Newsletter - September 24, 2026
A NOTE FROM OUR HEADMASTER
Dear Families,
As you receive this, I’ll be out in St. Louis at the Beatification of Fulton Sheen, a wonderful gift to the Catholics in the United States, as one of our own sons is being declared blessed. I’d encourage you to consider talking with your children about this event and about our call to sainthood!
I wanted to share some additional information about how I’m sharing the mission and vision of Sacred Heart Academy with you this year, and especially this semester. In particular, here are some highlighted events and moments for that:
- Integral Formation Conferences. These events are a moment not only for Sacred Heart Academy to deepen our own experience and understanding of the rich gift of our tradition and education model, but to share that model with others. Please consider coming especially to the November 21st Conference day on Integral Formation for Parents: Forming Children of Prayer. It’s never been more important for us to partner together in helping our children attend to the person of Jesus Christ and the activity of His Holy Spirit in their lives. Save the date.
- Partners in Formation - Zach Good is graciously offering rich conversation about what it means to be human in an increasingly technological age. (See below for more information.)
- Headmaster Coffees - I’ll be offering time to sit down with coffee together to have a conversation about what is going on in the school, divided into “sections” of the school. Please consider coming to talk more about what SHA is doing to promote integral formation for children. These will be located in the cafeteria.
- October 13th at 9am for high school (grades 9-12)
- November 5 at 9am for middle school (grades 5-8)
- December 1 at 9am for lower school (grades Mont - 4)
Thank you, families, for your “yes” to Sacred Heart Academy!
In His Most Sacred Heart,
Sean Nolan
Headmaster
MONTH-AT-A-GLANCE
SEPTEMBER
26 - MS Fall Social
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 - Headmaster Coffee - High School, 9am
15 - Hearts in Harmony, 6pm
16 - PD Day, No School
Errata: The October hot lunch sign up deadline is 10/18, not 10/13, as previously published in the September 17, 2026, Newsletter.
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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.
THEATER PATRON PROGRAM Theater Arts performances that accentuate God's beauty in our world are something we can all get behind! Please tell your extended family and friends about our NEW Theater Patron program that welcomes an annual donation and thanks donors with tickets! It brings us immense joy to perform these stories for you each year, and we're incredibly grateful to our community (and beyond) for your support of all we're doing here at Sacred Heart to "reclaim the stage for Christ!"
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.
THEATER PATRON PROGRAM Theater Arts performances that accentuate God's beauty in our world are something we can all get behind! Please tell your extended family and friends about our NEW Theater Patron program that welcomes an annual donation and thanks donors with tickets! It brings us immense joy to perform these stories for you each year, and we're incredibly grateful to our community (and beyond) for your support of all we're doing here at Sacred Heart to "reclaim the stage for Christ!"
CALLING ALL PRO-LIFE STUDENTS! Here’s a chance to explain why you are pro-life and to compete for prize money. Grand Rapids Right to Life is sponsoring a Pro-Life Essay Contest. In the Junior Essay Contest (grades 7 - 9), prizes are $100 for first place and $50 for second place. In the Senior Essay Contest (grades 10 - 12), prizes are $200 for first place and $100 for second place. The essay topic is: Why am I pro-life? The deadline to submit a 300 - 500 word essay and an application form is November 1. For more information, call 616-532-2300, visit grrtl.org/essay, or e-mail info@grrtl.org.
Keep Christ in Christmas Card Design Contest The 20th Annual Knights of Columbus Christmas Card Contest is now accepting submissions! All school-age kids can participate. Winners will be selected by age group. Rules and Entry Form. Entries and forms can be submitted to the office. Deadline: November 13th.
Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest This year's topic is “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.” The contest is open to 8th - 12th graders. Winners at the council level could advance all the way to the international competition. Details are available here. Deadline: November 20th.
Discernment and Formation - Parents of upper school students should bookmark the Office of Discernment and Formation Page to stay up to date. If you have a student in high school, you need to make sure you have an operable CLT account. If you have already created an account you do not need to make a new one, but if you have not created one, please email Tim Walsh twalsh@shgr.org for instructions.
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.
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.
Keep Christ in Christmas Card Design Contest The 20th Annual Knights of Columbus Christmas Card Contest is now accepting submissions! All school-age kids can participate. Winners will be selected by age group. Rules and Entry Form. Entries and forms can be submitted to the office. Deadline: November 13th.
Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest This year's topic is “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.” The contest is open to 8th - 12th graders. Winners at the council level could advance all the way to the international competition. Details are available here. Deadline: November 20th.
Discernment and Formation - Parents of upper school students should bookmark the Office of Discernment and Formation Page to stay up to date. If you have a student in high school, you need to make sure you have an operable CLT account. If you have already created an account you do not need to make a new one, but if you have not created one, please email Tim Walsh twalsh@shgr.org for instructions.
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.
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
Join us Friday, Oct 2 for the Organ Series Holy Hour
Authenticum: Wednesday, October 7 welcomes Dr. Danielle Koestner
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.