Winter 2006 - Sacred Heart Schools

State of the Heart
“Whenever she could, Mother Barat would be off to the
garden with one of the children. They would pick
wildflowers together and the child would share her secrets,
knowing that Mother Barat would understand.”
Dear Alumni and Friends,
The quotation above comes from a childrenʼs book commissioned
to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Religious of the Sacred Heart. The
cartoon-like picture that accompanies this caption depicts a serious but loving Mother
Barat holding hands with a joyful child. Both are carrying wild flowers. The sentiment
expressed by the picture and the words caught the essence of Sacred Heart education.
Sacred Heart educators are dedicated to educating the whole child, whether in the
classroom studying calculus, on a field trip to climb half-dome, or just sitting with
a student during a lunch break. While we donʼt often pick wild-flowers these days,
we still form close bonds with our students. It is frequently the case that one of our
teachers or staff members will be the first to hear from students about an argument at
home, a disappointment about a lost game or a rejection that has devastated a young
heart and mind. It may be that the student of the 21st century is vastly different from
the student of the early 19th century in dress, custom, expectation and exposure to the
world. But the need for a sensitive ear and a heart that listens is still the same. In this
regard, Mother Barat is alive in all who work at a Sacred Heart school.
Our students carry this need to be connected with others for the rest of their lives. John
Dorsey (SHPʻ03) has launched a fundraising campaign called “FACE AIDS.” Sharon
Kugler (SHPʻ77) is the University Chaplain at the Johns Hopkins University. Andi Vartanian
Dehne (SJSHʻ82) has been lovingly parenting a child with Down syndrome.
Our teachers and staff routinely serve others. Here are just a few samples: the enormous
outpouring of support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina; the creation of the
new support program for student with learning differences; the daily service of the
Sacred Heart Society to the Oakwood community; the outstanding independent study
projects at the Prep; the pre-school cooking projects and the new Life Skills program
at St. Josephʼs.
There are times when I stop to do a reality check – to ask myself, “Are we still a Sacred
Heart School” The litmus test in my mind is whether or not St Madeleine Sophie
would recognize us as one of her schools should she miraculously appear on the front
steps one day. I think she would feel very much at home taking the hand of any child
and seeing that, 200 years later, every child here is very much a child of the Sacred
Heart, wild flowers or not.
Thank you for keeping us in your heart and for supporting our efforts to keep St Madeleine
Sophieʼs vision alive in the centennial year of St. Josephʼs and in the 107th year
of the Convent school.
Sincerely,
Joseph J. Ciancaglini
Director of Schools
JOSEPH CIANCAGLINI
Director of Schools
M’LIS BERRY (SJSH‘77, SHP‘81)
Director of Development
HOLLY GOODLIFFE
Communications Coordinator
WENDI MANGIANTINI (SHP‘80)
Alumni Relations Coordinator
TRUSTEES
Mindy Rogers, Chair
Sr. Kay Baxter, Maude Brezinski,
Roberta Campbell, Michael Child, John
Donahoe, Elizabeth Dunlevie, John
Etchemendy, Martin Flanagan, Sr. Sally
Furay, Marritje Greene, Anne Holloway,
Mike Homer, Lauren Koenig (SHP‘77),
Mark Larwood, Steve Meisel, Fr. William
H. Muller, William Neidig, Mark Stevens,
Sr. Anne Wachter
We welcome your comments, questions
or suggestions. Please contact
Holly Goodliffe, Communications
Coordinator, at 650-573-4004 or
hgoodliffe@shschools.org.
Sacred Heart Schools Atherton are
Roman Catholic, independent schools
founded by the Society of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus (RSCJ) in 1898. Our
mission is to educate the whole child
to be a leader who loves God and
serves others.
The Heart of the Matter magazine
is published bi-annually, in February
and July, by the SHS Development
Department. Postmaster please send
address changes to Development Department,
Sacred Heart Schools, 150
Valparaiso Ave., Atherton, CA 94027.
The diverse opinions expressed in-
Heart of the Matter do not necessarily
represent the offi cial policy of Sacred
Heart Schools Atherton.