Celebration of the Heart Honors 175 Year Legacy of Innovation and Advancement

Celebration of the Heart was an unforgettable evening celebrating a remarkable milestone in the School’s history - 175 years of educating and empowering young women to be the leaders of tomorrow.

The celebration on October 12th brought together almost 400 parents, alumnae, educators, and friends to enjoy a State of the School program, socializing, and a strolling dinner to commemorate the school's journey from humble beginning with twelve girls in Lower Manhattan to today’s expansive King Street campus and its current enrollment of 609 students. Additionally, for new parents, the evening’s festivities began at a New Parent Reception hosted by President Baber at his campus home, Hardey House. 

Keynote speakers, a special 175 anniversary video and a Leadership in Action video, emphasized three insights: 

• Our robust foundation has been fortified over 175 years, leading to financial strength, sustainability and student success, all the while staying anchored in our Goals and Criteria.
• We possess a clear vision to elevate and propel our five-year strategic plan, Pursuing Excellence, into the future, integrating it seamlessly into every facet of the student experience.
• With the strategic plan’s implementation underway, we move forward with courage, confidence and optimism for the future.

The community celebration opened with a prayer offered by Ava C. ’25 and the national anthem beautifully sung by Colette M. ’25. 

Chair Board of Trustees Ryan Sfreddo kicked off the program. Mr. Sfreddo underscored the robust financial health of the School, thanking the community for their steadfast support, and giving a shout out to four groups - educators and the Board of Trustees who have achieved 100% participation for the 2023-2024 Fund for Sacred Heart and our Alumnae Board and students of the Class of 2024 who are rapidly closing in on 100% participation. Their impressive leadership in expanding opportunities for students exemplifies the community’s dedication and belief in Sacred Heart Greenwich's mission and future.

Mr. Sfreddo also thanked the dedicated Board, welcoming seven new members: Sam Chawla, Mary Jo Dyer, Colleen Micciulli-Foley, Sister Ann Jablonski, Kelly McKeown, Sister Vicky Rajca, and Margarita Granados Sawhney.

Speaking in depth about the School’s strategic plan, Mr. Sfreddo highlighted how Pursuing Excellence and its three pillars - Advance, Engage, and Invest - are designed to enhance the School’s educational programming, build relationships with both local neighbors and the wider global community, and ensure that the School’s resources are strategically aligned with their mission. Mr. Sfreddo described how, as part of the strategic plan, the School “introduced a distributive leadership model that puts students at the very center of our efforts through a focused approach to both student life and teaching and learning.”

President Baber next offered a reflection on the 175 anniversary and emphasized the dynamic force of Sacred Heart Greenwich's legacy that propels the School towards a bold future. “Innovation, advancement, and forging ahead have been our guiding principles at every moment,” shared Mr. Baber, and our 175th anniversary is not just a milestone, but a springboard for continued growth and progress.”

Kevin Bailey, Associate Head for Teaching and Learning, described one of the greatest strengths of our learning community as the cohesive curricular arc of learning across the School. He celebrated compelling examples of how the School “recognizes that student growth, learning, and development are continuous” and discussed how priorities stemming from the strategic plan will enhance the curriculum to intensify student engagement and foster success.  

Associate Head for Student Life Jennifer Bensen H’15, P’10 completed the program by showcasing how Sacred Heart Greenwich’s Goals and Criteria serve as the bedrock “guiding a multi-faceted approach to leadership development that is comprehensive and profound in its outcomes to cultivate the next generation of female groundbreakers, challengers, and leaders who shape the world around them quietly and brilliantly.”

Celebration of the Heart was filled with the palpable energy and love for a shared legacy of inspired and mission driven education. The future of Sacred Heart Greenwich looks bright and we are committed towards charting chart a bold course with courage and confidence towards the next 175 years.