Welcome, and thank you for expressing an interest in our school! We hope that you, like thousands of young women who have called Sacred Heart their school since 1861, will also feel right at home here. Our student body, faculty, staff, and administration work hard to make it a warm and caring environment while keeping our teacher-to-student ratio low. This is just one of the ways that we ensure the personal, caring treatment of every Sacred Heart girl.
You don’t have to take my word for it: watch one of our videos, My School, My Home, Sacred Heart, to see testimonials from some of our students visit us at any time by contacting Admissions to make an appointment or speak with our Enrolment Management Coordinator, Stephanie or sign up to be a Student-for-a-Day anytime that is convenient for you, and experience the school first-hand.
When you visit our school be sure to ask about the Chromebooks for every student and Google Apps for Education our free online tutoring offered by GradeSlam and our French social sciences option for Secondary I students. You can also follow us on one of the school’s several social media feeds like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, to get a sense of the everyday life of the school and what it is to be a Sacred Heart girl.
The Society of the Sacred Heart was founded in 1800 by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat and The Sacred Heart School of Montreal is a member of the worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools. Each school has the same five goals that govern our mission and guide our educational philosophy.
From its inception, the Society of the Sacred Heart opened its doors to any girl, regardless of circumstance, who desired a Sacred Heart education. Moreover, unlike most advocates of girls’ education in the early nineteenth century, Sophie did not see her mission solely in terms of preparing young women either to be good wives and mothers or to enter a religious congregation. Her schools were rooted in a much broader vision: to deliver an education that would inspire young women to be agents of social transformation in their times. Today, our school prides itself on its commitment to social justice and empowering young women to take their place in an ever-changing world.
Our current home on Atwater Ave. is the sixth home of the school since its inception in 1861. City House, as it is fondly known, is a building rich in history and equipped for the modern student. Rooted in tradition, but always evolving, The Sacred Heart School of Montreal aims to instill the values that Saint Madeleine Sophie so valued all the while promoting creative education and leadership framed by the five goals of a Sacred Heart education. The truly international character of a Sacred Heart School aids in fostering a global education and citizenship in our girls.
The Sacred Heart School of Montreal has undergone many changes since it opened its doors on Atwater Ave., in 1928. Although things may look different than they did all those years ago, the same warm, welcoming environment is contagious the minute you step foot inside its doors. The school participates in many public speaking, debating, creative writing, and other competitions, such as Poetry in Voice, Olympus de parole, World Scholar’s Cup, Student Stock Exchange (SSX), Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), etc.
The Advanced Placement Programme offers students the opportunity to take college-level courses in Secondary V. An AP course allows students to study a subject in greater depth, in close collaboration with a specially trained teacher. Students who earn a qualifying grade on an AP exam may receive credit or advanced placement when they enroll in CEGEP or university. AP courses are externally examined by the American College Board.
Junior and Senior concert bands, as well as Show Choir, are part of a rich arts curriculum that includes theatre, visual arts in our Art Studio, film-making, and multimedia classes in our state-of-the-art film and multimedia studio. This award allows young people to determine what they are passionate about. There are four Sections of activities for all Award levels: Service, Skill Development, Physical Recreation, adventurous journey. The Award encourages young people to spend time volunteering in their community, which both benefits others and contributes to their growth and well-being.
For gifted students with an aptitude for independent learning, the Faculty Scholars program offers the opportunity to pursue personal projects under the guidance of outside experts. Projects typically run the gamut from artistic and literary productions to historical and scientific research. A course built into student schedules that deals with the current issues facing adolescents such as online safety, transitioning to high school, CEGEP or grade 12 applications, sleep, stress, responsible decision making, healthy eating, and sexual education to name a few. These topics are addressed by subject experts from both within and outside the school.
As of August 2019, The Sacred Heart School of Montreal will become one of a select few high schools in Quebec to offer a Grade 12 program. The program will be delivered online in conjunction with physical classes. Students will be able to choose between a Commerce and a Science stream. At the end of the one-year, full-time program, students will receive a Grade 12 diploma (OSSD) from the Ontario Ministry of Education, enabling them to apply to universities in Quebec, other Canadian provinces, the United States, and abroad. The accelerated program moves advanced Mathematics students through the secondary school curriculum in four years instead of five, allowing them to complete a Calculus course in Secondary V.
