GRANT TO SHA Sacred Heart Academy recently received a $10,000 grant from the San Diego Foundation. This donation was made possible by Matt and Cathy Hervey, parents of John (7th grade), Michael (4th grade), and Sarah (5th grade). The $10,000 was used for the science lab and the play area. We were able to purchase a laptop computer and projector for the science lab. With this high tech equipment, the teachers will be able to present virtual reality science lessons to students at all grade levels. This equipment enables us to move to a much higher level of instruction in our science program. The funds given by the Hervey family also made possible the sunshade covering over the play area. This was a much-needed addition to our newly refurbished play area. A GIANT THANK YOU goes out to the Herveys for their dedication and support of Sacred Heart Academy.

THE BIG EVENT

Finances The final numbers are in for the Big Event. With the subsequent sale of the three live auction items and the transfer of left-over alcohol to the Sock Hop, our final numbers are as follows: Total Income $55,185 Total Expenses $16,380 Net Income $38,805 Big Event Survey Responses A total of 19 people responded to the Big Event survey. Following are the comments and suggestions, which were most frequently reported: o Have the Big Event on a Saturday instead of a Friday. o Do not have the event during Lent. o The decor was beautiful. o The sound system was terrible. Three people thought the cost was too high. Two people suggested that the big event should be a casual "family" event instead of a "fancy adult" event. Six people did not like the food. Most people, however, said they had a great time even when they responded with some degree of criticism. As stated in last month's Heartbeat, the committee has evaluated just how BIG the Big Event must be in order to meet its ever-increasing budget. The committee felt that with three to four family events each year, it would not be unreasonable to have our Big Event be a slightly fancier affair. Also, this was the first year in recent history where SHA families were not required to purchase dinner or raffle tickets for the Big Event. It was decided that next year, we would return to the previously enforced mandatory policy for all SHA families. This means that each family will be required to purchase two tickets to the Big Event (one for single parent families). And to everyone, we sincerely hope that if you are interested in helping with the planning of next year's Big Event that you will contact next year's president, Stacy Turner. Volunteering on the committee or in a subcommittee is in no way exclusive, but is open to everyone who wants to help. No one should feel left out. All of the suggestions will be passed along to next year's chair for consideration. Thank you to everyone who responded.

 

Sports   Tracy and David Sheppard A huge thank you goes to everyone who helped with the Sports Banquet. I would like to especially thank Debbie Carini for helping with the reservations, Beth and Gary Lee for their great organization with the awards and the entire banquet, and Barney Schulze, Kathy Littlefield, and Jean Penney. The clean up was made easy by the many who broke down the tables quickly and swept the floor! Thank you, also to the Masonic Lodge for the use of the hall. It is a wonderful place to hold our gatherings. I also think Upper Crust did a wonderful job of providing the dinner. The pizza was delicious and we especially enjoyed the salad bar and fresh cookies!

ROOM PARENT CORNER Kindergarten Gina Mazeau We have had a wonderful beginning to our SHA experience in kindergarten this year! I would like to thank Margie Ganem and Jeannie Fitzgerald for helping to coordinate all the activities and projects for the year. They made my job easy! I also want to thank all of the kindergarten families for always being willing to donate their time and talents. I really appreciate your help and look forward to spending our years at Sacred Heart with such a wonderful group of families. 1st Grade Stacy Turner Many thanks to all the wonderful moms and dads who have helped make our children's first grade year so wonderful. It does take a village and many more to cover all the fun and exciting events in a first grader's life. Everyone who helped cover park duty to classroom helpers to field trip drivers and chaperones, not to mention hot lunch servers, need to give themselves a hug. Because of the constant and unselfish dedication of all of you parents, you all deserve honorable mention. Thanks to all of you who helped with parties, worked in the classroom, drove on field trips, helped at the park, took so many great pictures, and generally gave our children a year to remember. 2nd Grade Joan Irvine On behalf of the second grade room parents, I would like to recognize the following parents who helped out so much this year. They were always available to lend a hand with whatever was needed and we couldn't have managed without them! Please join us in thanking Barbara Snyder, Don Boone, Katie Maasch, Maryjane Coito, Kathy Gardocki, and Teena King. Thank you 2nd Grade Room Parents. 3rd Grade Margie Ganem We would like to give a giant thank you to all the 3rd grade parents who selflessly helped out this school year! We are very grateful to the many of you who were and are willing to pitch in with only a moment's notice. With your support working in the classroom, bringing supplies and treats, driving on field trips, moving into our wonderful new classroom, helping with the Big Event projects, and having such fantastic children, this was a great year! Your support of SHA and our families is heart warming. A big thank you to our Room Parents Julie Davidson, Patty DiMasi and Chris Ganem. And a very special thank you goes to Patty DiMasi and Sue Wise for giving our children the gift of music. We have an awesome class! 4th Grade Laurie Robinson What a lucky group of kids we have that have parents fighting over ways to help at school. You have been a great group and so enthusiastic. I appreciate all the support you've given me, making my job so easy. A special thank you to Lisa Rehberger and Carla Pekin for all those phone calls made! 5th Grade Kelly Andrade, Linda Roper, and Diana Bartlett This class has, once again, been a pleasure to work with this year. We have such a wonderful class; everyone has been very helpful in many ways. The "homeroom task" of this particular class has always been fun. Thank you for the participation in fieldtrips, hot lunches, baked goods for class parties and, painting the doghouse. A special thank you goes to Lori Kretz and Maryjane Warren, for the final touches on the doghouse. Lastly, thank you to the moms, Barbara Finkelstein, Drusilla Grubb, Tina Padilla, Renee Torpey, and Michelle Kalla, who gave so much of their time helping with the play. We hope everyone has a fun, safe summer. We will see you in sixth grade! God bless. 6th Grade Sue Wise Our first year in middle school and what a year it was! Thank you to all the parents who helped out in so many ways to make this a most memorable year. A special thanks to my two cohorts, Teri Ferguson and Kori Pilney. Thanks to everyone! Have a great summer and see you all next year. 7th Grade Colleen Morse This was a great year to be a room parent, thanks to all of our 7th grade parents! A special thanks goes to Cindy Kenny and Mary Anne Capistrano for their leadership, support, and creativity. Thanks Lori Kretz (and her Aunt Kathy) for producing such an elegant Nativity Scene at the Big Event. It was awesome! To Janice and Steve Teixeira, thank you, thank you for coming through in a pinch every time! Thanks again and have a wonderful summer. 8th Grade Maryjane Coito Thank you to all of the 8th grade parents for the many years of commitment to your children through your countless volunteer hours at Sacred Heart Academy. This year's graduates are a reflection of all the love and guidance shown by you. Thank you. THANK YOU TO OUR SACRED HEART FAMILY Tracy and David Sheppard We can not begin to thank every one who has helped us this year! I would like to share a reading which Kathy and Sara Littlefield read for us early on in our healing process. Each time I read it, I am amazed at how it exemplifies the strength and support which we have felt over these past few months. A Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

SHA PARENT PROFILE Van Thaxton Joe and Shelley Benoit First up this month we have that social-get-about-town couple, Joe and Shelley Benoit (pronounced Ben-Wah). Joe hails from the Talmadge Park area of San Diego where he attended Hoover High School, SDSU (BS in Business), and National University (MBA). Shelley is no slouch either. She grew up in La Mesa, attended Christian High School and received her bachelors and masters degrees in communication from SDSU. Joe and Shelley met while they worked together at the Bank of San Diego, which is now defunct (no one is pointing fingers here). As the legend goes, Joe had Shelley fired so they could date without violating the bank no fraternization policy. Smart move on his part as they have been married for nine years now. Joe and Shelley are the proud parents of two adorable boys. Joey, 7 and in the first grade enjoys baseball, karate, and reading Harry Potter. Jack, 5 and an incoming kindergartner loves baseball and making people laugh, a sport he does exceedingly well. Rounding out the Benoit household is Gumbeaux, a nine-year-old yellow lab, as sweet as pecan pie, named for Joe's Cajun family roots. The Benoit family has been part of the SHA family for two years now. During that time, Shelley has served on the Big Event Live Auction Committee in 2000, she chaired the Big Event Live Auction Committee in 2001 and was the Yearbook Chair in 2001. Joe has been instrumental in obtaining major sponsorships for the Big Event both years and personally donating several big-ticket items for the auctions. When asked what they like most about SHA, Shelley was quick to answer, "Recess and lunch!" Actually, they said they like knowing that their children are in a quality, educational environment and that they enjoy the close-knit family atmosphere. They like the confetti eggs, too! In addition to their involvement at SHA, the Benoits have been supporting a number of community and philanthropic organizations through their volunteerism and contributions. Shelley is a member of the Thursday Club Junior Board and is a Parent Representative of the Point Loma Preschool Committee. Joe is on the Board of the Old Globe and the Corporate YMCA, and is a Y-Indian Guide Member and a Coach with the Point Loma Little League. What Joe and Shelley enjoy most, though, is spending time with family and friends. They are also Chargers, Padres, and Aztecs fans. As far as favorites, they say this about their favorite movie, "Pokemon 2000 was very under-rated! Same goes for Dude&emdash;Where's My Car?" A favorite food is Chicken Andouille (sausage) Gumbo (hence the Cajun roots), a favorite book is Harry Potter and favorite ice cream is Dreyers Dulce de Leche. Shelley closes by saying, "Laissez les bon temps rouler!" which I think translates to "The lazy bums rule!" Diana Bartlett Next up we have a newcomer to our city and school. Diana Bartlett and her family recently became San Diegans after moving from Sacramento and commuting from Huntington Beach to San Diego every day for several months. Diana did not wait long to jump in and get involved in Sacred Heart Academy. During this first year, she has been the assistant 5th grade room mom and took over the hot lunch program. She also plans to be the "Hot Lunch Lady" next year, complete with starched blouse and hair net (not really). What Diana likes most about SHA are the warm families and the great learning environment. Diana is married to a clever Brit named Andrew Bartlett. Andrew grew up in Reigate, England and attended the Royal Agricultural College and then California Polytechnic University. Diana grew up in Whittier, California and attended Long Beach State University. They met at an Earth Day Celebration in Davis, California in 1983 when they were both in college. Just a few years later, they were married in his home country of England. The Bartletts are the proud parents (and rightfully so) of Harrison, 10 and in the 5th grade and Carlton, almost 9 and in the 3rd grade. Harrison likes soccer and bike riding and Carlton enjoys swimming. According to their mother, the boys also enjoy eating a great deal.   When asked about her other career or volunteer work, Diana stated that her official title is "Domestic Goddess." In addition, she is a certified reflexologist and a registered medical assistant. When she is not serving up hot lunch at school or finding just the right pressure points on someone's foot, Diana likes to walk, bike ride, go to the beach with her family, and cook. She also makes aromatherapy items in her spare time. Her favorite movies are Young Frankenstein, Bridget Jones' Diary, and Hook. Her favorite ice cream is Peanut Butter and Chocolate from 31 Flavors and her favorite food is salmon brownies. No wait, that is salmon and brownies. The last book she read is The House of Sand and Fog by Andrew Dubus III. In closing, Diana said, "We are just so very happy to be part of the Sacred Heart Academy family and we love San Diego."   Bernadette Ognibene Finally this year, we have a very special parent profile. Recently, Mr. Hamm called me into his office and handed me a piece of paper with a name scratched on it. He said, "I want you to profile this woman in our next Heartbeat. She has been a very important person at Sacred Heart Academy for many years and her youngest child is about to graduate." So, not being one to argue, I did. Bernadette Ognibene has been at Sacred Heart Academy for 13 years. Her oldest daughter, Lauren, is 17 and a senior at University of San Diego High School. Her youngest daughter, Victoria, is 13 and an 8th grader at SHA. She tells us, "I've got two children graduating the same year. I really don't recommend it." During her years as a SHA mom, she has been Ways and Means Chair, PTG President, on the Principal's Advisory Commission and held numerous other fundraising and helpful positions at school. Being much too modest to enumerate her many contributions, Bernadette prefers to reflect on her years at our school.   "When my oldest daughter started as a Kindergartner at Sacred Heart Academy, the school was much smaller. It was so small that every year at the last PTG General Meeting, the parents would ask Msgr. Rhatigan if he could assure them that the school would remain open long enough for their child to graduate from 8th grade. We have come a long way since then. The success of the school can be attributed to many things, including the dedication of the faculty and staff, the core knowledge program, and the constant desire of everyone involved to continually improve the school. There is one more very important factor, parent involvement. So many major improvements in the school over the years are the result of the hard work of moms and dads who volunteer their time for one simple reason, their child's elementary school experience. I am very grateful to have shared in that experience and wish all of you will have that experience as well. Enjoy every moment of your child's growing years, because what they say is true, it goes by way too fast!" Bernadette is a seasoned Human Resources professional. Currently, she is the Human Resources Manager for Paradise Point Resort and Spa. We wish you and your girls well, Bernadette, and thank you for your many contributions.