School History

History of Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart School has been in existence since 1984 when its' doors on Deep Canyon Road and Fred Waring were opened to receive students in Kindergarten and First Grade.  The building had been constructed as a parish hall with three classrooms for religious education.  With twenty-one (21) students in Kindergarten and First Grade in 1984, the school continued to add a new class each year.  Enrollment growth was clearly foreseen.

 The need for additional classrooms and a new school site was addressed in 1991.  In the interim, a small staff worked with combined Grades 1-6 in the old school.  Kindergarten was housed in the back of the old church.

 Once the new school site and size were decided, the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish began fundraising efforts.  Parishioners and visitors were very generous in supporting the drive to start the much needed building.  Finances were in place and the new building was ready by September 1993.  Provisions were made for larger classrooms for students in K-8.  The computer room, library, offices and faculty space were great improvements over our earlier limited areas.  On September 8th 1993, opening day for the new school, the expanded staff of eight (8) teachers in Kindergarten – Grades 7th /8th combination, welcomed a student total of 210.  Soon afterwards, in 1994-1995 the computer room and library were staffed and running.  Sizeable grants had enabled Sacred Heart School to develop its technology program earlier than was anticipated.  Parents' Club Ways and Means Committee worked hard to match each annual grant received.  School and programs were debt free by 1997.  By 1999, school enrollment reached 291, close to capacity of 310.

 In 2001 and 2002, the staff involved in K-8 at Sacred Heart School consisted of nine classroom teachers, a full-time computer teacher, five part-time teachers in Advanced Math, Music, Spanish, library and P.E., and teacher-aides in K-5.   Each year new students were tested and registered in the Spring.  A growing interest and provision for intramural sports and for music resulted in boys' and girls' teams in competitive sports and junior and senior choirs.

 In 2002 the original Parish Hall was remodeled and opened as a four room, 83 student capacity pre-school. In 2009 we added an afternoon pre-K class of ten students bringing the enrollment in the preschool to 93 children.  That same year plans were put into place with the intention of doubling the school size over the coming years. In 2002 the first set of classrooms were opened as junior high rooms allowing us to double kindergarten through third grade.  In 2006 the new kindergarten and first grade classrooms were opened which gave us the space to double fourth and fifth grade.  This expansion also included break out rooms, a multi-purpose room, a large play field and parking lot.  In March of 2009 the final four classrooms and second library were completed allowing for the doubling of sixth through eighth grade.  In May of 2009 the Parish Hall/Gymnasium opened including a new eating area for the children and a full service kitchen.  With the school now hosting double grades enrollment hovers around 600 students and 475 families.  The growing valley coupled with a reputation for academic excellence offered in a nurturing religious environment has blessed the parish with tremendous opportunities.

 After many years of hard work, Sacred Heart School applied for and was awarded the National Blue Ribbon Award.  The designation by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings is the highest to be bestowed on a select number of schools in the nation each year, and places Sacred Heart School among one of 250 schools across the nation to be so recognized in 2006. SHS is the first school under the direction of the Office of Catholic Schools of the Diocese of San Bernardino to receive the award.