Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart School is a Catholic Elementary School
accredited by the State of New York.
Located near the picturesque village of Hartsdale, within a ten-minute walk to the Metro North train station, Sacred Heart School is a community dedicated to providing a comprehensive and challenging program for students in grades PreK-3 through grade eight designed to inspire creativity, leadership, and personal growth. Our experienced, credentialed faculty are committed to fostering a loving, nurturing environment, in which all students feel welcome and valued.

 Sacred Heart School admits students of any race, color, national
and ethnic orgin.  Students of all faiths are welcome to attend.


 

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Sacred Heart School, founded in 1953, is a learning community dedicated to providing comprehensive and challenging Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8 education. Our culture is to foster the children's individuality within our safe and nurturing atmosphere. Here at Sacred Heart, we value respect, individuality, self-awareness, self-esteem, and personal responsibility to foster an environment within a Christ-centered learning environment. Our students will develop the skills of independent life-long learning with our commitment to education  and promote peace and citizenship through character education.

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students of Sacred Heart School,

I am excited to partner with you as principal at Sacred Heart School.  Beginning with the Sisters of Divine Compassion's founding the school in 1953, then continuing with the Sisters of Charity in 1979, dedicated lay teachers carry on that excellent Catholic education these nuns provided as Sacred Heart School’s strong foundation.  Countless graduates attribute their success in life due to the time they studied in our school. The halls, classrooms, gym, and school yard evoke wonderful memories of fun, sports, competition, and scholarship.  Thank you parents and guardians for sacrificing to provide your children with a Catholic education.  Thank you too for trusting us with your children.

Nelson Mandela once said “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  I believe every student is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature socially, intellectually, and spiritually. It has been my goal as an educator to help students reach that full potential.  Sacred Heart School provides that environment which is safe, supports risk-taking, and invites the sharing of ideas.  

Here at Sacred Heart teachers are not the only source of information rather they provide access to information. Students develop knowledge, are given the opportunity to discover for themselves, and practice skills for everyday life. Giving students hands-on activities reinforces the lessons and creates opportunities for individual discovery and the construction of knowledge.  In reviewing teacher lesson plans, I see that teachers craft them around student interests in order motivate and stimulate their passion to learn.   Here students generate ideas and set goals for themselves.
They take ownership of their learning. I heard how they are motivated to work harder and master more skills.

My hope as principal is to help students develop a deep love and respect for themselves and others. Due to my Catholic education, I developed a strong Catholic faith. I love being involved in Catholic education because I am able to pass on the Catholic faith to others. I have been blessed to witness young people grow in their relationship with Jesus through prayer, learning church doctrine, discussing sacred scripture, reflecting on the history of the church, and attending mass with their classmates. Sacred Heart School aims to inspire its students to be Christ like and take an active role in the church and society.

As we all enjoy the last few weeks of summer, I invite you to take advantage of the inspiration that this time of year provides. There is nothing like a nice summer evening, looking at the stars, enjoying perhaps a cooler night breeze, recognizing God in all things!  Where did you meet God this summer?  Savor those moments before the hustle and bustle of the return to school brings!  Re-energize during these next few weeks so you are re-charged, ready for another exciting school year!

The summer always provides me with time to re-read things I might have read years ago.  I stumbled across an old book
I read when I was preparing to be a teacher almost 30+ years ago! This was highlighted in the book:

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated,
and a child is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become
what they are capable of becoming.” (Ginott)

This isn’t limited to what we do just in the classroom.   It applies too to what we do at home.  Let’s commit ourselves to these ideals, partnering together, to help our children “become what they are capable of becoming.”

Looking forward to meeting all of you!

Dr. John Fruner, EdD
Principal

Nelson Mandela:  https://blog.usaid.gov/2013/04/education-the-most-powerful-weapon
Haim G. Ginott, (1972) Teacher and Child: A Book for Parents and Teachers
New York: Macmillian

"We love the Sacred Heart School. My daughter has attended since 2019 and is doing well. We are grateful for their strong curriculum and supportive faculty and staff. Communication with the teachers and the staff at large is very easy. I am happy with our family's decision to become a part of the Sacred Heart School family."
- G. Echozona (Grade 2)

"Our twins just began pre-K 3 this year. Each day they tell us all about the fun they are having at school. We are please with the Covid preventive measures in place. Their teacher Mrs. DePiro is kind and responsive. We are happy with our decision to join the SHS family."
- L. Atwell-Rice (Pre-K 3)

"My siblings and I all attended Sacred Heart starting in the late 70's. There are 5 of us and all turned out relatively successful (software engineer, doctor, teacher, business owner, executive). I credit Sacred Heart with providing us with the stepping stones that encouraged and prepared us for our life journey after the 8th grade. I made the choice to continue the legacy and send my son to Sacred Heart as well. It remains an excellent school which fosters a close-knit community. So far, the teachers and staff have been fantastic. You really start to understand the quality of education at Sacred Heart when you interact with parents and students from other schools. Alongside the educational element, the school does an outstanding job of teaching discipline, moral values, and social skills. It's heartening to see these shine through as my son grows and develops at Sacred Heart. I am not convinced that the excitement and joy he exudes each and every day towards learning would come out by attending any other school."
- J. Broccoli (Grade 3)

"Mr. Rivera and Mr. Siegfried are very accommodating. The school is clean and bright. My daughter says all the teachers and students are extremely friendly and welcoming. The switch from public school to Sacred Heart has been the best decision I have made for my daughters education!
- V. Cespedes (Grade 8)

"This school saved our children's mental health during the 2020-2021 school year. They had in person class every day, masked, with distancing. We had no Covid issues in these grades the entire year. My kids were in the Pre-K 3 and kindergarten classes. The teachers were absolute saints. They loved my kids so much (the feeling was mutual) and went over and above in everything they did to make sure the kids were happy, adjusted, engaged and learning. Total heroes. They created the framework to make learning possible again this year."
- L. Kingery (Pre-K 4)

"My two kids joined SHS in the Fall of 2019. Although new, they were immediately made to feel welcomed thanks to Mrs. Seitz & Mr. Perez. Chrome Books, Smart boards and Google Classroom. Band, Piano, Coding & Lego classes. We were off to a great start. Then Covid. Despite the pandemic, the SHS faculty and staff remained flexible as well as patient. A testament to the professionalism maintained by Principal Siegfried, Administrator Rivera and teachers. A far from easy feat during such an unpredictable school year. We appreciated the choice to have our kids attend in-person full time/part time, virtual for Fall 2020. Both attended in-person/FT. My public school mom friends were envious. Temp checks taken prior to entering, classrooms modified to meet CDC standards, free SHS logo masks given to students, staggered recess times, etc. When SHS enountered two Covid cases, parents were notified that same night. Some of the classrooms were required to quarantine/ work remotely for about 10 days. The students returned without any reoccurance.

SHS feels similar to the Catholic schools I attended in my youth, small & intimate. The teachers have been instumental in accomodating any needs/questions we may have. The curriculum is challenging, but not super confusing, as we have found in the past. We feel blessed to have found SHS. Most importantly, my kids love the school."
- R. Escalera (Grades 5 & 7)