Newsletter - October 8, 2026
A NOTE FROM OUR HEADMASTER
Dear Families,
The application process for financial aid for Sacred Heart Academy is now open. There are a few changes to the Blackbaud system, so I am going to host a Zoom meeting on October 20th, 2026, starting at 4:45pm to run through Blackbaud and financial aid with you. Please consider attending if you have any questions about the financial aid process. Please note these dates:
- December 1, 2026 - Priority availability for scholarship funds for “verified” applications through Blackbaud (your best chance of getting scholarship dollars from the Diocese).
- February 28, 2027 - Current families must complete their Blackbaud application in order to be considered for financial aid for the 2027-2028 school year.
For parishioners at Sacred Heart of Jesus parish, I wanted to share a note about the Catholic Services Appeal. This annual request from the Bishop to support his work is new for us. It is important that we support our Bishop - as Catholics, we know that the Bishop is the apostle given to us by the universal Church to serve the local Church. I’m sharing here a note that was shared to the parish through the pulpit announcements:
- Thank you so very much to everyone who has already given or pledged to this year’s Catholic Services Appeal (CSA). Your generosity is deeply appreciated as we transition back to this model for the first time in at least seven years.
- This annual diocesan collection strengthens the universal Church's work in West Michigan, supporting programs that bring hope, comfort, and guidance. If you have not yet had the opportunity to participate, we ask that you prayerfully consider making a gift to help us meet our goal. To date, we have raised $54,287 of our $181,075 goal. Visit www.grdiocese.org/csa to donate.
Thank you, families, for your “yes” to Sacred Heart Academy!
In His Most Sacred Heart,
Sean Nolan
Headmaster
MONTH-AT-A-GLANCE
OCTOBER
7&8 - HS Theatre Auditions
15 - Hearts in Harmony, 6pm
16 - PD Day, No School
18 - Hot lunch sign up deadline
20 - Partners in Formation
22 - Hot lunch
23 - Assembly in Gym, 2:30pm
NOVEMBER
2 - All Souls Day, Jubilee
3 - Dress Up as a Saint Day
4 - Authenticum, 7pm
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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
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
CALLING ALL PRO-LIFE STUDENTS! Pro-Life Essay Contest: Junior Essay Contest (grades 7 - 9), with prizes of $100 for first place and $50 for second place. Senior Essay Contest (grades 10 - 12), with prizes of $200 for first place and $100 for second place. For more information, call 616-532-2300, visit grrtl.org/essay, or e-mail info@grrtl.org. The deadline is November 1.
PICTURE RE-TAKES Re-Take Day is Tuesday, November 10, from 9a-10a in Cebelak Hall. Please click here to place your order. Our order code is 0661KJF. Online ordering is still available. Cash and checks are not accepted. Shipping and handling charges may apply to orders placed after Picture Day. Yearbooks will be sold separately. The yearbook 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
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.
PICTURE RE-TAKES Re-Take Day is Tuesday, November 10, from 9a-10a in Cebelak Hall. Please click here to place your order. Our order code is 0661KJF. Online ordering is still available. Cash and checks are not accepted. Shipping and handling charges may apply to orders placed after Picture Day. Yearbooks will be sold separately. The yearbook 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
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
Pink Out This Friday!
Show your school spirit and wear pink this Friday, October 9, at Northpointe Christian! Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. as the Falcons take on the Martin Clippers, the two-time reigning state champions. Come fill the stands with pink and show our team that the whole community is behind them. Go Falcons!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:
October 1
November 5
December 3
Email edarga1@yahoo.com to be added to the group text.
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.
ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE
This year, we’re combining the best of past Assembly formats. We’ll have two types:
- Post-Mass Assemblies in Cebelak Hall: Shorter, focused primarily on recitations, with only one or two Academy highlights.
- End-of-Day Assemblies in the Gym: Recitations plus Chamber Choir, extracurricular celebrations, achievement shout-outs, and other highlights, with a more intentionally celebratory feel.
1st Semester
9/30
11/11- Veterans Day
2nd Semester
2/3- Catholic Schools Week Assembly - Bishop may be present - Capstone Honoring
3/10- End of Epiphany Term
4/28- Senior's last Assembly
Celebratory Gym Assembly at end of day - 2:35
1st Semester
10/23- JPII/End of Term
11/24- All School- Including CEC
2nd Semester
4/2- Easter Week
5/20- All School - Including CEC- Pentecost Thursday - Fire Theme
6/4- Feast of the Sacred Heart/Field Day
PARISH NEWS
Noelle Divozzo - parishoffice@shgr.org
High School Youth Group Adoration and Frisbee, October 10th
Paint a Saint Pumpkin with Simeon & Anna Social Club, October 16th
Middle School Youth Group at Battle GR, October 24
March for Life 2027 in D.C. Registration due Dec 4th
Damascus Summer Camp - Spots Open for 2027! Registration due Dec 4th
SH Youth Group goes to the Symphony, Friday, November 20th (registration due 10/16)
Discernment Opportunities in the Diocese of Grand Rapids
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 Cistaro Family, The Hentenmenn 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.