Approach to Education
At Sacred Heart Elementary we aim for excellence in education and endeavour to meet the unique needs of every student. Guided by our Catholic faith, and supported by the fabric of family and community, we are committed to meeting the spiritual, academic, physical, and emotional needs of individual students, Within a learning environment that is both stimulating and supportive, we foster in our students a love of learning, a strong work ethic, and provide them with a solid academic foundation. It is our hope that when students graduate from Sacred Heart, they leave with a strong moral compass and the self confidence to meet all of life's challenges head on.
VALUES
VALUES inherent in our mission:
- Imparting a well-rounded education that balances the spiritual, academic, physical, social, and emotional development of students while accounting for their unique talents and abilities;
- Engaging students at Sacred Heart School to come to know, love, and serve God;
- Providing a harmonious environment in which students are encouraged to know and practice our Catholic faith;
- Striving for each student to reach his or her potential and to be life-long learners and responsible citizens;
- Sharing the responsibility of education with all members of the Sacred Heart community –parents, teachers, staff, students, and parish;
- Developing a community of learners in which parents and teachers work together to help each student reach a higher standard of academic excellence;
- Developing leaders through a program of service;
- Providing a safe, respectful, and secure learning environment that values mutual respect and dignity of each person.
VISION
VISION for our community
As a member of the CISVA of the Vancouver Archdiocese, we share in the vision to develop in students the knowledge and skills to realize their full potential spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically. We aim to promote Catholic values and to create responsible citizens and life-long learners who respect others and are stewards over their environment. Our community is made up of teachers, staff, pastors, parents, parishioners, and the PEC, and all play an active and important role inthe school.
OUR TEACHERS are Christian role models committed to ongoing professional and personal development. They provide our children with positive and challenging learning opportunities to develop the whole child.
OUR PARENTSare advocates of Catholic education and share the responsibilityof developing the whole child, working cooperatively with administration and staff to foster student opportunity and achievement.
OUR PEC will implement the policies of CISVA, and promotethe highest standard of Catholic education within thebounds of available resources.
MISSION
Our MISSION statement
Our mission is to educate and aid in the development of the whole child; to guide our students to be responsible, Christian leaders and life-long learners.
Mission Satement for all CISVA schools:
Sacred Heart School provides each student with an education rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Guided by the Holy Spirit and Catholic teaching, in partnership with home and parish, we foster the growth of responsible citizens who will live, celebrate, and proclaim their faith.
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
Sacred Heart School is part of the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA) and shares the mission of the Church to proclaim and build the kingdom of God.
At Sacred Heart, we will accomplish this mission by providing a holistic education to children – one that addresses not only their physical, mental, and social/emotional needs, but one that also addresses their spiritual needs, for each of these facets is interwoven within a child’s make-up.
We strive to achieve this by means of catechetical instruction in the faith and sacramental preparation, by offering a variety of liturgical celebrations that enable students to participate with understanding and by encouraging reflection and discussion about faith topics in age appropriate ways. We assist students in developing a life of prayer and attentive listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We teach them to reach out beyond themselves to see the needs of others, thereby instilling virtues of compassion and empathy. As the adults of this community, we strive to serve as models to these impressionable young minds and spirits.
Our desire for the children in our care is to develop in each one a deeply personal, vibrant, living faith that will become the solid foundation upon which their lives are formed. We become sowers of the seeds of faith, hope and love, and by our service to them, we teach them, as Jesus taught, that they are also called to a life of loving service to others.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Sacred Heart’s teachers and administrators work together to create a seamless educational experience for our students. Following the British Columbian guidelines for curriculum, we collaborate school-wide on instructional methods and programs so each child will have a solid foundation of essential skills and knowledge. Field trips, expert visitors, and specialist teachers in physical education, technology, and French further compliment the learning opportunities for each student. Students are encouraged to focus on the application of skills like critical thinking to solve problems and make logical decisions. Actively engaging students in meaningful learning experiences to challenge and motivate them is the heart of our academic program. In addition to the core academic curriculum, Sacred Heart School offers many programs for enhanced academic learning
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Examples of local Outreach...
- Our Grade 3students participate in a “GrandFriends” program with our senior neighbours at Augustine House. They learn that the simple gift of time and energy can produce friendship and smiles.
- Grade 6 students participate in a Lenten Service project where students take the next step in becoming lifelong service learners by choosing their own volunteering project for community outreach. Almsgiving is one of the three pillars in Lent to bring people back to a God focused life. Almsgiving may take the form of donating time, talent or treasure. We choose to focus on service so the students can learn that building community takes more than money. It takes personal time and commitment. (The other pillars of Lent are fasting and prayer.)
- The grade 7 students participate in a service program to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. This service program fosters leadership skills and provides opportunities for students to give back to their community.
- Also, each Christmas, local families whose needs are great are part of our Giving Tree program. Here students understand that when many hands do even small amounts together, we can achieve much success, as our community digs in to provide much needed gifts to grateful families.
Internationally...
- Sacred Heart students are introduced to children’s needs in third world countries as they put together Christmas “shoe boxes” filled with supplies that they take for granted.
- Our Hot Lunch days are an ongoing way to collect monies for our Missions Club efforts