Dear Sacred Heart Community,

I have the wonderful privilege, every morning, of praying with our students and teachers. Every morning, we begin our day by praying Morning Prayer from the Divine Office. As Ms. Zigadlo, our ninth- and tenth-grade Humanities teacher, beautifully pointed out to our students one week, this is the universal prayer of the Church — a prayer that saints have prayed for hundreds of years and that is offered throughout the day, throughout the year, throughout the world. I am blessed to begin my day with our students and teachers as we join in that universal prayer.

I also had the privilege, during the first week of school, of leading a Socratic seminar with our ninth- and tenth-grade Humanities students and seeing how deeply they discussed the truths found in several classic poems and psalms from the Bible.

These past five weeks, I have had the privilege of witnessing our ninth- and tenth-grade students learn mathematics not as a series of formulas and steps, but as a language all its own — and, as some have rightly pointed out, the language of the universe.

These past five weeks, I have had the privilege of speaking to our students in Latin and hearing them respond to me in Latin. I have also had the privilege of praying with them in the sacred language of Latin.

These past five weeks, I have had the privilege of listening to our students chant and sing beautiful hymns and prayers.

These past five weeks, I have had the privilege of watching our students tackle the core-strengthening challenges of our demanding P.E. program, begin creating beautiful artwork, and engage in discussions of classic texts in Humanities and Natural Philosophy with both Dr. Zvengrowski, our eleventh-grade Humanities, Art, and P.E. teacher, and Mr. Wilson, our Mathematics and Natural Philosophy teacher.

These past five weeks, I have had the privilege of watching students practice their public-speaking skills, project their voices across a room, create and act out their own dramatic and comedic commercials, tell stories from their lives, and proclaim the Word of God.

These past five weeks, I have had the privilege of watching students spend their recreation time well — competing in games of pool, teaching one another Latin, and carrying on high-level discussions in a J.R.R. Tolkien Club.

We have completed our first five weeks — an accomplishment in and of itself — and a wonderful journey still lies before us. Our teachers and I, and hopefully our students as well, are eager for all that is to come. To those who have supported us through prayers and financial support, I offer my sincere gratitude. Thank you for partnering with us for this beautiful mission.

Dr. Jonathan Day
HEADMASTER

We began school on Monday, August 17. Our students meet every day for Humanities, which is taught in a double block, as well as Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Latin. We meet twice each week for Art History and Art Studio and for P.E. and Gymnasium, and three times each week for Music. We also have one block each week devoted to public speaking, writing skills, or, on occasion, a guest speaker.

We begin each day with Morning Prayer before the first class and are blessed to attend daily Mass twice each week. We pray the Angelus before meals, a prayer after meals, and conclude each school day with the Magnificat.

We have also incorporated a daily fifteen-minute period of Refectum in the middle of the day. On Mondays, we practice a short period of Lectio Divina. On Tuesdays, we pray the Rosary together. On Wednesdays, we offer intercessory prayers followed by silent prayer. On Thursdays and Fridays, the entire school spends this time in silent prayer before Mass.

We are delighted to welcome our newest hire, Ms. Sarah Wilcox, who will be leading our Music Program.

Ms. Wilcox is a music educator, choral director, vocalist, pianist, composer, and arranger with more than a decade of experience in music education and performance. She earned her Bachelor of Music with a concentration in voice from James Madison University and holds Kodály Level I and II certification.

She has taught classroom music, piano, voice, choral music, and musical theatre in both school and private settings. Her leadership experience includes directing choral programs at Ambleside School and Oakcrest School, serving as a section leader and soprano at St. Philip Catholic Church, and directing the Resurrection Women’s Choir. She has also maintained a private piano and vocal studio since 2016.

Welcome, Ms. Wilcox!

•  AUGUST 18
Mrs. Jody McHugh
Our first honored guest speaker this year was Mrs. Jody McHugh, one of our Board Directors, who taught our students the importance of a good prayer life before choosing to serve as a lector. Our students then practiced proclaiming the Word of God in front of one another. Thank you, Mrs. McHugh!

•  SEPTEMBER 11
Mr. Kris Aspen
We were blessed to welcome Mr. Kris Aspen for our memorial of the twenty-fifth anniversary of September 11. Mr. Aspen served as a Marine officer for twenty years and as a firefighter for ten and a half years, and he assisted in the rescue mission at the Pentagon for four days following the attacks. His testimony helped our students, parents, and teachers commemorate this event and never forget.

Each issue this year, we will take up one principle of the Front Royal Statement, the document that sets out our educational vision. We begin with the first.

— Read the full Front Royal Statement

•  SEPTEMBER 23
Blessing of the School
Father Matthias visited the school and blessed the entire facility, along with our teachers, students, and parents.

•  SEPTEMBER 27  •  2:00–4:00 PM
Life Walk
Gypsy Hill Park Golf Pavilion, Staunton. Join pro-life Virginians from Staunton, Augusta County, Waynesboro, and across the Shenandoah Valley for the area’s first Life Walk. This free public event will gather the community in support of the dignity and protection of human life.

•  SEPTEMBER 29
Feast of the Archangels — Our First Celebration
In honor of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. The students, faculty, and parents will enjoy a full day of celebration with games and feasting.

•  OCTOBER 3–11
Our First Long Rest
Fall Break. Classes resume Monday, October 12.

•  OCTOBER 21
Shadow Day
Current eighth-grade students are welcome to attend up to a full day at Sacred Heart of Jesus Classical Academy and experience what it is like to be a high school student. To register, visit our website and fill out the “Request More Information” form.

Sacred Heart exists because families, friends, and benefactors have chosen to invest in the formation of young hearts and minds. There are three ways you can walk with us as our first quarter unfolds:

•  Pray — Remember our students, families, faculty, and Board in your daily prayers, especially as we settle into the rhythm of the school year.

•  Give — Every gift, of any size, directly supports the education of our students and the growth of our mission.

•  Share — Tell a family who might be looking for a classical, Catholic education. A personal invitation is our most effective form of outreach.

We would love to hear from you, and we invite you to follow along as the year unfolds.

•  Website — sacredheartstaunton.org

•  Facebook — Follow Sacred Heart of Jesus Classical Academy

•  Email — info@sacredheartstaunton.org

•  Mail — 118 N New Street, Staunton, Virginia 24401