Heartbeat

BIRTHDAY BOOK CLUB Joan Irvine We are pleased to announce our newest Birthday Book Club members: Joshua G., Kindergarten, Curious George Goes to the Hospital Garret R., Grade 2, Skeleton Alexandra R., Grade 4, The Book of Natural History Middle School Book Club, Grade 8: Erin C., Shakespeare Stories I & II, The Count of Monte Cristo Andrew D., The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds Thank you for these wonderful additions to our library. Join the Birthday Book Club soon.     THANK YOU Dear Sacred Heart Academy Families: Six months ago, many people were lost in the Pentagon Attack, but among the survivors was Lt. Kevin Shaeffer. Yesterday he was interviewed on CNN. He is home now, after many months of surgeries and rehabilitation. He is still on the road to recovery and hopes to help with Homeland Defense someday. Your cards and letters to him really made a difference for him. He was encouraged by the outpouring of moral support from across the Nation. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! SAVE THE DATE Stacy Turner The SHA Athletic Banquet will be held on Friday, May 15, 2002, at the Masonic Temple on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. The banquet is to recognize all SHA athletes in all sports and divisions. Watch for further information and reservation forms. STAR SEARCH SHA Linda Small Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 1st for our last Family Fun Night of the year! There will be DJ music, our ever-so-popular confetti eggs and the delicious cake walk. We are also looking for some SHA students to showcase their talents. If you are interested in participating in a talent segment, please call Susie Merrill or Linda Small. These are just some of the fun things planned for the evening. We hope to see you all there! COACHES NEEDED Mary Jane Warren Coaches are desperately needed for girls basketball for all grades. Any person interested in coaching girls basketball, please contact Mary Jane Warren at 223-2263. PARENTS NEEDED Van Thaxton As next year's PTG president, I am in the process of filling a slate of officers and directors for next year's PTG Board. Many of the positions have been filled and there are just a few jobs left. I am so grateful to the many parents who said, "Yes!" when asked to serve on next year's board. Your enthusiasm and dedication help to make SHA the special school that it is. Thank you to each and every one of you. Next year will be fun and productive. One major position, yet to be filled, is the Big Event Chair. If you are interested in this or any other PTG position, please contact Van Thaxton at 222-5604.     THINK OF THE ONES ON THE RIGHT An Award Winning Poem by Sara L., 6th Grade Do you see the hands? These beautiful hands? The ones on the left would need a ref The ones on the right were made in spite Of the ones on the left that would need a ref When you look at these hands what do you see? With the ones on the left I see love They have a ridged outline but have a gentle touch They have healed a wound Stroked a sleeping child The ones on the left are not a theft; they are a picture of love Well with the ones on the right, they haven't once experienced any of these natural highs They have not loved the unloved Given to the needy Or prayed for the helpless The ones on the right have a bite of misery by their side Someone once said, "A life without love is no life at all" So when you look at these hands Don't pray for the ones on the left Think of the ones on the right   A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY By Jay A. Davis We, similar to our plant life, hold: our roots of origin, the stem of life, the flower of our love, and produce the seed of our affections. May they grow, blossom, and expound, with a beauty like no other before them. NEW POLICY Van Thaxton It is now the policy of Sacred Heart Academy and the Heartbeat not to identify students' last names in the Heartbeat in order to protect their privacy.

CLASS PROFILE&emdash;MR. SHERRILL'S SIXTH GRADE CLASS This month, we are pleased to present Mr. Sherrill's sixth grade class, who completed the following sentence, "In 20 years, I will remember my 6th grade year at SHA because … " "I met a lot of people. I met Nathan and Sean. They are really cool. I also went to 6th grade camp. Also, that 6th grade was mostly boring. That is what I will remember most about sixth grade." David "It was a boring year. Next year I hope it will be better. The teachers are okay. The best part of this year is my friends. This year is okay. The way I would rate this year would be a "4". I would rate the friends a '10.' " Alec "It is my first year upstairs and my first year with lockers. And it is also my first year with three great teachers. So that is what I will remember in 20 years." Esther "I have a lot of homework. I also will remember sixth grade because my class was beginning the clicks and the popularity started. I will remember my three Junior High teachers, Mr. Sherrill, Mrs. Valenti, and Mrs. Nemer. I really learned a lot in sixth grade but I thought they should have cut down the homework." Thomas "It was the first year I attended SHA. My year here is such a difference from my other school. The atmosphere is not so bad. I have some really cool friends. Also, I really like some of the fun assignments we got this past year." anon "It was the year that I had the most homework I had ever had. Every day, practically, we had a big paper due. That is what I will remember in 20 years." Macy "We went to 6th grade camp. This allows you to meet other students from other schools. You can learn things from different students. This is why I will always remember my 6th grade year." Harrison "The year had many good times, bad times, funny times, and ugly times. There are so many seasons of mayhem, happiness, madness and goofiness that happened in the 6th grade. The thing I pay attention to the most is fun. Sixth grade camp was very fun. Everyone in the class loved sixth grade camp. The things I will miss the most are the field trips." Jonathan "I was inspired for many things. The most important inspiration was the inspiration of writing. Just recently I wrote a poem which was picked as a semifinalist and was chosen to be in the book, New Millennium Poets (see below). I also decided to start painting. I gave one [of my paintings] to someone who then decided to frame it and put it in her house. That is how I will remember my 6th grade year 20 years from now." Sara "I had many ups and downs. The homework is tougher and the classes are larger, not to mention the teachers are stricter and the detentions keep on coming. Who could forget locker keys, just another responsibility? I will remember sixth grade camp, too. I will also remember it as my first year of Junior High School. This is my first year of middle school. I hope you have enjoyed reading about this year as much as I have enjoyed living it." Felicia " I went to 6th grade camp. It was wonderful. I had a great time. I took lots of pictures. The food was excellent, we got to have chocolate milk on the last day." Brandon " I got lectured more than any other year. In fact, I am being lectured right now! I had a lot of homework, strict teachers and sixth grade camp, but it was a fun year." David "It all started when we were on the bus (on the last day of sixth grade camp). I was asking the bus driver a question when all of a sudden Mr. Sherrill whipped out a detention. Next thing you know, I'm sitting in detention." Chris "It was my first year at this school and everyone is so nice." Allie "It was so hard. The teachers gave us pounds of homework and the teachers didn't even know what they gave out. It was all very confusing, probably the most confusing year of my life. This year was also memorable because it is the first year I ever got lockers, even though we never have enough time to go in them. If we have been at our lockers too long then we get a detention. This school loves giving out detentions. There are way too many rules at this school. So that is why I will always remember my 6th grade year at SHA." Manny "There were a hundred ways to get a detention. The homework was outrageous. That is what I will remember." Antoni "I was accepted at every corner or peak of the way. Mrs. Valenti, Mrs. Nemer and Mr. Sherrill all worked together to make the year hard and challenging. Plus, this has been the only year that the hot lunch has been good!" Matthew "I really liked the teachers and Mr. Hamm. I also will remember it for all the homework we have and all the nice kids here at SHA. Also, I will remember 6th grade camp. That is how I will remember my 6th grade year at SHA." Brittney "We went to 6th grade camp. I will remember the fun times I had hiking and talking with my new friends. I wish we could have stayed longer." Anthony "There were many memorable experiences. 9/11 happened when we were in sixth grade camp. Sixth grade camp is a good memory. I got to spend a week without television, the Internet and any other electricity besides lights." Tristan "Sixth grade camp, all the homework and the teachers." Ryan "It was my hardest year as far as homework. In fifth grade, we didn't have as much homework as we do now. I just wasn't ready for it. Anyway, homework is getting harder, but I am getting used to it. This is how I will remember my 6th grade year at SHA." Kevin "It was so hard. Maybe it was that I wasn't ready. There was a lot of homework and all the people who didn't usually get in trouble did. The teachers gave out a lot of detentions. One thing that I did like was sixth grade camp. That is what I will remember." Jack S. "We had to switch classes and keep our books in our lockers. Mostly, it was the same as every year&emdash;boring." Stephanie "We went to 6th grade camp. It brought us closer together because sometimes it was boring and we had to do anything for fun. I will also remember September 11." Jack G. "I had a lot of fun. When we went to sixth grade camp, we went on hikes and we all got to know other people. But the most important thing to me was the inspiration I got in the sixth grade. I got a lot of inspiration from my teachers, but the most was from my mom and dad. Everybody helped me do my best. The one thing I will remember the most is all the homework we had. We had about 4 to 5 hours of homework each night. So those are the things I will remember." Kristine "I will remember 9/11. I'll be telling my kids about the war on terrorism. Also, I'll remember my mom working here, which is really fun. That's what I'll remember 20 years from now." Gabrielle   8TH GRADE PROFILES Van Thaxton Jess D. First up this month is Jess, a future F.B.I agent/law enforcement/forensics officer and a true outdoorsman. Jess was born at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego thirteen years ago. His younger sister, Jena, who is twelve, is in the 7th grade at Sacred Heart Academy. Both Jess and his sister have been at SHA since kindergarten. What Jess likes most about SHA is how the class is like a family. His fondest memory of SHA was "a jelly-roll hug with Mrs. Mac in the 6th grade." When asked what he will NOT miss about SHA, he answered in true legal fashion, "I plead the fifth!" After leaving SHA, Jess will attend Point Loma High School and then more than likely, head off to the Police Academy. But before all that, Jess and his family plan to enjoy a relaxing Spring Break right here in Sunny San Diego. Jess hopes to spend time with friends and go trap shooting. Jess loves to go camping and hiking and he also enjoys building R/C models. His favorite subject is science and his favorite sports are competitive trap shooting and scuba diving. To satisfy his appetite, he prefers Chinese or Mexican food and Pepsi. His favorite movies are Star Wars 4, 5 and 6 and Pearl Harbor, and Because of Romek was his favorite book. A trip to Florida and the Bahamas was his favorite vacation. And as far as music, Jess likes anything except Rap. (I hear he has quite a Polka collection). When asked what advice he will give HIS kids when they are in the 8th grade, this is what he said, "Make sure you do all your homework!" Good advice, Jess, and coming from a law enforcement officer, I bet they'll listen! Good luck. Kyle D. Next we have an eighth grader with interests that range from A to Z. Kyle, more affectionately known as Wylie Coyote, Hollywood and Flyboy, hopes to pursue a career in acting or zoology, or perhaps both if he can negotiate a movie deal starring in Flipper II. Flyboy was born in San Diego about 13 years ago. He is the younger brother of Brian, a 20-year old SHA alum and Uni grad who is now in pre-pharmacy school at University of Pacific. Hollywood has been at SHA since his kindergarten year. Next year he plans to attend Point Loma High School and go on to SDSU or UCLA to play football. What he will miss most about SHA will be his friends who do not attend Point Loma High with him. What he will NOT miss, he says, are the hot lunches, "except for the chicken strips!" Wylie Coyote likes to play sports, ride his bike, fish and play with his dog, Carly. This summer he plans to go to the beach, surf and fish as much as possible and Spring Break will find him going to Lake Cuyamaca with his dad, grandpa, Uncle Randy and his cousins Trevor and Curtis. Of course, his dog Carly will be there too. Flyboy's favorite subject is science and his favorite sport is football. He likes spicy chicken sandwiches from Jack in the Box and Pepsi. His favorite movie was Braveheart and his favorite book was Harry Potter IV. For music, Hollywood prefers alternative rock to conventional rock and his favorite vacation was one to Cabo San Lucas three years ago. Many years from now, when Mr. Coyote is the father of his own 8th grade boy, "Roadrunner," this is the advice he will give his son, "Study hard and stay out of trouble." And be sure to tell him not to stand under hanging anvils.