CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
tvc.dsj.org | October 10, 2017
17
Sacred Heart School Saratoga Inaugurates a Year of Festivities to Celebrate its 60th Anniversary
On the early morning of Sept. 5,
1957, Sister Marie Josepha, resplendent
in the striking black and white habit of
the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur,
opened the doors to a new school in
Saratoga. Sacred Heart School began
meeting the needs of the growing
Catholic community in the City of
Saratoga.
Father Gerald J. Geary led the cam-
paign that made the school campus
and building possible. Sacred Heart
School was the fi rst school of the newly
established City of Saratoga and its
parish was located a mile away from
the school’s current location. Sacred
Heart Parish was a Saratoga landmark
built as a mission in the 1800s. The
parish recognized the need to create a
school that would serve the growing
Catholic community of the city, and
the school opened with grades fi rst
to fourth with the goal to open a new
grade every year.
Fast forward to the morning of Sept.
5, 2017, when Sacred Heart’s Student
Council led the student community in
a rousing version of “Happy Birthday”
at the morning assembly. At the end
of the day, Principal Thomas Pulchny
surprised the students by calling them
all to gather at the lunch tables to cel-
ebrate with birthday cake and fruit for
all. Needless to say, the students were
ecstatic and joyful.
Continuing the month’s celebra-
tions, the Student Council planned
a fun and exciting Spirit Day with a
1950’s theme. Students arrived to school
wearing their 50s attire and enjoyed the
feel of the “fabulous 50s.”
The month ended with a whole-
school dance with the theme, “Dance
like it’s 1957.” More than 300 kids and
adults attended and dressed up in
the 50s theme, and at the helm of the
turntables was DJ Curtis, entertainer
extraordinaire! Poodle skirts were
popular, as were letterman jackets,
rolled up jeans, and white t-shirts. The
Cronin Family, new this year to the
school, donated a 1953 Dodge Coronet
as a photo prop. Everyone had the
chance to feel what was like to sit in a
car of that bygone era. Our “Mustang
Mascot” even made its appearance on
the dance fl oor to the joy of all!
Sacred Heart’s school year will be
fi lled with more events celebrating
the rich Catholic tradition that has
characterized the school since it’s
inception, offering its students an
academic excellence with the values
of faith and service.
Saint Lucy Celebrates First Family Group Day
Cheers erupted at the daily student-
led morning assembly at Saint Lucy
School when Principal Sue Grover
announced that it was the fi rst Family
Group Day of the year.
A Saint Lucy Family Group consists
of one student from each grade, from
K-8. They meet monthly during the
school day and are led by their eighth
grade Family Group leader. Students ea-
gerly walked to their designated Family
Group Day meeting spot after recess. It
was especially touching to see the older
students escorting the younger ones to
their meeting place.
The school theme is incorporated
into the each Family Group Day activity.
This year’s theme, “Respect is our Super
Power,” is a great foundation to high-
light the values the Family Groups will
focus on this year. Each Family Group
gathering includes prayer, discussion
and self-refl ection, and a group activity.
This year’s lessons will focus on rever-
Saint Catherine School Lends a Hand in
Hurricane Relief
Saint Catherine School has part-
nered with Sacred Heart School in
Rockport, Texas. Rockport is the city
where Hurricane Harvey first hit
land. Sacred Heart School and Parish
sustained substantial damage and are
in the midst of clean up and repairs.
The school and church buildings were
mainly aff ected by fl ooding with some
damage to the roof. Other buildings on
the property may need to be demol-
ished and rebuilt.
With the Student Council in the
lead, Saint Catherine students have
rallied to raise funds to replace lost
equipment and supplies for Sacred
Heart. Student Council members are
selling prayer bracelets and loofahs
from the school garden, as well as hav-
ence, self-discipline, trustworthiness,
cooperation, being a positive infl uence,
sharing our gifts, responsibility, service,
and problem solving. The monthly les-
son is the same for each Family Group.
This ensures all Family Group members
hear the same message and participate
in the same activities and prayers. Stu-
dents can then return to their classroom
having shared a common experience.
Principal Sue Grover adds, “One
of my favorite moments is watching
eighth graders working side by side
with their family groups. They really
model family!”
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ing a bake sale for Sacred Heart. Lower
grade classes are writing letters to the
students of Sacred Heart, while upper
grade students are making rosaries
for the student body of Sacred Heart.
The students and staff of Sacred Heart
School are remembered daily in the
prayers of the Saint Catherine students.
For more information regarding DSJ Catholic Schools please visit
www.dsj.org/schools .
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