Sacred Heart Schools Atherton

RSCJ @ Oakwood

Opened in 1971 on the SHS campus, Oakwood Retirement Center is one of two facilities in the U.S. caring for retired women of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ), and currently houses the largest contingent of elderly Sisters. As such, Oakwood is both a serene refuge and powerful resource for the entire Sacred Heart school community.

Currently there are 52 RSCJ residents, and daily visits from SHS students, faculty and staff, alumni, and past and current parents are common. Daily morning Mass in the chapel is open to all, and Oakwood hosts most of the Feast Day gatherings for the entire area.

The School Connection

Throughout the year, SHS students of all ages can be seen visiting the Oakwood community, and there are a number of planned special activities that connect both the old and young, such as the preschool and kindergarten students' holiday concert, the third grade's "Reading with the Sisters" program, the high school drama program’s oral history project, and the annual alumni reunion day, among others.

A small number of Oakwood residents volunteer at SHS and various other schools and organizations in the wider community, while many active RSCJ living locally in the Bay Area volunteer in some way at Oakwood. Frequently, the Sisters are seen walking the SHS campus, visiting the animals residing on the SHS Farm, attending alumni events, and cheering at Gator athletic games.

Campus Programs

List of 5 items.

Education to Mission Programs

A number of Education to Mission programs are held throughout the year, and open to all members of the SHS adult community. Popular programs such as Come to the Quiet, Theology Mondays, Busy Persons' Retreat, and other activities bind our community through education and interaction with the RSCJ mission and the Sisters living at Oakwood. In addition, the new employee orientation program includes a half-day workshop at Oakwood, introducing the story of founder St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, the mission of the RSCJ, and the history of the Schools of the Sacred Heart.
Sacred Heart Society

The Sacred Heart Society, a group of SHS seniors—in past years any number from 35 and 60—regularly meet individually with a partnered RSCJ throughout the school year, and many visit ‘their Sister’ for years thereafter.
Educators of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (ESCJ)

SHS’s faculty-organized group, Educators of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (ESCJ), also known as “Keepers of the Flame,” regularly interact with the RSCJ and follow a mission to “empower the SHS school community to learn the heritage and live the charism of the Society of the Sacred Heart.”
Parents' Association Spirituality Committee

The PA Spirituality Committee organizes a number of activities throughout the school year, involving or benefiting the Oakwood residents.
Oakwood Fine Arts Series

Coordinated by faculty, the SHP fine arts program conducts a monthly performance for the Sisters on site, sharing instrumental and choral music, as well as holiday themed selections. Students, families, and faculty can take part in the variety show, performing as groups, pairs, and solo acts.

About Oakwood Center

Originally launched as a single structure building, Oakwood Retirement Center currently includes multiple structures, resident rooms and apartments, a special care wing, a chapel, and a number of common areas, including a dining hall, meeting room, art studio, library, and computer bank. Gardens on the property are maintained in part by residents, and are often the site of intimate school receptions or traditional gouters.