The Principal's Blog

June 18, 2010

It is hard to believe that we are saying farewell to yet another 8th grade class tomorrow. They have been excellent role models for our school, and our SHJS Family and I will miss them very much. Tomorrow at 10:00 Mass, they will officially graduate. I offer my gratitude to Mrs. Bianco, their Homeroom teacher, and all of their teachers through the years. They have each contributed to this momentous occasion.

Thanks also to the proud parents of our graduating class for all they have done and continue to do for our school. They have been instrumental in our Middle School move, which will be officially in place for next year. You will find our 5-8th graders just one floor below the lower grades and operating like a true Middle School. Thank you to our students and teachers, especially our 7th grade volunteers whom, along with other parents and friends, also helped with the move. Congratulations to all!

We have accomplished so much this year – too much to mention here. Just know that I have appreciated everything that has been done for our students, faculty and for me. Most of all, thank you parents for all the sacrifices you make to send your children to our beautiful school. Fr. Jack and I are very pleased with this year’s School Board and the huge task that was before them. We look forward to working with next year’s Board and continuing what has been put into place. We have started some new programs and initiatives, and we will be scrutinizing them closely. We will tweak them as we see fit, and your input is always welcome and helpful.

Congratulations to the following parents/teachers who “stepped up to the plate” to serve on our School Board next year: President: Ken Scott, Vice President: Gerry Kobylski, Secretary: Deb MacLeod, Treasurer: Tanisha McInerney, & Teacher’s Representative: Chris Patella. Thank you all for generously offering your time and your service to our school! Carolyn Storms & Lynne Kelly will once again head up a great group of parents for our sports program.

We honored our volunteers at our first Friday Mass and Assembly in June. We especially honored and thanked our outgoing Board: Lisa Glen & Jeannette Scott - Co-Presidents, Rob Bartholet – VP, Jenna Bechan – Treasurer and Fundraising Chair: Maureen Arias-Wolfe. To all of you and to everyone who has worked fundraisers, helped with recess, chaired a committee, etc. – God Bless You today and always!

This is a bittersweet time of year, because we had an outstanding year and look forward to a great 2010 –2011 school year. Sadly though, we must say goodbye to some of our dear friends who are moving on to new and exciting places. We wish them all well, and send them off with our prayers and good wishes.

There will be a summer letter heading your way in August, detailing some of our plans for the new school year. Until then, know that you remain in my heart and my prayers.

Have a safe, restful and relaxing summer!

With Love and Blessings…………………………………....……Donna M. Sutton

May 27, 2010

What a glorious Field Day we had on Tuesday! Many thanks go to Mrs. Kate Germain, who dedicated so much time, effort and her positive energy to see that everyone had a great time! Thanks to our awesome teachers and parent volunteers, too! What a day to remember!

The 8th grade thoroughly enjoyed their graduation trip to NYC to see the Broadway show “Wicked”. What a great tie-in after their amazing performances in this year’s school musical: “The Wizard of Oz”!

Our 6th, 7th & 8th graders are in Hyde Park today visiting the home of FDR. I’m sure they will have lots to share with me. Thanks to our outstanding School Board for enabling our students to experience these enriching trips. It is because of their Enrichment Fund that we have been able to send all of our students on at least one or two awesome trips, besides the additional educational trips planned by their teachers.

While I am on that subject, our School Board has done an amazing job this year. They had a difficult task as we asked them to be very proactive. They have followed through on everything and our school has greatly benefited from their hard work. We all owe them a huge debt of thanks. Lisa Glen, Jeannette Scott, Rob Bartholet, Jenna Bechan, Deb MacLeod and teachers’ rep., Donna Donaldson – Fr. Jack and I thank you so very much. May God bless you always for your spirit of giving. I am looking forward to working with our new Board next year and we hope to announce those positions very soon. Deb MacLeod will continue on next year as Board Secretary.

We also thank our Sports Committee headed by Carolyn Storms and Lynne Kelly, and look forward to what’s in store for next year!

Please come and join us next Friday for Volunteer Appreciation Day at SHJS. We will be attending the 9:00 Mass and pinning ceremony for grade 8, followed by an assembly led by grade 8 and a dedication ceremony to honor all our super volunteers! We were going to hold the ceremony tonight, but too many people had plans to get away for the 4-day weekend – beginning today after school.

I am currently working on next year’s school calendar and will have something ready for you by next Friday. I need to confirm some conference days at my last principals’ meeting on Wednesday, and then the calendar will be ready to go home.

I end with special Memorial Day blessing for all who paid the ultimate price by giving their lives for our country. Let us remember them this Memorial Day and continue to pray for our men and women in harms way and for peace in our world.

Have an enjoyable and safe weekend! God Bless You!………...……Donna M. Sutton

May 7, 2010

Our sincere thanks to all who made Teacher Appreciation Week so special for our amazing teachers! Our dedicated faculty enjoyed the beautifully decorated doors, delicious food, fragrant flowers, and your child’s expressions of love and thanks. They deserve all of that and more for all they do for me and for our school! A special note of thanks to all for the heart-warming gifts and messages sent my way. I am very grateful and my door looks awesome!

We had such a beautiful Confirmation ceremony last night with Bishop Lagonegro and our 8th grade Confirmandi. We thank Mrs. McBarron, Mrs. Brigham, and Fr. Jack for preparing the students so well. I look forward to seeing our second graders receive their First Holy Communion tomorrow. Thank you Mrs. Hornberger for preparing our amazing second grade.

I have more wonderful news to share…We have been awarded a grant from the West Point Women’s’ Club for $4,000 to purchase much needed two-way radios, which are linked into the HFFM CSD. This is something we have been hoping for in order to facilitate fast communication between Central Office, Administration, Nurse, outdoor recess monitors, and of course, our local school district. Thank you so very much to the WPWC for their very generous grant, which will greatly enhance our quick response to important issues that may arise in the school.

Congratulations to Emily Bartholet in grade 7, who won a photo essay contest sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of America. Emily wrote her essay about a photo she took of the Military Police hard at work. Today at our assembly, Emily read her essay to us all and we were very proud.

Monday, we have 5 bright upper grade students representing our school at the Orange County Quiz Bowl. This is the first time we are participating and we wish Captain Sammie Chavez, Jessie Kay, Nate McBarron, Emily Bartholet, Emily Kobylski, and Coach Mr. Christopher Patella much luck!

Mrs. Hughes, our band director, has mentioned that many students are forgetting their sheet music, folders and instruments for Wednesday’s rehearsals and practices. I spoke to all the members of our Beginner and Advanced Band yesterday, and I also spoke with them about the need for better behavior and listening skills in Band. The students were very receptive, and I am sure Mrs. Hughes will see much improvement in these areas. Thanks for reinforcing this at home.

I want to thank all the parents who came to my grade level parent meetings. It gave us a chance to sit down together and talk informally about how things are going. It was a pleasure to see you all and to be able to hear your suggestions, comments and feedback. Spending some time during the evening together to share was most beneficial to all.

Make it a great weekend……………………………...……………….Donna M. Sutton

January 15, 2010

I wish you all a very Happy and Healthy 2010. I thank everyone for your gifts to the faculty and me. We thoroughly enjoyed the yummy cookies & candy (my waistline can attest to that fact) as well as your kind and generous expressions of gratitude. I trust your Christmas and New Year were enjoyable and relaxing and that this year brings you much peace, joy, good health, and prosperity.

Please join Father Jack and me as we welcome our new Archbishop, Timothy Dolan, to our beautiful church and school this Saturday at 5PM. We will have students from our school, as well as the public school, lining the steps of our church acting as an Honor Guard. It is an occasion you will not want to miss.

Since we are beginning our New Year, I thought it would be a good time for all to revisit the 8 goals the faculty, school board and I set for this school year. I am proud to say that we have worked diligently on these goals and continue to do so.

School Goals & Objectives

2009-2010

  1. To follow through on our Mission/Vision statement to “reach all children” by continuing to incorporate the use of Formative Assessment to guide Differentiated Instruction in reading, ELA, and math.
  2. To continue to incorporate the use of Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligence Practice into our lessons.
  3. To evaluate our Middle School to ensure that it offers our students the best in Middle School Educational Design.
  4. To begin a chapter of the National Junior Honor Society for our sixth through eighth grade students.
  5. To further integrate technology into all curricular areas.
  6. To continue to expand our Religion Program by involving all students in more Outreach that benefits our community.
  7. To celebrate all that our school offers and to increase our efforts to publicize our many enrichment/remediation programs and activities.
  8. To continue to offer Professional Development for our faculty and staff to support the goals and objectives for our school.

Catholic Schools’ Week begins Sunday, 1/31 and we will have an Open House on that day from 10:30 – 1:30. The theme this year is: Catholic Schools: Dividends For Life. Mrs. Harrell will give a presentation about the advanced math and literature programs at 12:45 that day. Please invite a friend to attend the presentation. Parents of current fourth and fifth graders are also welcome to attend. We will also be opening up registration for next year very soon.

Congratulations to the students who were selected as candidates for the Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. We wish them blessings and good luck as they finalize their applications and essays.

Good luck to the students who will represent us at the 2009-2010 NY Knicks/Liberty NBA/ WNBA Fit Challenge Regional Competition: Liza Licamelli, Chris Germain and David Germain. Many thanks go to Mrs. Kate Germain for bringing this to our school and for working with the children to perfect their skills.

I also want to thank our board members and faculty members who have worked quite industriously with me on our plans for next year, always keeping our school goals foremost in our minds. Thank you to Rob Bartholet for updating our website and adding the Catholic Schools Week info. It looks great!

The ADNY has “rolled out” the new Social Studies curriculum and it is perfectly aligned with the NYS standards. I will be presenting it to the faculty very soon, and it will be implemented this year.

I close this week by asking for your continued prayers for the people of Haiti. Our collection today from the children and our families reached over one thousand dollars! The outpouring of love was tremendous, which is something I have seen over and over in our school.

God’s Blessings to All ☺................... Donna M. Sutton

December 22, 2009

As we await the celebration of the birth of our Savior, I want to take this opportunity to wish each of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a very Happy & Healthy New Year!

For all the times that you have helped us out, or offered support or encouragement, the faculty, Staff, and I offer our sincere gratitude. We are all facing tough economic times, and I want you to know how much the gift of your time and your resources to benefit our school means to all of us.

I consider myself a very blessed and fortunate person to be able to spend each day with our very precious students. Thank you for giving me that gift.

May God continue to bless you and your family this Christmas season and all through 2010!

Merry Christmas to ALL...........Donna M. Sutton

December 11, 2009

Advent Blessings to all! We are wrapping up another productive week here at our beautiful school. Mrs. Mary Jane Daley, District Superintendent, paid us a visit on two days and was very impressed with what she saw. I add my praise to hers for our Pastor, faculty, staff, parents and students. May God continue to bless us and increase our numbers and our financing. On that note, we continue to need financial support during our fundraising drive. We sent the letters out last week and will send to alumni and other benefactors next week. To address a few questions that have arisen: Yes, we will certainly take monthly payments and yes, payments can be divided between this year and next for tax purposes. We also invite everyone to ask relatives, friends, past parents/students, and neighbors to help out.

What an incredible Gala Event last weekend! I can’t begin to thank everyone who was involved, as there were so many and I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out. Let me just say that I am deeply grateful to everyone who had anything to do with the success of this event. From the decorations to the delicious food; all the awesome items up for auction; the amazing talent displayed on our stage and being able to sing Happy 80th Birthday to our school with very special alumni present; it was a night of joyful fun, fellowship, and laughter. The teachers’ particular favorite was the audience participation, especially in “The Twelve Days of Christmas”! Special thanks to Lisa Glen, the Gala Committee, Mr. Alcruz, all the teachers, Mrs. McCarthy & Mrs. Brunwasser, Paul Hackett, Stephen Storms, our 8th grade servers, and all the students and community members who performed so perfectly! It was truly an evening to remember.

Coming up next week, which begins this Sunday (Gaudete Sunday), we light the rose colored candle representing Joy. Here at school, we have been gathering as one to light the Advent Wreath and pray together each Monday of Advent. This is a beautiful tradition, which has been practiced by Catholics all over the world for a very long time.

Next week, we also gather together for our annual Christmas Concert on Wednesday evening, December 16th at 6PM. I look forward to seeing you all there. Our school band led by Mrs. Hughes and our school choruses (Junior & Senior) led by Mr. Alcruz will be performing a very special show for your enjoyment.

We also have our Christmas Blessings Celebration on Friday, December 18th at 1PM. All are invited to join us as we present our gifts to Santa Claus, so he can distribute them to the less fortunate in our community. On Monday December 21st the children in the Junior and Senior Chorus will go Caroling up and down Main Street. If you are able to, you are welcome to join us. All of these events have snow dates, so just in case – please check your calendar and newsletter.

As I close this letter, I ask that God bless you and your family with Love, Peace and Joy, representing the three weeks of Advent, as we await the celebration of the birth of our Savior.

Advent Blessings to All.............Donna Sutton

October 2, 2009

There is quite a chill in the air as we end our first week of autumn. We had a beautiful Mass led by Fr. Jack, with readings by grade 8, prepared by Mrs. Bianco. We were also treated to an awesome assembly about the “Trail of Tears” led by grade 6 and their teacher, Ms. McBarron. We even said the Rosary as a SHS Family in front of the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass. It was a very special day indeed.

This afternoon, our 6th, 7th & 8th grade will be visiting the Highland Falls Middle School, thanks to our invitation by HFMS Principal Ellen Connors. We will be listening to Col. (ret.) William Mac Arthur, Jr. speak about his participation in the NASA Space Program and the other many distinguishing events in his life. Col. MacArthur is being honored by the West Point Alumni.

Next Friday, our 3rd through 6th grade will be joining Fr. Jack and Mayor Donofrio in a Columbus Day Tribute. Come down and join us at Memorial Park if you have the time. Our lower grades went apple picking this week thanks to our School Board and their Enrichment Funding. I know the students and teachers had a great time and the students learned so much. We thank the Board for their support of our school in all things and thank them for the Enrichment Opportunities that they sponsor.

Band begins next Wednesday, October 7th and I can’t wait to hear the beautiful sounds of the instruments playing once again in our school. We welcome back Mrs. Hughes, our super band teacher!

As these fall mornings are particularly cold, your child may wear his or her winter uniform if it will help them stay warm. The official date for switching over to the Winter Uniform is October 15th.

Thank you to all for your prayers and support for my dad as he recovers in Intensive Care from yet another setback. I will be seeing him this weekend, and I will tell him how lucky he is that all the SHS students, faculty, staff and so many parents have prayed for his recovery. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I keep you all in my prayers as well.

Make it a Great Weekend!..........Donna M. Sutton

September 25, 2009

Thank you to all the parents who came out for Back to School Night on Monday. The comments I received were all positive. The upper grade parents especially enjoyed the changes to accommodate their needs to meet with all their child’s academic subject teachers. The lower grade parents enjoyed talking with Special Subject Teachers as well as their child’s main teacher.

On Wednesday I met with students in upper and lower grades separately, so that we could talk about important issues and the teachers could have their vital Team Meetings. During the lower grade meeting, I spoke about safety in the Playground area and at recess in general. I think the students understand, and we will continue to remind them, how important it is to follow rules in the playground and during recess. They can do this and still have loads of fun.

During my meeting with the upper grades, we spoke of the “Habits of Highly Effective People” based upon Stephen Covey’s book. Our upper grade students came up with their own list of “good habits”. We called it “The 11 Habits of Highly Effective Sacred Heart Students”. I am so proud of their collaboration that I would like to share their list with you here:

The 11 Habits of Highly Effective Sacred Heart Students

  1. Always put God first and keep your faith alive.
  2. Be proud of who you are.
  3. Keep a happy & thankful attitude.
  4. Always be true to yourself.
  5. Strive for success.
  6. Respect yourself and others.
  7. Follow school rules at all times.
  8. Always be prepared for class.
  9. Be kind, caring, and generous to others.
  10. Always do your best.
  11. Participate in activities inside and outside of school.

(GREAT JOB!)

Make it a great Weekend! With God’s Blessings………Donna M. Sutton

September 11, 2009

By now you have received your instructions to find our Parent/Student HB on our Website, or you have requested a hard copy. Please return the signed permission and agreement forms we sent home to you as soon as possible.

Plans are underway to make Open House even better this year. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Monday, September 21st at 6:30PM. More details will be sent to you as we approach that date.

We have enjoyed another productive week here at SHS. Many of our students visited our Computer Lab to listen to President Obama’s Speech on the importance of getting a good education and doing their part in the process. Even the younger children seemed to grasp the message the President was trying to get across to our young people.

During our opening Liturgy last Friday, the Mass of the Holy Spirit, our pastor Fr. Jack also delivered a similar message to the students. He mentioned that they should be willing to stretch themselves and push themselves to work hard and to know that Jesus is always with them to help them be the best they can be. We prayed and worshiped together, and enjoyed beautiful hymns led by Mr. Alcruz, our new music teacher.

Mrs. Lorraine Mercado, our Pre-K 4 year old teacher, has completed the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Program. We offer our congratulations to her in this huge undertaking (60+ hours of classes) and we look forward to the beautiful additions to her classroom religion program that will be implemented. She will be inviting all to come and visit her beautiful classroom Atrium soon.

Next week our Band Demonstration will be held on Wednesday, 9/16 at 10AM. All parents of students in grades 3-8 are invited to attend. Band will begin 2 weeks after on October 7th. We will also be visited by the ADAPP counselor next Thursday and for the following 3 Thursdays. She will be talking with the upper grades about “Bully-Proofing” our school.

Make it a wonderful weekend.

God Bless You All,

Donna M. Sutton

I thought it would be nice to share with you a cover sheet I used at our first faculty meeting this year.

September 4, 2009

We have witnessed such a beautiful start to the new school year! Thank you for your part in making the transition from summer back to school so smooth. The faculty and I were so very pleased to see all the students return, and we are always amazed at how much they have grown.

Just a few important items I wanted to share with you: Our Open House date has changed yet again. I apologize for any inconvenience, but we needed to make sure the date we picked was suitable for all our teachers. The new date is Monday, September 21 at 6:30PM. We will send you more information regarding Open House as we approach that date. We are working on something very new and better suited for our upper grades. Please mark your calendars to reflect this change to September 21st.

I would also like to officially and warmly welcome our new music teacher, Mr. Joseph Alcruz, to our faculty and to the Sacred Heart Family. He will be a wonderful addition to an already outstanding faculty and staff.

This Sunday is Grandparents’ Day, so say a special prayer for all grandparents!

May God Bless You ALL,

Donna M. Sutton

June 19, 2009

What a wonderful year we have had! I can’t thank everyone enough for all you have done to make this year so very special. To all the parents, thank you for entrusting that which is most precious to you, your children, to us this year. Thank you for all the sacrifices you make to keep them in our outstanding school. We have a gem of a school and we have done exceptionally well, yet again this year, both spiritually and academically. Thank you for the support you have shown in all you do to help us keep the faith and the spirit alive.

We have a few changes next year, which I will briefly explain at this time. Because of the requirements placed upon us by IPF (Inter Parish Finance), we had to make some cuts in special teachers’ hours this year. The only subjects this affects are gym, music and Spanish. In essence, we had to cut each of these subjects by one day. However, I want to emphasize that we have worked out the schedule so that this will, in no way, limit what the children were receiving in time. The students will still have music once a week; we will continue to have school choruses and our musical; Spanish will still be taught the same number of hours to the students – in the upper grades there will be block time; and our students will still enjoy physical education twice per week. In some cases, classes may be combined for physical education, but this will only make class more fun and exciting.

Another positive change we are going to implement next year is to have our 6th grade switch for one more class – thus they will have the experience of one more teacher. Mrs. McBarron will teach 6th, 7th & 8th grade Religion and Mr. Patella will teach 6th, 7th & 8th grade Science. The 7th and 8th grade will continue to be departmental, with the additional teacher – Mrs. McBarron for Religion in grade 7. The 6th grade will continue to switch for Math – either Mrs. Bianco or Mrs. Harrell. So, this gives grade 6 the opportunity to experience being with three academic subject teachers, as well as the 4 special subject area teachers. We are doing this in an effort to better prepare our mature 6th grade class for departmental studies in 7th and 8th grade. We feel this is a gentle way to introduce them to becoming more independent, and experience a Middle School atmosphere in a more meaningful way.

We are also limiting our half days to eleven, as per Archdiocesan guidelines. This means that most First Fridays will now become full days. Of course, we will still go to Mass and have our usual assemblies, a very special tradition here at SHS. The faculty and I feel that most of the half days are best utilized in the beginning and at the end of the school year. I have enclosed a calendar for next year, so that you may make plans. There is always a possibility that a date may change, which is why we will send you a detailed calendar every month as we have been doing.

Again I thank you all for a most beautiful school year. I wish you all a beautiful summer. Please make sure your children continue to exercise their minds as well as their bodies by reading and working on some fun math problems. We have something here that no other school in this area has – we are forming your children in the Catholic/Christian faith and traditions – and we are infusing these beliefs in everything we do – and that is priceless!

To all the families who are moving and leaving us at SHS just know that we will miss you and you will always remain in our hearts and prayers. May God’s abundant blessings shine upon you and your family until we see each other in September.

HAVE A WONDERFUL, BLESSED SUMMER ☺ Yours in Christ, Donna M. Sutton, Principal

June 12, 2009

Congratulations and God Bless the Graduates of 2009!

A Prayer for Our Graduates:

O God of all beginnings and endings, we praise and thank you for the gift of this school year and the gift of these sixteen awesome eighth graders. It has been a time filled with grace and blessings, with challenges, opportunities, and joys. The days have passed so quickly Lord.

The weeks, the months, the seasons, the holidays and holy days, the exams, vacations, breaks, school play and assemblies, all have come forth from your hand.

We trust that your purposes have always been at work each day here at our school.

Give us the rest and refreshment we need this summer. Let our efforts of this past year bear fruit. Bring all of our plans to a joyful conclusion, and bless us according to your will, with the fulfillment of our summer hopes and dreams.

Watch over us in the weeks of rest ahead, and guide us each day as you have done this past year. Help us to enter our new school with a new spirit and a new energy, knowing we have nothing to fear with You by our side.

May we continue to grow in age, wisdom, knowledge and grace all the days of our lives.

Amen.

The entire faculty, staff and I wish every blessing and joy to our new graduates! You make us so proud!

With Love & Blessings……………………Donna M. Sutton, Principal

June 5, 2009

The end of the school year is approaching faster than I would like. It has been a wonderful year, though. I witnessed the Kindergarten “Moving Up” Ceremony yesterday and visited the Pre-K today. What a sweet way to end a beautiful year. Many thanks go to their teachers and parents. We hope to see those adorable faces next year here at SHS. To those who are moving: God be with you.

Our Super 8th Graders treated us to a lovely assembly and a very touching rendition of “Through the Years”, sung as only they can sing it. Next week at this time, they will be walking down the aisle of church for their graduation ceremony! How fast time flies. I am so very proud of our graduates-to-be and all their exceptional teachers – from Pre-K to grade 8 and every subject included!

Speaking of exceptional teachers, we said a sad farewell to Mr. Goewey today at our assembly. Mr. Goewey will not be returning next year, but we wish him all the best and God’s blessings wherever he may go. We thank him for his three years of dedicated service to our students and our school.

Another piece of extremely bitter-sweet news came my way when Mrs. Krachy informed me that “it was time for her to retire”. Since we just received this news, we were unable to plan something for the assembly, but plans are underway for a get together and a proper send off for a wonderful woman and a truly exceptional, master teacher. We are happy for her to be able to spend quiet, peaceful days with her husband, but very sad for us to be losing her.

On to happier news…..Congratulations (belatedly) to Mrs. Bianco, who received tenure last summer and I neglected to make a public announcement at that time. We are so very blessed to have Mrs. Bianco in our upper grades! Also, congratulations to Ms. McBarron who is receiving tenure this summer. She is another tremendous blessing and awesome addition to our faculty!

Make it a great weekend! Enjoy the Lawn Fete!...........Donna M. Sutton

May 29, 2009

The days just seem to be flying past us. We had an absolutely wonderful Field Day experience this week. Many thanks go to Mr. Raskin and our 8th grade for overseeing this delightful day. I offer my thanks to the teachers as well, and to all the parent volunteers who came forward to help us out. We had a yummy grilled lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers thanks to our food service through the Highland Falls School District. It was a most memorable day!

Our Board elections were held last Wednesday night, as well as our night to thank our many volunteers. Congratulations to our newly elected Board members: Jeannette Scott as Co-President, Jenna Bechen as Treasurer & Debbie MacLeod as Secretary. Board members who are staying on: Lisa Glen as President, Rob Bartholet as VP & Webmaster, Maureen Arias-Wolf as Fundraising Chair & Lana Leone as Publicity. We offer blessings and gratitude to our outgoing Board members, Sue Argiro and Terri Miller for their dedication to our school. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our School Board this year for getting so much accomplished and for making it look so easy (even though we know it is not). We really appreciate all your hard work and effort for the benefit of that which is most precious to us, our students.

Today grades 5, 6, & 7 are off to Medieval Times. They are sure to come back with some exuberant tales of their educational and enjoyable adventure!

The preliminary results for the NYS ELA test are online for administrators. We hope to be able to send the parent reports home to you soon. I am very pleased and proud to announce that ALL our students in grades 3-8 achieved proficiency or mastery on this benchmark test! Congratulations to all on a job well done! We thank our teachers for working so diligently with our students. We know that the NYS Math scores will echo the same high performance indicators.

This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the church. This is when the Holy Spirit first “descended upon” the Apostles, as Jesus promised. Our Gospel readings all week have led up to this point. The students understand that we are never alone. Jesus is always with us. Jesus and the Father are one. The Holy Spirit is the manifestation of the abiding love between Jesus and God the Father. So I wish you all a very blessed Pentecost.

Come out on Sunday, May 31st to enjoy a fun-filled day at our first ever “Touch-A-Truck fundraiser! I’ll see you there!.................Donna Sutton

May 15, 2009

We have had a wonderful couple of weeks. With Confirmation last Thursday, and what a spirit –filled evening it was, to a very special First Holy Communion last Saturday and Mothers’ Day on Sunday. I would like to extend many blessings to all mothers and to all women who are like mothers to us. Most especially we honor Mary, our Blessed Mother, who leads us ever closer to her son.

Students in grades 3-8 were treated to a very special and highly interesting science exhibit through the National Science Center Mobile Van. Mrs. Hartke gave us the “heads up” and Mrs. Bartholet stuck with the endless paperwork to make it all happen for our students! It was well worth the effort. Teachers, students and I all agreed that it was a resounding success!

Our upper grades are heading off to NYC to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, as I write this. I know they will have an amazing time. Thanks to Mrs. Bartholet for all her assistance once again, in making this enrichment happen and for our super School Board for funding this enrichment!

Next week we look forward to the lovely sounds of our students as they sing and play their instruments for us at our Spring Concert on May 19th. We are very grateful to Mr. Goewey and Mrs. Hughes for preparing our talented students so well. Then, grades K-7 will be entertained and taught by children’s author, James Gelsey on the 20th, while our 8th graders enjoy lunch and a Broadway show in NYC. Whew, what a busy week!

I’d like to ask everyone to pray and discern whether they feel they would like to offer their time to our beautiful school as a Board member next year. If you feel compelled or if you know someone who would be a good candidate, please come forward or forward their name to us. Thank you in advance for considering this most worthy calling.

By now you have the results of the ITBS tests for your child(ren). I need to remind everyone that this year the ITBS scoring was recalculated – they do this every 5 years. So the norms were higher, and our school still achieved excellent results.

I have taken a look at the preliminary results for the NYS tests in ELA & Math and once again, our students made me very proud. The results will be released soon and then we can discuss them more openly.

I can proudly tell you that in Grade 5 Social Studies, Grade 4 Science, and grade 8 science (they didn’t take Social Studies yet) all of our students have achieved proficiency or mastery, which is a great accomplishment. We will probably have very similar results in our ELA and Math scores, from what I can see.

This is a testimony to the wonderful work our teachers do each and every day, in giving to each child the tools they need to be successful in life (and taking tests is a part of their life at least through college!)

Please take a look at our website, especially the “News” tab, if you haven’t recently. Rob Bartholet has uploaded some great photos and write-ups. Thanks, Mr. Bartholet.

Please keep telling everyone about our upcoming fundraiser on Sunday, May 31st, “Touch-A Truck”, which is proving to be a very popular event from the feedback we’ve received so far. It has been publicized far and wide and we pray for good weather and great success. Many thanks go to Maureen Arias-Wolfe and her team for the coordination of this huge event.

I am currently working on our calendar for next year, and I think you will be very pleased with the results. We have less half days and more time in school. We will also most likely begin school before Labor Day to be in synch with the Highland Falls Fort Montgomery CSD. We are also looking to add a few days off to our calendar that will coincide with the West Point calendar.

Sorry this newsletter is longer this week, but I missed last week and had to make it up!

Make it a wonderful weekend!..................Blessings, Donna M. Sutton

May 1, 2009

I wish you all a happy first day of May, the month of our Blessed Mother. It has been quite a busy week, as always, but especially with the final preparations for our school musical, “Seussical”. I encourage one and all to come out to support our cast, crew and directors, and have a wonderful family night out to see an amazing show!

I would like to add some more expressions of gratitude this week. Our School Board has been such a blessing this year. We all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to: Lisa Glen, President; Rob Bartholet, Vice President; Terri Miller (who we dearly miss), Treasurer; Sue Argiro, Secretary; Donna Donaldson, Teachers’ Representative; & Maureen Arias Wolf, Fundraising. Of course, we thank Fr. Jack for his constant support and the gift of his time and spiritual guidance.

I also want to express tremendous gratitude to Karen Bartholet, our school nurse, who has spent countless hours arranging for enrichment opportunities for our students. Because of her efforts, our students will be entertained by a wonderful children’s author; will be touring St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the NY Metropolitan Museum; and we will be visited by the National Science Center Mobile Van. Thank you Mrs. Bartholet, for taking on these challenges and for all you do for our students. We must also thank our School Board for contributing the money for the above mentioned enrichment programs.

Finally, in an effort to be pro-active, we have taken precautions to make sure all our students are safe, as the news spreads about the latest flu. I am including in our packet today, information from the Orange County Board of Health. I also assure you that we are taking precautions in the school by wiping down the desks, railings and other surfaces the children touch, as well as encouraging them to wash their hands frequently. If you have any further concerns, you may address them to our nurse, Mrs. Bartholet, or your family doctor. It is our top priority to make sure your children are safe here at school.

Here’s to a wonderful two performances of “Seussical” – may God bless the entire cast, crew and directors for all the long hours and hard work!

See you at the shows!☺ Donna M. Sutton

April 24, 2009

Easter Blessings to All! Hopefully, you had a most relaxing and enjoyable Easter weekend. From what I hear, this weekend is going to be beautiful.

We are now officially in our “spring uniform mode”. As of April 15th, the students may wear their spring uniforms. However, if it is too chilly in the morning, as it sometimes is, please use common sense and have them dress warmly.

Our two performances of “Seussical, Jr.” are coming up next weekend! Please make sure you place an ad in our Playbill, and donate some items to be sold, if you are able. Thanks ahead of time for all you do to support our school fundraisers. This fundraiser is most important, because our students (and their directors) have spent countless hours preparing them for a dazzling performance. I have seen a few sneak previews and you are going to be wowed!

Special thanks go to Ms. McBarron, Mr. Goewey, Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. DiPalma, Mrs. Blanco, Mr. Storms and the entire cast and crew for their “labor of love”. I know very well how much hard work, energy and creative ideas go into putting on a show like this, and I am very, very grateful.

I would like to mention a special thank you to the graduating class of 2008 for their generous donation of much needed sound equipment. Apparently, our sound equipment started to break down, and thanks to the donations from last year’s graduating class, Mrs. Ripa’s help and Mr. Storms expertise in this area, we were able to purchase some key items that were much needed. THANKS!!

We’ve had a very busy and productive week here at school. I’d like to thank Mrs. Donaldson, our PreK teacher and Librarian for setting up the Scholastic Book Fair, yet again! Thank you also, to all the parents and grandparents who came by to help out. The students and I truly appreciate the gift of your time.

This week we also recognized Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs. Brunwasser and Mrs. Cecchini for Administrative Professionals Day. I do not know what I would do without them. We treated them to flowers, some gifts and they will be attending a luncheon in May. THANK YOU for all you do for our school!

Next Friday, May 1st, at our First Friday Assembly, we will be recognizing our SHS Safety Patrol and Student Council for their year of service and dedication. Please come by to join us for this special day. I will also recognize students in grades 4-8 who achieved honors for the 3rd marking period at that assembly as well.

This brings me to our last, but certainly not least update: May 4th begins Teacher Appreciation Week. A luncheon is scheduled for our teachers here at SHS on Tuesday, May 5th (so they have time to enjoy the yummy leftovers). I thank God each and every day for our amazing, dedicated, and awesome teachers! They are truly the backbone of this school of excellence. I appreciate them and I honor all their contributions to making our school the high-performing school that it is.

Make it a great weekend!.........Donna M. Sutton

April 8, 2009

I remember many springtimes in my youth, when I’d awaken in the morning, look out the window, and zap, there this green grass would be. It seemed like it was an overnight kind of thing; brown one day and bright green the next. The greening always came in the springtimes, when we had drenching rains. One year, we had very little rain and many more cold days than usual. Each day I looked with hope, expecting to find fresh green pushing its way through the drab wintered dryness. But each day I saw, instead, the same dull color before me.

When I looked closely, however, I could perceive little hints of new life and a slight changing in the color of the lawn. I could almost feel the earth straining, trying to draw forth new life from within it. I knew the green would come again, that it would just be a matter of time before warmth and moisture provided the right conditions for change and growth. Eventually, the green did return, but not until I had waited a long time for rain to come and drench the land.

This process of earth’s greening after a long winter reminds me of our spiritual “eastering”, the inner transformation and rebirthing that comes after we’ve had a long winter spell of the spirit. The dead, brown grass is there for eons in our hearts, or so it seems. No amount of hurry, or push, or desire can make the green happen any sooner.

I think of people I know who are longing for an inner greening, and are yet in the throes of a spiritual winter: a widow whose husband died at much too early an age; a man who is coping with a new career in midlife and fears his ability to cope with the challenges it requires; the friend whose husband has applied for work far from home and the painful questions it leaves her about what she will do with her own career and friends; the parent who is dealing with the aches and pains of growing old, yet still feels young at heart, and wonders why the fleeting time can seem so unkind; the loved one who fell into a depression and struggles to live through each day with meager energy. Each one needs an “eastering”, a bright greening, and oh, how they long for it to come soon.

But it may be a painstakingly slow process, a tiny bit of life gradually weaving through the pain and questions. Eastering isn’t always a quick step out of the tomb. Sometimes rising from the dead takes a long, slowly-greening time. It can’t be hurried.

It is my hope for you this Easter season that you will trust the resurrection of the spirit; believe that new life will come for you, even though it may not seem to be there for you at this moment. If you, like me, are one of the fortunate ones whose soul sings with happy Alleluias this Easter, may you and I remember to turn often to those who are still awaiting their greening and walk hopefully with them.

May God Bless You All..........Donna M. Sutton

April 3, 2009

Wednesday night, our Family Sports and Game Night was a hit! Thanks to Lisa Glen and the School Board for planning such a fun evening. The parents and the students had a great time! If you missed it, you missed out on some good old fashioned fun and laughter!

I also gave an update on our School Improvement Plan (and our Middle States Project), which is right on target and moving along very smoothly, thanks to our dedicated and hard-working teachers!

On Thursday, the Chess Club had their tournament and a pizza party. I would like to thank Mrs. Pelella and Mr. Kamkoff for their dedication and commitment to this wonderful and enriching activity. Our students learned so much and became even better chess players!

As we approach Palm Sunday, we will be gathering together in the gym tonight (Friday, 4/3) for a Lenten Family Night from 6-8PM for grades K-6. Thank you, Mrs. Brigham, for your time and effort in preparing these special family nights.

Grades 6, 7 & 8 will be taking a walking trip to our local Highland Falls Library, this and next month. Mrs. Elaine Dapra will reintroduce them to the Young Adult section of the library, and there are plans afoot to have a special summer program for students in grades 6-8. Be on the lookout for more information.

Our Easter Vacation begins at 12:45 on Wed, April 8th. We return to school on Monday, April 20th. Time is really flying by! Administrative Professional Day is on Wednesday, April 22. Let’s make sure we all thank Mrs. McCarthy for the outstanding job and cheerful manner she exhibits each and every day! Thanks also to Mrs. Brunwasser and Mrs. Cecchini for all their help and assistance, too!

Our 3rd marking period officially ends today, and report cards will be sent home in the Family Packets on April 8th. Please make sure you contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns. I will be recognizing all students who achieve honors, at our First Friday Assembly in May.

I wish everyone a beautiful Palm Sunday and join you in our time of waiting, as we approach the Triduum and the holiest of days, Easter Sunday.

Make it a great weekend.......Donna M. Sutton

March 20, 2009

Happy first day of spring! Even though I spotted a few rogue snowflakes flitting about this morning, we will not let that stop us from thinking ahead to beautiful spring days filled with colorful flowers. As we continue our Lenten journey together, this is a good reminder that although we mourn on Good Friday, we ultimately celebrate with delight and joy on Easter Sunday.

Congratulations to Liam Bashista in Mrs. Grillo’s fifth grade class. They were instructed on how to write a persuasive essay, which included researching their topic, and Liam’s essay received quite an honor. The AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) chose Liam’s essay to place on the front page of their flyer, which was handed out at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. What an honor! We are so proud of you, Liam. Thanks to Mrs. Grillo, who led her students through the research and writing process, for a job well done!

This Sunday, we will have our Sports Awards Ceremony after 11:30 Mass at Sacred Heart Church. The ceremony will begin at 12:30 and will be held in the gymnasium. Tremendous appreciation and gratitude must go to our fabulous Sports Committee for their tireless efforts in running such a smooth Sports Program this year. Thanks to all our super coaches, as well! Tying in to this theme, on April 1st our School Board has prepared a Family Fun and Fitness Night for all! We have such a dedicated and hard-working School Board and I am so very grateful to them for all they have accomplished this year! I will also be presenting a quick update of our school-wide project, which is moving along so smoothly. I thank all the teachers for their commitment, their dedication to our children, and their collaborative spirit, for making this all come together for the sake of our students. I have the highest regard for our faculty and staff.

A reminder to any parents who have not yet registered for next year, please do so as soon as you can, as we need this information to place orders and make plans for next year. Thanks to all of you who have already registered.

Last month, during the teachers’ PLC (Professional Learning Community) Team Meeting, I took grades 4-8 and we discussed Internet safety. I also talked about cyber threats and cyber bullying with them – just so that they are aware of this. As I told them, knowledge is power! Today, I will take the upper grades once again and we will have more of an informal “rap session” (rap as in talk, not Rap music). I will do the listening this time. I am sure it will be a very productive and informative get together. I value our students’ input very much, as I value our parents’ input as well. Please remember that my door is always open to you, if you need to discuss anything. I thank you for your continued support of me, our faculty, and our school programs.

Plan some fun and relaxing family time this weekend and make sure you come out to Family Fun & Fitness Night on Wednesday, April 1st! I’ll see you there!

Make it a beautiful weekend......Donna M. Sutton

March 13, 2009

We have had another busy, productive week here at SHS! Our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students took the NYS Math Assessment and I am sure the results will be excellent.

Nest week, we begin our yearly ITBS and COGAT Testing. The teachers will work up a flexible schedule for their particular class, and testing will continue on and off until 3/27. All these assessments help us to diagnose and prescribe, so teachers can implement intervention strategies to help close the gaps for your child. This is what we have been working on all year – as our School Wide Project: Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Instruction, with an understanding of Multiple Intelligence Theory. I will be presenting an update on our project on March 25th at Family Night.

Today I had the pleasure of watching our seventh and eighth grade students and Mrs. Harrel, our advanced math teacher, celebrate “Pi” Day. For those of you who forget, Pi or π is a mathematical constant whose value is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter in Euclidean space; this is the same value as the ratio of a circle's area to the square of its radius. It is approximately equal to 3.14159 in the usual decimal notation. π is one of the most important mathematical and physical constants: many formulas from mathematics, science, and engineering involve π. Throughout the history of mathematics, there has been much effort to determine π more accurately and to understand its nature. Fascination with the number has even carried over into non-mathematical culture.

It looked like the students were truly enjoying themselves preparing, measuring and baking apple pies. Mrs. Harrell read the book: “Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi”. Thanks to the parents who came to help, and thanks to Mrs. Harrell for this enriching experience for our students. We should have some first-class photos uploaded on our webpage soon for your enjoyment.

Fitness Grams are coming home in the Friday Packets this week. Mr. Raskin, our Physical Education teacher, just finished assessing all our students’ fitness levels and the results are reported in the Fitness Gram. The fourth Quarter results will be tabulated at the end of the year, and there should be an improvement from this report to the end of year final report. Thanks, Mr. Raskin, for all you do for our students!

I am very pleased to announce that the following students in grades 6-8 have been chosen to represent our school as the “cream of the crop” at the Lower Hudson Valley Honor Band Concert. The students are: Veronica Camp, Joseph Cavanagh, Taylor Endres, Grace McBarron, Christina Mercado, Christina Pelella, and Shannon Scott. I am so very proud of them and their accomplishments! Thank you to their Band teacher, Mrs. Hughes for a job well done! The students will be performing at Kennedy High School in Somers, NY, on Sunday, March 29th at 3PM. Mark your calendars and head over to Somers to see them perform with other students from the region.

Make it a great weekend & God Bless You....................Donna M. Sutton

March 6, 2009

We had another busy week here at SHS, even snow can’t stop us! We continue with our NYS Math assessments. This week it was grades 3-5 taking the assessment, and next week our 6th – 8th grade gets their turn.

Don’t miss your second chance to order from our Silver Graphics fundraiser! Easter and Mothers’ Day are coming up soon! Also, grade 8 should consider ordering tiles of their artwork to be placed in a prominent location in our school. Wouldn’t that be a beautiful legacy to leave at SHS?

Just a reminder to students and parents: Please, no toys, electronic games (including iPods, etc.) are allowed in school. Also, please do not bring in any outside food items for your child (McDonalds, etc).

We are focusing very closely on food allergies that have developed over time in some of our students. To be safe, please remind your child not to share their snack/lunch with any other students. You never know when a food allergy may develop.

A while back, I attended a workshop called “How the Brain Works Best” based on the work of Eric Jensen, who wrote “Teaching With the Brain in Mind”. I will share some more useful tidbits with you today:

Our brains = 3lbs and are 78%water, 10%fat and 8% protein.
Hence the need for all of us, especially children and young adults, to keep drinking water – it truly helps them think better.

Nutritionally important:

Omega 3’s – fish, olive oil. Fish oil capsules – even giving them to babies now – Good for the heart, joints, mind and to lower cholesterol.

Complex Carbs – make glucose in liver which you need for the brain.

Nutrition is so important! To be ready for school students need: To eat correctly – especially a good breakfast (complex carbs + protein) To sleep at least 8-10 hours and to exercise daily!
Most recent studies on the brain shows that exercise will actually help children with reading problems: There was research done on low performing readers – 1 group received an extra gym class and the other received and extra reading class – the group with the extra gym class performed better!
Another important fact to keep in mind – young adolescent brains don’t wake up fully until 9AM!
The brain is 2.5% of the body’s weight, but burns 20% of the body’s energy! In little children the figure goes up to 50%! So therefore they especially need extra calories, or they become sluggish.

Illustration of the Brain:

Back of head = Occipital Lobe (mostly used for vision and when we read) Develops between ages 2-6 + girls tend to develop earlier in this area than boys. Important to take into consideration when thinking about the K and gr. 1 child and reading readiness!

Parietal Lobe: Sensory Cortex
Mainly used for math, problem solving and movement (sports) – developed between the ages of 14 – 16.

Temporal Lobes – control hearing, speech & memory – fully develops in late HS years (14-18) -teens don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say! They may not even be hearing correctly – by the time they are Juniors or Senior’s in HS, this gets better.

Frontal Lobe – Pre frontal center:
Responsible for: Abstract thinking, decision making, and future planning – doesn’t completely develop until the 20’s – but develops slowly all along. For younger children to be able to grasp abstract thinking – we must take them from concrete thinking before we take them to abstract thinking.

Cerebellum: Regulates balance and navigates through processes in brain. Has huge growth spurts during adolescence – but needs exercise (movement) to work better – this helps speech too!

Reticular activating system:

Amygdala – almond shaped – catalogs and stores our raw emotions – secretes testosterone (adolescents = moody) in boys, it’s larger = take more risks, because they don’t fully see consequences.

Hippocampus: helps store memory – in girls it’s larger & secretes estrogen – ever ask a girl/woman about a book she read or a movie she saw? She will tell you in detail! Boys/men will just tell you the main plot!

Corpus Collosum = larger in woman – responsible for multi tasking – not particularly great for our brains, though.

Other interesting facts – the 28/3 rule = Children need to rehearse a new concept 28 times over a 3 week period in order to be stored in long term memory – not every concept is completely new – some concepts can “piggyback” on others. Children need about 3 weeks of good REM sleep to fully process new information. Not all students are ready for testing at 1 or 2 weeks – They may need another week – one more reason to support our school wide project to differentiate instruction!

Make it a great weekend!................................................Donna M. Sutton

February 20, 2009

First off, tremendous thanks to all who made our yearly Science Night event such a resounding success! A special note of gratitude must go to Mr. Plinio De Los Santos and the incredibly dedicated men and women from West Point, who literally transformed our classrooms into a veritable Science Museum. From the looks on the faces of the children (and the adults), it was an excellent learning experience as well as tremendous fun!

Next, I wish to express to our students and faculty how very proud I am of the students’ Science Fair Projects. Each year, the level of understanding difficult scientific concepts just seems to grow. I know this is because of the atmosphere of Scientific Inquiry that our teachers promote daily. This success is also due to our dedicated parents and their involvement in all that goes on in our school. I thank you all for your effort! Science, and an Inquiry Based approach to Science, is very much alive at Sacred Heart School!

I would also like to salute our Eighth Grade for their very informative debate last night on the effects (pro and con) of different energy forms. They did a masterful job and their teacher, Mr. Patella prepared them well!

I must salute the Eighth Grade students who actively participated in our Sports Program this year in Basketball, Cheerleading, or both. They were recognized last Sunday at their last home games. I am very proud of them, because of their true display of sportsmanship and teamwork, and that they are able to maintain high academic achievement as well. Congratulations to: Joseph Cavanagh, Hannah Delos Santos, Axel Ender, Taylor Endres, Matthew Henry, Grace McBarron, Julia McCarthy, Hector Morales-Correa, Angela O’Brien, Candace Outing, Christina Pelella, Jacob Sizemore, and Zachary Walminski – you have made us all very proud!

Finally, the wait is over! We are going to announce the parts for “Seussical”, this year’s musical. All the auditions went well. We have such talented and well-rounded students! Thanks to Ms. McBarron, Mr. Goewey, Mrs. DiPalma, Mrs. McCarthy and Mrs. Henderson for giving their time to work with the students at auditions. We are off to a great start! OH THE PLACES WE”LL GO!!!

Make it a wonderful weekend!..........Donna M. Sutton

February 12, 2009

We have already begun the third marking period, and our students’ report cards for the second marking period are heading home to you today. I have checked every report card and I am very pleased with the academic achievements of our students. Thank you for all your efforts in supporting us at home to ensure your child’s success. While we are on that topic, the faculty and I took this week as a great opportunity to reinforce and remind students of the classroom, school, lunch, recess, etc. rules of proper behavior. Please aid our efforts by reinforcing this at home, as well. The middle of the school year is a great time to remind students to replenish their school supplies, and remind them of the proper behavior and decorum that we expect from them at SHS.

Our NYS ELA tests in grades 3 through 8 were scored last week, with the exception of the Reading Comprehension section (that part is scored electronically by a regional scoring site.) The teachers and I were very pleased with the preliminary results for our school. I commended the students and the faculty for a job well done! Coming up in March are the NYS Math tests and the ITBS tests. This year, the Archdiocese has slated several changes in the ITBS Tests. Most noticeably, we are only testing in the Core areas: Reading, ELA, and Math. We will still be administering the Cogat Test (Cognitive Abilities Test) in certain grades and we will even furnish our parents with a website you can visit, to show you how you can work with your child at home to build up any weak areas.

Our Middle States Project Proposal has been submitted, and we are now waiting for approval. The faculty and I worked diligently to see that we presented our proposal on time and complete. If anyone would like to see the proposal, you are welcome to take a look at it here at school. I will also be giving everyone an update on this very important reaccreditation process at the next family meeting. Just as a quick reminder: our Middle States proposal targets intervention strategies, specifically Differentiated Instruction and Formative Assessments, utilizing Multiple Intelligence Theory and practice, to improve student achievement. The faculty and I feel that even in these beginning stages of the proposal and implementing these strategies, we have already seen a difference in student achievement and engagement in the classroom.

Congratulations to 8th grader Christina Mercado for her winning entry in Faith and Family magazine! We are very proud of you! We have included a copy of Christina’s essay in this Family Packet for all to read.

Please pay special attention to the attachments in this week’s Family Packet that show our concern in joining with our Highland Falls/Fort Montgomery community to help little Sophia Farina, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church, with her fight against Leukemia. We are participating in the “Sock Out Leukemia” fundraiser, and we also encourage you to attend the fundraising dinner for Sophia. I thank Marty Byrnes for bringing this worthy cause to my attention. Please continue to pray for Sophia’s complete healing.

Lastly, I hope you have had the chance to visit our newly updated website. It is awesome! Many thanks go to Rob Bartholet, who has taken on this “labor of love” and executed the task so masterfully. So if you haven’t checked out our spruced up website yet, by all means log on as soon as you can. You can reach our site at: sacredheartofjesushf.org.

I hope everyone has a restful four day weekend in honor of Presidents’ Day, and a beautiful Valentine’s Day as well! In the words of a popular song, written a while back that my mom always sang to us: “I wish you shelter from the storm, A cozy fire to keep you warm, But most of all when snowflakes fall, I wish you love.”

With Many Blessings,

Donna M. Sutton

“I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how you will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35

January 30, 2009

A tremendous THANK YOU to all who were involved in last Friday’s GALA EVENT! The buzz in the school and community is that it was an unprecedented and outstanding success! I wish to thank the GALA Committee, headed by Mrs. Lisa Glen. They gave so much of their time, energy, creativity and love to this super fundraiser for our school. Considering this was the first time we tried this, it was so extremely well done! From the moment you walked into the school, you could see that the school had been transformed into a showplace. The dinner was delicious, the talent was outstanding, and the Silent Auction was tremendous. Thanks to the parents for coming out in huge numbers to support this remarkable night!

THANKS again to Lisa Glen, who personally prepared the students during lunch and recess time, so that no academic time was lost! The faculty and I are so very grateful to Mrs. Glen for all she does for our school!

Catholic Schools’ Week has also been a huge success. We began the week in prayer at Mass together as our SHS family assembled in our church. Then it was on to Monday and “Crazy” day. The students enjoyed wearing crazy hats, hair and socks, and they were treated to an ice cream social, too! On Tuesday we had our Academic Bowl in the afternoon. What brilliant students we have! The questions were very hard this year, and the Maroon team won, but all the students deserve tremendous praise for their efforts. We had fun, too! Thanks to Fr. Jack, Mrs. Bianco and Mr. Patella for helping out. On Wednesday, we were “iced” out, so our talent show was held today (Friday). It was amazing to see how much talent we have here at SHS! Thursday, we delighted in seeing our Alumni return to join us for Spirit Day! It was wonderful to see our former students and to have such a great time cheerleading, playing basketball, and just reveling in the fellowship we enjoyed. A huge THANK YOU goes to Mrs. McCarthy for all her help during the planning for the GALA and all during Catholic Schools’ Week. A special THANKS for all she did to make Spirit Day such a success once again. We are so blessed to have her here at SHS! Thanks also to Mr. Raskin, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Ripa, Mr. & Mrs. Miller, and Mrs. Patrick for helping out with Spirit Day as well.

Make it a beautiful and blessed weekend God Bless You All!
Donna Sutton, Principal