Newsletter - September 17, 2026
A NOTE FROM OUR HEADMASTER
Dear Families,
I'd like to share two notes with you:
First, please consider attending the Hearts in Harmony event on October 15th. Details are below. This is an exciting and wonderful opportunity to celebrate all of the good happening here at Sacred Heart parish and academy. Breaking bread together remains essential to the life of our community: most deeply in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and by extension in those moments of our shared life together when we can eat, celebrate, pray, and have fun together.
Second, I’d like to introduce our new Director of Marketing & Communications. Jeff Duba came on board last week to serve in this role. I’m excited for Jeff to start working on crafting the story of Sacred Heart Academy: the good that the Lord has given to us to do, so that we might share that story with our families, with our parish, and to others who are inspired to learn from Sacred Heart Academy. Last year, eight schools representing nearly 2000 students visited Sacred Heart Academy. The Lord has done something good here, and that good is meant to be shared with others.
Jeff has a bachelor’s degree in Theology, with additional coursework in Philosophy & Liberal Studies from the University of Notre Dame. He’s taught theology, literature, and writing at Catholic and classical schools. He’s launched a business and worked as a project manager and marketing strategist for a variety of companies. Most importantly, Jeff is married to Erin, and they have three wonderful daughters, who are now enrolled at Sacred Heart Academy. I’m glad to welcome Jeff and the Duba family to the Sacred Heart Academy community and encourage you to welcome them as well!
Jeff requests your prayers for his role in advancing the mission of Sacred Heart Academy.
Thank you, families, for your “yes” to Sacred Heart Academy!
In His Most Sacred Heart,
Sean Nolan
Headmaster
MONTH-AT-A-GLANCE
SEPTEMBER
18 - Fall Conferences 1-5pm, 12:15pm Dismissal
22 - Picture Day, Fall Conferences, 4-8pm
26 - MS Fall Social - Signup here!
29 - Partners in Formation: Technology and the Human Person: “Tech Effects”
30 - Assembly 1, after Mass in Cebelak Hall
OCTOBER
1 - Blessing of the Pets, 3:30pm
6 - Heart Picture
7&8 - HS Theatre Auditions
13 - Hot Lunch sign up deadline
15 - Hearts in Harmony, 6pm
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ACTION ITEMS
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Hearts in Harmony Celebrate Sacred Heart with a night out! Enjoy live music, strolling dinner and drinks & spending time with friends, old and new!
Thursday, October 15, 2026
6pm at The Broadway Avenue
1140 Broadway Ave NW
Cocktail attire preferred
RSVP here: https://shojgr.flocknote.com/signup/272453
TIES HAVE ARRIVED! The much anticipated ties from Lands’ End have arrived. Beginning now, we are selling all student ties from the office. The cost is $11 for girls’ ties and $20 for boys. If you do not already have a tie for this school year, please purchase them from the office within two weeks. If you are unable to purchase one within that time, we will give your child a tie, and you will be billed through FinalSite.
Picture Day Picture Day is Tuesday, September 22. Please click here to place your order. Our order code is 0661KJF. Online ordering is available before and after Picture Day. Cash and checks are not accepted. Shipping and handling charges may apply to orders placed after Picture Day.
Picture Re-take Day is Tuesday, November 10.
Yearbooks will be sold separately. The sale will be offered online after the new year. Yearbooks are not included in photo packages.
Class Composite pictures (i.e. whole class pictures) will be sold in the spring.
Please make a copy of your order for future reference (i.e. yearbooks, class composite).
Questions: Sara Klooster
The Middle School Fall Social is set for Saturday, September 26, 2026 from 6:30-8:30pm @ Post Family Farms in Hudsonville, MI. All 5th through 8th grade students are welcome to attend. The event will include a hayride, barn dance, corn maze, play area and homemade donut for each attendee.
Cost is $15/person. A parent is asked to attend (and pay) from each family to provide ample supervision. You may sign up and pay through Flocknote or at the school office. Questions? Contact Lisa Walton or Rachel Mullins.
Hope to see you there!
CONGRATULATIONS to the newly announced cast of Hans Christian Andersen JR! Our talented and hardworking students showed up once again for this year's round of middle school theater auditions, and this newly released musical promises to be a FUN one ... Travel with us to Copenhagen Dec 4 & 5 @ Sts Peter & Paul parish center!
REMINDER that our high school auditions for Titanic: The Musical are just around the corner ... We are especially in need of more males to round out the ship's crew! More info can be found at shgr.org/theaterarts .. See you Oct 7 & 8 at auditions!!
Thursday, October 15, 2026
6pm at The Broadway Avenue
1140 Broadway Ave NW
Cocktail attire preferred
RSVP here: https://shojgr.flocknote.com/signup/272453
TIES HAVE ARRIVED! The much anticipated ties from Lands’ End have arrived. Beginning now, we are selling all student ties from the office. The cost is $11 for girls’ ties and $20 for boys. If you do not already have a tie for this school year, please purchase them from the office within two weeks. If you are unable to purchase one within that time, we will give your child a tie, and you will be billed through FinalSite.
Picture Day Picture Day is Tuesday, September 22. Please click here to place your order. Our order code is 0661KJF. Online ordering is available before and after Picture Day. Cash and checks are not accepted. Shipping and handling charges may apply to orders placed after Picture Day.
Picture Re-take Day is Tuesday, November 10.
Yearbooks will be sold separately. The sale will be offered online after the new year. Yearbooks are not included in photo packages.
Class Composite pictures (i.e. whole class pictures) will be sold in the spring.
Please make a copy of your order for future reference (i.e. yearbooks, class composite).
Questions: Sara Klooster
The Middle School Fall Social is set for Saturday, September 26, 2026 from 6:30-8:30pm @ Post Family Farms in Hudsonville, MI. All 5th through 8th grade students are welcome to attend. The event will include a hayride, barn dance, corn maze, play area and homemade donut for each attendee.
Cost is $15/person. A parent is asked to attend (and pay) from each family to provide ample supervision. You may sign up and pay through Flocknote or at the school office. Questions? Contact Lisa Walton or Rachel Mullins.
Hope to see you there!
CONGRATULATIONS to the newly announced cast of Hans Christian Andersen JR! Our talented and hardworking students showed up once again for this year's round of middle school theater auditions, and this newly released musical promises to be a FUN one ... Travel with us to Copenhagen Dec 4 & 5 @ Sts Peter & Paul parish center!
REMINDER that our high school auditions for Titanic: The Musical are just around the corner ... We are especially in need of more males to round out the ship's crew! More info can be found at shgr.org/theaterarts .. See you Oct 7 & 8 at auditions!!
Volunteer Drivers If you plan to drive students for field trips, you must be Virtus trained and complete a driver form. Please note: Driver information usually expires every six months, so you will most likely need to complete a second form throughout the duration of the school year. Questions: Sara Klooster
VIRTUS - All volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and all drivers must submit a Driver Information Sheet. See VIRTUS Registration Instructions. Forms must be completed BEFORE transporting students. Please return this form to the office or via email to Sara Klooster.
Reserved Parking Spaces We have a few spaces in our parking lot which are reserved for specific families. Please do not park in these spots unless you are a member of these families.
ALUMNI NOTES
Attention Recent Grad Parents - SHA is working on a new annual publication that will be a summary of the year and we are planning to highlight our alumni, past and present. Since we do not have emails for our latest graduates, we are counting on you to forward this Alumni Form to their personal email so they may be included in our first edition. For questions contact Amber Hiske.
VIRTUS - All volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and all drivers must submit a Driver Information Sheet. See VIRTUS Registration Instructions. Forms must be completed BEFORE transporting students. Please return this form to the office or via email to Sara Klooster.
Reserved Parking Spaces We have a few spaces in our parking lot which are reserved for specific families. Please do not park in these spots unless you are a member of these families.
ALUMNI NOTES
Attention Recent Grad Parents - SHA is working on a new annual publication that will be a summary of the year and we are planning to highlight our alumni, past and present. Since we do not have emails for our latest graduates, we are counting on you to forward this Alumni Form to their personal email so they may be included in our first edition. For questions contact Amber Hiske.
Partners in Formation:
Technology and the Human Person
Join us for our fall Partners in Formation series, exploring how modern digital tools shape our minds, our hearts, and our families, led by academy teacher Zach Good.
We will meet 7:00–8:30 p.m. in the Academy Cafeteria (Arrive via the Dayton St. entrance.) on the following dates:
- Sept 29 – Tech Effects: Guided by the work of the provocative Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan, we will examine how our technology forms us and how to orient ourselves in the midst of rapid change.
- Oct 20 – Technopoly and the Family: Drawing on Andy Crouch and Wendell Berry, we will discuss how to take action to cultivate attention, presence, and silence in family life.
- Nov 10 – Digital Sobriety in the Age of AI: Exploring Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas, we will discuss how to answer the pope’s call to practice “digital sobriety” without abandoning the culture to digital maximalists.
Questions? Contact Zach Good at zgood@shgr.org.
Basketball Season
Registration for the Winter Basketball Season is now open. If your son or daughter in grades 7 and above is interested in playing, you must complete this form.
Registration for 5/6 Boys Basketball is open now and closes on September 30th.
You can sign your child in grades 5 & 6 up using this link.
Registration for the Winter Basketball Season is now open. If your son or daughter in grades 7 and above is interested in playing, you must complete this form.
Registration for 5/6 Boys Basketball is open now and closes on September 30th.
You can sign your child in grades 5 & 6 up using this link.
PTC AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Teacher Appreciation Team Members Needed: We are still looking for volunteers to help with our Teacher Appreciation efforts, but you do not need to commit to the entire year! There are four main areas: fall conference meals, the Christmas Gift Drive, spring conference meals, and Teacher Appreciation Week. With several volunteers, each person could coordinate just one activity, making the commitment very manageable. Much of the work can be coordinated remotely, and turnkey notes and templates from previous years are ready to go. We are looking for one or more volunteers willing to coordinate one or more of these activities throughout the year. You can choose an area that works well for you, and you don't have to do it alone! If we are unable to find volunteers to coordinate these activities, we will need to suspend the Teacher Appreciation Team for the time being. We would love to see this important ministry continue and appreciate everyone who is able to contribute.
Young Families Group - All moms are welcome! We are excited for another year at Sacred Heart Academy. Please join us for every first Thursday of the month at 9 am for coffee, snacks and fellowship with other Academy moms. All are welcome, both CEC and Full Time. We will meet on the school playground when the weather permits, and in rotating homes when the weather turns cold. I hope to see you there! Please email edarga1@yahoo.com to be added to the group text.
Upcoming dates:
- October 1st
- November 5
- December 3rd
PARISH NEWS
Noelle Divozzo - parishoffice@shgr.org
OCIA and Adult Education Classes begin Monday, September 14
8-Week Rescue Project, welcoming teens through adults on Tuesdays!
Discernment Opportunities in the Diocese of Grand Rapids
Jubilee Year of St. Francis Feast Day Mass- Cathedral, October 4th
High School Youth Group Adoration and Frisbee, October 10th
March for Life 2027 in D.C. - Registration due Dec 4th
Damascus Summer Camp-Spots Open for 2027! Register by October 31
SH Youth Group goes to the Symphony, Friday November 20th
Meal Train Corner: There are so many reasons to be thankful in this Parish. Please help bless some of the families of our parish who recently welcomed a new little one or are going through a difficult time. The Valente Family, The Vanderhyde Family, The Frantz Family
Fr. Ron's Prayer Intentions for September: For our students and faculty at the Academy as they begin a new academic year, may they be strengthened by the Sign of the Cross through which they will conquer every challenge.