Academics
Elementary School (P-6)
A Case for Cultivating Civility
Good manners are more than old-fashioned etiquette. They help students communicate confidently, treat others with respect and build habits that will serve them throughout life.
What Makes The Difference?
What makes Sacred Heart different? From strong academics to the care families feel every day, one thing underpins it all: the love within our community.
Raising the Bar by Working Together
Great schools never stop asking how they can do better. This year, we’re challenging ourselves to raise the bar through personal growth and a stronger partnership among students, families and teachers.
When Tradition Meets Tomorrow
Renée FournierDirector, Marketing & Communications Traditions take time to become ingrained. At Sacred Heart School of Halifax, many of ours are over 100 years old. In some cases, even older. We love our traditions. We boast about them, in fact. They are woven...
AP vs. IB: Why We Choose Advanced Placement for Student Success
Craig PinchesVice Principal, Academics There’s a saying here at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, “We inspire our students to be the best in the world, and the best for the world.” We do this throughout the school at every grade level, but as a university preparatory...
The Sacred Heart School of Halifax Advantage: Personalized Paths to University Success
Lori WelshUniversity Prep Coordinator The future is bright for our graduates. Not just because the options are limitless, but because at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, we are very intentional about ensuring our Senior School students find the path, the opportunity,...
Learning Beyond Curriculum: Inside Our Elementary Enrichment Program
Nicole ParkhillElementary Teacher Engaged students are successful learners — and meaningful engagement begins when students are given choice, voice, and opportunities to explore their interests. At Sacred Heart School of Halifax, enrichment learning goes beyond...
The Junior Primary Program at Sacred Heart School of Halifax: Love-Centred Learning
Sharon Bennet,Junior Primary Director I didn’t enjoy school as a child, and some days I still can’t quite believe that I teach in a school! But it’s why I believe early childhood education should feel safe, joyful, and deeply welcoming from the very beginning. At...
The Shared Spirituality We Cultivate at Sacred Heart
Debora Campbell, Campus Minister December is a natural time to reflect on our personal faith, particularly in Catholic and other Christian traditions. It’s the time we welcome the Advent Season, which marks the beginning of a new year in the Catholic Church and a time...
Shining Light, Teaching Love — The Sacred Heart Elementary School Difference
Alison Comeau, Elementary School Counsellor A good theme can help provide context, give direction, and unite a group. Every year at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, we choose a school theme that has meaning for our students and staff and helps us connect to and...
The Joyful Noise of Play: Why Recess Matters
At Sacred Heart School of Halifax, we have four recess periods for our Elementary School students. That includes one we just added this school year, first thing in the morning, which is proving fundamentally important for waking up young bodies and minds and boosting alertness and focus for the day ahead.
Starting our 177th School Year: Tradition Meets Modern Learning
It’s hard to believe, but this September marks the beginning of our 177th School Year. What a legacy! Of course, it takes time to create a legacy. Time to establish traditions and earn a reputation. Time to build a community. In our time, we have laid the foundation for an education that is both timeless and modern, traditional yet innovative. It is this combination that ensures we continue to provide an unparalleled independent education in Halifax, and what guides us as we start the 2025-26 School Year.
This is the best day ever!
The Best Day EverSharon Bennet “This is the best day ever!” These words are music to the ears of any educator who puts considerable time and effort into thinking about and planning for the daily success of the children in their care. In our Junior Primary program, we...
Put Down Your Phone. Pick Up The Light.
Inspired by a homily from Sr. Donna Dolan, RSCJ Smartphones. These days, we all have them. They ring, ping, sing and generally control some of the smallest details of our lives. Back in the day, we never went anywhere without our wallets; now our phones are our...
Community — The Big And The Small
By Renée Fournier Community. It’s a simple word; only nine letters, but it has so many meanings and implications. It can be a place; a group; a collective; a concept. It can be big and small all at the same time. It can be local, national, or global; or a combination...
Gratitude Gives Us More Beauty To See
By Alison Comeau October means beautiful fall colours, crisp, cool mornings, and of course Thanksgiving here in Canada. And while Thanksgiving has recently come and gone, many of us are still basking in the glow of family, friends, and the spirit of gratitude in which...
The Extra In Extracurriculars
By Jared Griffiths Watching our recent Elementary School Musical production of Matilda JR. this month, I was struck not just by the incredible show of talent, but by how far the more than 70 students had come since the day they auditioned. And by that, I don’t mean...
The Dignity of Stories
By Kathleen Groves In September, when the days are still long and the sun bakes into my classroom during the late afternoon, one of the first lessons I teach is based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story”. It is important that my...
Six Unexpected Travel Lessons Resulted In One Epic Trip!
By Patricia McMullen Pre-pandemic, the biannual trip to Europe with a group of students was one of my favourite school activities. As an ardent traveller, I am intimately familiar with the joys of travel and the excitement of discovering a new destination. To share...
Love Is Everywhere Here. Regardless Of The Date.
February is just about over, which theoretically means Heart Month is too. Of course, you shouldn’t stop thinking about the importance of your cardiovascular health, or for that matter, love. Isn’t it a shame that we “formally” celebrate love — one of the most...
A Case for Cultivating Civility
Good manners are more than old-fashioned etiquette. They help students communicate confidently, treat others with respect and build habits that will serve them throughout life.
What Makes The Difference?
What makes Sacred Heart different? From strong academics to the care families feel every day, one thing underpins it all: the love within our community.
Raising the Bar by Working Together
Great schools never stop asking how they can do better. This year, we’re challenging ourselves to raise the bar through personal growth and a stronger partnership among students, families and teachers.
When Tradition Meets Tomorrow
Renée FournierDirector, Marketing & Communications Traditions take time to become ingrained. At Sacred Heart School of Halifax, many of ours are over 100 years old. In some cases, even older. We love our traditions. We boast about them, in fact. They are woven...
AP vs. IB: Why We Choose Advanced Placement for Student Success
Craig PinchesVice Principal, Academics There’s a saying here at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, “We inspire our students to be the best in the world, and the best for the world.” We do this throughout the school at every grade level, but as a university preparatory...
The Sacred Heart School of Halifax Advantage: Personalized Paths to University Success
Lori WelshUniversity Prep Coordinator The future is bright for our graduates. Not just because the options are limitless, but because at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, we are very intentional about ensuring our Senior School students find the path, the opportunity,...
Learning Beyond Curriculum: Inside Our Elementary Enrichment Program
Nicole ParkhillElementary Teacher Engaged students are successful learners — and meaningful engagement begins when students are given choice, voice, and opportunities to explore their interests. At Sacred Heart School of Halifax, enrichment learning goes beyond...
The Junior Primary Program at Sacred Heart School of Halifax: Love-Centred Learning
Sharon Bennet,Junior Primary Director I didn’t enjoy school as a child, and some days I still can’t quite believe that I teach in a school! But it’s why I believe early childhood education should feel safe, joyful, and deeply welcoming from the very beginning. At...
The Shared Spirituality We Cultivate at Sacred Heart
Debora Campbell, Campus Minister December is a natural time to reflect on our personal faith, particularly in Catholic and other Christian traditions. It’s the time we welcome the Advent Season, which marks the beginning of a new year in the Catholic Church and a time...
Shining Light, Teaching Love — The Sacred Heart Elementary School Difference
Alison Comeau, Elementary School Counsellor A good theme can help provide context, give direction, and unite a group. Every year at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, we choose a school theme that has meaning for our students and staff and helps us connect to and...
The Joyful Noise of Play: Why Recess Matters
At Sacred Heart School of Halifax, we have four recess periods for our Elementary School students. That includes one we just added this school year, first thing in the morning, which is proving fundamentally important for waking up young bodies and minds and boosting alertness and focus for the day ahead.
Starting our 177th School Year: Tradition Meets Modern Learning
It’s hard to believe, but this September marks the beginning of our 177th School Year. What a legacy! Of course, it takes time to create a legacy. Time to establish traditions and earn a reputation. Time to build a community. In our time, we have laid the foundation for an education that is both timeless and modern, traditional yet innovative. It is this combination that ensures we continue to provide an unparalleled independent education in Halifax, and what guides us as we start the 2025-26 School Year.
This is the best day ever!
The Best Day EverSharon Bennet “This is the best day ever!” These words are music to the ears of any educator who puts considerable time and effort into thinking about and planning for the daily success of the children in their care. In our Junior Primary program, we...
Put Down Your Phone. Pick Up The Light.
Inspired by a homily from Sr. Donna Dolan, RSCJ Smartphones. These days, we all have them. They ring, ping, sing and generally control some of the smallest details of our lives. Back in the day, we never went anywhere without our wallets; now our phones are our...
Community — The Big And The Small
By Renée Fournier Community. It’s a simple word; only nine letters, but it has so many meanings and implications. It can be a place; a group; a collective; a concept. It can be big and small all at the same time. It can be local, national, or global; or a combination...
Gratitude Gives Us More Beauty To See
By Alison Comeau October means beautiful fall colours, crisp, cool mornings, and of course Thanksgiving here in Canada. And while Thanksgiving has recently come and gone, many of us are still basking in the glow of family, friends, and the spirit of gratitude in which...
The Extra In Extracurriculars
By Jared Griffiths Watching our recent Elementary School Musical production of Matilda JR. this month, I was struck not just by the incredible show of talent, but by how far the more than 70 students had come since the day they auditioned. And by that, I don’t mean...
The Dignity of Stories
By Kathleen Groves In September, when the days are still long and the sun bakes into my classroom during the late afternoon, one of the first lessons I teach is based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story”. It is important that my...
Six Unexpected Travel Lessons Resulted In One Epic Trip!
By Patricia McMullen Pre-pandemic, the biannual trip to Europe with a group of students was one of my favourite school activities. As an ardent traveller, I am intimately familiar with the joys of travel and the excitement of discovering a new destination. To share...
Love Is Everywhere Here. Regardless Of The Date.
February is just about over, which theoretically means Heart Month is too. Of course, you shouldn’t stop thinking about the importance of your cardiovascular health, or for that matter, love. Isn’t it a shame that we “formally” celebrate love — one of the most...
Children arrive at school full of questions. We work to help them keep this wild curiosity alive while seeking answers and building a knowledge base for future learning.
In our Elementary School, we teach the whole child, encouraging healthy development in language, cognition, and physical, social, emotional, artistic, and spiritual growth, because we know children need and deserve balance in their lives.
Our co-ed Elementary School is a thriving and nurturing environment, where every child is known, where love and joy are abundant, and teachers work in partnership with parents. We intentionally make the best use of instructional time through blocks of reading, writing, and math every day. And at the same time, we value and support learning across many disciplines. Our students engage in physical education, music, science, religion, social studies, art, and health. We also teach them civility — kindness and gratitude are part of our daily life.
We provide age-appropriate French instruction to serve our students’ developmental needs. Love of language is introduced in Junior Primary and Primary. In Grades 1 and 2, the Enhanced French Program provides daily instruction in both English and French and gives students a solid foundation of oral fluency and confidence. Building on this, our daily academic core French class in Grades 3 through 6 sets our students on the path to achieving their French fluency diploma in High School.
New to the Elementary School is our robust Enrichment Program, which includes Differentiated Teaching and Learning with a focus on integrating enrichment practices within the general curriculum, and Enrichment Clusters, thoughtfully curated experiences designed to enhance students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities.
We set aside time for play because we know that much learning happens during that unstructured time. It’s crucial for healthy social-emotional development, now more than ever in this digital world. We offer a myriad of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, including Battle of the Books, intramural sports, choir, Beginner Band, an annual musical, karate, Sportball, and Running Club.
We are blessed with a vibrant and healthy mix of young and long-serving faculty. Our team of skilled, caring, and deeply-committed educators — which includes our Principal, Learning Strategist, and School Counsellor — work collaboratively to ensure that students’ academic and social-emotional needs are addressed.
See the Elementary School in action — book a tour, or let one of our Student Angels guide your child through an entire day. Come see what makes us so special.
“The decision to send my son to Sacred Heart was, without a doubt one of the best decisions I have ever made. He has flourished over the years in all aspects of his development. Under the guidance of the wonderful teachers and staff he has grown into a confident, thoughtful and mature child….ready to tackle whatever comes next in this big big world!”
Amy Publicover
