My dear friends, this month we focus the spotlight on another one of the outstanding educational institutions in the diocese – Sacred Heart School in Groton.

Our Sacred Heart School community exists for the purpose of guiding all of its students, recognizing their unique learning styles and abilities, toward Catholic faith-based values and morals, academic excellence, creative expression, responsible citizenship and physical and social development.

Sacred Heart School provides a steadfast foundation for the continuing growth of each individual, keeping Jesus at the heart of all that is taught since 1957. Instruction is authentic in doctrine and contemporary in presentation.

Through a nurturing environment, each child, pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, is helped to discover their talents and to develop self-confidence to the best of their God-given abilities and to develop into moral, productive and compassionate members of society. Respect and love for oneself and for others, as well as a sense of social responsibility, are lived and learned in Sacred Heart’s faith community. Knowledge of God, of life, and of diverse cultures is offered to prepare students to effectively meet the challenges and opportunities of society.

We are extremely fortunate to have the R.I.S.E.N. Learning Resource Center at Sacred Heart School. It stands for Responding to Inclusive Special Education Needs.

We are an inclusive educational ministry focused on the overall development of the child with special needs, thereby maximizing the best of their given ability. We believe that it is through 

each child’s differences that we come to learn more about the purpose and meaning of life. The entire faith community, especially parents and school staff, supports and participates in this development.

We envision this as an opportunity for value-centered, quality education rooted in the Catholic faith which accepts and embraces each others’ differences. This experience incorporates academic excellence, faith formation and enriches the communities we serve.

The RISEN Learning Resource Center at Sacred Heart School offers services to our students with special needs and learning disabilities and academic support services to enhance our students’ learning opportunities. These services include support for students with learning developmental disabilities and other types of learning and social challenges, as well as enrichment for accelerated students through the COMPASS program.

The RISEN Learning Resource Center at Sacred Heart School provides services through the expertise of an in-school special education teacher. Sacred Heart School teachers refer students to the RISEN LRC to receive these services. A variety of additional services are accessible to students with identified special needs in collaboration with the Groton Public School System through the implementation of an Individualized Service Plan (ISP). These services may consist of:

Speech/Language Therapy Special Education Teacher

Social Worker Services Psychologist

• Physical/Occupational Therapy

The Diocese of Norwich, under the teaching authority of the bishop, believes that schools should be healthy learning environments that are physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually safe, clean, and secure. Our schools are founded on the principle of love espoused by Christ in St. Matthew’s Gospel: “You should love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, and all your strength. And your neighbor as yourself.” 

Catholic schools are designed to function as Christian laboratories for learning. Their environments enhance that learning, which requires the attention of all community members. 

Safe and healthy environments to enhance student learning are the responsibility of the community as well. These environments require attention to physical conditions along with the assurances of frequent, consistent and positive teacher-student and student-student interactions. 

Research shows that academic achievement improves in schools when students feel physically and emotionally safe and where cultures support reasonable rules that are carefully explained and fairly enforced. A healthy learning community that is safe and founded on the principals of love and moral behavior is the foundation for a comprehensive high quality Catholic education.

“Where Jesus is the HEART of everything we do.”

By Dr. Gail Kingston
Superintendent of Schools