Fall 2017: Heartbeat and Annual Report Fall17 Heartbeat | Page 8

Graduates Make God’s Love
Visible in the World
What values and characteristics define the young women Helping to create lifelong, passionate learners is a funda-
and men who graduate from Sacred Heart Schools on mental call for all three educators, no matter the student’s
Sheridan Road? The majority of students attend our school grade level. Ms. Ligon has seen hundreds of Lower School
for nine years, a period when considerable intellectual, children blossom in this area. “Children in Lower School
moral and personal growth occurs. In the words of Janet begin to think of themselves as role models for younger
Erskine Stuart, RSCJ: "Our education is not meant to turn children and take great pride in becoming more independent
the children out small and finished, but seriously begun on and responsible. They are eager to learn, curious about the
a wide-basis. Therefore they must leave us with some self- world around them and ready to think critically.” Thinking
knowledge, some energy, some purpose …” creatively, critically and collaboratively is fostered at each
In helping to create an updated version of the “Portrait of a
Graduate,” Division Heads Dan Gargano (Middle School),
Mary Ann Ligon (Lower School), and Lisa Zimmer (Primary
School), with members of a special committee, sought
to provide a framework for students and their parents that
would further illuminate the values inherent in Sacred Heart’s
mission and vision.
In reflecting on the first goal of the Portrait, Ms. Zimmer said,
“The moment a child enters Sacred Heart, whether in kinder-
garten or at a more advanced grade level, a relationship to
God is actively nurtured in the classroom in religion studies
and within the wider community at gatherings in which we
worship or pray together. But the values that all religions
regard as core—love, respect, compassion, forgiveness and
generosity—only develop over time, through attentiveness
and practice. By the time students leave Sacred Heart for
high school, we want them to embrace religious diversity,
receive guidance from their faith and feel confident in God’s
love. And importantly, we want them to exercise compassion,
for themselves and others.”
List of high schools attended
by the Class of 2017:
St. Ignatius College Prep Francis W. Parker School
DePaul College Prep Jones College Prep
Latin School Woodlands Academy
Walter Payton College Prep Mt. Carmel High School
Loyola Academy Lane Tech College Prep
Notre Dame College Prep Northside College Prep
stage of development at Sacred Heart, and students are
encouraged to nourish their intellectual enthusiasm as they
continue their educational journey as a Sacred Heart graduate.