Leadership, Health & Wellness

Rooted in Goal V, Criterion 2, Sacred Heart commits that “All members of the School community take personal responsibility for health and balance in their lives supported by a school culture that promotes spiritual, intellectual, physical and social-emotional well-being.” 

Students achieve an understanding of the importance of health and wellness in their everyday lives through an  integrated K-12 curriculum involving programming, coursework, spiritual development, and social justice initiatives. Students in all divisions not only participate in enhanced mental-health programming, but have the opportunity, along with their parents, to engage with visiting experts through the Leadership, Health & Wellness Speaker Series. 

The Leadership, Health & Wellness Speaker Series, launched in September 2022, brings experts to Campus to present to students, educators, and parents on a range of topics. This year, for example, Commander Rebecca Calder, USNR, the first female pilot to graduate from the elite U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), inspired students and parents with her story of hard work, resilience, and service, in and out of the cockpit. Additionally, in partnership with the Parents’ Association, Katie Greer, Internet and Digital Safety expert, presented to students in grades 3-12 and to parents to empower them to use technology in a healthy, safe way. Furthermore, Dr. Lani Lawrence, Director of Wellness and Clinical Services for the New York Giants, shared advice on managing mental health and performance pressure.

Middle School offerings include expanded Wellness class guest speakers and programming. Speakers have included experts in a variety of areas such as nutrition, drug prevention and education, and mindfulness. In addition,  a range of offerings during the Wellness choice period have been added, including yoga, pilates, and Zumba. 

In the Upper School, student club heads, in coordination with the school psychologists and Dean of Students, facilitate meaningful programming each month. Capitalizing on the Service Learning monthly themes, students prepare and lead information rich presentations for the student body on topics such as breast cancer self exams, mental health support and resources, and stress reducing strategies. Guest speakers have also joined Upper School health classes. Additionally, a student Wellness Advisory Committee comprised of students, faculty, and administrators provides important insights for programming, speakers, and future goals for the programs.

A mindset embracing and promoting Health and Wellness at Sacred Heart lives through the School's:

• Goals & Criteria
• School culture
• School life
• Community programs
• Clubs 
• Activities
• Advisory program
• Athletic training
• Health Office
• Dining service
• School safety
• Parent engagement
• Professional growth and development for educators
• Alumnae engagement

The core of Leadership at Sacred Heart is the understanding and capability to build a community in which every member is respected and valued. Intentional programming to build the skills of empathy, active listening, conflict resolution, and effective communication teach Sacred Heart students to lead their peers in the classroom, on the playing field, on the stage, and in their local communities.

Sacred Heart Greenwich girls and young women become self-aware, identifying their personal strengths, values, and interests and how these contribute to their unique capacity to lead effectively. Through the Leadership Program, students develop key skills of successful leaders, including optimism, self-regulation, spiritual awareness, gratitude, curiosity, compassion, empathy, resilience, generosity, problem solving, decision making, growth mindset, kindness, wisdom, and knowledge. Indeed, our students believe their voices matter. They lead as women empowered to act with confidence to embrace new learning experiences, and pursue meaningful opportunities to foster positive change.

The Sacred Heart Greenwich Leadership Academy, launched in 2022-2023 in the Upper School, is designed to guide young women to discover and develop their unique leadership skills. Upper School students grow through active engagement in regular workshops focused on building teamwork, communication, resiliency, public speaking, conflict resolution, and resourcefulness. 

The Leadership Academy speaker series enables students to interact with and learn from leaders. For example, Ms. Sharon Greenberger, CEO and President of the Greater New York YMCA, advised students, when considering a career decision, to ask, “does it build community?” Ms. Greenberger counseled that key skills guiding her as a leader include being decisive, building consensus, and understanding the responsibility to give back.

Students in the Leadership Academy program:

• Develop foundational leadership skills through monthly, grade level programming

• Work one-on-one with a mentor to establish and achieve individual goals

• Engage with expert speakers to discuss essential leadership skills, career choices and pivotal career moments

The School psychologists and nurses work in tandem with classroom teachers to help our youngest students explore the world of feelings and emotions. The goal is to help each student recognize, understand, express, and manage his/her emotions.  Along with the Goals & Criteria as guiding tenets, there is an overlay of Catholic virtues each month incorporated into the program.

Leadership development is found in day to day classroom roles. Green Ribbon recognition awards serve as a venue for students to nominate friends who exemplify the Goals & Criteria in their daily actions.  Prayer Buddies are a source of peer to peer interaction that connects students of various grades. 

The Middle School Leadership, Health & Wellness course is built into the academic schedule and is an important course each year for students in fifth - eighth grades. The Health & Wellness curriculum builds on the foundational skills learned in the Lower School. 

A major focus for Middle School is to develop respectful, productive community-building. Students are reminded of the expectation to foster community by supporting their classmates in all endeavors and taking responsibility for their own personal growth. 

Students in the Upper School take Leadership, Health & Wellness classes in the sophomore and senior years. These courses are designed to address a range of health topics empowering  Sacred Heart students to make informed decisions that reflect our Catholic values. Topics include mental / emotional health, suicide prevention, violence prevention and safety, human reproduction, prevention of drug/alcohol use, and healthy relationship building. Additional discussions occur throughout the Upper School program including advisory, theology and science classes, and peer leadership.  

The Upper School offers a wide range of experiences for students to explore their passions and develop skills that prepare them for leadership beyond Sacred Heart. The hallmark of a Sacred Heart leader is her ability to discover her own unique leadership style and leverage it to positively impact the world around her. One of the many ways that we cultivate that leadership disposition is through our Leadership Academy.