In June, six Regis faculty had the opportunity to attend the annual Sacred Heart network conference “Roots that Give Us Wings,” hosted in St. Charles, MO. Every year, the conference is hosted in St. Charles because it is home to the first Sacred Heart school, the Academy of the Sacred Heart, established in the U.S. in 1818 by St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. 

Donna Bennett, Emily Coulter, Kaitlin Holy, Rex Malixi, Estrella Pereira, and Mara Scarbrough were among the more than 130 Sacred Heart educators from around the world to participate in this three-day historical and reflective professional development opportunity. The annual gathering welcomes and encourages new and veteran Sacred Heart faculty and staff to develop and foster deeper connections to the Sacred Heart’s history, education, values, and traditions.

Starting her second year at Regis as an Early Childhood Teacher Assistant, Estrella Pereira believes “Roots” gave her the tools necessary to be a better Sacred Heart educator. “Attending ‘Roots’ allowed me to learn more about the Sacred Heart network and its meaning,” says Pereira. “Although the time spent at the conference was brief, I gained a wealth of knowledge and am excited about applying what I learned in the classroom.”

An immersive experience, attendees were treated to a series of engaging presentations from RSCJ speakers, visited the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, toured the Academy of the Sacred Heart and saw the shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, and connected with other Sacred Heart educators near and far.

For Emily Coulter, Interim Early Childhood Division Head, the connections made with the other Sacred Heart colleagues during the conference were invaluable. “I enjoyed learning about what the programs and approaches to education other schools across the Sacred Heart network do,” says Coulter. “I didn’t expect to feel as connected to the other educators as I did, and while our geography and local cultures were different, it was clear that our goals for our schools and students were the same.”

The time at “Roots” provided an opportunity to network with others, and it even allowed our Regis team to put Goal IV into action by building community through a shared love of baseball. As avid Houston Astros fans, they wasted no time attending a game in St. Louis versus the Cardinals. “We were able to share in professional and spiritual development together, but also, by coincidence, the Astros were playing in St. Louis, and we were able to bond over baseball,” says Director of Liturgy & Religion Teacher Rex Malixi. “Spending time with my Regis colleagues and creating fun, lasting memories was very special.”