So, what has been happening during the first week “off” at Sacred Heart Villa? Three big changes occurred. First, the Nursery 2 classroom on the second floor was completely emptied to make way for the return of the children’s dining room. Since the fall of 2020, the children have eaten lunch in their classrooms when Sr. Margaret and Nico delivered the prepared wrapped lunch plates to ten classrooms on three floors. When we resume school on August 16th, the children will enjoy eating in their newly painted dining room. Sr. Margaret will be breathing a huge sigh of relief that she does not have to dish out, wrap up and deliver about 100 lunches each day.
The next change occurred on the big playground. Two members of our advisory board, Andrew Gayer and Jim Striler, removed the 30 plus year old firetruck structure that was looking very worn and installed a new firetruck! The Villa received a grant which covers the cost of this new play structure. The children will be so excited to see this new firetruck with four steering wheels! It bounces like the old one, too.
The third, and the biggest change, is the demolition of the half walls of the toddler’s Little Tykes classroom in the playroom and the construction of the new floor to ceiling exterior walls. The electrical features were wired as well. The project is coming along well. These much needed alterations will provide better security for students and staff. It will also help the teachers to have less interruptions during the day from other classes using either the playroom for gross motor activities or the stage for practicing for plays and prayer services. Since our toddler classrooms keep increasing, it is a necessity that we have this space function as well as the other classrooms: safely, securely, and well built. The Fund-a-Need portion of our annual auction in April raised the needed money for this much needed project.
The generosity of the Villa’s parents and benefactors has made these dreams become a reality. We are so blessed by these three changes at The Villa.