A Family Guide to Our Sacred Heart Community

Welcome to Gator Nation!

Thank you for giving your children the gift of a Sacred Heart education. As students, the experience they will have on this campus will be transformative and enduring, growing both heart and mind.

Truly, this also applies to the family experience. For here in this special community, you will find abundant opportunity to make lifelong friends and treasured memories, to share your gifts and talents, to take part in our traditions and teach us about yours - and so much more. We hope that you, like your students, will take full advantage of all that Sacred Heart has to offer!

We are thrilled to have you join our Gator family and become part of this cherished and historic school. Welcome home to Sacred Heart.

— RICHARD A. DIOLI, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS

A Spiritual & Mission-Engaged Community

ALL ARE WELCOME, ALL BELONG

Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton (SHS) is an independent, Catholic school as interpreted and lived by the Society of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ). As such, we seek to be and support a truly welcoming and diverse school community. Our families, students, and employees - from preschool to high school - reflect many different faiths, cultures, heritages, and backgrounds, which we firmly believe provides a more dynamic, valuable, and engaging educational experience for our students - and for one another in shared community.

THE PARENT-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

The partnership between home and school is critical to the success of this mission. It is our hope as educators that we can work together in a spirit of humility and care to provide the very best faith-based, values-rich education possible. Children at SHS will experience diverse faith, cultural, and developmental programs; comprehensive programming complements the classroom experience, and includes religious services, retreat programs, service obligations, and diversity workshops and presentations. We believe that these experiences are critical to the education of your child.

WHY IT’S ESSENTIAL TO “LIVE OUR VALUES”

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat believed that her schools should provide students with an atmosphere permeated with the Gospel spirit, a spirit of love and freedom that encourages students to learn from one another. Importantly, this atmosphere is predominently created and sustained by the adults in our community - faculty, staff, and parents/guardians - who

OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNAL PRAYER

• Family Masses (Fall & Spring)

• Come to the Quiet with Sr. Kathy Dolan (Tuesdays)

• Mary’s Way of the Cross (Lent)

• Advent Reflection (Dec)

• All-School Masses (Sept & May)

• Feast Day Liturgies & Prayer Services

• Faith & Heritage Sharing Programs (Varies through the year)

DEVELOP & EXPLORE YOUR INTERIOR LIFE

• Dads’ First Fridays & Fellowship with Deacon John Kerrigan (Monthly)

• Busy Persons Retreat (Spring)

• Growing the Inner Life Series with   Sally Vance-Trembath

• Parent Retreat (Spring)

LEARN MORE

• About Our SHS Mission (Video)

• Student Perspective on Goal I: Faith (Video)

• Reflections on “Love. Confidence. Purpose.” (PDF)

• Reflections on “The Attitudes of the Heart of Christ” (PDF)

model the behaviors and attitudes that reflect the Heart of Christ: generosity, compassion, respect, courage, integrity, forgiveness, confidence, and love. One vital way to do this is by participating in the spiritual life of the school: modeling a commitment to personal and communal prayer, actively engaging in days of reflection, and attending school-sponsored cultural and spiritual programs. If we do our best to grow our own interior lives and animate the Gospel spirit each day, our students become ever more aware of God’s love for them, grow increasingly confident in their own value and purpose, and develop rich and thriving spiritual lives of their own.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “MISSION-ENGAGED”

Above all, SHS is committed to be an inclusive community in which each member—child and adult—knows s/he is an integral part of the school and feels a keen sense of belonging. It is vital, then, that adults in our community clearly model behaviors that value and support healthy relationships, the importance of both common and different experiences and perspective, and respect for each individual. St. Madeleine Sophie’s vision of education was rooted in her relationship with God. In Jesus, she saw abundant generosity, full openness to others, and total commitment to peace and justice. This is who we hope to be for the young people who call Sacred Heart their home.

“Interior spirit is the cement which holds the other virtues together. It would be useless to attempt a building without this; the strongest stones would not keep their position.”

ST. MADELEINE SOPHIE BARAT, FOUNDRESS, SCHOOLS OF THE SACRED HEART

THE OFFICE OF MISSION, CULTURE, & STRATEGY

The strength of a Sacred Heart education lies in a deep regard for students’ whole selves— spiritual, intellectual, and emotional. The SHS Office of Mission, Culture, and Strategy supports the school’s dedication to providing a Catholic, Sacred Heart education that nurtures the spiritual heritage and legacy entrusted to us by the Religious of the Sacred Heart and our founder, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat.

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION SPIRITUALITY COMMITTEE

The mission of the SHS Parents’ Association Spirituality Committee is to nurture and support the school’s efforts to deliver an education rooted in the love of the Heart of Christ by providing pro grams for parents to explore the personal and communal dimensions of faith, in service to self and others. Among the committee’s efforts to directly serve and assist SHS community members are the coordination/operation of a Prayer Circle group, a Friends in Need group, and a Friends of Oakwood group.

THE RSCJ AMONG US

The Religieuses du Sacré-Cœur de Jésus (RSCJ) are members of the Society of the Sacred Heart, the Roman Catholic religious congregation established by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800, who went on to found the Network of Sacred Heart Schools worldwide. There are 50+ RSCJ residing at Oakwood Retirement Center on campus—a living link to our Sacred Heart heritage. SHS parents/guardians can meet and build relationships with the Sisters through volunteering, attendance at Oakwood’s daily Mass, participating in the annual Busy Persons Retreat, and through a variety of events coordinated through the Parents’ Association Spirituality Committee throughout the school year.

ENGAGING IN THE SHS SPIRTUAL LIFE

A brief description of some of the ongoing spirituality activities and opportunities held on campus and open to parents/guardians of all faiths throughout the school year.

COME TO THE QUIET

DADS’ FIRST FRIDAYS

SHS FAMILY MASS SERIES

A weekly prayer and meditation led by Kathleen Dolan, RSCJ. (Tuesdays)

Fathers/guardians of all faith backgrounds discuss and reflect on a spiritual reading. (1st Friday of every month)

Held twice in fall and spring, these Eucharistic Liturgies are celebrated by a Catholic priest, with Holy Communion distributed. Members of all faiths are welcome/encouraged to attend - a wonderful way to experience/sample the Catholic faith tradition - “All Are Welcome, All Belong!” (Saturdays)

SACRED HEART FEAST DAYS* MARY’S WAY OF THE CROSS

CHRISTMAS ADVENT REFLECTION

BUSY PERSONS’ RETREAT

Honoring St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and St. Rose Philippine, Mater Admirabilis and Virgin de Guadalupe, numerous feast days are celebrated throughout the year with a Mass, Liturgy, or prayer service, often followed with a special goûter.

Pray the Stations of the Cross as seen through the eyes of Mary, mother of Jesus, as she walks with Him on His journey to Calvary—a longstanding Lenten tradition. (March or April)

Reflect on the spirit of the season and true meaning of Christmas. (December)

A week-long morning retreat, which pairs each participant with an RSCJ spirituality companion for guidance, conversation, and prayer. (Fall or Spring)

SHS PARENT RETREAT

Exploring a wide range of topics, workshops, and guest speakers, and featuring group sharing and individual reflection. (Spring)

HONORING ALL FAITH TRADITIONS

From Diwali and Ramadan to Passover and Nowruz, each year numerous interfaith cultural events are celebrated and shared on campus, in assemblies, and in the classroom. If you would like to share your own faith traditions with the SHS community, please contact the Parents’ Association for more information on how to get involved.

A Robust & Inclusive Community

SHS upholds a values-centered, inclusive, and diverse community, characterized by open communication, acceptance, and collaboration among all its members. Our Sacred Heart mission implores us to build community as a Christian value—meaning one that honors the inherent dignity of the human person, one in which relationships are characterized by inclusion and mutual respect, and one that commits to and practices peace and reconciliation as a matter of course.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & ACCESS (DEIA)

The SHS school family does, and should, reflect a wonderful variety of people: different races and ethnicities, cultures and faiths, experiences and backgrounds. Our DEIA efforts support programs and policies that increase demographic diversity and equitable opportunities for all students because we believe that each person in our community embodies a unique collection of gifts—talents, perspective, and history—that is essential for us to flourish and thrive as a whole. We seek to build and sustain a restorative culture that begins with a belief in the dignity, goodness, and connectedness of each person. We believe that each of us has the need to be in healthy relationships with others, that we also sometimes cause harm to others, and that we must respond in ways that restore dignity, safety, and connection.

As the RSCJ remind us, “the living of a mission as great as ours is never fully complete or fully realized… [and] is a sacred work fulfilled only through the enfolding of it by each generation.” We hope that this section of our family guide offers resources that reflect “the living of a mission” and inspires you to join others in our efforts toward a more inclusive, loving community.

SHS AFFINITY GROUPS & SPACES

FOR STUDENTS (Sample only)

• Pacific Islander Affinity Group (SHP) & Asian American/Pacific Islander Affinity Space (MS)

• Black Student Union (SHP)

• Jewish Student Union (SHP)

• Mi Gente (Latinx) Affinity Group (SHP) & Latinx Affinity Space (MS)

• Iris (LGBTQ+) Affinity Group (SHP) & Gay-Straight Alliance (MS)

• Mixed & Multi-racial Affinity Group (SHP) and Space (MS)

• SOL SIS Women of Color Affinity Group (SHP), Women’s Group (SHP), Men’s Group (SHP)

• Students of Color Affinity Space (MS)

FOR PARENTS & GUARDIANS

While SHS student affinity groups are more established, we’re also considering how we better support SHS families whose identities are underrepresented within our school community. For more information or to get involved, contact the Office of Mission, Culture, & Strategy at OMCS@shschools.org.

AVAILABLE FAMILY SERVICES

Intrinsic to our mission and commitment to our families, SHS provides a few services to assist families in meaningful participation in our community. Currently we offer the following:

Interpretation/Translation Services. Available for school communications, meetings, and other needs, SHS offers interpretation (oral) in a variety of languages, and regularly provides written translation in Spanish for important school communications. To request interpretation/translation services, contact OMCS@shschools.org.

Financial Assistance. Annually, there are funds available to families needing assistance to participate in school community functions and events. Please see contact information for funding assistance included on all school-sponsored event/ program invitations.

“By coming to a school of the Sacred Heart, you have become part of a family. Accept with gratitude all those in your school community. From them and with them, you can learn what love is. Through giving and receiving you will foster the caring atmosphere that permeates your Sacred Heart home.”

LIFE AT THE SACRED HEART (NETWORK OF SACRED HEART SCHOOLS, 1985)

OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT DEIA IN OUR COMMUNITY

Throughout the year, there are numerous ways families can take part in, learn about, or just immerse in the rich diversity of our school community. We invite you to consider attending these events whenever possible, and deeply appreciate your participation to lead, organize, and/or sponsor additional opportunities to share your family’s heritage, traditions, and culture. Below and opposite page are just a few ways you can take part.

Continent Ambassador (Preschool) - Volunteer to share your heritage and/or experience living in another country during our preschool continent studies unit. (Open to currently enrolled preschool families only)

Honoring Our Diverse Stories (K-5) - New for 2022-23. Ongoing opportunity for families to share identity-based stories with K-5 students in Stevens Family Library during a scheduled period in the school day. Contact OMCS for more information or to get involved (OMCS@shschools.org).

All-Community Cultural Heritage Festival (P-12) - New for 2022-23. Coordinated through OMCS, this on campus, all-families event will provide a fun opportunity to share the music, foods, dress, language, customs, and traditions unique to your particular heritage, culture, and/or religious tradition. Contact OMCS for more information (OMCS@shschools.org).

Stories from the Heart (P-12) - Panel discussion and first-person sharing on a variety of topics, featuring members of the SHS community. Past panels have explored immigration stories, raising children with learning differences, experiencing racism, facing political divide, and many others. All are welcome to join us for these thoughtful and heart-felt stories. Contact OMCS for more information (OMCS@shschools.org).

CELEBRATING CULTURES & IDENTITIES

A sampling* of past campus activities and events organized to educate and honor the wonderful diversity that comprises our SHS family. Get involved at OMCS@shschools.org

LATINX HERITAGE MONTH

Occurs September-October. Past celebrations have included interdisciplinary lessons/projects and a student-organized community-wide cultural event with traditional foods and music. Concludes with Dia des los Muertos activities, such as sugar skull painting and the construction of an offrenda with student artworks and papel picado.

DIWALI (Festival of Light)

Occurs in October or November. Past celebrations have included a chalk mandala artwork projects, traditional dress, music, and dance presentations, and a parent-provided goûter of Indian delicacies.

LUNAR NEW YEAR

Occurs in January or February. Past celebrations have included an exhibition of traditional dress and Chinese arts, classroom lessons, student sharing, sampling of Chinese foods and tokens of good fortune.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Occurs February-March. Regularly includes classroom lessons and cross-disciplinary projects introducing key Black figures and contributions through history as well as current times. Past celebrations have included assemblies, reflections, guest speakers, and author visits.

NOWRUZ (Persian New Year)

Occurs in March. Past celebrations have included classroom lessons/discussion, a student/parent organized program around the holiday’s history and significance, sharing of customary dress, artworks, and music, and a sampling of traditional Persian foods.

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Occurs March-April. Past celebrations have included assemblies, reflections, guest speakers, and author visits, and adds to ongoing Women’s Group presentations and discussions (SHP student group).

ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

Occurs May-June. Past celebrations have included assemblies, student reflections, and a student-organized community-wide cultural event with traditional foods, dress, dance, and music.

* Please note, this is not a comprehensive list, rather a sampling of past celebrations that have occurred. Contact OMCS for more information.

An Active & Participatory Community

Central to the SHS commitment to Goal IV - the building of community as a Christian value - is the role our families actively play in the life of the school. In our SHS community, we are very blessed to have strong parent/guardian engagement across all divisions and grade levels, and we have found that this consistent participation results in an even better and more vibrant educational environment for our students and experience for all our families--the majority of whom remain with SHS for the duration of their children’s schooling.

So, whether you have one hour or several to spend in our community, whether you prefer a leadership role or a “one-and-done” volunteer position, or if your only interest at the start is to engage socially or limited to your child’s classroom or grade, please know there are multiple ways to consider getting involved and contributing your own unique gifts to our school family.

THE BIG 4: WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH SHS

There are four key ways we encourage all familes to consider when we talk about the importance of engaging in, and with, our community:

1. Be Informed Most importantly, we ask that you commit to being informed about academic events, requirements, and dates, reading all leadership and safety communications, and staying attuned to other important news and timely information regularly provided by the school.

2. Participate & Attend - Each semester, there are numerous school-sponsored events, educational and spiritual programs, competitive sports games, fine arts productions, and division/grade-level parent socials taking place - in addition to Parents’ Association meetings, informal meet-and-greets and coffees, and online or in-person check-ins with the principals, school counselors, and other school leaders.

WELCOME TO YOUR SHS PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

One of the most dynamic, produc tive, and energetic parent groups on the Peninsula, the SHS Parents’ Association is a driving force behind the vibrancy and success of our school community.

Given the size and scope of our school, SHS has two strong organi zations that comprises its Parents’ Association: the PreschoolGrade 8 PA and the SHP PA. Each has a similar governace structure, and works both independently to serve the needs of its respective division, and interdependently to ensure cohesive support across all levels, programs, and grades, P-12.

As a returning or new family, you are autmatically a member of the Parents’ Association group affiliat ed with your student, or students, division(s).

To learn more about your PA, please explore your division’s “Group” pages within the SHS Family Portal online. Just visit the SHS website, logon to our Portal, and locate your PA Group from the Groups drop-down menu. There, you will find notes, dates, signups, and other topics of interest.

3. Volunteer or Lead - Lend your gifts and talents to benefit our community, connect your interests with others, and build relationships while having fun. Among the many volunteer roles/commitments are “one-offs,” helping out at an event or classroom activity, or on a much greater scale, serving in a leadership or committee role. You decide your comfort and commitment level - we are thrilled to have you join in any capacity!

4. Support - Each school year, there are a number of donation drives as well as select fundraisers; some are student-led, some school-driven. Parent support in these efforts at any level or capacity - financial or otherwise - is always deeply appreciated!

On the following pages, we offer a little more insight about some of these opportunities, in order for you to think about how you and your family might take part.

“There is a deep-down unity, but there is no forced uniformity. The spirit is one, but its manifestations are many... no one is ‘made to order’ of this or that shape, but each gives what [he or] she can for the common good.”

REV. MOTHER JANET ERSKINE STUART, 6TH SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE SOCIETY OF SACRED HEART

Best Ways to Be - and Stay - “In the Know”

READ the Family Weekly e-Newsletter Emailed Tuesdays throughout the school year; contains timely info, upcoming dates/deadlines, and other key items and opportunities. SHP and P-8 newsletters are archived on each division’s Resource Tile.

FREQUENTLY CHECK the Online School Calendar - Most on-campus events are listed on the Family Portal calendar. Click on your date or event of interest, and information will “pop-up” on-screen with details about the event, registration links, and contact information. You can also set a RSS feed to link the school calendar and download events to your own Google, Outlook, or other personal desktop or device calendar.

PERSONALIZE Your Notifications In your Profile Settings within the online Family Portal, you can choose to receive or subscribe to various school announcements, reminders, news items, and other news streams via text or email.

ZOOM INTO Key Chats & Meetings - Most especially, plan to join the “Principal’s Brown Bag Lunches” (SHP), “Coffee with Francesca” (P-8), “Coffee with the Counselor” (various), and of course, the Parents’ Association General Meetings - all of which are held online or have a Zoom-in option. Each of these are a great way to glean new information, get details on upcoming activities, and have some of your questions answered in real-time.

EXPLORE Your Parents’ Association “Group” Online All parents and guardians at SHS are members of the online Parents’ Association group linked to your student’s division (P-8 or SHP). Your PA group pages have a font of information, from member rosters to Class Pages, to volunteer opportunities, and upcoming events!

CONTRIBUTE & CONNECT WITH US!

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Learn more about what’s happening on campus, take a peek into your child’s classroom, see our faculty and staff in action, and find out more about our amazing community by joining any (or all) of our social media channels. Be sure to “Like” us and comment on our posts!

OUR PRIMARY CHANNELS

• SHS on Facebook

• SHS on

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• SHP Athletics on

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ADDITIONAL CHANNELS

• SHP PA on

• SHP Holiday Boutique

ON VIDIGAMI PHOTO SHARING SITE

Available to all SHS parents/guard ians, SHS maintains a private, pass word-protected photo sharing site on Vidigami, for you to upload, save, and share your pictures taken throughout the school year. We encourage you to upload all your “snaps” and help us preserve all the great moments of our school year!

Email shs-photos@shschools.org for instructions.

CHECK OUT the Resource Tiles in the SHS Family Portal

When you log into the SHS website, your default “landing page” is our Resource Board. There, you will see a variety of “tiles” with headings like “All-School Resources” and “Athletics” or “Arts.” Spend some time and browse through these tiles for quick info like attendance reporting links, school transportation instructions, archived newsletters, and health and safety updates.

BOOKMARK Important Webpages, Sites, & Documents

so you can shortcut to items you may need to reference often. While most all are found within our Family Portal on Resource Tiles, there may be a few in particular that you will want to bookmark, such as the Student-Parent Handbook (SHP version, Preschool version, LMS version); the 2022-23 Academic Year Calendar; the Magnus Health site (for student health forms); and the MySchoolBucks site (for cafeteria accounts and ordering).

WATCH FOR Important School Alerts & Communications

On occasion, the school will need to give you timely instructions or alert you to changes in campus routines or procedures, such as an unanticipated closure, power outage disruption, after-school program location change, or other safety advisories. Please always be on the lookout for these types of notices, which will most likely be sent via email.

Join Us, Join In, Enjoy!

From educational presentations to social events, fundraisers to Masses, theater productions to longstanding sports rivalry games, we truly believe we offer a little something for everyone in our community. And, with more than 200 activities, programs, and events happening throughout a typical school year, SHS parents and guardians do have a stunning array of options to think about when it comes to attending “school functions.”

As many of our long-time families will tell you, the fastest way to genuinely feel part of our community is to participate in as many opportunities as you are able. Building onto our Gator Greeter program, at each grade level your Room Parents or Class Parent Reps can be tremendously helpful in finding ways to socially connect you with others throughout your years on campus.

WE’RE NEW HERE, SO WHAT SHOULD WE PLAN TO ATTEND?

For new families, navigating the very packed SHS calendar can be especially daunting, and the most frequent question we hear is “What are the really ‘key’ things we should go to?”

Of course, much depends on your own interests and general availability; however, there are a few suggestions we can make for new families looking to sample the SHS community experience before fully diving in (see opposite page). Keep in mind, the sample “itinerary” we provide here is in no way a comprehensive list, and does NOT include ongoing fine arts and theatrical productions, sports games, robotics competitions, family service activities, Parents’ Association meetings, spirituality/prayer groups, and/or parent-teacher conferences, among others.

COMMUNITY EVENTS: A NEW FAMILY “ITINERARY”

A sampling of our most popular all-community events to consider attending, by-month*

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Welcome Back Family Mass Back to School Nights/Welcome Coffees

GATORFEST! - Music on the Green 6th Annual James B. Everitt Chili Cook-off & Cupcake Bake-off All-School Mass of the Holy Spirit

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER DECEMBER

Fall Family Mass Sacred Spaces Campus Tour with Sr. Dolan

Annual Fund Gratitude Day

VALPO BOWL/Under-the-Lights SHP Football Game v. Menlo School All-School Holiday Meals & Turkey Drive

Holiday Boutique & Advent Reflection

Holiday Treat Performances, Concerts, & Tree Lighting Christmas Family Mass & GR 5 Nativity Play

JANUARY FEBRUARY

“Sophie’s Scholars Presents” Lecture Series Preschool - GR 8 Darling Daughter Dance SHP Play-in-a-Day

Dads’ First Fridays Preschool - GR 5 Grandparents & Special Friends Day Stories from the Heart Sharing Series

MARCH

8th Grade v. Faculty Basketball Game Busy Persons Retreat & Lenten Reflection SHS Annual Auction Dinner & Benefit

APRIL

Parents & Guardians Retreat

Annual Fund/Auction Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon SHP Athletics Boosters Golf Tournament

MAY

Campbell Cup: 8th Grade Girls Football v. Menlo All-School St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Feast Day Mass Annual SHP Cardboard Canoe Races

*Please note, this is not intended as a comprehensive list, and does not include our many ongoing fine arts performances, sports competitions, spirituality programs, service activities, cultural celebration, or parent education opportunities

Your Talents + Time = Our Greatest Treasure

OVERVIEW

Most volunteer opportunities at SHS are coordinated by the Parents’ Associations. Additionally, parents can volunteer to help with the all-school auction dinner (held annually in the spring), assist Advancement with the annual fund, support their students’ extracurricular activities (the arts, athletics, clubs, etc.) and more! Below is a sampling of various volunteer opportunities available each year.

Some links require a login to SHS website portal—once you log in, you will be directed to the corresponding page with more details.

SHP PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Executive Committee & Committee Leads

Boosters, SHP Athletics

Boosters, SHP Fine Arts

Class Parent Reps

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Committee (SHP)

Holiday Boutique Committee

Hospitality Committee (SHP PA General Mtgs)

Network Exchange Liaisons

P-8 Parents’ Association Liaisons

Parent Activities Committee (Division socials)

Service Learning & Retreats Liaisons

PA Social Media Committee

Student Activities Committee (Assist SHP)

For more information on how to get involved, contact SHPPA@shschools.org

P-8 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Executive Committee & Committee Leads

Boosters, LMS Athletics

Cafeteria/Dining Liaison

Classroom/Grade-level Opportunities

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Committee (P-8)

Gator Gear Committee

Hospitality Committee (P-8 PA General Mtgs)

Library Committee

Interfaith/Cultural Events Liaisons

PA Volunteer Fair Committee

Parent Activities Committee (Division socials)

Room Parents (P-8)

Service Outreach Committee

Student Activities Committee (Assist P-8)

Uniform Exchange Committee

For more information on how to get involved, contact P-8PA@shschools.org

*SHP also hosts interfaith-cultural celebrations, but at the high school level, these are usually organized and staffed by the students.

THE PARENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS (THE “PA”)

P-8 and SHP have two separate Parents’ Associations. While they both offer similar volunteer opportunities in some areas, such as spirituality, faculty/staff appreciation, athletics, and arts boosters, they also have some opportunities unique to their division (see diagram below). In the P-8, there are more opportunities to volunteer in the classroom, but you can volunteer for the whole division, too. At the high school, many volunteer opportunities are at the grade level, but there are also opportunities to volunteer for the entire Prep division.

SHARED/SIMILAR OPPORTUNITIES

Admissions

Common Ground/Parent Education

Gator Greeters

Inclusion/DEIA

Parents’ Associations Portal Content Parent Newsletter Secretary Spirituality

For more information on how to get involved, contact SHPPA@shschools.org OR P-8PA@shschools.org

PRIMARY ALL-SCHOOL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

The SHS Annual Fund - Taking place in fall, the Annual Fund campaign is the cornerstone of giving at Sacred Heart, raising funds to cover the gap between tuition and the full cost of educating each student. Close to 80 parent/guardian volunteers work with the Annual Fund team throughout fall to reach our goal, which historically engenders nearly 100% participation from families, employees, and trustees. Volunteer commitment typically extends AugustNovember.

Annual SHS Auction Dinner & Benefit- Held each spring, the SHS Auction is our major fundraising event, typically drawing more than 650 attendees and taking close to 200 volunteers each year to plan, prepare, and put on. Auction chairs (3-4 SHS parent/guardian volunteers) organize the event and work closely with the Institutional Advancement team and the Parents’ Associations to operate and staff the event. Both leadership and “one and done” volunteer roles are needed. *Auction volunteer sign ups are typically announced in early November.

STUDENT ACTIVITY-SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers are often needed and expected to work at extracurricular activities in which their students are involved. Opportunities include both leadership roles (Team Parent, Front-ofHouse Manager, etc.) and also “one-and-done” roles (involving only a few hours of work prior to, or the day of, an event):

Gator Sports Team Volunteer (Grades 4-12) - Helping with a range of needs, such as staffing the snack shack or provide snacks for the team, running the clock at a game, serving as team parent, organizing Senior Night and other social team and parent gatherings.

Fine Arts Production Volunteer (Grades 4-8, 9-12) - Assisting with production/performance needs, such as helping with costumes, painting sets and making props, coordinating programs/posters, and working front-of-house for performances.

Student Clubs, Classroom, or Field Trip Volunteer (Grades P-12): Chaperoning, transporting students to an-off campus competition or site, serving as a guest speaker, helping with activities.

HOW & WHEN TO SIGN UP

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES

A signup form will be sent by the PAs in early fall and spring, and a Volunteer Fair is held at the first P-8 PA General Meeting (September).

GRADE-LEVEL OPPS

Sign-up at the P-8 PA Volunteer Fair, and watch for ongoing needs shared via the Room Parent (P-8) or Class Parent Rep (SHP) newsletterrs.

ALL-SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Calls for volunteers are sent in early fall (Annual Fund) and late fall (Auction).

ACTIVITY-SPECIFIC

Attend the initial Parent/ Guardian meeting, and watch for emails from the program/ team/activity for needs and how to signup.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

Please look for upcoming and available opportunities/ instructions publisehd in the weekly SHS Family eNewsletter.

FAMILY VOLUNTEER SERVICE PROGRAMS

One of the most important ways to manifest our mission and live our values as a community is by volunteering for service activities. Throughout grade-levels, preschool - high school, learning about the needs of others and then actively helping is an integral part of a Sacred Heart education. Both inside and outside of the curriculum, students will have many age-appropriate service opportunities in which they can take part, or in some cases, lead efforts. In addition, SHS provides multiple ways throughout the school year for families to serve together. Below are just a few of our ongoing opportunities.

Coastal Beach Cleanup Day (September) - Coordinated international effort to preserve and beautify beachfront lands.

Meals on Wheels (Ongoing) - Deliver meals, make cards and/ or gift bags for homebound seniors in the community.

Ravenswood Education Foundation Classroom Partners (Select Dates) - Spend time with teachers and students at nearby Belle Haven Elementary or Costaño School.

Sandwiches/Soup on Sundays (SOS) (Every 3rd Sunday)Prepare and serve lunch for community members that need a meal.

Sunday Breakfast @ First Steps Shelter (Ongoing) - Prepare and share a meal with families in San Mateo LifeMoves Shelter who are homeless or in interim/transitional housing.

Veterans Outreach - (Ongoing) Make cards, treats, and care packages for hospitalized military veterans.

“The way to do much in a short time is to love much. People will do great things if they are stirred with enthusiasm and love.”

REV. MOTHER JANET ERSKINE STUART, 6TH SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE SOCIETY OF SACRED HEART

Support Our Gator Nation

An vital aspect of our engagement with families comes from ongoing participation in activities that raise financial support for our students and the school, as well as serve others in the larger community. At SHS, this typically occurs at the institutional level through our yearly fundraising efforts, and through longer-term impact giving to the SHS endowment or capital campaigns. Embracing our mission as a community as well, there will often also be school-driven drives or collections that benefit various local agencies or charities, or respond to natural disasters or emergencies across the country and the world.

PARTICIPATION IS ALWAYS OUR GOAL - 100%!

Consistent across efforts, our primary goal is always to achieve 100% participation, rather than any financial threshold. In this way, every member of our community - families, employees, leadership, etc. - have an active investment in the success of all our students.

ALL-SCHOOL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS (SHORTER-TERM IMPACT)

SHS Annual Fund. Held in fall, the Annual Fund is the primary and most critical fundraising priority at SHS to meet immediate and emerging financial needs. In truth, the cost to educate a Sacred Heart student exceeds the cost of tuition. Each year, SHS is only able to bridge this critical financial “gap” through our Annual Fund campaign, which also provides support to all aspects of a Sacred Heart education.

SHS Auction. Held in spring, the Auction is a cornerstone community event that raises critical support for programs and students through a silent, super-silent, and live auction event, as well as a “Fund-A-Need” effort for financial aid. For more than 40 years, we have gathered together for this pinnacle event, which is so much more than just a fundraiser; it is an event that encourages community spirit, connection, and pride!

ENDOWMENT (LONGER-TERM IMPACT)

Endowment is a school’s investment in its longevity and future generations. At SHS, having a thriving endowment ensures we will always have the necessary resources and reserves to fulfill our mission and retain, sustain, and expand all aspects of this distinctive Sacred Heart experience. A few examples of SHS’ working endowment funds that provide important financial support now, but are designed for perpetuity, include our many named student scholarships, academic program funds, the Barat College Access Fund, institutional priorities funds, and many others.

IMPACT GIVING (IMMEDIATE & LONG-TERM NEEDS)

At times, SHS may initiate a major gift drive or large-scale campaign in order to raise significant funds for new capital projects, program support, and other identified institutional priorities and needs that have both long-term and wide-scale impact on the campus and student experience.

BOOSTER CLUBS

Our highly active parent/guardian booster clubs for both Gator sports and our fine arts programs provide tremendous support to SHS by enhancing the quality of the programs available, raising supplemental funds to support related activities and travel opportunities, and assisting the respective SHS departments (athletics, arts) with large events. Currently, there are three Booster Clubs operating: the SHP Fine Arts Boosters (GR 9-12), the LMS Athletics Boosters (GR 4-8), and the SHP Athletics Boosters (GR 9-12).

ALL-SCHOOL, DIVISION, & GRADE-LEVEL DRIVES

Each year, families may be asked to consider supporting the needs of our local community with various drives for food, clothing, etc. Among our more regular coordinated efforts are item donation requests toward the provision of holiday meals, Lenten giving, coldweather gear, personal hygiene kits, gently used bicycles, and other drives. Requests are usually posted via the weekly family newsletter, as well as in the grade-level or room parent communications.

STUDENT-DRIVEN CAMPAIGNS: RESPONDING WITH COMPASSION

On occasion, a student-driven campaign will be mounted to respond to an emerging or ongoing identified need in the greater community. Recent efforts have included drives to provide relief for victims of the war in Ukraine, a walkathon and swimathon to raise funds for the Diabetes Youth Foundation, and a community event to secure support for Sacred Heart Network schools that had been severely impacted by Hurricane Michael.

SHOP TO SUPPORT SHS

There are three additional ways families may choose to lend support for SHS programs and activities; a portion of each qualifying sale is donated back to the school.

Shop for SHS on Amazon - Use this special SHS link to access the shopping platform. Buy Gator Gear - Find themed items at the Gator Pit (SHP) or SHS Gator Gear Store (P-8). Mention “Sacred Heart” - Kepler’s Books and Honey Bear Christmas Trees donate a purchase percentage if you mention your child attends SHS.

Where to Go if You Need Help

Each year serving more than 800 families, close to 1200 students, about 350 employees, and 50+ retired RSCJ, Sacred Heart is a unquestionably a large and complex organization situated on a campus about the size of a small college. For new folks, it can sometimes be a challenge to navigate all the new information, traditions, acronyms, places, and shorthand our community tends to use. It is our hope that this Family Guide booklet, along with the list of links and resources noted on these two pages, will help you orient and acclimate as quickly and easily as possible. So welcome to GATOR NATION and to our SACRED HEART FAMILY - we are thrilled to have you join us!

A WHO’S WHO OF SHS

- School Leadership - SHP or P-8

- Parents’ Associations Leadership Rosters - SHP or P-8

- Room Parent/Class Parent Rep Rosters - SHP or P-8

- Faculty & Staff Directory (Portal)

- SHS Families Directory (Portal)

DECODING SHS

- SHSpeak - Acronyms, Shorthand, & Definitions - SHP or P-8

- Sacred Heart Traditions Explained

- SHS Annual Community Events & Activities: A Primer for New Families

- Map of the Sacred Heart Campus

INFORMATION CENTRAL: OUR SHS FAMILY PORTAL

Key Resource Board Tiles - What’s On....?

SHS WEBSITE & TECH HELP

- Navigating the SHS Website & Portal

- Using Schoology

- Student Progress, Grades,  Assignments on Blackbaud

- Viewing/Contributing to Vidigami  Photo Sharing Site

ALL-SCHOOL RESOURCES, A-Z

- Student Attendance Reporting  Instructions & Contact Info

- Transportation Forms, Instructions

- Academic Year Calendar (PDF)

- Tuition Payment & Billing

- SHS Brand Logos & Style Guide  (Downloadable Graphics)

DIVISIONAL RESOURCES (SHP, P-8)

- Attendance Reporting Instructions &  Contact Info

- Parent-Student Handbooks

- Technology Use Policies & Handbook

- Cafeteria Info & Links

- Uniform & Textbook Ordering Links

- Student Retreats, Service, Activities

- Other Forms & Instructions

Key

In....?

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION GROUPS

- Leadership Rosters & Contact Info

- Class Pages (SHP)

- PA Committee Activities & Opps

- Boosters Info (Arts, Sports)

- Forms, Signups, Resources

- Uniform & Gator Gear Exchange Info

SHS HEALTH & WELLNESS

- Topical Links, Information, Resources

- Campus Counselor Contacts

- Developmental Guides/Tips

- Tips: Talking with Teens & Children

ATHLETICS

- Commitment Forms, Requirements,  Policies (SHP, GR 4-8)

- LMS (GR 4-8) Athletics Handbook

- LMS (GR 4-8) Seasonal Practice Info

- Concussion Education & Resources  (SHP Required Course)

ARTS

LMS (GR 4-8) Drama Handbook

- LMS Theatrical Production Audition  Information & Forms

- SHP Fine Arts Boosters Information

- P erforming A rts Calendar (LMS & SHP)

CAMPUS SAFETY & SECURITY

- Emergency Instructions, Plans, &  Resources

- Emergency/Crisis/Tip Reporting  Hotlines & Contact Info

- Visitor Campus Access & Safety  Measures

SHS MISSION, CULTURE, STRATEGY

- Reflections & Newsletters

- Guides to Cultural Events & Activities

- DEIA Committee Updates & Reports

- Newsletter Archive

SHP

EXCHANGE PROGRAM

- Program Details, Locations, Deadlines

- SHS Family Hosting Opportunities

- Program Cost & Financial Aid

- Exchange Student Blogs & Photos

- Resources for Matched Students

- Resources for Traveling Students

A Greater Family—The Global Network of Sacred Heart Schools

The Schools of Sacred Heart are found in more than 40 countries worldwide, with 25 schools found in the U.S-Canada Province. This membership reflects an enduring continuity in both educational mission and heritage, and ensures the vision of foundress St. Madeleine Sophie Barat continues.

As part of this strong Network, the SHS community annually has access to opportunities that enable exchange and support between various Sacred Heart schools in this country and across the globe.

EXPERIENCE ANOTHER CULTURE, MAKE LIFELONG FRIENDS

Host a Network Exchange Student Offered to students during their sophomore and junior years, the Exchange Program connects SHP students with students and families of Sacred Heart schools around the globe in a reciprocal exchange. SHP students visit a foreign country for 3-4 weeks weeks in the summer, living with a host family and attending classes with their exchange partner. Additionally, they have ample opportunity to tour and explore the surrounding region and culture, based on the host family’s availability. The SHS student then hosts that same student for approximately 3-4 weeks in their home and on campus. Interested to learn more or get engaged? Check out the SHP Exchange Group in the online Family Portal, or contact Krista Hinton, our global exchange program coordinator, at khinton@shschools.org.

Take Part in Sacred Heart LIVE! - This virtual exchange program connects students in other Sacred Heart schools around the globe, using dialogue and language skills. Students meet monthly online to discuss issues important to them, while also developing friends across the Network. Contact Krista Hinton, our global exchange program coordinator, at khinton@shschools.org.

Visit Our RSCJ at Oakwood - Many of our current, resident Sisters have served in a number of international Sacred Heart schools across the years, and have so many stories to share! Learn more from these amazing women about the life of the Society, the array of mission work they have performed or pioneered, and the students and schools they have served.

HEART SCHOOLS in the US and Canada

RHODE ISLAND Saint Philomena School of the Sacred Heart Portsmouth