May 29, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

We’re only days away from June!  The school year is flying by.  We have a few updates to share with you today.

Exams

Last Friday, high school students received an email which included the June 2023 Final Exam Schedule. Please take special note of the start times for exams, as they may begin at 8:05am or at 8:30am, depending on the day.

We also shared the Semester 2 Exam Procedures for Students document which outlines student expectations for exams, as well as a schedule for the Grade 9 classes that will be continuing into the exam period.

All students with IEPs are asked to please log in to my.studentinfo.ca and click on the Resource Exams icon to select their exam preferences by 5pm on Thursday, June 1.

The Empty Seat Registration is now open for the 2023-2024 school year

The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) is pleased to announce the launch of its Empty Seat (Courtesy Seating) Program. 

Students who are in the walk zone due to distance to the school, attending a cross-boundary school or any other logistical reason can apply for an empty seat through OSTA. Parents and guardians are asked to complete the online application form and only submit one empty seat application per student in your household. OSTA is responsible for managing all applications, approvals and assignments for empty seats (courtesy seating) for OCDSB and OCSB students.

While empty seat applications are accepted throughout the school year, parents/guardians applying for transportation during the annual October review must submit their applications no later than Friday, September 22, 2023.

For more information about the Empty Seat (Courtesy Seating) Program or to submit an application, visit the OSTA website: www.ottawaschoolbus.ca/empty-seat/.

June 2nd PD Day

A reminder that this Friday is a PD Day for all OCSB schools.

Thank you for your continued support.

Brent Hopkins

May 19, 2023

Dear Parents & Guardians, 

We have several updates to share with you.

June New Fernbank HS Accommodation Public Meeting

As previously indicated, the OCSB is reviewing plans to change high school attendance boundaries in the west end.  The high schools impacted are Holy Trinity, All Saints and Sacred Heart.  The Board has announced that a public meeting will be held on Thursday, June 22nd at 7 pm at All Saints HS.

To attend the public meeting, please register beforehand so that they can effectively plan for numbers and obtain contact information for follow-up communication. Register before noon on Thursday, June 22, using this form:  New Fernbank HS Temporary Accommodation Consultation Public Meeting.

For a full summary of the proposed changes please visit:  New Fernbank Catholic High School Temporary Accommodation Plan

2024 Grad Apparel

2024 SHHS Grad Apparel is now available to order. Please visit 2024 Grad Apparel to view available items and place orders. Orders placed by May 28th will be available for pick at the school by June 16th (barring any backordered items). If you have any questions, please email randy.baird@ocsb.ca.

Rugby Canada - Free Tickets

Rugby Canada is offering every school-aged child the opportunity to receive a free ticket to a Team Canada women’s rugby vs. New Zealand being hosted at TD Place on July 8th.  For details, including, how to secure a ticket please visit:  Team Canada Ticket Offer. 

Relay for Life Fundraiser - Maverick’s Donuts

A portion of every donut purchase made between May 14th and 22nd at the Maverick’s Donuts (1408 Stittsville Main Street) will be contributed to the school’s Relay for Life campaign in support of cancer research.  Don’t forget to use the codeword "SACREDRELAY" when checking out - RFL - Maverick’s fundraiser poster

Enjoy the long weekend!

Brent Hopkins

Principal

On-going residential developments in Kanata West, the Village of Richmond, the Village of Stittsville, and the Fernbank Community will increase future enrolment at Holy Trinity High School and Sacred Heart High Schools, which the schools will not be able to accommodate. Consequently, Board staff are proposing creating an attendance boundary for a future Fernbank high school and to temporarily accommodate those students at All Saints High School. This would result in changes to the attendance boundaries of Sacred Heart, Holy Trinity, and All Saints High Schools, which would take effect beginning September 2024. 

Although not required, we ask that you register for the public meeting beforehand so that we can effectively plan for numbers and obtain contact information for follow-up communication. Register before noon on Thursday, June 22, using this form:  New Fernbank HS Temporary Accommodation Consultation Public Meeting.

Read the notice about the proposed changes and provide your feedback by Thursday, October 19, 2023. A public meeting will also be held prior to the feedback deadline

May 16, 2023

Dear Parents & Guardians, 

Our annual Cake Auction, held on Friday, May 12th, was a great success.  Thank you for supporting the event.  Over $40,000 was raised for 21 different charities.  To say the cakes created were impressive would be an understatement.  The funds raised will make a significant difference in the lives of many.  Thank you!

We have several additional updates to share with you.

Extension of Gr 9 classes - June 21-26

An important note for grade 9 students regarding a change announced by the Board. As was the case in semester 1, grade 9 courses do not have final exams.  However, unlike the semester 1 exam period, grade 9 classes will take place through the June exam period.  These days will serve as an extension of the learning and assessment period.  Classes will be 2 hrs in length and will be scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, June 21st - 8:30-10:30 (Period 1)

Thursday, June 22, 2023 - 8:30-10:30 (Period 2)

Friday, June 23, 2023 - 8:30-10:30 (Period 3)

Monday, June 26, 2023 - 8:30-10:30 (Period 4)

This extension of the grade 9 program to June 26th will take place in all OCSB high schools.  

Exams

Students in grades 9-11 will follow their regular four periods per day schedule up to and including Tuesday, June 20th.  The last day of regular classes for grade 12 students is Friday, June 16th.

Gr 12 students will begin exams on Monday, June 19th and end of Thursday, June 22nd.  Students in grades 10 and 11 will begin exams on Wednesday, June 21st and end of Monday, June 26th.

Please note that not all courses have an exam.  For a full listing of exams please see:  Sacred Heart HS June 2023 Exam Schedule.

Final Report Cards

Grade 7&8 report cards are scheduled to be posted to the Parent Portal on the evening of Tuesday, June 27th. The last day of scheduled classes for students in grades 7&8 is Wednesday, June 28th.  

High school (grades 9-12) report cards will be posted to the Parent Portal on July 4, 2023.

Creating A Community of Allies For Racialized Students - Parent Presentation

The All Saints Catholic School Council will be hosting a candid conversation geared towards creating a community of allies for racialized students for parents of high school students. Parents are welcome to learn from speaker Aubrey Noronha as he leads a presentation titled "Why being 'Not Racist' isn't enough anymore". All Saints has extended the invitation to any SHH parents interested in joining.  

Tuesday May 23

6:30pm

All Saints Catholic High School

Learning Commons

Click HERE to RSVP and please consider bringing a friend.

Click HERE for more information.  

OSTA Joint Custody Application and Renewal Forms for 2023/24 are now online

Important Deadline! NEW Joint Custody applications are due June 1st.

Each address must meet eligibility requirements to apply.

For Joint Custody RENEWALS, the deadline is June 30th. Remember, J/C renewals must be done every year. Our convenient fillable renewal form is to be completed by one parent, providing there are no changes to the existing schedule.

Find out more about Variable Transportation to two homes here: https://bit.ly/3pzkO2J

May 22nd  Holiday and June 2 PD Day

A reminder that Monday, May 22nd (Victoria Day) is a holiday.  Friday, June 2nd  is a PD Day for all OCSB schools.  

Thank you for your continued support.

Brent Hopkins

Principal

May 1, 2023

Dear Parents & Guardians, 

It’s May already!  It is a busy time of the year at school.  We have a few updates to share regarding upcoming events.

Climate Survey

The OCSB Climate Survey window opens today.  Sacred Heart parents are invited to participate in the survey using the following link:  Sacred Heart Climate Survey - Parent Survey and Information.

Students and staff will be receiving separate survey links.  The deadline for submissions is May 15th, 2023.

Open House - May 3, 2023

As part of Education Week we will be hosting an Open House on Wednesday - Sacred Heart Open House.  In addition to the events listed in our brochure.  Our 7&8 Girls Basketball team will be hosting a semi-final game match-up beginning at 3pm on Wednesday.  

School Production - Annie

Our school production of Annie opens this Thursday!   Annie performances will take place on May 4th and 5th at 7 pm and on May 6th at 2pm and 7 pm.  For additional details please see: Annie poster.  Tickets can be purchased at the door - $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors.  A special family rate of $60 for 2 adults and 2 students/seniors) is also available.  We hope you can join us!   

Mental Health Awareness Week

In addition to being Education Week, May 1-5 is also Mental Health Awareness Week.  OCSB Mental Health and Wellness Lead, Dr Richard Bolduc, has shared the following article and resources for parents:  Sharing Our Stories Builds Community and Spreads Joy – Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 May 1 to 7.

Cake Auction - May 12th

A reminder that our Cake Auction will take place on May 12th.  Preparations are well underway!  For more information please review:  2023 Cake Auction - Parent Information Letter.

Thank you for your continued support.

Brent Hopkins

Principal

April 26, 2023

Our Annual Cake Auction, originally scheduled for May 5th, has been moved to Friday, May 12th.

For additional information please see:  Cake Auction - Updated Parent Information Letter

April 25, 2023 Update

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

We have several updates to share with you today.

High School Midterm Report Cards

High school midterm report cards are scheduled to be posted to the Parent Portal this evening.  We will share a message with parents once we can confirm they are available for viewing. 

Education Week 

May 1st-5th is Catholic Education Week (OCSB Catholic Education Week).

There are several activities taking place next week.  We will be hosting an Open House on Wednesday, May 3rd from 3:30-5:30. We hope you can join us. For full details please review: Sacred Heart Open House.  

Cake Auction - May 5th 12th, 2023

Our annual Cake Auction takes place on Friday, May 5th 12th  Cake Auction is one of the largest events in our school year calendar.  After a 3 year pause due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were able to host the fundraising event again in 2022.  Preparations are well underway for this year’s auction. 

For additional information:  2023 Cake Auction - Parent Information Letter. (updated April 26, 2023)

School Production - Annie

We are a little over a week away from opening night!  Annie performances will take place on May 4th and 5th at 7 pm and on May 6th at 2pm and 7 pm (Annie poster).  Tickets can be purchased at the door - $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors.  A special family rate of $60 for 2 adults and 2 students/seniors) is also available.  We hope you can join us!   

Climate Survey

Yesterday the school board shared a message with all OCSB parents outlining the roll out of this year’s Climate Survey (April 24 OCSB Climate Survey Message).  Staff, students and parents will have the opportunity to participate.  

Signing-in & signing-out

Grade 7&8 students arriving after 8:05 am should sign-in in the main office.  High school students (gr 9-12) should sign-in in the main office if arriving after 8:20 am.  

Prior to leaving school for a planned appointment or parent approved activity students should sign-out in the office. 

Please note that students are to be in their school-assigned location when present in the building.  If a student is signed out of class they are expected to leave school property.  

Mental Health Awareness and Resources Parent Presentation

All Saints Catholic High School will host an evening event focused on Mental Health Awareness and Resources for Parents. On Thursday, May 4 (5:30-7:30), Christine Gilliard, Mental Health Planner with YouthNet will share tips and tools for understanding and supporting youth through anxiety, stress and other mental health issues.  

All Saints has graciously extended an invitation to Sacred Heart and Holy Trinity parents to attend.  For additional information, including how to RSVP, please visit:  

Mental Health Awareness & Resources for Parents

New Fernbank Catholic High School - Temporary Accommodation Plan - Consultation Process

On April 14th we shared information with parents regarding the consultation process underway. The OCSB is reviewing plans to change attendance boundaries in the west end.  The high schools impacted are Holy Trinity, All Saints and Sacred Heart (April 14th Message to Parents). 

 The Board has also made the following website available for school communities:  New Fernbank Catholic High School Temporary Accommodation Plan.

OCSB Job Fair

On May 1st, 2023 the OCSB will be hosting a job fair. The event will focus on casual and permanent opportunities for educational assistants, caretakers, office administrators, registered early childhood educators, before and after school staff members and more.  For additional information please visit:  OCSB May 1 Job Fair.

Preparation for School Bus Driver Training Program

The OCSB is overing a Preparation for School Bus Driver Training program.  To learn more about this opportunity please visit:  OCSB Prep for School Bus Training Program.

PD Day - April 28, 2023

This Friday, April 28th is a PD Day for all OCSB schools.  

A reminder that daily student announcements can be found on our school website landing page (shh.ocsb.ca). We’re also on Twitter @SacredHeartHS.

Brent Hopkins

Principal

April 12, 2023.

Dear Parents & Guardians, 

We have a few updates / reminders to share with you today.

Administrative Changes for 2023-24

Last night principal and vice-principal appointments for the 2023-24 school year were brought forward to the Board of Trustees.  There are several appointments that impact Sacred Heart High School.

It has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to serve as Sacred Heart’s principal these last 6 years.  Next fall I will be joining a new school community as the principal of All Saints High School in Kanata.  All Saints’ current principal, Mr Ryan Larose, will become Sacred Heart’s sixth principal.  So, in effect we’ll be exchanging positions.

Ms. Alanna Vandewint, vice-principal, will also be moving.  She will begin a new role as vice-principal of Safe, Accepting & Inclusive Schools.  Similar to the exchange of positions taking place between Mr. Larose and I, Ms. Wanda Symes will be exchanging roles with Ms. Vandewint, and will be joining Sacred Heart’s administrative team next fall.

In addition, two members of our teaching staff, Ms. Patrica Pilon and Ms. Diana Malenica have been appointed to vice-principal positions.  Ms. Pilon will be moving to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton elementary and Ms Malenica to Immaculata High School. 

All of the above changes will take place next September.   

New Fernbank High School Temporary Accommodation Plan

The opening of a New Fernbank High School has been a capital priority of the Board for a number of years.  Both Holy Trinity High School and Sacred Heart High School serve this area, and are currently operating well above capacity and experiencing significant enrolment pressures.  Should funding for a new school be secured at some point, it would still be several years before the school would be available for use.

As a result the Board will be conducting a consultation regarding proposed changes to existing school boundaries to address the current enrollment stresses.  The high schools impacted would be Sacred Heart High School, All Saints High School and Holy Trinity High School.

A public consultation meeting is planned for October 5th, 2023 at Holy Trinity High School.  A feedback form will be made available which we will share with teh school community. A recommendation is expected to be brought forward to the Board in November 2023.   

For a full summary and outline please review:  Fernbank High School Temporary Accommodation -Plan Consultation Document.

OSTA - Declining Transportation

Is your child eligible for transportation but not planning to use it? Complete OSTA’s Transportation Issues Form to notify OSTA of your decision to decline transportation. Whether you decline transportation for the current school year, and/or next, it’s important to keep OSTA informed.

For more information, refer to OSTA’s website.

OCSB 2023 Summer School

OCSB Summer school registration is open. Parents are asked to sign their students up through the OCSB website: Summer school. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and enrollment will be verified by school staff.

For grade 9-12 students, the school board is offering both reach ahead courses for those who want to work ahead and credit recovery for those who need to recover a course in which they were not initially successful. Additionally, there is a grade 9 math upgrade course for those who earned between 50% and 60% in MTH1W. 

Grade 7 and 8 students are able to sign up for a non-credit Skills Builder program. The two options are either English Literacy and Numeracy support or Core French Literacy support. 

There are two types of reach ahead courses offered including blended in-person and online e-learning. Blended courses will be taught through a combination of both synchronous (in-person teacher) and online synchronous instruction. E-learning courses will be taught in an asynchronous format (flexible independent online learning) instruction. 

April 28th PD Day

A reminder that Friday, April 28th is a PD Day for all OCSB schools.

Thank you for your continued support.

Brent Hopkins, Principal

Working at your local school cafeteria provides convenient work hours, an excellent benefits package, and time off to spend with your family. If you're interested in part-time or full-time work, email your resume to meaghan.johnston@compass-canada.com (please include your location in the suject line.)