By Juan Soto
Sacred Heart School came together in a street fair last Friday in an effort to raise money to renovate its 90-year-old boy’s bathroom.
But there was also a parallel festivity. The school is celebrating its 90th anniversary.
“We will have an open house, activities with parents, a dinner dance,” said Dennis Farrell, the school’s principal.
The official big event will be the dinner dance held at a Great Neck restaurant Nov. 7.
Throughout the years, Sacred Heart, with a student body from pre-K classes to 8th grade, has graduated tens of thousands of students. One of its most famous alumnus is Paul LeClerc, former president of the New York City Public Library.
“We feel our students are famous,” the principal said. “Our students succeed in high school.”
Fior the past two years, Sacred Heart represented New York state at the National History Day Competition.
This academic year the Bayside educational center has a 425-student enrollment.
“This year we have the largest number of new students, but we also had the largest group of graduates,” he said.
On Friday, right after the dismissal bell, the school participated in the street fair that included bounce houses, a giant double slide, sand art, tattoos, raffles, food and more games. Tickets were sold to the event.
The children did not want to miss their own Fun Day Fair, held in front of the school at 216th Street and 38th Avenue.
“It took a lot to organize this, but a group of mons got together and did it,” said Alicia Alvero, a Sacred Heart parent who helped put together the street fair. “We wanted a big party for the anniversary and what better way than to have a fair.”
Alvero said “a lot of families contributed to organize the event, but without their contributions, the street fair would cost have cost about $5,000.
“It takes a lot of hours and a lot of planning,” said Alvero, who has two kids in the school.
After the fun, comes the task of replacing the whole bathroom.
“It is just in terrible shape,” said Farrell.
Farrell said the new bathroom will cost about $100,000.
The project includes replacing the old pipes that enter the school’s building and the tiles.
“The parents really stepped up to the plate,” said Farrell, who added that in the past the school also raised money for other capital improvements.
Last year, for example, the gym’s floor was replaced.
“We try to do improvements every year,” said Farrell, who has been the school’s principal for the past 25 years.
Reach reporter Juan Soto by e-mail at jsoto@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
