What was so extraordinary about Sacred Heart Academy?

SHA Stamford was a private, independent, Catholic high school for young women.  The Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery founded it in 1922, but the Academy's mission seemed perfectly suited to the "MTV Generation."  We were committed to equipping our students with the knowledge, confidence and determination that would enable them--and motivate them--to change the world for the better.  

SHA was Stamford's only high school for girls, and this was an appealing characteristic for many of our students and their parents.  Single-sex education does not spoil a student's social life, but it does remove from her classroom hours a source of distraction and a potential impediment to personal growth.  Such schools as Fairfield Prep, Fordham Prep, Convent of the Sacred Heart and School of the Holy Child join us in acknowledging the timeless wisdom of separate secondary schooling for boys and girls.  Virtually all of our alumnae are grateful for the opportunity to have attended an all-girls high school, but let's face it: The typical 8th grader has no basis for evaluating the pros and cons of single-sex education, receives plenty of conflicting input from her contemporaries, and needs the counsel of her parents.  Some of our happiest graduates entered SHA saying to their parents, "Okay, but I'm not going to like it!"  or "Don't forget, you said I can transfer after one semester!"  

SHA may have been the most disciplined school in Stamford, but this was not the unexplained, arbitrary and sometimes harsh kind of discipline some parents may remember from their own school days.  We believed the best discipline was obtained when rules and their reasons were understood and evenly applied.  Every SHA student was required to (a) respect the rights of others and (b) be a person on whom others could depend.  Our students knew that the benefits of such discipline greatly outweigh the burden.  It was a valuable lesson in community membership or citizenship.

SHA was Stamford's only independent Catholic high school.  It was funded, not by compulsory taxes or tithing, but by the donations of appreciative friends and graduates, and the tuition payments of parents who believed the investment was warranted, despite the availability of a free, resource-rich, and more convenient education in the public school system, and a less expensive education through the diocesan system.  Petimus Altiora!  [Translated below.]  SHA's students realized early in their high school years that, thanks to the sacrifices of their parents, their teachers, the Academy's benefactors, and the Sisters of St. Joseph, they were given a special opportunity to grow in a peaceful and productive learning environment, with the support of people whose primary career ambition was the happiness and success of their students.

Did non-Catholic students attend SHA?

Yes.  Catholic means universal, not exclusive.  Students did not have their religious affiliations changed by attending SHA, but all of us learned something about religious diversity, the importance of tolerance, and the common bonds that exist among all of God's people.  Like any school dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we worked toward the realization of Peace and Good Will in a world of differences, and that began with a diverse and united school community.

Who taught at Sacred Heart Academy?

Our Faculty and Staff (click for details) were committed to making Sacred Heart Academy the best all-girls learning environment in SW Connecticut.  The faculty consisted of lifetime educators, as well as teachers who changed their lives in order to share with our students a practical brand of knowledge learned in earlier careers.  All of them enjoyed practicing their profession with disciplined students who strove for excellence.  All of them were here because they wanted to equip and inspire our students to make a positive difference in the world. 

How did SHA's size benefit its students?

The final student body consisted of about 120 girls.  SHA capitalized on the opportunities afforded by its size, e.g., to be attentive to the individual, and to create new challenges and opportunities.  We wanted every Academian to learn that she can do anything.  We valued curricular and extra-curricular diversity, and this tended to make the school feel larger than it was. 

What did students think of Sacred Heart Academy?

"I've been so lucky to have experienced this.  These are just the best educators...not only through books, but through lessons on life."
-Lou Tanyu '06 (Tufts University '10)

"SHA is an environment filled with kindness, that encourages girls to be independent, to challenge themselves and still have fun."
- Sabrina Rival '03 (Boston College '07)

What did parents think of Sacred Heart Academy?

"Until our oldest daughter asked us to attend SHA's Open House in 1997, we barely noticed the school.  Now we consider it one of Stamford's most valuable assets.  In addition to the usual functions of a high school, SHA equipped and inspired our girls to be contemporary women who make a difference.  SHA made them stronger, in all the ways that matter, and that was evidenced by their ability to thrive, socially and academically, on a large university campus."
- Sherry Hynes, P '01, '03, '04

What was SHA's motto and what does it mean?

Petimus Altiora means "We seek the higher things."   SHA was committed to an outstanding secular education, coupled with preparation for a moral and ethically responsible life (i.e., our reason for being).  The result could be seen in our alumnae newsletters.  Although fewer graduates entered the religious life during the Academy's later years, more than ever were entering careers involving human services or volunteering their time to help other people.  The newsletter items were merely representative of SHA's graduates, who devote their own lives to making a positive difference in the lives of others. 

So, what happened?

The Academy's formal announcement of its June 2006 closing appears here: Announcement of January 20, 2006. 

Update, June 2006: True to its pledge, the administration continued to focus 100% of its attention on the quality of the 2005-06 school year and the transition of students, faculty and staff.  The effort was successful.  Of course, the Academy received many calls from real estate firms and developers, but all their offers and inquiries were politely referred to the Sisters of St. Joseph in West Hartford, for consideration and discussion after the end of the school year.  The administration continued to offer our former students transition guidance and college selection/application support during the first part of the 2006-07 school year, while the campus at 200 Strawberry Hill Avenue continued to host Stamford Theatre Works and Stepping Stones Pre-School and Pre-K.  More than a thousand daughters and friends of SHA gathered for a final farewell mass, reunion, tour and party on June 17.  Pictures can be viewed on our News page.

Why is the web site still operating when the school is not?

The SHA Community has never been larger than it is today, so its web pages were continued for a couple of years to promote continued communication.  We also hoped telling the story of SHA's demise might increase the vigilance of similar schools.  These are challenging times, and not even 84 years of momentum will carry such a school through its 85th year unless it consistently solicits financial support from every branch of its community.  That involves commitment and sacrifice, but it is much easier to sustain these schools through challenging times than to rebuild them after they close.  SHAstamford.org has had relatively little traffic since the year of the Academy's closing, so we expect to let the site expire at the close of its current service contract in early 2009.