Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 26-Feb. 1

Sacred Heart Catholic School in Monticello will celebrate National Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 26 through Feb. 1. 

The theme of CSW is “Catholic Schools Raise the Standards.” According to Sacred Heart Principal Laura Herbers, Sacred Heart “not only raises the standards academically, but also strives to develop character and well-rounded, involved individuals with a commitment to community and service to others.” 

The logo for CSW honors the concepts of learning, serving, leading, and succeeding. Sacred Heart prides itself on taking on many service projects, benefiting the Monticello community. To name a few: food drives for the food pantry, birthday boxes for the food pantry, cards for veterans, cleaning at Riverside Gardens, and making centerpieces for Sacred Heart Church’s parish dinners. Even the 3-year-old preschool class serves the community by donating items for the Animal Welfare Friends shelter. 

Another way the students serve and lead is through the school’s Buddy Program. Older students are paired with younger students to help the younger ones throughout the school year. 

It’s not just the students who show such leadership and service, but their families play an active role in various school and church functions. 

Herbers is in her second school year at Sacred Heart, and she’s so astonished at the level of community and parish support when it comes to the school and the students’ educational experiences. 

“The outreach amazes me,” she praised. “It’s evident how much they truly value what we do here at Sacred Heart. 

“We look to instill faith within the students and uphold a high level of academic achievement.” 

One way in which the school promotes positive experiences and behaviors is through the new PEP program, or “Positive Eagle Pride.” 

“It’s about working together so our school community is all on the same page when it comes to expectations for our students,” explained Herbers. 

The students are rewarded for going above and beyond the school’s positive expectations. Those rewards are in the form of PEP dollars. At the end of each month, those can be turned in for incentives. And then at the end of each semester, the school has a large PEP celebration. 

“It’s all about focusing on positive behavior,” reiterated Herbers. 

Sacred Heart prides itself on its faith-fill curriculum. Each grade level, K-6, has a religion class built into its classroom lessons every week. Herbers said it’s all about instilling the moral values of the church. 

“We live every day with kindness and care for one another,” she said. “It’s the idea of loving your neighbor.” 

Every Thursday, the school attends daily Mass together as one. The difference compared to weekend Mass is that the students fulfill the leadership roles during the service. 

“Faith and religion teach kindness and caring,” continued Herbers. 

That in mind, Sacred Heart School is not just for the Catholic families in the community, but it’s open and inviting for all faiths. 

“A number of non- Catholic families attend here because of our moral values,” reiterated Herbers. “We prepare the students for life beyond our walls.” 

Parents choose a Catholic school for the following reasons: superior academic achievement, a secure and disciplined environment, and a total education that includes growth in religious awareness and an appreciation of morals and values. 

Sacred Heart’s enrollment is 135 from 3-year-old preschool through sixth grade. Enrollment for K-6 is 84.