School Description
Sacred Heart Catholic School is in southern Lawrence County, in Loretto, TN. It serves grades Pre-K through 1st grades. The school is a part of Sacred Heart Parish in Loretto and also serves Saint Joseph Parish in St. Joseph, TN.
Mission Statement
The mission of Sacred Heart School is to pass the truths of the faith and the knowledge of God's word to the next generation.
History
The parish of Sacred Heart Loretto was established in 1872 by Fr. John H. Hueser and a lay teacher, Bernard Klaholz. Daily mass and school were held in the parish residence until a small frame church was built in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in February 1872. The first school was a tiny building of one single room and was ran by several Sisters of the Precious Blood from Maria Stein, Ohio until 1904 when due to utter poverty they were forced to return to the motherhouse. When Reverend Louis Kempheus became pastor in 1905, he began to consider the needs of a school and the possibilities of a new building to house it. The new and somewhat larger frame building was completed in October, 1907, and Father Kempheus appealed to the Superior of Saint Bernard’s Convent for Sisters. Three Sisters of Mercy were appointed for this new venture when Sacred Heart School reopened October 22, 1907: Sister Mary Stanislaus, superior and principal; Sister Mary Veronica; and Sister Mary Elizabeth.
In 1945, a new modern brick building was built with the handiwork of the Pastor, members of the parish, and even some of the students. The newest Sacred Heart School building was solemnly blessed on December 8, 1947, by His Excellency, Most Reverend W. L. Adrian, D. D., Bishop of Nashville. In September, 1947, a junior high school was opened at Sacred Heart for grades nine and ten. This only lasted until 1953, when the Bishop advised that this department be closed due to the small number of pupils. Since that time the students from Sacred Heart, after leaving grade eight, have attended Loretto Public High School where they have been outstanding in their academic achievement. In September, 1954, a cafeteria was opened in the basement of the school. This facility has had the unique experience of having almost 100% participation in the lunch program from the day it opened to the present day. In 1963, a multipurpose gymnasium was constructed directly behind the school building and housed the cafeteria, stage, restrooms, storage spaces, and a full-size basketball court. The former cafeteria and stage in the basement was converted into a library and large classroom. In 2003-2004 the gymnasium and cafeteria complex was renovated. In 2004-2005 a Parish Life Center (PLC) was constructed and dedicated. In 2014, the large classroom was converted into two smaller classrooms to house 5th/6th and 7th/8th grade classrooms.
In 1994 the Sisters of Mercy withdrew from Sacred Heart School. A Catholic lay faculty then staffed the school. From the fall of 1997 through the spring of 1999 the Sisters of the Sacred Heart from Kerala, India, sent a nun to teach religion in the school. Since their withdrawal in 1999, Sacred Heart School has been staffed primarily with a Catholic lay faculty. A Pre-Kindergarten Program, located in the new PLC, was launched in January 2007 for Sacred Heart School. A Kindergarten Program was added in August 2007. The computer lab was updated, and more computers were added in the spring of 2011 and again in the fall of 2014 and spring of 2018. The school windows were updated in the summer of 2019. Sacred Heart School is proud to be in its 152th year of providing a quality faith-filled education for students in this area.