FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR OF ACADEMICS

A thank you to the SHA community and the parents for helping me adjust to the new school. It has been a pleasure getting to know your daughters and I look forward to a bright future for everyone. Included in this message will be some information regarding the required reading list, a new cell phone and electronic devices policy, an explanation of the Business First ranking and some guidelines regarding schedule changes.

The required summer reading list 2007-08 is enclosed and has been sent previously via various means. Please review the expectation for each class and enjoy reading these works. The reading experience is an opportunity to enrich one’s mind and keep it in shape for the opening of school in September, 2007. It will be here before you know it.

Cell phones and other electronic devices and wonderful conveniences of the modern age. However, they are not allowed during the school day at Sacred Heart Academy. All cell phones and any electronic devices (I-pods, MP3 players, cameras, etc) are not to be used or kept on one’s person during the school day (7:56AM to 2:55 PM). If the device is seen, heard or if the student is seen using it (including but not limited to calls and text messaging) during the school day, the following will be the consequences:

 1^st offense-the device will be confiscated for the day and given to Dr. Dempsey. Detention will also be assigned.

2^nd offense-the device will be confiscated and given to Dr. Dempsey for one week or returned to the parents only. Detention will be assigned.

3^rd Offense-the student will be referred to the Student Review Board.

Digital cameras can only be brought to school with a press pass from the yearbook advisor, Mr. Liberti. They are to be used for course purposes.

We recommend that you leave any electronic devices at home or if brought to school, they be left in a locked locker on “Off.” They are too easy to steal and cause a disruption to the educational process. Parents needing to contact or leave important messages for their children may do so through our main office at 834-2101.

Please note, Sacred Heart Academy is not responsible for the condition of the device upon return.

Recently, Business First magazine published its annual rankings of the schools in WNY. They are very upfront in saying that they will not divulge the formula they used to arrive at the rankings because other institutions have questioned them in the past and utilized the other data for their own purposes. This is their prerogative.

Regarding the data itself, high schools were ranked in four core subject areas and the percentage of Regents diplomas for 4 years. The public schools were ranked on data from 2002-03 to 2005-06. From what I could find, the last year of data utilized for the private school rankings was 2003-04 (three years ago). Sacred Heart finished 16^th and in the top ten of the English/Foreign Languages section. Other data regarding SHA’s progress regarding Regents exam results over the past several years can be found in the May issue of TheHeartbeat.

Courses have been selected and schedules will be printed this summer for September 2007. Please note that the scheduling process is not taken lightly and changes will not be easy. Schedule changes will be made for a programmatic reasons only. Programmatic changes include: class misplacement, not being enrolled in enough classes, missing lunch, missing required classes, course failure. A course may be added however at any time. All change requests must be approved by the Director of Academics.

Have a great summer, see you in September and enjoy your family and friends. Be safe.

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