Charger
Our school mascot is known as the Charger. The Charger is a mustang horse affectionately call Cha Cha. The school colors are navy and gold.
Congé
(kon-zhay: French for leave taking, farewell)
It's congé! This announcement is recognized by students at Sacred Heart schools as signaling a day when they take leave of their regular studies and channel all energy into having fun. Congés come when they are least expected, since the planning of them is done in secret. This tradition provides an opportunity for the senior class to exercise skills of planning and organizing as they work with administration and faculty members to prepare activities for the younger students.
DASH
Specific to Duchesne, DASH represents Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart.
DASHConnect
DASHConnect is Duchesne's on-line community portal. By accessing DASHConnect, parents, alumnae, faculty, and staff can update their address and contact information as well as search the Online Directories for other parents and fellow alums. The school uses the available email addresses and telephone numbers to communicate time-sensitive information as well as keep parents informed of important information affecting their daughters.
Feast of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat
Madeleine Sophie Barat, foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart, was born in Joigny, France in 1779. She received a remarkable education at home from her Jesuit-educated brother. At 16, she and her brother studied together in Paris. While there, she learned of plans to form a new religious congregation that was to be rooted in prayer, dedicated to education, and, ultimately, committed to glorifying the Heart of Christ. In 1800, with three others, she consecrated her life "to make known the revelation of God's love, whose source and symbol is the Heart of Christ." Elected Superior General in 1806, she held this post until her death on May 25, 1865. She was canonized a saint in 1925. Her feast is celebrated on May 25.
Feast of St. Philippine Duchesne
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne was born in Grenoble, an ancient city in the French Alps, in 1769. Educated at home and at the Visitation Monastery near her home, Philippine entered the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1804. Philippine's greatest desire was to be a missionary to America and serve the Native Americans. In 1818, Mother Sophie Barat consented to Philippine's many requests and on May 29 of that year, Philippine and four companions established the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi in St. Charles, Missouri. Philippine died on November 18, 1852 at the age of 83 in St. Charles. She was canonized in July 1988. Her feast is celebrated on November 18.
Goûter
French for "to taste," goûter is a special treat to which Sacred Heart students look forward to on special feast days and celebrations held at school.
Graduation
Graduation is a tradition that ends our school year with the awarding of diplomas to our senior class. The formal graduation is held on the front lawn of the White House. The graduates wear long white dresses, lace crowns, and carry roses. The ceremony is followed by the Trés Bien Dinner Dance, given by the alumnae for the graduates and their families.
Heart of the Oak
This is the name of Duchesne's annual school magazine which highlights the many ways students, faculty, alumnae, parents, and community live the five Goals of the Sacred Heart.
Mater
In 1844, a young novice of the Society of the Sacred Heart painted a fresco of the Virgin Mary on a wall of the convent. The novice painted Mary as a young woman in a rose-colored dress. A lily at Mary's side represented her purity; the distaff and spindle, her love of work; a book, her dedication to study. When viewing the fresco for the first time, Pope Pius IX proclaimed "Mater Admirabilis!" (Latin for "Mother Most Admirable"). The feast of Mater Admirabilis is October 20. There is a statue or painting of Mater in each of the Sacred Heart schools today. This special day is marked with liturgical celebrations and pink goûter.
Network
The Network of Sacred Heart Schools is an association of twenty-two Sacred Heart schools across the United States. There are also Sacred Heart schools in 44 countries around the world. Together they are dedicated to the values of Christian education articulated nearly two hundred years ago by the foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat.
Oak Online
The Oak Online is the school's monthly two page electronic newsletter. Emailed to parents, the Oak Online spotlights events, student accomplishments, and an inspirational message from the school's Headmistress, Sister Jan Dunn.
Prize Day
Prize Day brings a formal end to the school year in some Sacred Heart schools. Students are recognized for their academic achievements throughout the year and for character formation. The faculty and students come together in a formal setting to distribute the prizes. From the youngest to the oldest, students are taught to accept awards graciously and to applaud the skills and talents of others.
Religious
The term "Religious" is used to refer to the nuns who serve in the schools of the Society of Sacred Heart. The Religious of the Sacred Heart sign their names followed by RSCJ, which is derived from the French Religieuses du Sacré Coeur de Jesus.
The St. Philippine Society
The St. Philippine Society was named for St. Rose Philippine Duchesne who brought Sacred Heart education to the United States in 1818. Members of the St. Philippine Society are those who make or have made Duchesne a beneficiary of a bequest or other planned gift and who inform the school of their commitment.
The Sophie Society
Those who give $1,500 or more to The Duchesne Fund or who make a combined annual gift of $2,500 are recognized as major donors and members of The Sophie Society. The Sophie Society members are recognized at a reception in the White House each spring.
