Newsletter - October 1, 2026
A NOTE FROM OUR HEADMASTER
Dear Families,
I am so excited to announce to you that Sacred Heart Academy is now a Cardinal Newman Guide recommended school!
You may know that The Newman Guide has recommended faithful Catholic colleges since 2007. Hundreds of thousands of Catholic families have used The Newman Guide to explore solid colleges for their children. Now The Newman Guide is also recommending elementary schools, secondary schools, and graduate programs, in addition to colleges, for providing a faithful Catholic education.
As a Newman Guide-recommended school, we are humbled that Sacred Heart Academy continues to stand as a model for other Catholic schools nationwide. This is one more testament to the work that our parents, students, teachers, staff, and board members do every day to make this school such an incredible place. It is an affirmation that our Catholic faith guides all that we do.
Thank you, families, for your “yes” to Sacred Heart Academy!
In His Most Sacred Heart,
Sean Nolan
Headmaster
MONTH-AT-A-GLANCE
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
18 - Hot lunch sign-up deadline
20 - Partners in Formation
22 - Hot lunch
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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
FINANCIAL AID Financial Aid applications are now open for the 2027-2028 academic year. Priority deadline for best consideration is November 30, 2026. Financial aid applications must be submitted by February 28, 2027, for consideration for SHA scholarships.
40% Off Select Uniform Styles From October 1-October 14, use the code FROMUS40 to receive a 40% discount on select uniform items! Savings will be reflected at checkout with the promo code. Sign up here for notifications from Lands' End so that you never miss a deal: School Uniform Promotion
Hot Lunch: The order deadline is Sunday, October 18th! Hot lunch will be Thursday, October 22nd. When ordering lunches, please consider donating lunch for our staff. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! Please go here to learn about Boonli, our online lunch ordering system. Questions: Sara Klooster
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
FINANCIAL AID Financial Aid applications are now open for the 2027-2028 academic year. Priority deadline for best consideration is November 30, 2026. Financial aid applications must be submitted by February 28, 2027, for consideration for SHA scholarships.
40% Off Select Uniform Styles From October 1-October 14, use the code FROMUS40 to receive a 40% discount on select uniform items! Savings will be reflected at checkout with the promo code. Sign up here for notifications from Lands' End so that you never miss a deal: School Uniform Promotion
Hot Lunch: The order deadline is Sunday, October 18th! Hot lunch will be Thursday, October 22nd. When ordering lunches, please consider donating lunch for our staff. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! Please go here to learn about Boonli, our online lunch ordering system. Questions: Sara Klooster
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:
- 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 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 using this link.
PTC AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Spirit Wear Has Arrived!
All spirit wear orders have been delivered! If you placed an order but did not receive yours, please let Megan know.
Teacher Appreciation Team
Great news! We have a volunteer who has stepped up to lead Teacher Appreciation this year. More details to come!
Pack the Stands: Senior Nights
Mark your calendars and help us pack the stands as we celebrate our seniors!
Volleyball — Tuesday, October 13
Boots & Bows Night — Wear your Western Pink!
JV at 5:00 PM | Varsity at 6:00 PM
Pizza, drinks, and fun in the SHA courtyard beginning at 5:00 PM.
Football — Friday, October 23
80’s Neon Night — Wear Neon & Be Loud!
Food and fun at NorthPointe Christian beginning at 5:30 PM | Kickoff at 7:00 PM.
See the flyer, below for additional details.
Young Families Group
All moms are welcome! Join other Sacred Heart Academy moms on the first Thursday of each month at 9:00 AM for coffee, snacks, and fellowship. CEC and full-time families are welcome. We’ll meet on the school playground when weather permits and in rotating homes during the colder months.
Upcoming gatherings:
- November 5
- December 3
And Tell the Husbands!
All dads are invited for Ultimate Frisbee at the Curries’ house on Saturday, October 17, from 2:00–4:00 PM. Contact Matt Darga to RSVP and receive the address.
PARISH NEWS
Noelle Divozzo - parishoffice@shgr.org
Join us Friday, Oct 2 for the Organ Series Holy Hour
Jubilee Year of St. Francis Feast Day Mass- Cathedral, October 4th
Authenticum: Wednesday, October 7 welcomes Dr. Danielle Koestner
Discernment Opportunities in the Diocese of Grand Rapids
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 October: For our police and soldiers, may they be protected from all harm and strengthened in their work by the intercession of their patron, St. Michael.