Dear Sacred Heart Community,
On this winter solstice, I want to write to say that we are winding down. It is the shortest day of the year and we are ready for Christmas – and a long winter’s nap! Before my head hits the proverbial pillow, I want to thank you for your incredible support through my first term at the Sacred Heart in Halifax. I am profoundly grateful!
In a couple of hours, we will welcome home our alumnae/i for a Young at Heart Wine and Cheese event. The RSVP responses have been terrific – far surpassing our expectations! Our school has such wonderful spirit & I look forward to meeting more of our graduates!
On Tuesday afternoon, we had a lovely Christmas meal for our current and retired faculty and staff members – about 95 people! You will soon gather for Christmas meals with family and friends at tables near and far. I will be in Ottawa at the Provincial House with other Religious of the Sacred Heart, and you will be in my thoughts and prayers!
I wish you joy and peace this Christmas, and a healthy and safe start to the New Year. I look forward to seeing you on January 3, 2013.
With love from the Heart,
Anne
Anne Wachter, RSCJ
Headmistress
Short Notes
If you are with grandparents, please invite them to “save the date” because on Friday, April 26, 2013 we will have Grandparents Day! Details will follow after the break, but it promises to be terrific! All grandparents, from Junior Primary through Senior High School are welcome to join us for this day. They are also invited to the Bursary Dinner the following night, April 27, 2013!
Please pray for Logan Mitchell's family; his maternal grandfather passed away on December 11, 2012.
If your children will be “plugged in” on electronic devices during the break, you might want to check out this piece that was in the New York Times ten days ago: Apps for Children.
12.21.2012
12.17.2012
Dr. Nancy Lowery Recipient of IEEE Canadian Atlantic Outstanding Eng. Education Award
Dr. Nancy Lowery, a recently retired faculty member of the Sacred Heart High School and head of the Science Department, is the recipient of the IEEE Canadian Atlantic Section's Outstanding Engineering Education Award recently.
This Outstanding Engineering Education Award has been created by the Section only recently. IEEE-CAS provides the Outstanding Engineering Education Award, in the form of a plaque and citation, to an outstanding individual who has "shared his or her professional and educational abilities, and, in doing so, has made an outstanding contribution to engineering education within the territory of the Canadian Atlantic Section." The award will be handed out for the first time this year. Dr. Lowery will be the first recipient. Dr. Lowery's accomplishments were brought to the attention of the IEEE-CAS Awards Committee by Dr. Mae Seto, a current Sacred Heart parent.
IEEE, pronounced "Eye-triple-E," stands for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. IEEE is the world's largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity (www.ieee.org). IEEE and its members inspire a global community through IEEE's highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities. The IEEE-CAS actively supports, inter alia, the IEEE Teacher In-Service Program, TISP (www.tryengineering.org) and, through TISP Canada, issues a quarterly newsletter, the TISP Canada Courier (copies at www.ieee.ca/tisp).
The award ceremony took place December 6th as part of the IEEE-Canadian Atlantic Section's Annual General Meeting. The Awards Committee gratefully acknowledges the role of Dr. Seto.
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12.12.2012
Preparing, Understanding, and Rooting for Success
Preparing our Students Well
Understanding Their Range
Rooting for Their Success
I have used the metaphor of choosing music within the boys' range in other contexts, and I think that this approach is what characterizes much of the value that a boys' school such as ours has to offer. All of our teachers exhibit this same sense of what the boys need and where they are at any given moment. We set the bar high and ask the boys to move out of their comfort zone, extending their reach in the process. But we always begin where we find the boys; we always start with the boys as they are. This isn't as much of a contradiction as it may seem. You can't take the boys to an unfamiliar place if you don't begin with an understanding and appreciation for where they are right now. The beautiful balance that is at the heart of inspired teaching is this apparent dichotomy between understanding both who you are now and who you can become.
I was thinking about this a few days ago as I sat in the exam room and watched the boys wrestling with their exams. Those exams are a way to assess progress certainly, but their real value lies in their ability to stretch the boys and allow them to not only learn about the subject matter, but to learn about themselves. Each new struggle, stumble, or success carries with it a valuable lesson.
Many of the boys, and I suspect their parents as well, might see exams as an adversarial exercise in which the teacher is doing his or her best to trip up the boys and make them jump through a series of increasingly demanding hoops. It's true that the process can seem like a game in which the teacher is jealously guarding their marks like the troll under a bridge in some medieval fairy tale. And that can be the case in some schools and with some teachers, but I don't believe that it is the case here. While we ask our teachers to design a challenging exam, and they do, they then immediately swing around and sit with the students on the same side of the table facing that challenge together.
When Kim Umphrey prepared the boys for their performance, her only thought was their success. Their success was her success. Similarly, all of those teachers who are right now busy marking exams have that same aspiration. We have prepared our students well, understanding their range and always rooting for their success. Now we wait, as you do, for their successes to come to the fore, and win or lose we will be sitting on the same side of the table next January as we begin again.
Understanding Their Range
Rooting for Their Success
A Letter from Robert Marchand
Principal, Boys Grades 7-12
Dear Parents,
As you can imagine, the emotional highlight of my term was the performance of the boys at the Advent Service last week. I've have had countless parents, teachers and friends comment on the singing of the junior boys and the poise of the senior boys. It was, I think, a turning point in the history of Fountain Academy in many ways and a moment of great pride for me and my colleagues. Of course, much of the credit for the singing performance goes to our wonderful music teacher, Kim Umphrey.
Kim is clearly a gifted educator who is able to bring out the best in her students. I'm not much of a singer myself, and I know even less about teaching singing, but I would guess that much of Kim's success begins with choosing material that is in the boys' range. The selections that she chose were not only beautiful but somewhat masculine in their tone, and as a result the boys felt that they truly belonged to them and took great pleasure in singing them. If you were in the halls of the school in the weeks leading up to the service you may have heard the boys spontaneously breaking in to song as they moved from class to class. That, I would imagine, is the hallmark of success for a music teacher.
I have used the metaphor of choosing music within the boys' range in other contexts, and I think that this approach is what characterizes much of the value that a boys' school such as ours has to offer. All of our teachers exhibit this same sense of what the boys need and where they are at any given moment. We set the bar high and ask the boys to move out of their comfort zone, extending their reach in the process. But we always begin where we find the boys; we always start with the boys as they are. This isn't as much of a contradiction as it may seem. You can't take the boys to an unfamiliar place if you don't begin with an understanding and appreciation for where they are right now. The beautiful balance that is at the heart of inspired teaching is this apparent dichotomy between understanding both who you are now and who you can become.
I was thinking about this a few days ago as I sat in the exam room and watched the boys wrestling with their exams. Those exams are a way to assess progress certainly, but their real value lies in their ability to stretch the boys and allow them to not only learn about the subject matter, but to learn about themselves. Each new struggle, stumble, or success carries with it a valuable lesson.
Many of the boys, and I suspect their parents as well, might see exams as an adversarial exercise in which the teacher is doing his or her best to trip up the boys and make them jump through a series of increasingly demanding hoops. It's true that the process can seem like a game in which the teacher is jealously guarding their marks like the troll under a bridge in some medieval fairy tale. And that can be the case in some schools and with some teachers, but I don't believe that it is the case here. While we ask our teachers to design a challenging exam, and they do, they then immediately swing around and sit with the students on the same side of the table facing that challenge together.
When Kim Umphrey prepared the boys for their performance, her only thought was their success. Their success was her success. Similarly, all of those teachers who are right now busy marking exams have that same aspiration. We have prepared our students well, understanding their range and always rooting for their success. Now we wait, as you do, for their successes to come to the fore, and win or lose we will be sitting on the same side of the table next January as we begin again.
Robert Marchand, Principal
Boys, Grades 7-12
Boys, Grades 7-12
Fountain Academy of the Sacred Heart
12.11.2012
Staying Connected with Our Recent Alum Families
Sacred Heart School of Halifax
CLASSES OF 2009-2012
ALUMS and PARENTS OF ALUMS (PALs)
Dear Alumnae/i and Parents of Alums (PALs),
In September when I last wrote, you were preparing for a new academic year. Now, term exams are nearly complete, grad sweaters are being ordered for our Grade 12s, and holiday wonder is in the air. I am looking forward to meeting SHSH graduates on Friday, December 21 at our Young at Heart Alum Wine and Cheese party from 7-9pm (the event is free, but we ask you to RSVP to Nicole Ferguson at nferguson@shsh.ca,902-422-4459).
Have you heard?
We are the Provincial Champions in Volleyball, a “first” for our Senior Girls! The victory was especially sweet because we hosted the tournament and welcomed Mayor Mike Savage to campus for the opening ceremonies! It was great to see a number of PALs back on campus for the tourney. Our champions include Holly Foxall, Tina Kim, Claire McCusker, Marianna Saunders, Claudia Toulany, Taylor Shaw, Maddy Brennan, Bailey Francis, and Coach Kristen Morse.
Our Christmas Fair was very successful, and all were thrilled when the live auction items included cooking lessons with Chef Dale Nichols (a PAL); sport day with Mr. Tugwell, and an evening of cache-cache with Miss Scott. The annual Advent Service of Readings and Carols was inspiring. With the combination of music, scripture, prayers in six to seven different languages, and the inclusion of grades 4-6 boys for range support with the Jr. High Boys' Choir resulted in a spectacular experience.
You will be pleased to know that the new and past Chairs of the Board of Governors have made a seamless transition, as have the new and past Presidents of the Alumnae/i Executive. Our various constituent groups are embracing the four areas that comprise our Strategic Plan: Enrolment, Technology, International Program, and Financial Stability. In support of the Plan, we are establishing an Admissions Office (behind the Large Parlour) led by Ms. Robyn Erickson a Sacred Heart alumna (Grades 7-9, from 1998-2001) and a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University. Robyn's orientation has begun, and you can meet her on December 21.
Marilyn Hinch, receptionist for over 40 years, has retired. We will have an Open House on January 11 between 2-5pm to honour her. Please join us if you are able. I also want to let you know that at the end of this week we will be saying good-bye to Sra. Marquez; she and her husband will move to Chicago where he has accepted a position at Northwestern University. On January 3, we will welcome Sra. Malena Contreras into the position of Spanish teacher for the girls.
In closing, I invite you to view our revised website, and I look forward to the gift of having many of our alums and PALs participate in our Annual Giving program; you can do so online by clicking SUPPORT at the top of the home page.
I hope to see many of our Alums on the 21st!
Anne Wachter, RSCJ
Headmistress
Upcoming Events
Alumnae/i & PALs Welcome
Dec. 21 Alumnae/i Wine and Cheese Event, 7-9pm (RSVP to nferguson@shsh.ca)
Jan. 11 Honouring Marilyn Hinch, 2-5pm
Jan. 17 Book Talk with Author Alexander MacLeod ($20, Tickets at reception desk.)
Jan. 23 Financing Your Child’s Education (including the university years!)
12.05.2012
Kaylann Knickle with Hillary Clinton!
SHSH '05 graduate Kaylann Knickle is working with NATO's Office of the Public Affairs & STRATCOM Advisor. She is pictured here, Wednesday, December 5, 2012 covering Hillary Clinton at a NATO press conference during Foreign Ministerial meetings held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
12.01.2012
11.30.2012
Fiona & Charlotte Baker in The Nutcracker!
Fiona Baker, Gr. 8 and Charlotte Baker, Gr. 5 have been cast in Coastal Dance Theater production of The Nutcracker running at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth from December 3-9.
Congratulations to Fiona and Charlotte!
Congratulations to Fiona and Charlotte!
11.28.2012
Headmistress' Letter, 28 November 2012
Dear Colleagues and Families,
Several weeks ago, we took photos for the School Christmas card. Head Girl Tina Kim, Ted Bursey, Jaden Lawen and little Eva Lumsden in Senior Primary were wearing winter clothes, but Eva did not want to wear her mittens. After three gentle requests, she finally put them on and went with the flow. But, something was on her mind. Talking about the photo experience that night, she told her dad she did not want to put on her mittens. When he asked the reason, Eva replied: “Because Dad, what if I was got to hold Tina Kim’s hand?”
Wow.
Her young mind and heart were in sync - what a profound message.
I saw Tina a couple of days later … she remembered Eva’s resistance to wearing her mittens. As I told her why Eva did not want them on, tears rolled down Tina’s face. Tina understood. In her position of leadership, our Head Girl was given a rare and clear view into the esteem that younger children have for her.
At Sacred Heart, our younger students look to the older students and find very good role models indeed - healthy teenagers and young adults who are beyond smart, they are on the road to wisdom … the kind of wisdom that knows that sometimes - mittens might just get in the way of what is most important.
At Christmas, the disarming presence of a child awakens ancient and eternal wisdom deep in our souls. Eva’s question leads me to ask: Whose bare hand do I want to hold? Can I imagine that God is longing to hold my hand? Do any of us realize the profound impact of our presence or example? And, I say to myself: pay attention, resistances just might be communicating something profound!
Our Advent season of expectant waiting officially begins on Sunday. For me, it has already begun! Let’s listen to the wisdom of children – unencumbered, honest, and full of promise.
With love and prayers,
Sr. Wachter
Caroline Surrette & Carley Bekkers Meet Marc Kielburger from Free the Children!
This morning, Caroline Surrette, Carley Bekkers and Mr. Jared Griffiths were given a wonderful opportunity to attend a breakfast presentation and discussion with Marc Kielburger, co-founder of Free The Children.
Caroline and Carley were also asked to speak about Sacred Heart's Me to We Programme. After the breakfast, Mr. Griffiths was asked to speak with Mr. Kielburger and school board officials on Sacred Heart's programme.
We are very proud of Caroline, Carley and Mr. Griffiths and very pleased they were able to participate in this breakfast sponsored by RBC and KPMG.
11.21.2012
Organ Scholarship Awarded to Clara Westhaver, Gr. 8!
Congratulations to Clara Westhaver, Gr. 8, on being awarded the 2012 Nancy & Sidney Hibbs Organ Scholarship from the Prayer Book Society of England. This prestigious and international scholarship is awarded to those who are learning to play the organ for church services.
Clara is studying with Mr. Garth McPhee, a nationally renowned organist and choir director at St. George's (Round) Church.
We are all proud of you, Clara!
Clara is studying with Mr. Garth McPhee, a nationally renowned organist and choir director at St. George's (Round) Church.
We are all proud of you, Clara!
11.16.2012
Feed Nova Scotia Food Drive
Sacred Heart School of Halifax had a food drive for two weeks for Feed Nova Scotia and collected 5,000 items or 3,082 kg of food for the Food Bank! We are very grateful to the students, parents and staff who contributed to this very worthwhile cause.
Thank you!
11.15.2012
Alumna Evan Phinney Receives Bursary
Evan Phinney, Class of 2012, recently received a $300 bursary from the Nova Scotia Hunter Jumper Association. The combination of her representing Nova Scotia nationally in a number of show jumping competitions during the 2011-2012 academic year combined with being a Nova Scotia Provincial Team Member, while continuing to keep a good average in school was reflected in her receiving the bursary.
Good job, Evan.
Good job, Evan.
11.12.2012
Dalhousie's BP Debate Tournament - Sacred Heart places 1st!
Twenty eight teams competed in Dalhousie's BP tournament this weekend.
In team results, the Sacred Heart Team of Rory Flynn and Mattea Roach placed 1st overall.
Individually:
1 Rory Flynn (Although a junior high debater, Rory decided not to put her name into the junior high category.)
2 Mattea Roach
8 Anya Friesen (also the top junior high debater)
10 Sabrina Secord
In the junior category, the Sacred Heart team of Anya Friesen and Emma McLean were the top junior high team.
Congratulation, Ladies!
In team results, the Sacred Heart Team of Rory Flynn and Mattea Roach placed 1st overall.
Individually:
1 Rory Flynn (Although a junior high debater, Rory decided not to put her name into the junior high category.)
2 Mattea Roach
8 Anya Friesen (also the top junior high debater)
10 Sabrina Secord
In the junior category, the Sacred Heart team of Anya Friesen and Emma McLean were the top junior high team.
Congratulation, Ladies!
11.07.2012
Congratulations to our Girls Sr. Volleyball Team winning the Metro Championship Banner!
On Tuesday, October 6th, our Sacred Heart Senior Girls' Volleyball team won 3-1 over Citadel High in Metro Tier 2 final playoff game and brought home the Metro Championship Banner!
Congratulations, girls!
11.06.2012
Anna Stuart named Fellow of The Society of Management Accountants of Canada
CMA Canada, the world leader in shaping strategic financial management professionals to lead successful enterprises in the global marketplace, announced November 5 that Anna Stuart, MBA, CMC, CMA, FCMA has been named a Fellow of The Society of Management Accountants of Canada (FCMA). Anna is a Partner and Vice President of Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette and is Vice Chairperson of the Board of Governors at the Sacred Heart School of Halifax.
Anna is one of only four people in the CMA Nova Scotia and Bermuda chapter who have been assigned this prestigious national honorary designation.
Congratulations, Anna on this national honorary designation.
The FCMA is awarded to CMAs who demonstrate excellence in management accounting, a commitment to the CMA designation and their professional association, and a civic-mindedness that enriches their community.
Anna is one of only four people in the CMA Nova Scotia and Bermuda chapter who have been assigned this prestigious national honorary designation.
Congratulations, Anna on this national honorary designation.
The FCMA is awarded to CMAs who demonstrate excellence in management accounting, a commitment to the CMA designation and their professional association, and a civic-mindedness that enriches their community.
11.05.2012
Girls Volleyball News
The Senior Girls Volleyball team played in the SMU Tier 1 tournament on Fri and Sat. This is the highest division of volleyball for girls in the province. We played JL, Citadel and John Gillis before getting our only win against CPA....an amazing accomplishment. Later we had awesome games with Parkview and CEC but ended up on the losing end. It was a great experience and great preparation for the Provincial tournament we are hosting Nov. 30 and Dec 1.
The junior teams played in the ACIS volleyball tournament on Saturday, November 3rd hosted by Armbrae.
Congratulations to our Junior A team for placing 1st and our junior B team for coming 2nd.
Well Done Girls!
The junior teams played in the ACIS volleyball tournament on Saturday, November 3rd hosted by Armbrae.
Congratulations to our Junior A team for placing 1st and our junior B team for coming 2nd.
Well Done Girls!
11.04.2012
Evan Phinney at Equestrian Championships
An update on Evan K. Phinney, Class of 2012. Evan is currently attending Acadia University in the business program. She competed at the Canadian Interprovincial Equestrian Championships where she had a seventh place. Combined Team Nova Scotia riders of 4 jumpers, 3 dressage and 4 reiners placed second overall in Canada, returning home with the Overall Provincial Team Silver Medal.
Congratulations, Evan!
10.30.2012
FA Students compete in X-Country Provincials
The following Fountain Academy students competed at the cross-country provincials in Antigonish October 29, 2012:
Jrs. - Jacob Nobbe - 13th
Intermediate - Will Smith - 30th
Srs. - Armand Caron - 41st
Congratulations to all the runners for outstanding achievement.
Jrs. - Jacob Nobbe - 13th
Intermediate - Will Smith - 30th
Srs. - Armand Caron - 41st
Congratulations to all the runners for outstanding achievement.
10.29.2012
McGill University's 53rd High School Debating Tournament
Our debaters were extraordinarily successful at McGill University’s 53rd annual High School debating tournament this weekend.
This is the largest debating tournament in North America with 200 high school debaters from Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia taking part (and most years, including teams from the United States and British Columbia).
Individually, Rory Flynn, Gr. 9, was 1st overall, Mattea Roach, Gr. 10, placed 3rd and Sabrina Secord, Gr. 11, was 11th (out of 200). So far as we can determine, Rory is the first junior high student to win the tournament in the 53 years it has been running. You can imagine the difficulty a grade 9 student encounters in besting a mostly grade 11 and grade 12 field, with many more years of debate experience (and some significant additional education).
Previous individual Sacred Heart winners include Andrew Morrison (twice) (2008, 2009), Sophie MacIntyre (2005) and Neesha Rao (2003). Andrew won it in grade 11 and grade 12 — all of our other winners were grade 12 students. Deirdre Casey and Allison Ghosn are our only winners of the McGill Team trophy for top team (also as grade 12 students).
In addition to the individual finishes, Sabrina and Mattea placed 7th as a team (out of 96); Rory and her partner, Anya Friesen, Gr. 9, were 14th overall and Sebastian Young, Gr. 11, and Alexander Sapp, Gr. 11, placed 15th as a team. These are outstanding finishes in the toughest debating competition in the country.
In addition, Rory won the award for best junior high debater in Canada, and Anya and she won the team award for best junior high team.
Although only 24 of the 200 debaters were from Nova Scotia, this marks the 8th year in a row the top honours have gone to a debater from Halifax. Sacred Heart and Fountain Academy students have won the award 5 times in the last ten years – as often as every other school in North America put together.
16 students from Fountain Academy and Sacred Heart High School attended this weekend many with fine finishes which are otherwise overshadowed. We recognize Tina Kim, Basia Sowinski-Banfield, Erin Palmater, Caraid McGinty, Catherine Burke, Maria Churbaji, Jake Marchand, Andy Samman, Robert Sapp and Michael MacGregor. Any other year I would be writing about their accomplishments.
Our thanks to Maya Churbaji who drove one of the vans, and to Alison Gillan, Mike Flynn, Aileen McGinty, Patricia Donnelly and Brian Casey who chaperoned our debaters in Montreal.
This is the largest debating tournament in North America with 200 high school debaters from Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia taking part (and most years, including teams from the United States and British Columbia).
Individually, Rory Flynn, Gr. 9, was 1st overall, Mattea Roach, Gr. 10, placed 3rd and Sabrina Secord, Gr. 11, was 11th (out of 200). So far as we can determine, Rory is the first junior high student to win the tournament in the 53 years it has been running. You can imagine the difficulty a grade 9 student encounters in besting a mostly grade 11 and grade 12 field, with many more years of debate experience (and some significant additional education).
Previous individual Sacred Heart winners include Andrew Morrison (twice) (2008, 2009), Sophie MacIntyre (2005) and Neesha Rao (2003). Andrew won it in grade 11 and grade 12 — all of our other winners were grade 12 students. Deirdre Casey and Allison Ghosn are our only winners of the McGill Team trophy for top team (also as grade 12 students).
In addition to the individual finishes, Sabrina and Mattea placed 7th as a team (out of 96); Rory and her partner, Anya Friesen, Gr. 9, were 14th overall and Sebastian Young, Gr. 11, and Alexander Sapp, Gr. 11, placed 15th as a team. These are outstanding finishes in the toughest debating competition in the country.
In addition, Rory won the award for best junior high debater in Canada, and Anya and she won the team award for best junior high team.
Although only 24 of the 200 debaters were from Nova Scotia, this marks the 8th year in a row the top honours have gone to a debater from Halifax. Sacred Heart and Fountain Academy students have won the award 5 times in the last ten years – as often as every other school in North America put together.
16 students from Fountain Academy and Sacred Heart High School attended this weekend many with fine finishes which are otherwise overshadowed. We recognize Tina Kim, Basia Sowinski-Banfield, Erin Palmater, Caraid McGinty, Catherine Burke, Maria Churbaji, Jake Marchand, Andy Samman, Robert Sapp and Michael MacGregor. Any other year I would be writing about their accomplishments.
Our thanks to Maya Churbaji who drove one of the vans, and to Alison Gillan, Mike Flynn, Aileen McGinty, Patricia Donnelly and Brian Casey who chaperoned our debaters in Montreal.
10.22.2012
Provincial Impromptu Debating Tournament
Congratulations to our Sacred Heart students on these wonderful results from the Provincial Impromptu Debating Tournament October 12-13:
IMPROMPTU DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS:
Individuals(JR)
1 Rory Flynn
4 Anya Friesen
5 Maria Samman
5 Catherine Burke
Teams(JR):
1 Rory Flynn & Anya Friesen
5 Caraid McGinty & Maria Samman
Individuals (SR):
8 Jake Marchand
Teams (SR):
3 Jake Marchand & Sebastian Young
9 Tina Kim & Basia Sowinski-Banfield
10.06.2012
Congratulations to our Girls Sr. Volleyball Team winning the Metro Championship Banner!
On Tuesday, October 6th, our Sacred Heart Senior Girls' Volleyball team won 3-1 over Citadel High in Metro Tier 2 final playoff game and brought home the Metro Championship Banner!
Congratulations, girls!
Congratulations, girls!
9.26.2012
International Space Station Communication
On Wednesday, September 26, 2012, Sacred Heart Students spoke live with Sunita Williams, Commander of the International Space Station. The event was over a year in the making, with Sacred Heart Elementary students pitching and winning the opportunity to be one of a handful of Canadian schools that would have a live uplink with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station. After working with the ARISS (Amateur Radio International Space Station) here in Halifax and intensive study last year in grades 5 and 6, students progressed through a number of stages to be able to ask questions to NASA with the hope of being chosen as one of the schools able to talk to an astronaut on the space station.
At 12:15pm Grade 3 to 6 students, faculty, parents, and honoured guests gathered in the school's Little Theatre for a presentation from Dr. Richard Zurawski, and ARISS representatives, leading up to the contact with Commander Williams. The contact lasted approximately 10 minutes with children asking their questions to Commander Williams.
Click here for video
Sacred Heart School of Halifax is the oldest school in Halifax founded in 1849. Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, the school is part of the international network of Sacred Heart Schools. Our heritage and Sacred Heart spirit inspire commitment to value-based education relevant to a pluralistic student body. Co-ed Junior Primary to grade 6, girls only grade 7-12 and boys only grade 7-12. Sacred Heart School of Halifax stimulates young minds and fosters a lifelong love of learning.
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