2021-22 Sacred Heart School of Halifax Annual Report

SACRED HEART SCHOOL OF HALIFAX ANNUAL REPORT 2021-22
understanding and planning for the maintenance of
our campus.
The Committee began to review relevant new
standards of the Nova Scotia Accessibility Act,
possible cybersecurity risks, and the impact of
climate change on facilities operations.
We are especially grateful for the expert composition
of the Facilities Committee which includes people
from the wider HRM community. For their ongoing
care and attention to our community and unique and
iconic campus, we are deeply grateful.
Finance Committee of the Board
Chair, Julie Briggs
The School surpassed the budgeted enrollment
target and is closing this year with 513 students; for
the proximate year, enrollment is trending higher
than ever, and re-enrollment is already over 90%.
With thanks to the ‘Dare to Be’ Campaign, we are
able to welcome more students requiring financial
assistance. The Campaign funds also continue to
enhance our growth in innovation and academic
programming.
A closer review of the optimal number of students
per class and the international student breakeven
cost of acquisition helped the Committee to gain
a deeper understanding of the uniqueness of our
enrollment challenges. In addition to the usual
budget preparations, discussions with management
addressed the disrupted global economy, rising costof-living,
and increased compensation for employees.
To smooth uneven expenses from year to year, a
technology reserve within the facilities budget was
recommended and established.
Knowing that the province will soon subsidize child
care, the Committee reviewed research done by the
administration; all support that this is not a time to
begin a 3-year-old program.
Nominating and Governance Committee
of the Board
Chair, Michael Simms
The Committee reviewed the Terms of Reference
for each Board Committee and added to each the
responsibility to actively identify and mitigate risks.
For the Engagement Committee and the Board of
Governors, Terms of Reference were articulated and
adopted. In keeping with the annual rotating review of
Board policies, the Committee reviewed and updated
as needed the following policies: Confidentiality
Agreement, Conflict of Interest Agreement, Head of
School Expenditures Approval, Whistleblower Policy,
and the Investment Policy.
The Board Retreat included three elements: a
refresher by Janet MacMillan on Board governance
within non-for-profit organizations, a presentation by
the Institutional Advancement Team on the Strategic
Enrollment Management Plan, and a session with
Nat Wilburn, Head of Conference for the Network of
Sacred Heart Schools, on the role of the Network,
support of member schools, and our Board’s
accountability for mission to the Network and to the
Society of the Sacred Heart.
The Committee seeks to diversify the Board and
Board Committees through relationship-building
experiences and Board education sessions with
people from First Nations and the African Nova
Scotian community. To assist with recruitment
from the wider Halifax community, an open call for
Board members was developed and the process is
described on the School website.
Planning Committee of the Board
Chair, Alexandra Whalen
The Planning Committee’s efforts this year have
been concentrated on determining the timeline and
preliminary work for the School’s next strategic plan.
The Board and employees engaged in an exercise to
understand the common values that will help to direct
the vision for the new plan and understand at the
core what they envision to be our north star for the
future.
The Committee invited various guests in order to
understand key operational areas including Strategic
Enrollment Management, our financial position and
influences, projection of facilities needs based on
the Capital Management Plan, and the work of the
School’s Education to Mission Committee. A twoyear
research project conducted on our behalf
by the education department at St. Francis Xavier
University will be presented to and reviewed by this
Committee in June. This foundational work will serve
the Committee and Board well as we move towards
preparing a new strategic plan for Sacred Heart
School of Halifax.
Engagement Committee of the Board
Chair, Robin Thorsteinson
This Committee of the Board developed throughout
the year. With the Terms of Reference now in place,
the Committee will help the Board of Governors to
understand its role in supporting the Institutional
Advancement Team, in particular with the Strategic
Enrollment Management Plan, engaging new
community partners, alumnae/alumni and parents
of alums, and with recruitment, fundraising, and
communications. The Committee will identify and
mitigate risks in these areas.
Changes made in the Admissions Office this year
are expanding the admissions team’s reach and
effectiveness; already, results have been positive. This
year’s re-enrollment period was highly successful
with the highest re-enrollment response since the
School has been tracking re-enrollment data.
Through the generous support of our School
community and a very enthusiastic and determined
Bursary Fundraising Committee, we held a successful
in-person ‘Blue Skies, Big Hearts Bursary Event’. As
our gift to departing Head of School Sr. Anne Wachter,
RSCJ, the Board initiated a bursary in Sr. Wachter’s
honour and this was publicly announced at the
Bursary fundraiser.
COVID-19 Pandemic
Our community met the challenges associated with
the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board is grateful for the
untiring efforts, energy, and positive ‘can-do’ spirit of
our faculty, staff, and parent volunteers in continuing
our quality program, and to maintain focus on
continuous school improvement.
Accreditations
Sacred Heart School of Halifax is fully accredited and
in good standing with the Network of Sacred Heart
Schools and the Canadian Accredited Independent
Schools (CAIS). Sacred Heart School of Halifax is
accredited to award the Nova Scotia High School
Leaving Certificate.
In Closing
The many successes of this school year are a credit to
faculty and staff members for the gifts and care each
one brings every day to our students and one another
as colleagues. Our Board of Governors would like to
recognize the leadership team for their dedication:
Sr. Anne Wachter, RSCJ, Head of School
Dr. Wallace MacAskill, Principal, Senior School
Jared Griffiths, Principal, Elementary School
Sheryl Penny, Director of Finance and Administration
Brian Lumsden, Director of Facilities and Technology
Miriam Regan, Director of Institutional Advancement &
Alumni Relations
Marie Reyes, Admissions Director
Renée Fournier, Marketing and Communications
Director
Patricia Nichols, Executive Assistant to the Head
of School
We wish Sr. Anne Wachter, RSCJ, all the best and thank
her for serving as our Head of School for 10 years. Over
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