The Sacred Beat - Fall Issue 2022, Volume 7

THE SACRED BEAT

Sacred Heart's Quarterly Pulse

Our country chose a middle way of individual amnesty for truth

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

This man knows something about healing. That the heart must be torn open again in front of compassionate witnesses That the accused must also step up and reveal themself. That no matter how high pitched the shrieks, how barren the voice, everything must be heard, everything must be held, in the same room.

INTERVIEW WITH

Mr.DiLallo

By: Sydney Macdonald

You may have seen him roaming the halls telling you to get in uniform or get to class with his ever present energy and constant charisma! Mr. DiLallo is our new principal here at Sacred Heart and luckily, he was gracious enough to sit down and answer a few questions about himself and his new position as principal.

What’s your favourite part of the job?

What inspired you to go into the field of education and how did that translate to becoming a principal?

I’ve always loved working with young people meaning from the time that I was able to work, everything that I did was around helping out younger kids. The idea was I loved providing support and opportunities for young kids so it just made sense to transition into education. To be honest with you, I didn't think I was going to be a principal. When I first started teaching I always convinced myself it was the right place. But then as time went on I recognized that one of the things I really loved about what I did was finding things outside of the classroom that would help kids. It was how I was able to support their development and that’s where I really started to get involved in committees. I’m a big nerd when it comes to equity. I just think that as a white dude that I can use my privilege and experience to help others if I could. So I just really got involved in a lot of opportunities within School Board that focused on leadership and it piqued my interest and I thought to myself “I kinda like the idea of reaching outside the classroom working with kids on a larger level like a school level or system level” and that's when I knew I wanted to pursue where I am today. And I don’t plan on stopping here!

I enjoy challenging the stereotype of a principal. I think most people view a principal as a mean old person that just cares about making sure you follow the rules and gets you in trouble. Obviously, there is a part of the job that is about maintaining expectations, but I'm a person who legitimately cares. I enjoy being visible. I enjoy being just like everybody else, being a part of this big thing that we're all doing, and getting to truly know people. Now that’s hard because in my head the perfect day would be talking to every single person in the building and that's never going to happen obviously, but I do enjoy at least the thought of being able to do that.

Who has been an inspiration to you in your educational journey?

There are lots of people and I am a firm believer in no matter what you do you are gonna have people that are your mentors and I've had a lot of them. A lot of them are current or former principals that I’ve worked with. Family members, in terms of overall comportment or the way you interact with others I think a lot of that comes from like my relationship with my uncles. It’s very respectful regardless of the age difference, so I think that sort of helps define my perspective on dealing with young people. I pick and choose certain things from people that I work with or in the past that have helped define how I would like to do things.

What motivates you to come to Sacred and to be the best principal you can be?

They’re are two things that come to mind. One is “nothing is worth doing if it doesn't produce fruit” meaning I am motivated to do real things. I think it's very easy sometimes to just check boxes and to do things because you're supposed to do it but I think people realize that there's a legitimacy to the things that we are doing. If people understand that there's legitimacy behind things, it just makes the experience better. So I enjoy looking forward to doing that everyday no matter what we do, meaning everything I do has intention. I enjoy being real and passionate about things and doing them with intention so when I make an announcement, when I walk the halls, when I talk to people, they are all intentional. I do say things because they mean something. I don't look at this as a job which can make things harder, but I enjoy it. The second thing is I like making a difference or at least understanding that there is an opportunity to make a difference which I found was lacking as a classroom teacher. I feel as a principal some of the most pressing situations come to my attention and when we can help someone be better or do better I enjoy that and that motivates me. I don't wake up in the morning wanting to suspend kids. In fact, the thing about my job that I hate the most is talking to kids about their uniform. I know kids aren’t doing things like not wearing the uniform properly because they are internally wanting to get in trouble, but it should be noted that I hate having to deal with things like that.

What do you wish for the students of Sacred Heart for the coming school year?

I think it's a cop out or it’s lazy if we suggest that this year is okay so let's just discount everything we've been through. I would probably wish for the same things I have always wished for and that is just be genuine and being genuine is going to encompass all of those things I just mentioned. So if you're genuine, enjoy the fact that things have gone back to normal. I want people to not make excuses, I really want people to not make excuses for why things happen. I want us to define what it means when we say “We are sacred”. I want us, as a school community, not because someone tells us, to define what it means to be a part of the school, to live out that experience. Then, I want students to get involved. I want students to take advantage and take risks. To explore opportunities that are out there. All of that is going to allow you to have that experience to figure out what you like.

What are some of your hobbies and interests?

Not a lot of people know this, but I used to play guitar. I was in a band and recorded an album, so I love playing the guitar. I've got two kids and a dog. I’m a huge Star Wars fan only because it’s a function of the era I grew up in. One of my favourite things to do is to read at church. I love being a lector at church; I love being able to say the word of God in front of everybody. It just means something to me.

Make sure you write that students who like other teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, that they will be suspended upon first contact.

BACK TO BACK TO SCHOOL SCHOOL

BY: ALLISON KALIST

Welcome back to school, Sacred!

After two years of modified schedules for returning to school, we’re finally up and running back to normal. This year has started off with a bang with all clubs, councils, and sports teams starting up right at the beginning of the year. Sports such as girls basketball, boys volleyball, boys soccer, cross country, tennis, golf, and rugby have started up and are running with very active members and players. Students have been eager to get back into the school spirit and unfortunately, more than half the school has never experienced what this school spirit is.

With the help of all the clubs, councils, and sports teams, there are many opportunities for students to get involved and participate around the school. Stay on the lookout for any upcoming games, tryouts, events, concerts, meetings, etc. that you can be involved in!

Classof2026

ROOKIEDANCE

By Olivia Stone

Rookie Dance is Sacred Heart’ s way of welcoming the new Grade 9 students into our school community. On the evening of Thursday, October 20th, Grade 9 students gathered in the cafeteria for a night of dancing and socializing. Each student was provided with a white shirt which they got their fellow peers to sign. Students were dancing, singing, and having a great time with friends new and old. Thank you to Student Council for organizing this event, Teachers, Staff, and Administration for their support, and to the Class of 2026, welcome to the Sacred Heart Family!

wards Night

October 12 2022

Awards night was held on October 12. We had over 400 award recipients in Grades 10, 11 and 12 who were recognized. Awards night was a very special event for Sacred Heart, considering it was the first awards ceremony to take place after 3 years of not having one. Sacred Heart is so proud of all its students. Keep reaching for the stars!

By Nina Adout

LIBRARY PROJECT TheCanadian

On a beautiful fall afternoon in September, a group of Sacred senior students strolled down Fairy Lake on Main Street before walking over to the Newmarket Public Library to participate in the unveiling of a new art installation created by The Canadian Library Project (TCL) The project, founded by Shanta Sundarason, aims to bring awareness and put faces and names to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls In order to remember and honour the lives tragically lost, the Newmarket Public Library is hosting a display of books wrapped in Indigenous fabrics and labelled with the names of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls There are tablets placed nearby which can then be used to look up the names and stories of these victims If you happen to be taking a walk down Newmarket's Main Street, you should take a moment to stop into the library and have a look

TERRY FOX Walk

September 29th was our school-wide Terry Fox Walk, and the very first one since covid! Nearly every student and staff member in our school went out and walked over 2km for cancer research; there is no doubt it was a fantastic show of school spirit and a great way to kick off more in-person events this school year!

The week before the walk, students had the opportunity to donate either online or at the donation table, raising almost $800! As well, individuals were encouraged to write the name of who they were running for on a maple leaf that would later be put up around the school. On the day of the walk, classes made their way outside for second period, where they were rallied and readied for the exciting if not a bit chilly walk ahead of them.

By Eli Moroney

The students who signed up to run, left first for their 5km route, led by Ms. Sikorski. Soon after, the rest of the school followed, with students from the leadership class waiting at energizing stations with music and prizes for participants. To top off a day of charitable giving, students received a free pizza lunch before going back to class. I would especially like to note all the hard work by the staff and students who made this day possible. Let's hope for more school events like this in the future!

CLUB FAIR

By Olivia Stone

If the plenty of announcements each morning detailing club meetings, sports games, and council events didn’t tip you off, Sacred Heart is back! Over the past couple years, manyclubsandcouncilshavenotbeen able to operate to their full extent which is why many students were excitedly anticipating the arrival of ClubFair.

Club Fair is a longstanding tradition here at Sacred Heart. During Club Fair, school spirit is at its peak. As you look around at the many students celebrating and sharing their interests, you can see the pulse that keeps SacredHeartbeatingstrong.

On September 29, as students made their way to the cafeteria, it was impossible to miss the booths lining both sides of the great hall. Each club hoped to stand out from the rest, some tactics of this included colourful signs, live music, candy, videos and more.

Everywhere you looked there was someone trying to talk to you, ask you questions,orgiveyousomethinginhopes that you might join their club. At Sacred Heart, there is something here for everyone: Coding Club, Best Buddies, GamesClub,ArtsCouncil,AthleticCouncil and more! You name it and we ' ve probably got it! Student involvement is essential in our community. Joining a club or council helps bring likeminded students together and it's one of the easiestwaysforstudentstomakefriends

Club Fair is a true testament to the students and staff, whose hard work and efforts help fuel our school community! So keep getting involved and show us howyouareSacred!

AP DAY

By: Allison Kalist & Olivia Stone

The grade 9 iRAP students had a warm and eventful introduction to our arts program with the iRAP Welcome Day. Grade 10, 11, and 12 iRAP students and teachers held a half day event for the newcomers that involved art based games for them to enjoy. All of the students were split into groups and sent to different stations that were each centered around a different art discipline including dance, visual arts, singing, minute to win it, and a group project that was created to help the students meet and get to know each other. At the end of the event, all of the students participated in a spontaneous YMCA and cha cha slide dance, and were then each given a caf cookie to celebrate the fun day. Thank you to all the incredible staff and students who helped make this such a fun and welcoming event for our grade nines!

AP Math Trip

By Olivia Gioe

On October 18, 2022, the senior AP Math students spent the evening at The Fields Institute at the University of Toronto St. George campus in downtown Toronto. The evening consisted of a Q & A with Fields Medalist, Akshay Venkatesh, and a chance to network with other Mathematicians.

Students engaged in meaningful discussions following the session which focused on a range of topics in mathematics education, research, and post secondary opportunities.

We look forward to more collaboration with The Fields Institute, and other exciting opportunities to experience math outside of a classroom!

Halloween at Sacred was spooktacular! There were many activities like a pumpkin decorating contest, best costume Contest, an escape room and a haunted house. this was set up by mrs. brennan's grade 12 leadership class and sacred's student council. Go Sacred!!

NEW CLUB!

FILM APPRECIATION CLUB

By:EmmaGrande

Whether it be a comedy, romance, drama, or an action-packed thriller, the appreciation of film is important to human perspective. The same story can be told over and over in different forms and still impact people in ways one can only imagine. Film has the ability to capture our imagination, teach us lessons, contribute a fresh perspective, or open our eyes to a world we ' ve never heard of.

Fellow peers at Sacred Heart share these beliefs and recognize the importance of coming together and appreciating a film. Gabrielle Tabisaura, Fatima Nemil, and Allyson Mejia Leiva, with the help of Mr. Caruso, have chosen to create an environment where people can come together, feel safe, be surrounded by friends, and watch a movie. The Film Appreciation Club gathers one Thursday a month and members connect with one another and have a chance to relax. School can be grueling but having a moment to breathe, a moment to be surrounded by people after school, enjoy a film, discuss and socialize can be just the thing students need.

The club had its first meeting on Thursday, October 20th, and the turnout was great! The movie presented was previously decided on by a form filled out in the Google Classroom. The peer input and collective decision making were crucial so that all those who attended were satisfied, heard, and validated.

Will we see you at the next meeting?

Green GreenAcres Acres

By Julia Cameli and Isabella Rania

The Grade 9 Green Acres trip was a fun way to kick off the school year. Students were able to build new friendships and feel more comfortable around one another

All of the games and activities revolved around team building There were low ropes courses, writing the alphabet with ropes, relay races, and much more! The leaders were very outgoing, enthusiastic, and lively They were involved and encouraging the grade 9's to try and participate in all activities to take in this fun experience

The leaders did a very good job at making sure everyone was included and that everyone tried to get to know one another by talking to each other and working together

The grade 9s were served hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch and were able to enjoy the food in the great outdoors During lunch, more games were played and everyone was cheering for their team!

It is safe to say the grade 9s had an enjoyable and beneficial trip that was a great start to their high school experience

Tales from Tales from the Heart the Heart

By. Mrs. L. Loffredi

What is Tales from the Heart?

Tales from the Heart is a grassroots initiative at Sacred Heart to empower students to think critically and creatively in telling their own story. We hope that this new initiative helps students to become more globally minded and more aware of the diverse people around them. Together, with our stories we can build a school culture of empathy and understanding for others' lived experiences. Also, through a collection of culturally responsive and relevant stories, both fiction and non fiction, students will learn that there are stories that act as mirrors, windows, or sliding doors.

Want to participate this year?

This year, we are eager to launch our 2nd year for Tales from the Heart. Our theme this year is 'Challenging Perspectives'. If you are interested in participating this year, scan the QR code on this page.

Take a look at the amazing contributions by our students for our first Tales from the Heart Digital Compilation.

Stories connect us. They remind us who we are, where we came from, and how our values and beliefs came to be.

By Angelina Azar El-Hajj

By Angelina Azar El-Hajj

Sacred students are excited to have basketball back at school, both to play and watch. For every Junior and Senior home game the bleachers were packed with supporting family, friends and Sacred fans. And how could they not be?? Both teams are moving into the playoffs after phenomenal regular seasons. Best of luck ladies!

CROSS COUNTRY

By Olivia Gioe

On October 20, 2022, the Cross Country team braved the cold weather and wet grounds to compete in the York Region Finals. Each runner gave it their all and finished their race strong. Special mention to Iris Zhu, who represented Sacred Heart as the sole senior female runnercongratulations on a great race! Congratulations also go out to the senior grade 12 boys who ran their final high school cross country race: Gabriel Raposo, Leon Novoslavski, and Rohan Mandi. Great job team!

Sabrina De Winne's

K E T C H U P

S H O E S

It was my sixth year of public grade school I was coming in from the cold to into my Canadian history class My teacher was late so I decided to sit down at my desk and read a book patiently while I waited for him to arrive. Just then, my teacher burst into the classroom like a Disney villain ready to reveal some horrible news. He stomped through the classroom as we all watched when suddenly he stopped Time froze Not a word was spoken For a mere millisecond, the whole world was quiet We held our breaths as our eyes slowly made our way down to the teacher's shoes There, on the floor, under his shoes, was a single, used ketchup packet

Fear arose in the classroom, what would happen? What would he say? He made his way back to his chair, he spun around in it for a second or two as everyone in the classroom prayed that he would begin talking about the War of 1812, or the Treaty of Paris, or whatever we were supposed to be learning about that day But in reality he had only been spinning around in his chair to grab a tissue He held a cold stare, glaring at us, as he aggressively whipped the ketchup off of his shoes

“These are new shoes ” He mumbled in a voice that would normally be too quiet to hear in a classroom full of 6th graders, but we all knew of the coming storm, so we all listened like hawks. It was quiet. Even our trembling breath was soundless. We had done the unthinkable, we had ruined his shoes, his brand new shoes We were dead meat for sure At the very least, the person who dropped the cursed condiment on the floor in the first place was dead This would have normally been a relief Anyone else in the class would have thought of it as one But not me, because I, Sabrina Rose De Winne, had been the one to drop the incriminating ketchup packet!

I could feel the rising tension in the room The wrath of the teacher, the agony of his new shoes, the pain of the trashed ketchup, and me, the culprit, the criminal, the one and only person responsible We sat in silence for what felt like hours. Then he broke the silence again with another quiet, yet murderous sentence, “Who dropped this? Confess.”

Nobody said a thing, I surely wasn’t going to stand up and take the punishment How could I? I would rather die than get on the bad side of this teacher It was clear that to survive this, I would have to lie So, like everyone else, I looked around, I plastered a confused expression on my guilty face and I said nothing, absolutely nothing, like the liar that I was “So no one did this? That can’t be! Well, if nobody here is willing to confess, I'll have to keep you here until we find out who did it.” I came to the horrible realization that we would not be learning any history today, and instead we would be partaking in a trial A life or death trial I was the culprit and I could not lose I didn't have a choice now, I had already passed the point of no return In fact, I had passed it long ago; I passed it when I dropped the packet of disgusting red goop in the first place So I took a deep breath, fixed my hair, and got comfortable in my chair as this would be a long ride. Hour one came and went. Nobody stood up, the teacher's frustration was visible. Hour two, we had spoken about what occurred during lunch and who did what so many times, that it all remains burned in my mind to this very day Hour 3, 10 minutes to go, 10 more minutes and I could go home I could go back to my bed, my chair, my video games The one last place in the world where I wasn’t a ketchup tossing criminal My excitement was difficult to contain but I managed I thought about what I would do when I got home I would watch my brother play Mario or Pikmin depending on his mood, I would eat popcorn, heck maybe I would even invite one of my friends over.

And as for school, I would play sick the next day and skip until I got the all clear from someone that my crime had been dismissed and forgotten and it was safe to return But this was never meant to be, this could never be, not for a criminal like me My accuser spoke again: “Who had Kids Kitchen today?”

Kids Kitchen delivered lunches to the school It was the very place that the ketchup packet came from, it even said so on the logo! Today I did get lunch from Kids Kitchen as a special treat. Damn that macaroni and cheese and its cursed ketchup packets! I was forced into a corner. I reluctantly put up my hand. But just as I thought my life was going to end, another hand went up and then another YES! There was still a chance to get away with this Or so I thought

With only 8 minutes left in the school day the teacher decided he would interview each one of us individually He had set up his little interrogation room in the stairwell which was behind a door Each interview lasted approximately one minute in length. Each person walked in and walked out as I nervously awaited my turn. Soon everyone else had gone. There were about 3 minutes left until 3:30 I could surely hold in the truth until then I strolled in, playing innocent, straight faced, serious voice but my lies would do me no good for there was a traitor in our group Someone had betrayed me! I sat down on one of the chairs The silence was broken by the four words of my incrimination: “Russell told me everything ”

My heart sank I could hardly feel my hands The boy who sat beside me, the only possible witness to my crime had ratted me out! Why Russell? Why? And then I understood. It must’ve gotten to him. The pressure, the stairwell, the teacher's glare At this point, I had no choice, what was done was done I had to confess “Yes, I dropped the ketchup packet ” My conscience was clear and my teacher was angry The investigation had ended, and I wondered if my record would ever be cleared? Would I ever be considered anything more than a lowly criminal?

I had no choice but to return the next day. I walked into class expecting the worst but to my surprise nothing had changed. Everybody had already forgotten the events of the previous day and nobody had actually even cared

Parnian Mahaei (grade 11)

Chidi Okafor (grade 9)

Oliver Heidenreich (grade 12)

Campbell Billings (grade 10)

Abigail Polo Calderon (grade 10)

Nika Samsamifard (grade 10)

Anastasiia Pleniuk (grade 9)

Zakhar Haidabuk (grade 9)

Kyrylo Leshchenko (grade 9)

Michael Chekmarjov (grade 9)

Aliah Tesema (grade 11)

Allison

Nina

Linda Mao