Four members of the Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton (SHS) community were honored with the school’s prestigious St. Madeleine Sophie Award, named after the founder of Sacred Heart schools globally. They join a distinguished group of past award recipients ranging from members of the RSCJ to parents, educators, staff, and SHS trustees.

 

The awardees—Karen Filice, Toni Jacobs, Guy Letteer, and Paul Sallaberry—represent a combined 80-plus years of service to the school. Filice is a past Sacred Heart Prep (SHP) staff member and past parent, Jacobs is a current preschool-eighth grade faculty member and past parent, Letteer is a current SHP faculty member, and Sallaberry is a current SHS trustee and past parent.

 

“Each in their own way, these four recipients have demonstrated outstanding commitment to our school and its educational philosophy through their teaching and volunteerism,” said SHS Director of Schools Richard Dioli in his opening remarks. “As a result, countless students have benefited from their leadership, their loyalty, and most of all, their hearts.”

 

The awards were presented at a formal ceremony for family, friends, and invited guests held Wednesday night, Sept. 19, at the Campbell Center for the Performing Arts and Conway Court.

 

“Karen shares many of Sophie’s and Philippine’s most striking qualities—she’s a wonderful blend of the two saints,” said James Everitt, SHS director of mission initiatives and institutional planning, who shared remarks about Filice. “She has Sophie’s strength of vision and she shares Sophie’s deep connection to the source of her life. She embodies Philippine’s courage and her persistence in the face of obstacles.”

 

SHS drama teacher Rachel Prouty spoke about Toni Jacobs’ dedication to SHS. “Toni has been called to be an educator of the Sacred Heart and always steps in to fill a need at the school without a moment of hesitation. To Toni, this is not a job, it is a vocation. Her heart and soul are a part of her work. The mission and words of St. Madeleine Sophie speak to Toni every day,” said Prouty.

 

SHP computer science and math teacher Kevin Morris shared stories about Guy Letteer’s contributions to the community. “[Guy] is famously humble about his talents, he has a gift for making social connections and it comes with a complete lack of ego. Some colleagues described him as ‘an endless well of generosity.’ Another said, ‘at every moment, his goal is to make people happy,’” said Morris. “Guy looks at the world and says if I can do something to help someone, to make things a little better, a little easier, more fun for someone, why shouldn’t I?”

 

SHS trustee and current parent David Schneider concluded the night talking about his friend Paul Sallaberry. “There is no one who speaks or does for others like Paul Sallaberry. He is being recognized as someone who helped create the sense of community that we call Sacred Heart, Atherton,” said Schneider. “Paul became the [SHP Athletics] Boosters president in 2007, and served in that capacity until 2012. The Boosters became a community within the community, and that has really shaped the modern face of Sacred Heart Prep.”