Sacred Heart Kingston to Open Newly Renovated Observatory on Campus

 Sacred Heart School (www.sacredheartkingston.com), a private, Catholic, co-educational school for students in preschool through grade 12, will open a newly renovated observatory on their campus as part of their STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) initiative.

The original observatory opened in 1999. Sr. Nivard Kohout, CDP who was finance director of the school, dreamed of having an observatory on campus and worked to have it designed and built.  Ted Williams Dingley, a graduate of the Sacred Heart class of 1990 who went on to study architecture, designed the observatory as part of his senior project.  The observatory will be dedicated as “The Kohout-Dingley Observatory” in their memory.

The opening of the observatory will kick off the school’s STEAM initiative that includes a new Science and Innovation Center which will feature new state-of-the-art chemistry, biology, earth sciences and physics labs and a greenhouse.The new 11" EdgeHD Tube assembly on a Losmondy G11 Gemini 2 Equatorial Mount telescope is being installed in the rotating dome. The observatory also features an open air observation deck. The digital telescope will be connected to a monitor in the classroom below, allowing for live interaction between the students and instructor. The observatory will also have astronomy binoculars for open night viewing. Once the observatory is complete the school hopes to host community events.

President Pamela Desmarais said, “We are thrilled to be able to re-open our observatory with the new technology as part of our STEAM initiative. Students learn by doing and are inspired by hands on participation in the arts and sciences. Our students will thrive with these new initiatives and we will all enjoy the opportunity to study the stars.”

About Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart is a private, co-educational Catholic school system, which provides educational opportunities for students throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, from preschool through grade 12.  As a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Divine Providence, Sacred Heart School strives to inspire minds, define character and encourage responsible leadership through a curriculum that prepares students to pursue knowledge throughout their lives. The school provides students with a strong liberal arts curriculum, and integrates technology into the hands of students with its One to One iPad Program. Sacred Heart also offers extensive athletic, arts and extra-curricular activities for students.  Founded in 1947, the school underwent  a governance change in July 2011, incorporating the Sacred Heart Schools in Kingston, MA as Sacred Heart School System, Inc. This new structure was implemented to assure the continuation of academic excellence of the Sacred Heart Schools for the future, as well as the Catholic mission and the religious community traditions. The school system serves students on a beautiful, expansive campus on Route 80 that includes three school buildings, a central administrative office, and athletic fields and facilities. Sacred Heart School welcomes students of all faiths and diverse backgrounds. The school prides itself in a commitment to developing the whole student, offering an independent school atmosphere and top-tier academics. Pamela Desmarais serves as the school’s President. The Sacred Heart campus is located at 251-399 Bishops Highway, Kingston, MA 02364. For additional information about the school, please visit www.sacredheartkingston.com or call 781-585-7511.