Parent Engagement

Central to the SHS commitment to Goal IV of our Goals and Criteria the building of community as a Christian value is the role our families play in the life of the school. In our SHS community, we consider ourselves very blessed to have very strong parent/guardian engagement across all schools and grade levels, and we have found that this participation results in an even better educational environment for our students and experience for all our families--the majority of whom remain with SHS for the duration of their children’s schooling.

The primary organizations at Sacred Heart for parent/guardian involvement are the two Parents’ Associations (PA)—one serving the Preparatory, one serving P-8—and represent a vital link between the school and the families we serve. Tasked with encouraging communication and fostering community among school staff, parents/guardians, and students, the Parents' Associations' numerous committees, volunteer activities, and annual calendar of events ensure an abundance of opportunity for involvement in ways both large and small.

List of 4 items.

School Events & Fundraisers

PA Events
Parents' Association meetings (P-8 and SHP) are regularly held throughout the school year, open to all and covering seasonal topics of interest. Events organized and hosted by the Parents’ Associations include the yearly Holiday Boutique, Gingerbread House Workshop, faculty/staff thank-you and holiday luncheons, parent education events, parent/child community service days, and many other community gathering opportunities throughout the school year.

Fundraisers
Each year, SHS hosts the auction dinner, the primary community-building event and fundraiser for school programs and financial aid. Co-chaired by current parents from each school division, the auction annually enlists more than 200 parent volunteers, and attracts close to 700 participants and attendees.

Our Fine Arts Boosters host the James B. Everitt Chili Cook-off and Cupcake Bake-off fundraising event each fall, and our Athletics Boosters host the Michael Murphy 8th Grade v. Faculty Basketball Tournament, the winter Cioppino Dinner fundraiser, and a spring golf tournament.
Arts & Athletics Booster Clubs

Raising funds, providing volunteer leadership and support, and increasing awareness for related programs, SHS has two Athletics Booster Clubs and a Fine Arts Booster Club.
Parent/Guardian Education

In collaboration, our two Parents' Associations host a number of activities during the year to support parent/guardian learning around a variety of topics. The goal is to inspire educationally relevant conversations within the Sacred Heart parent community, promote learning within the five Goals to create a safe and lively learning environment, and to support adolescent and teenage students as they navigate the challenges of social development and today’s relationships. Talks and discussions - usually featuring or guided by health professionals and others in related fields - are devoted to specific themes related to parent-child communication, teen relationships and intimacy, and guiding good decision-making, among many others.

Presented by the SHS Office of Mission, Culture, and Strategy, two sharing series enable our parent/guardian community to engage with one another in topical discussion, build deeper understanding and connection with our similarities and differences, and form meaningful relationships. "Stories from the Heart" invites select members of our Sacred Heart family to share personal experience and perspective on difficult topics; past events have focused on immigration, raising children with learning differences, living through the pandemic, and racism. "Come & See" is a series presentations and discussions led by our faculty to explore contemporary issues through a Catholic theological lens.

SHS is also a member of Common Ground, a coalition of Bay Area schools that have joined together to provide parent/guardian education to their communities. The coalition provides opportunities for parents and guardians to learn from experts in the fields of education and parenting, to share ideas with other community members, and to support each other’s efforts to enrich the our school communities.
Parent/Guardian Spirituality Programs

Working closely with the school’s education to mission staff, the SHP Parents’ Association and the P-8 Parents’ Association operate a joint committee to help enhance and encourage the spiritual life of the entire community through a number of regular and periodic programs and activities connected with Christian identity and Catholic tradition.

Among our many activities throughout the year are the following:

- Come to the Quiet, prayer and reflection with Sr. Kathy Dolan
- Dads' First Fridays, prayer and fellowship with Deacon John Kerrigan
- Growing the Inner Life, sharing and discussion with Sally Vance-Trembath

Additionally, Family Masses are intermittently held throughout the academic year, to enable and encourage school, faculty, and staff families to come together in shared worship and Eucharistic celebration. Traditionally, these services are held on a Saturday in fall, winter, and spring.