Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
With over a century of educating "hearts and minds for God", SHCS, located in the East Hill area of Pensacola, holds an iconic position in Pensacola. The second oldest Catholic elementary school in the panhandle of Florida, SHCS forms its students in the image and likeness of our Lord. We develop our students into responsible and contributing members of the greater community. Our faith is an inspiration to everyone we meet and we shine as models of His teachings to one another and those He holds most dear.
Please take some time to read through the information we have provided on our web site. It is our hope that once you have perused through out site, you will have a clear picture of who the Gators really are. A student's enrollment at SHCS is an acknowledgement and acceptance of the procedures and guidelines as outlined in our Family Handbook and any other form of communication provided throughout the school year.
We are very proud of our technology initiatives, which provide our students will instruction on the use of various types of current technology while preparing them for the demands of the real world. Students in grades 6-8 are provided with their own tech devices that they carry with them throughout the day and take home to work with each evening. Sixth and seventh graders are provided with iPads and eighth graders are provided with MacBooks.
We are here to work as a team to help you form your child(ren) in the image and likeness of our Lord. We will study His teachings, live by his Commandments and serve our parish, local and extended communities, just as our Lord did throughout His life. May we unite this year: parents, students and staff together as one to accomplish the task of educating the students while building on the Christian foundation initiated at home.
May God Bless all we do together to promote our faith-filled learning community.
Yours in Christ,
Craig Mousseau
Principal
Our mission at Sacred Heart Cathedral School is to educate hearts and minds for God by striving to instill the gospel spirit of love and truth within the lives of our students, faculty, administration and parents. Our goal is to integrate Catholic Christian values and quality education into the academic, religious, cultural, athletic and social development of each student at Sacred Heart Cathedral School
The purpose of Sacred Heart Cathedral School is to form Christian persons according to the Gospel message, community worship and service to neighbor. We are to nurture the inquiring young Christians who are capable of developing a way of life, based on the ideals and values of our Catholic faith community. We endeavor to enrich the lives of our school community, to be aware of God, Church and neighbor, to show gratitude for God's gifts, which we cherish and to share His gifts with love. We achieve this purpose through an ongoing cooperative relationship between students, parents and teachers as role models. Gospel values are blended across all areas of our curriculum in order to guide students to responsible decision-making, life-long learning and conscientious citizenship.
Learning is a process. Teachers recognize and respond to the individual differences of each student. These differences include personality patterns, academic talents, phases of moral and social awareness and varied maturity levels. Teachers are aware of the impact of various family and life situations, which affect student performance. The dignity and self-worth of each individual are respected and supported.
We believe that Christ-centered education should be the foundation of all Catholic schools.
We believe students, faculty, staff, and administration should consciously exhibit faith in God in order to remain true to the principles of Catholic education and advance the legacy of the Catholic Church.
We believe that serving the educational needs of students is an essential goal of any Catholic School.
We believe that Catholic education should provide the building blocks for lifelong learning.
We believe social justice should be practiced as well as taught in order for students to assimilate these values as taught by the Catholic Church.
We believe that students from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds can enhance our understanding of the ever-changing global community.
We believe in respecting the dignity and self-worth of each individual.
We believe the school environment should provide adequate safety, comfort, and stimulation for all students.
We believe that parents, faculty, staff and administration should maintain open communication for the benefit of the school community.
We believe Catholic schools should provide for continually progressive advances in technology.
The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee is committed to the safety and well-being of those we serve. Therefore, the faculty, staff, administration and volunteers of Sacred Heart Cathedral School must meet requirements of the Bishops' Charter to help protect the children with whom we come into contact. More information is available from the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee's Office of Safe Environment
The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee is committed to healing the hurting hearts of sexual abuse victims and has established Victims Assistance Coordinators who are experienced and trained counselors and are available to help persons who have been sexually abused. The Coordinator for the Pensacola / Ft Walton area is Louis M. Makarowski, Ph.D., P.A., he can be reached at 850-477-7181.
Building the City of God
The Florida Catholic Conference accredits Sacred Heart Cathedral School's academic program, staff, and facilities. Only certified teachers are hired who instruct a course of study that meets all the requirements of the State of Florida Department of Education and the Diocesan Catholic Department of Education. The administration and faculty adhere to all state and diocesan guidelines and policies. Sacred Heart Cathedral School was re-accredited in April 2009.
Sacred Heart Cathedral School will be up for reaccreditation in 2016.
The original Sacred Heart Academy (School) was founded in 1907 and staffed by the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (later known as the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament). The original building (shown left) was located in the 900 block of East LaRua Street in Pensacola, Florida.
Initially, accommodations were made for boarding students. The school was a two story house (later to be made the Rectory) on 9th Avenue and East LaRua Street and the Convent building was located at 10th Avenue and LaRua. The large white Sacred Heart statue now located on the present school grounds at the corner of 12th Avenue and Moreno Street is the original one that stood in front of the old Convent.
The original school housed first floor classrooms for boys, second floor classrooms for girls and an attic sleeping area for the sisters. Duties for the sisters also included one hour adoration periods in the Church, day and night. A recollection by one former student of the fourth grade was daily dusting in the Church made necessary by the ever-present coal dust generated by nearby trains. Girls from surrounding areas of Bagdad, Milton, Crestview, Warrington and Innerarity attended as boarding school students.
School uniforms appear to have been "de rigueur" from at least 1938, beginning with dark plaid skirts and jumpers of today's students. A general liberal arts program was pursued with time for plays and pageants as many old photographs of costumed students can testify! A typical report card from 1937, sent home monthly, listed the following: Christian Doctrine, Geography, US History, Reading, Spelling, English, Writing, Arithmetic, Physiology, Deportment Application, Height and Weight.
When the Most Holy Sacrament Sisters departed in 1945, the Benedictine Sisters came and staffed the school for one year, and after that, the Dominicans from Adrian, Michigan, who remained until 1969. In 1951, the present school building was constructed. The gym/parish hall was used for Masses until the new Church was completed in 1968. After the Dominican Sisters left the following year, lay teachers continued the administration and instruction in the school for the next eight years.
In March 1977, Sister Ann Murie, a Sister Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, became principal. In August of 1978, two additional sisters of the same congregation joined the faculty. In June of 1980, Sister Ann Murie resigned as principal and Sister Lois Morgan, one of the Sisters who came in 1978, became principal.
Sacred Heart School received its initial accreditation from the Florida Catholic Conference in 1979.
In 1991 the school began a Morning Star Program which meets the needs of developmentally handicapped students. We recognize the diverse needs of our students and work to meet these needs through a variety of programs and alternate learning strategies. Morning Star provides for our special-needs students whom we wish to become valued members of society. We recognize that parents are the primary educators of their children. Parents need to work in partnership with teachers in order to promote an excellent academic environment and in the students themselves.
Located in an older, established – but changing – neighborhood, Sacred Heart Cathedral School serves the educational needs of our own parish children as well as many from other parishes, and some non-Catholics.
Children presently enrolled at Sacred Heart come from Pensacola and surrounding towns as well as Alabama. Approximately half of the students are non-parishioners coming from neighboring Catholic parishes.
For over 100 years, Sacred Heart School has maintained its quality education and Christian standards. The dedication of its staff, students, faculty and parents makes it possible for the school to look forward to many more years of Catholic education for the future leaders of our country.
Behavior Management (under revision)Uniform RequirementsFamily Handbook (under revision)