SPRING ISSUE 2021
VOLUME 1
THE SACRED BEAT Sacred Heart's Quarterly Pulse
Principal's Message Welcome to Sacred Heart’s first edition of The Sacred Beat, a quarterly newsletter allowing us to share stories and reflections depicting the true fiber of our great community. For over 41 years, Sacred Heart has served the Newmarket area, developing a strong and vibrant Catholic learning community firmly rooted in a tradition of excellence. There is a sense of family that is felt by everyone who enters the doors of our beautiful school, either virtually or in person. For instance, in this issue, you will read about the story of one teacher and her mother’s journey as students at Sacred.
Principal's Message
Our community continues to grow and to support one another in faith, hope and love. The connection felt by everyone at Sacred Heart ensures that there is a place for everyone at our picnic tables in our beloved Triangle. My congratulations go out to staff and students on your success so far this year. I encourage you to stay strong and resilient during these trying times and continue to support one another as we move forward to a brighter future filled with hope and opportunity. By honouring our traditions and remaining strong together, our Sacred family can make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you to our parents, Catholic School Council, parish and community partners for your support. Please continue to stay safe.
Mrs. Ferro
GET IN THE KNOW:
LIVING OUR FAITH
03 PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONS
04 ESL AMASSADOR'S CLUB
09 ALUMNI CORNER
13 SACRED HEART CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 908 LEMAR RD, NEWMARKET, ON L3Y 1R9
Ultimately, the Triangle's connection between mind, body, and spirit is reflective of the school's motto and its many efforts that are committed to the 'Development of the Whole Person'. They say that the triangle is the strongest of all shapes, able to provide immense support. It is without a doubt that this beautiful space we call The Triangle is a focal point in the school, and emphasizes the support we provide our students to become fully self-actualized individuals. We hope to impart strength and resilience in mind, body, and spirit to our students in everything we do.
SACRED CONNECTIONS by Ms. L. Loffredi, Librarian & Editor During this pandemic school year, there has been an eerie quietness that has blanketed our school hallways and classrooms. Nowhere has this been felt more than in our Triangle. The Triangle is a space adjacent to our Great Hall and has been void of its regular everyday activities this year. It is known to be a vibrant place in our school where students gather for events, where they meet to have lunch at picnic tables, where art work is showcased, and where student athletes emerge from the gymnasium to share their latest victories. This year, our Triangle has been missing its everyday 'pulse'. Our SMASH leaders have introduced a new initiative called "The Triangle Hangouts." They have worked effortlessly this year to plan and lead these hangouts to offer students an opportunity to connect and have some fun, in an effort to support our students' mental wellbeing. Our SMASH leaders have associated our Triangle space, which is bordered by our gymnasium, our chapel, and our library learning commons, with the symbolism of the the meeting point of mind, body, and spirit. The Triangle is also associated with the Holy Trinity in our faith, which is the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
These three areas of the school symbolize the meeting point of mind, body, and spirit.
There is definitely a strong sense of 'family' that embodies the people in our school, and our Triangle plays a vital role in bringing that family together. We look forward to the day when the beating 'pulse' of the Triangle returns to our school community again.
It is no wonder why our student SMASH leaders chose to name our hangouts "The Triangle." It is not just a place in our school that is full of life, but it also speaks to the essence of what Sacred Heart believes in and works toward.
September 2019
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SPRING 2021
Issue 06
LIVING OUR FAITH By Ms. E. Gismondi, Chaplain
With the Easter season comes the promise of new life and a hope in our own resurrection. The signs of this new life are all around us as we see the earth “wake up” and come alive again; the days are longer, the sun seems to shine a little bit brighter and the weather is slowly getting warmer. These past few months have challenged us in so many ways. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we have experienced despair, sadness, uncertainty and grief. Just like the disciples we too may find it difficult to see the risen Christ in our midst. We have struggled to adapt to new ways of learning, working and socializing, but we have also demonstrated resilience and perseverance. At first the disciples did not recognize Jesus. It is in the breaking of the bread that the disciples come to perceive Him and are filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and hope. When you reflect on your life and experiences these past several months, how have you witnessed Jesus? When have you had feelings of overwhelming joy and hope? This year we offered a new religion course for our new IRAP students in grade 10. Through their culminating task they explored the many “faces” of Jesus through a variety of themes and created beautiful depictions of hope, joy, love, and much more. Two of our students, Vanessa Curran and Jewella Bernadette Macabenta, shared their work in an online event put on by the Archdiocese of Toronto’s Office for Interreligious Dialogue. We have had the opportunity to welcome many wonderful guest speakers and retreat facilitators to our religion classes, and our students were given opportunities to further explore their faith and learn about different issues affecting our world today. We have received a lot of wonderful feedback and are grateful for the creativity of our presenters and facilitators to adapt to an online delivery of these valuable components of our programming.
Our SMASH students continue to lead us in prayer each morning and provide leadership through initiatives like the Sacred Triangle,a virtual space for students to gather and connect with each other through dialogue and games each month in a relaxed and welcoming environment. We have also discovered new ways to gather as a school community to celebrate our faith through virtual liturgies. We are excited to do so once again to celebrate the Easter season and the end of the school year. In John Paul II’s 1986 Angelus he said: “We do not pretend that life is all beauty. We are aware of darkness and sin, of poverty and pain. But we know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery - the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. ‘We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!’.” As we begin this final quadmester and move closer towards the end of a challenging school year, let us remember the joy and hope that comes with being an Easter People.
WE ARE AN EASTER PEOPLE AND ALLELUIA IS OUR SONG!
Pope John Paul II
SPRING 2021
PAGE 3
"this year’s competition was an experience of a lifetime" Provincial Champions! BY NOAH T. Preparing for a mock trial is arduous and time-consuming, but there’s no denying that it’s well worth your time, especially when your efforts result in the acquisition of a province-wide championship! The OBA/OJEN Competitive Mock Trials (OOCMT) is a partnership between the Ontario Bar Association (OBA), the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN), and the OBA Foundation. As a proud member of Sacred Heart’s 2021 Mock Trial Team, I believe I speak on the behalf of all my teammates when I say that this year’s competition was an experience of a lifetime. Having had the opportunity to work alongside some of our nation’s most highly decorated law personnel was a true honor, and ultimately, a major contributor to the team’s eventual success. For a student like myself, that has just begun studying law, I must say that the abundance of tips and tricks that they have provided me with were advantageous in helping me to prepare for what a future in law could potentially entail. My teammates and I got off to a fantastic start, and advanced to the provincial finals after only our first two matchups. At this point, we were convinced that we could win it all, however, we would have to defeat one final team in order to be officially declared the winners. In the end, despite facing off against a very talented group of students at Country Day School, we remained confident in our abilities, maintained our composure, and ultimately took home first place. For this upcoming year, the highly coveted OOCMT Championship trophy will remain at our school, serving as a constant reminder for staff and students at Sacred Heart, that we are capable of succeeding in anything we put our minds to. I would like to give a special thanks to Mrs.Mariani, our coach, my teammates, who remained consistent and convincing throughout all three of our trials, and finally, our lawyers, who helped us to perfect our scripts and prepare for a future in law!
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SPRING 2021
THE TEAM: Layla A., Julia A., Ava C., Nathan H., Madison S., Noah T. and Selena V. COACH: Mrs. Mariani
Layla A. won the award for Outstanding Lawyer Performance
YOUR STUDENT COUNCIL
In November, we held a special
by Joy M., Student Council VP
bonding with each other. We also
Student Council is not only a council but a family. At every weekly
online Rookie Week for the grade nines. The event had activities and games that got all of the grade nines meeting and started a homework help
Kennedy A. (gr. 12)
program which allows students
meeting, we aim to create events
to get the help they need with
and activities that will cater to all
any subject. So if you need help
Sacred students. We plan and
with any course or if you simply
coordinate major events such as
want a workspace where other
Rookie Dance, Semi Formal, the
students are also working, make
annual Blood Drive, Corky’s
sure to sign up. The link, is in our
Christmas and Cru Day among many
Instagram bio.
others!
Ella B. (gr. 9) Avry E. (gr. 9) Jonah J. (gr. 9)
Don't forget we are here to make Unfortunately, this year has been a
your high school experience
different year. We couldn't host any
amazing, so if you have any
of the major events we usually host
suggestions for events you would
but that didn't stop us from keeping
like to see happen at Sacred in
up school spirit!
the future, make sure to text the
Ethan M. (gr. 10) Abigail O. (gr. 12)
humansofsacred2.0 Instagram account and we'll see what we can do!
@humansofsacred2.0
Olivia R. (gr. 9) Noah T. (gr. 11) SPRING 2021
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SACRED MINDS BY LIESEL R & EMILIA C Hey Sacred! Have you heard of Sacred Minds? Sacred Minds is the school’s very own mental health and wellness club that is open to all of our wonderful staff and students!
Our Vision: We are a collection of passionate leaders dedicated to identifying, recognizing, and maintaining mental wellness in and of ourselves as well as in others in the community. Sacred Minds is truly called to share in the development of the whole person.
Many know Sacred Minds due to our weekly events, such as Mindful Mondays or Wellness Wednesdays. These events revolve around the idea of self-care, mental wellness, and connections with peers. Before the pandemic, we included Sand Mandala Making in the Triangle, a visit from Therapy Dogs during exam season, and more. Our big events have included collaborations with Cardinal Carter CHS on the annual Mental Health Summit. Lastly, Sacred Minds also hosted the Cookie Decorating Event during Corky’s Christmas in 2019.
Amid the pandemic, Sacred Minds has planned several virtual activities every month to help others through these tough times. Like other clubs and councils at Sacred, moving our focus to virtual was unexpected, but after getting started with our Valentine’s Day Cookie contest this year, we moved on forward and held new events. Activities this year included meditations, kahoots, and spreading joy through social media. 65 New members are always welcome and we hope to see your participation in our upcoming events!
"Sacred Minds is truly called to share in the development of the whole person"
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SPRING 2021
IRAP RELIGION BY VANESSA C., IRAP STUDENT In the second quadmester of this school year, I experienced the new iRAP Religion course as an iRAP student. Our class explored grade 10 religion content, from the New Testament & the Evangelists, to themes of relationships and social justice. In every unit, we delved into the art disciplines. We learned by experience how to demonstrate our personal connections to and interpretations of the material in art of all forms. Much like other iRAP courses, we also attended interactive virtual workshops on design thinking, blogging and on how to develop our digital art portfolios. My favourite thing about the course was discovering how art has always played a role in the Catholic faith. You can see this in both ancient religious pieces and modern interpretations of scripture. Religion and art so evidently play into each other, and with such depth, that “religion art” is a natural connection that anyone can appreciate. This course gave me the opportunity to create infographics, a logo, stop-motion animation, promotional merchandise, an album with CD cover and more, while making connections to our faith.
For the culminating project, I made a triptych, which is an altarpiece featuring 3 framed panels of works. I extensively researched, handmade a wooden frame and created each piece to represent a different “face” of Jesus. My peer and I were also granted the great opportunity to showcase my triptych piece and her poetic art piece, speaking about them at Extending Our Embrace, a virtual event put on by the Archdiocese of Toronto for the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week. It was a wonderful event full of culture and sharing. Our school is known for its diversity of programs and post-secondary pathway supports. This course is an excellent way to introduce students to the many art disciplines, being creative problem solvers and beginning to think about how they can integrate art into their pathways. I had a wonderful time discovering the way I can truly connect to my spirituality through art. I cannot wait to see how this course and the rest of the program expands in the years to come. If anyone is considering joining iRAP or taking the grade 10 iRAP Religion course, I highly encourage you to do so! If you have a passion for the arts or want to see a fresh perspective on your faith, take this course. You will not only learn so much about religion, but about yourself and your artistic skills.
RELIGION AND ART SO EVIDENTLY PLAY INTO EACH OTHER, AND WITH SUCH DEPTH, THAT “RELIGION ART” IS A NATURAL CONNECTION THAT ANYONE CAN APPRECIATE.
SPRING 2021
PAGE 7
SACRED
Heartists!
"Hope" by Polina K., Grade 10
"Embrace Life" by Kristen R., Grade 10
Theme: Jesus of the Pandemic This painting can be applied to many things whether it's the loss of a family member, loss of time, or even loss of communication. The general message is to remember that in the light of chaos comes a beam of hope.
Theme: Jesus of the Pandemic This art piece represents how Jesus is carrying the world through the tough times of the pandemic. The poem that is included reminds us to always be grateful for what we have and live each day to the fullest because we never know what's ahead.
"I Am Who I Am" by Emilia C., Grade 10 Theme: Jesus of Justice This is a piece meant to represent the mortal and human side of Jesus through a calavera skull with Christian symbols. The poem is told from Jesus' perspective where he talks about how he is a divine being, but also a human just as we are.
Picnic by Madison S.
I think after all this is over, we should hangout. All of us. We could have a picnic and bask under the shimmering sunlight. Or go to the park, you could teach me ho to skateboard. Even though you don't know how to. I'm tired of watching lonely cars stroll by from my window. I wanna drive by the beach. Y'know, I never felt like doing any of this before. I seem to just be realizing this now. My house has become a cage.
"Picnic" by Madison S., Grade 10 Theme: Jesus of the Pandemic Each person in the painting is about two centimeters apart, symbolizing social distancing. They're all on the same coloured background, representing Jesus and how he connects us. The poem around the sides of the canvas represents the effects of the pandemic and isolation on people and relationships.
PAGE 8
SPRING 2021
No matter how comfortable and welcoming it is, it's still a cage. It's blaring red outside, like a spreading fire. I hope we don't light aflame.
THE ESL PROGRAM CONTINUES TO
Sacred Heart's ESL Ambassador's Club BY MR. D. TALAMO
GROW BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING STAFF WHO ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO SUPPORT OUR ENGLISH
The ESL department is excited to
Last month, the ESL department
have selected Allyanna G. as the
launched the Sacred Heart ESL
ESL Ambassadors’ Club logo
Ambassadors’ Club Instagram
design contest winner!
page. Please follow us
Congratulations go out to
@eslambassdorsclub on
Allyanna for her tremendous
Instagram! The club meets the
effort and hard work in creating
last Wednesday of every month at
such a beautiful logo (Pictured
3pm.
LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
above). A special thanks is also extended to Mr. Galang for all his
We are always looking forward to
help in working with Allyanna in
having new members attend our
completing the published logo.
meetings. In the past, we have participated in interactive Kahoots, Christmas activities, Black History Month presentations, Valentine’s Day card making, and cultural food recipe sharing! If you are interested in joining, please reach out to Mr. Talamo or Ms. Ferlanda. We look forward to finishing off the school year on a positive note by completing the ESL Handbook, a guide for students registered in the ESL program at Sacred Heart.
Allyanna G., Logo Design Winner
SPRING 2021
PAGE 9
A Word From Eco Cru Making a Difference While this was certainly a difficult school year for us all, Eco Cru managed to put together some amazing initiatives! Near Christmas, each grade at
To celebrate World Water Day we revamped our Eco Cru logo and had a recycled craft event during the April break.
Sacred Heart had the opportunity to adopt an animal of their choice from the World Wildlife
Throughout the year, our members have written
Fund. Students then voted for the names of the
and produced a new video series titled “How to
animal plushies; Bernard, Broseph, Boris, and
Save a Planet” with several episodes on relevant
Alpha! For New Years, we formed a word cloud
climate change information for our students to
made
watch and learn from.
up
of
Sacred
student’s
eco
friendly
resolutions. We have just finished our most recent initiative, Eco Week, full of socially-distanced fun! Thank you to everyone who participated in all the weekly events that were planned. As always, Eco Cru is committed to providing the Sacred community with opportunities to learn about the Earth and our impact on it. Continue to look out for our weekly Spotlight on several notable environmentalists and Fact Friday. We look forward to the rest of the school year’s activities, and let’s keep up the great work, Sacred!
Eco Cru is committed to providing the Sacred community with opportunities to learn about the Earth and our impact on it.
PAGE 10
SPRING 2021
a different year in SHSM by Ms. B. Cameli and Mr. M. West SHSM Coordinators
“SHSM has provided me with a multitude of invaluable experiences, one of the most beneficial to me being co-op. This provided me with important connections in the real world, as well as very valuable work experience. I also greatly enjoyed many of my other SHSM experiences, particularly the Music Therapy certification.”
Jordan K.
Sacred Heart's Health and Wellness and Arts and Culture SHSM students have been working hard in these difficult
Students have also attended online
and unprecedented times. Usually at this point of the year
conferences, through JA Ontario, which
we are leaving the school for our exciting and interactive
allowed them to learn from current day
certifications including Crossfit training day, Yoga and
professionals in the Arts and Culture industry.
mindfulness sessions, improv and dance training, as well Nutrition and Art Therapy conferences. However, despite
Finally, an experience that I am sure will not
the challenges we have encountered this year, our SHSM
be forgotten was our spoken word
programs at Sacred Heart have continued to be a great
certification. Here students had the
success. Students engaged in a wide variety of online
opportunity of meeting and working with the
certifications, experiential learning opportunities, and co-
Toronto born Spoken Word poet Joshua
op placements.
“Scribe” Watkis, who has performed on stages across Canada sharing his gift of storytelling.
In Health and Wellness we have had ICE training, safe
This year may have been a different year with
food handling and physiotherapy to go along with the safe
all of our requirements being completed online
schools certification program. Mr. West and Mr. Sorochan
but some great memories were still made.
are busy planning some exciting certifications for the 2021/2022 school year and Mr. Sorochan is working hard
A special thank you goes out to all members
to get the new SHSM hoodies ordered and delivered for
of SHSM who have adjusted to the online
pick up before the end of the school year.
model better than we could have wished for. The students in the program have gone above
In Arts and Culture, some of our best and most engaging
and beyond to keep on track to get their Red
certifications have been with Just BGraphic. Through this
Seal.
organization, students have had the opportunity to learn
"The SHSM program has allowed me to explore my passion for the arts and graphic design through many experimental opportunities and certifications. I participated in a graphic design certification that I loved. It taught me how to use new tools and expanded my knowledge of graphic design.”
techniques and compositions for a photographic advertisement. They learned to create their own personal logo using the techniques of graphic design, and they explored the rich history of it as well. Check out some of those designs in the pictures posted above!
Kristen R.
SPRING 2021
PAGE 11
HAMLET EPIGRAPHS BY MS. PAULINO'S GRADE 12 ENGLISH STUDENTS
An envious graveworm consumes the skull, On its rich remains he feeds. While the mad and ink-black raven, full of fury won’t let this contagion breed. Mikhail S. A snake, greased in the slime of envy, feasts upon the skull of Denmark’s king, deceased. In a field of fennel, the prince’s madness grows. Let the snake choke on his venom and reap which he has sown. Michael B.
Image By Grade 12 Student Kiara D. He hides behind a cloak of misery, eyes on the man. In the name of retribution he wants this skull, in the land. For he has a troubled soul to fulfill an evil plan, but for now he just stands silently with rosemaries in his hand.
Flowers, embracing the warmth of the sun eventually wilt, under the undying cold of winter, waiting patiently for a new beginning: Spring, where once again they bloom, roots reaching deep into the earth. Marc P.
Ashvini H. In a kingdom of lies, death reveals its face. Blazing vengeance and secret ploys, fuel a sons’ motive to debase. But who knew bringing the spirit of a dear loved one to rest,
Tension blossoms along frail flowers
would make more spirits and more poison for
Death causes shifting powers
others to ingest?
Defining true humanity Holding onto sanity Cypher S.
Rose P. A cunning serpent with venomous fangs dyes Denmark with deceit and hate.
WRITER'S
He is damned by God, unable to repent, the serpent has sealed his fate. Prompted by vengeance, and led by love, light is driven to darkness. Shining no more, the once bright son, is now eclipsed with madness. Yi Fei Z.
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SPRING 2021
A Sacred Place by Ms. M. TeBogt, Teacher I am often asked what I love about Sacred Heart and each time I feel that my answer does not fully describe my feelings for this sacred school. The students, teachers, extracurriculars and memories have all shaped my love for Sacred Heart and mean so much to me. The dictionary says that the term home is often used to emphasize that one feels they belong in a certain place. I feel that I can relate to this feeling of belonging here at Sacred Heart CHS and I hope that you can too. First and foremost, I know that Sacred Heart is so great because of our students. Despite a pandemic they show up in class or online each and every day and strive to be their very best. They continue to smile, make jokes, ask questions and work hard. This year has been a constant reminder of how resilient and amazing our students are. As a member of Sacred Heart’s Spirit Council, we have made the most of our current situation and managed to run a Halloween costume contest, a Christmas door decorating contest and a March Madness spirit week. We also put out a video of what our students, teachers and alumni love about Sacred Heart. I feel very lucky to get to teach and learn from so many wonderful young people and I look forward to the day when our hallways, gyms, fields, cafeteria, triangle and classrooms will be full again. I grew up hearing about Sacred Heart a lot because my mom was part of its second graduating class in 1984. The school itself looked very different back then, as it started as a portapack. My mom used to tell me stories about the teachers she had, the friends she made, the trips she went on and the extracurriculars she participated in. Since she always spoke about the school with such joy, it made my decision to enroll at Sacred Heart an easy one.
It was pretty neat to be taught by some of the teachers who taught my mom twenty years prior. Like my mom, I loved my time at Sacred Heart but little did I know just how my experiences here would shape my future career and life. One of my greatest influences would definitely be my involvement in Sacred Athletics. Basketball, badminton, ultimate frisbee and cross country taught me life lessons such as dedication, discipline, teamwork and leadership. Important games, gruelling practices, overnight tournaments, big wins and even tougher losses will always be etched in my mind. I am grateful to the coaches who shared their love of sports and gave up their time for my teammates and I. The push from teachers who went above and beyond inspired me to teach and I am so happy to now work alongside many of my amazing role models. It would come as no surprise that I would absolutely love if my daughter were to attend Sacred Heart one day.
..little did I know just how my experiences here would shape my future career and life.
My mom as a student at Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart is more than just a building. It’s a place filled with budding athletes, musicians, artists, humanitarians, scientists, writers and historians to name a few. It’s a place with inspiring teachers and colleagues, wonderful memories, lots of laughter and love.
SPRING 2021
PAGE 13
OUR
SACRED
COMMUNITY
School Administration Olga Ferro, Principal Danny DiLallo, Vice Principal Robert Mittone, Vice Principal
Superintendent Eugene Pivato
School Trustee Theresa McNicoll
Parent Council Co-Chair Rachel Egan Anna Pinga
Editors Lisa Loffredi Angely Paulino
School Address 908 Lemar Road, Newmarket, L3Y 1R9
DEVELOPING THE
WHOLE PERSON
@SacredHeartCHS
https://sahe.ycdsb.ca/