serve our students.”
LINDA VASU Assistant Head of preschool-12 Academic Programs and Curriculum Director of Center for Research, Teaching and Learning Upper School English faculty
FROM THE HEART fall 2018
Where Young Women Become Global Leaders 1177 King Street | Greenwich, CT 06831 203.531.6500 | cshgreenwich.org
Twitter: @CSHGreenwich and @GoCSHGreenwich Facebook: @CSHGreenwich and Csh Greenwich Alum Instagram: @CSHGreenwich and @GoCSHGreenwich 2 PMS Colors: 342 & 416
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