Dear Current and Prospective Parents and Students,

We are living in unprecedented and perilous times. The prevalence of the coronavirus is keeping extended families, friends, and other loved ones in virtual isolation. It is inducing widespread fear and illness. It is taking thousands of innocent lives. It is wrecking our economy and causing untold financial hardships for tens of thousands in Rhode Island alone. And it is impacting the education of our children in various detrimental ways.  This message is, therefore, different in tone and content than the upbeat letter on behalf of Sacred Heart School that I normally extend.

Having said that, our teachers are in overdrive, using every online delivery system they can to maximize learning, and parents have been uniformly cooperative in making this endeavor successful. We are all appreciative. It is a point of satisfaction that we were one of the first schools in the state to begin distance learning almost immediately following the close of Rhode Island’s schools, ensuring the highest level of continuity of instruction. Despite our best efforts, however, distance learning is not equivalent in its effectiveness to in-school education. As a result, there are considerable concerns among parents and teachers alike. We don’t yet have satisfactory answers to how we will adequately address the shortcomings of the existing system, but I can assure you that I am working diligently in close cooperation with other principals and educational leaders in the diocese and in public schools to devise solutions to the instructional problems posed by our current circumstances.

While we battle the present crisis, it is still incumbent upon me to urge current families to re-register their children for the 2020-2021 school year and to encourage other parents to consider enrolling their children in our extraordinary school.

Sacred Heart provides all of the major academic and related advantages of other Catholic elementary schools in the diocese while our annual tuition averages about $2,000 less than other Catholic schools. I urge you to compare what we offer at a significantly discounted cost to the services offered by other schools in the area. Tuition, of course, is especially crucial to those who are experiencing financial hardships. Additionally, various sources of financial aid are also available to reduce the burden of needy families.

We are currently offering special incentives to join us. Parents who register their students have a chance to receive a full year’s free tuition. Those who recommend students that remain enrolled for a school year will receive a $500 tuition discount. We want you to enjoy all the benefits of being an important member of our school’s tight-knit community.

Your children deserve the best education in the most nurturing school environment possible. We provide that at Sacred Heart. Please explore this website thoroughly, and you will discover an educational gem right in our midst that is in its second century of developing ethical young scholars. Your children can be among them.

In closing, I offer my prayers and good wishes for your families’ safety during these trying times while looking forward to the day – hopefully arriving soon – when all of our lives will return to normal.

Blessings to you all.

Mo Guernon, Ed.M.
Principal