Sacred Heart Academy Breaks Ground For New School Center

HAMDEN, CT — Sacred Heart Academy entered a new chapter in its history on Friday, June 1 with a formal groundbreaking ceremony for a new school center at the Academy’s campus on Benham Street in Hamden. The new school center was designed by David Thompson Architects, a New Haven-based architectural firm with extensive experience serving educational and religious communities throughout the region. Architect David Thompson said the new project represents a special opportunity for Sacred Heart.

“Sacred Heart has built a stellar reputation for quality secondary education,” Thompson said in a press release. “The construction of the new space will be enormously important in projecting the school’s identity, linking its programs and activities into a more tightly integrated physical plant.”

Thompson also noted the critical participation of the entire Sacred Heart community in shaping the design for the new school center. Completion of the 7,250 square-foot space is scheduled for the start of the 2019 fall semester. Read more from Sacred Heart Academy below:

In line with the challenges and pace of 21st century learning, the new school center will be constructed in front of the existing building, connecting the Philip Paolella Jr. Recreational Center and the original main entrance. The new wing - an educational, social, and cultural center – will also offer improved accessibility for those with physical challenges. The space includes a new student commons and art gallery for exhibiting student and visiting artist’s works. Visitors will now enter the school from ground level in full view of the relocated main office.

“We love having visitors,” said President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71 (Hamden). “And we want them to feel welcome. The new configuration will be a central hub for the school while providing enhanced safety and security.”

The president’s office, principal’s office, and offices for admissions and alumnae affairs will be situated near the main office and conference rooms will provide convenient meeting space for alumnae, academic departments, the Advisory Council, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Clubs, among other groups. Relocated offices will free up rooms for use by faculty to meet with students and parents, and for student clubs and activities; such meeting spaces are currently in short supply.

The Academy embarked on Ever Higher – The Campaign for Sacred Heart Academy to raise funds for the $5 million school center in 2016. The new school center represents Phase I of the school’s 10-year master plan, spearheaded by President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71 and approved by the Apostle’s Board of Directors and Advisory Council in 2015. Phases II and III, even more ambitious and far-reaching, include expanding the cafeteria by flipping its orientation from horizontal to vertical to create new space for fine arts and a spacious atrium for large gatherings and concerts. On the long-range drawing board (Phase III) is a new building that would house a larger student commons, a faculty commons, and a theatre which will also benefit the sports program as former classrooms will be repurposed for athletics.

The construction company for the new school center is FIP of Farmington, a firm with extensive experience in serving educational institutions. For more than a half century FIP Construction has earned the trust and confidence of clients by providing the highest level of professional service to meet project challenges and to exceed performance expectations.

Speakers at the groundbreaking and preceding liturgy included President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ (Hamden), Chair of the Advisory Council Karen Harris (Wallingford), and Provincial Superior of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Sr. Ritamary Schulz, ASCJ (Hamden). Fr. Michael Dolan, Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (Hamden) did the blessing. Others attending included Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Hartford Michael S. Griffin, Ph.D. (Rocky Hill), Campaign Cabinet and Committee, Advisory Council member Sallie Vece DeMarsilis (North Haven), members of the Advisory Council, students, faculty, and alumnae.

Pictured, from left to right: Chair of the Advisory Council Karen Harris (Wallingford), Principal Sr. Kathleen Mary Coonan, ASCJ,’76 (Hamden), Provincial Superior Sr. Ritamary Schulz, ASCJ, ’59 (Hamden), President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71(Hamden), Principal of David Thompson Architects David Thompson (New Haven), and FIP Construction CEO & President Bill Hardy (Farmington).

Photo Credit: Impressions of Wallingford / via Sacred Heart Academy