This is how Montreal’s only English Catholic girls’ high school adapted to the circumstances, demonstrating its flexibility to adapt to whatever the new school year may bring. Distance learning began officially at Montreal’s only English Catholic high school for girls on March 18th, thanks to the dedication of faculty & staff, and the commitment of students and their families.

What does online learning look like at Sacred Heart?
Since 2017, Sacred Heart students each have their own Chromebook and use Google for Education tools. After a period of asynchronous learning, as of March 30th, students began attending a full schedule of “live” classes Tuesday to Friday, from 9 am to noon. Regular periods have been compressed to accommodate the new schedule. Classwork is done in the afternoons, allowing for students to have plenty of time to relax with their families, take breaks, and exercise. General assemblies and Personal Development courses are held online. Students have become very crea- tive in their assignments, thanks in part to online learning! They film and edit videos to complete projects, which they upload to their Google Class- rooms, for teachers to review. Several have been shared on Sacred Heart’s social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter).

What about everything else that makes up student life in high school?
All student services continue to be offered, virtually. This includes appointments with the personal counselor, the academic counselor, the librarian and even office hours with the Head of School, Shawn O’Donnell. Lunch and after-school clubs are running virtually, including the Green Team, Games Club, Free the Children (WE), Cultural Club, Cooking Club, and Comic Book Club.

The Student Council (prefects) has managed its own Instagram account (@shsmprefects) since 2018. They took the initiative to launch regular challenges to keep students, teachers, parents, and all community members engaged and active. One of the most popular was the “Toilet Paper Challenge”, done in conjunction with Loyola High School. Speaking of the Student Council, even the elections for next year’s prefects were held online! Community service continues to happen online; students have reached out to older alumnae to do check-ins, offered virtual babysitting services to faculty and staff, and recorded themselves reading stories to share with local elementary school students. For Holy Thursday, our regular priest, Father Francesco Giordano, celebrated mass for the entire Sacred Heart community via Zoom.

How are parents involved?
Community is one of the core values of a Sacred Heart education, and our parents are a pillar of our school community. Parents of each grade are invited to weekly virtual Q & A sessions with the Senior Administration, to ask questions and engage with other parents. As always at Sacred Heart, teachers, administrators and staff continue to be available by email, for any questions or concerns. The Sacred Heart Parents’ Guild continues to hold monthly meetings, now online.

In an ever-changing world, whether online, in person, or a blend of the two, Sacred Heart remains committed to its mission to nurture the mind, body and spirit of each student in a supportive and caring environment.

Reach the Admissions department at admissions@sacredheart.qc.ca