2021-22 Sacred Heart School of Halifax Annual Report

SACRED HEART SCHOOL OF HALIFAX ANNUAL REPORT 2021-22
I am grateful to God's Spirit that supports us as we
seek to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly,
our 2021-22 school theme.
dedication, and love of our students throughout the
year and providing a place where they can stretch,
grow, and learn.
MESSAGE FROM
THE HEAD OF
SCHOOL
Dear Sacred Heart Community,
Our best preparation for each new day is to
consciously feel and express gratitude. Above all,
this Annual Report says very passionately "Thank
You" for the love, learning, service, community
building, and growth that are evident each day at
Sacred Heart School of Halifax. We are grateful
to our teachers and students, our parents,
grandparents, past parents, alums, Board of
Governors, Parents' Guild, RSCJ, and friends who
continue to support Sacred Heart School of Halifax.
As uncertainty and change more often define our
experiences, let's thank our mentors and all who
inspire, guide, and empower us to stay grounded
and focused on what really matters. We are grateful,
too, for the blessing of clear vision through the Five
Sacred Heart Goals, and to have 35 appropriatelyevolving
Criteria to provide excellent direction. And,
Indeed, it is with a humble heart that I thank you for
the honour and privilege of being among you these
past ten years. Thank you for your passion for Sacred
Heart education, and your generous investment
of professional expertise, the precious gift of time,
creative thoughts and energy, and your tremendous
financial support. Your wisdom, dedication, and
faithful support of our mission will continue to make
an important difference in the lives of our students
and all in our community.
Your courageous ownership of our mission makes
the future of Sacred Heart School of Halifax very
hopeful. Our Sacred Heart mission is deep and
global, and this is the reason that Dennis Phillips
moved to Halifax to be the next Head of School.
And, it is the reason I will move to Tokyo in January
2023 to serve the International School of the Sacred
Heart. Preparing for this leadership transition was an
important part of the 2021-22 year.
I am deeply grateful for the privilege of forever
being a part of the SHSH story. You can count on
my support as you live into the next chapter that will
give new expression to our mission of Love - with
and for our students. Thank you, again, for YOUR
part in the dynamic story of Sacred Heart School of
Halifax.
This brings heartfelt gratitude and prayer,
Sr. Anne Wachter, RSCJ
Head of School
PS: I want to extend a personal thank you to all who
supported the Anne Wachter, RSCJ Bursary that was
established by our Board to make it more accessible
to students who need tuition support in order to
attend our outstanding School.
REPORT FROM
THE CHAIR OF
THE BOARD
Dear Members of the Corporation,
I am pleased to present my report on the work
of the Board of Governors to the Members of the
Corporation for the academic year 2021-2022.
This year’s school theme was act justly, love
tenderly, and walk humbly. There are many
examples from faculty, staff, students, and families
of living to the theme. A key example of which is
how the community responded to the reality of the
pandemic. We, as a Board, have a deep appreciation
for the patience, understanding, and actions of those
within our School community who kept everyone
safe and healthy. We are proud of our students for
their commitment to learning, friendship, and their
understanding and support of others, both close to
home and around the world. We are also thankful to
the many volunteers who gave their time, spirit, and
support. For our faculty, we are thankful for their work,
With the announcement last spring of Sr. Anne
Wachter, RSCJ completing her ten-year tenure at
Sacred Heart School of Halifax, a focus for the Board
this year was to hire a new Head of School.
A Search Committee was formed to conduct a
broad and fair recruitment process to attract a
strong field of candidates from around the world.
With the assistance of Andrea Forbes-Hurley from
Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette (KBRS) several
engagement sessions were held with faculty, staff,
students, parents, and alumni to seek input on the
characteristics, competencies, and background
believed to be essential in our 45th Head of School.
Nat Wilburn, Head of Conference for the Network
of Sacred Heart Schools, was a valuable consultant
throughout the search process.
In February 2022, we announced that Dennis Phillips
would be the incoming Head of School beginning
August 1, 2022. Dennis brings years of expertise and
deep understanding of the Sacred Heart Network. He
and his wife, Lisa, will be a welcome addition to our
community. A transition team along with the support
of Sr. Wachter is facilitating a smooth leadership
transition.
Facilities Committee of the Board
Chair, Torquil Duncan
The expertise of the Facilities Committee provided
insight into several projects this year including the
major restoration of the historical wing’s west-facing
wall, windows, and roof, and for the overhaul of the
system of wireless access points for more effective
internet connectivity.
The Capital Management Plan was updated and
moved to a web-based platform offering a variety
of tools which will be invaluable to our full scope of
2
3