The Sacred Heart Academy community welcomes nine new teachers this school year, covering nearly every department! Here is a little bit about two of our newest faculty: Mr. Patrick Grady (Biology teacher) and Mrs. Nicole Granucci (Physics teacher).

Mr. Grady was originally born in Connecticut but lived in Kennebunk, Maine until he was 12 years old. Upon coming back to the state, he enrolled in Xavier High School in Middletown. He proclaims himself as always being a “science dork,” but surprisingly started at the University of Connecticut as a math major. Upon discovering his love for nature and all its complexities, he finished his time at Storrs with an undergraduate degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He continued his specialization in DNA analysis with comparisons different species while earning his Master’s at the University of Illinois for Entomology.

Mr. Grady did not always think he would end up a teacher, though his family and friends thought him a good fit for that career all along. After some time in college, he realized how “fulfilling it was running classes…compared to [his] research work.” He has had much experience since then, teaching at both UConn and the University of Illinois. He balances Sacred Heart Academy with teaching Zoology and Anatomy & Physiology classes at Post University in Waterbury.

Sacred Heart Academy has already made a big impact on Mr. Grady. He feels very welcomed into the community, saying, “Like no other school I’ve ever been to, the students and staff all feel like part of a family.” Although just less than a quarter into the school year, he has already reveled in seeing “sparks of genuine interest” in students. He aspires to teach the girls about following their academic passion, even if it ends up being unrelated to Mr. Grady’s courses. It took him until college to see his love for biology and he wants the girls to understand that it is okay to thrive in and pursue a particular subject if it makes you happy. Mr. Grady has lots planned—especially in terms of unique labs. Even on the second day of classes, he had the girls “extracting DNA from a strawberry with dish soap and alcohol.”

Mr. Grady is exceedingly grateful to be at SHA. He can’t wait to get involved with all the activities the school offers. He has some wisdom to share for seniors thinking about their own majors and futures:

My biggest piece of advice to seniors is to not rush your decision. I changed my major in college three times before I picked one, and it took me a long time even in college to focus on a career. Once you do, do everything you can to learn the skills you need! Stand out from the crowd in college – make sure you don’t graduate having just taken classes and not any real world experience. It’ll surprise you once you graduate how important it is to stand out in the job market.

He certainly has much to offer as both a teacher and a mentor for students trying to discern which career is for them. The Sacred Heart Academy community is thrilled to welcome Mr. Grady to the faculty and hope he enjoys being a part of the 2016-2017 school year.

Mrs. Granucci hails from Hamden, CT, having attended Hamden High School right down the road from SHA. She has earned various degrees: B.S. in Physics & Mathematics at the University of Connecticut, M.S. in Science Education at the University of New Haven, and is currently finishing her M.S. in Applied Physics and Optics at Southern CT State University.

Her passion for all these difficult science and mathematics courses occurred when she “started to understand the why of many things.” Mrs. Granucci has always loved learning about how and why all the nuances of the universe work together. She had a book called Cosmic Questions that “fueled her interest in astronomy and particle physics.” She’s always had a passion for space, astronomy and science, and physics is a natural way to explain these phenomena. She continues, “Physics is just so cool. It’s also fun to say you know about quantum mechanics and astrophysics.”

Mrs. Granucci has previously taught AP Physics, Honors Physics, and Physics at Oxford High School for 8 years. She has taught Applied Research and even coached many students in the CT Science Fair. As well as her courses at SHA this year, she teaches physics at SCSU and Quinnipiac. Still, she makes time for all her other hobbies and passions: “I love to play music and I play multiple instruments. I play trumpet at SCSU Symphonic Band and I play bass in a rock cover band. I like to play classical and rock piano and sing with guitar. I am a big fan of fitness and yoga. I like to play games – cards and tabletop – with friends.”

SHA is very distinct compared to other places she has been. Mrs. Granucci values the sense of community and how “everyone truly looks out for everyone else.” She has even found that SHA girls generally perform better on most assignments. Her favorite thing SHA girls offer is their passion for learning. It is a huge deal to Mrs. Granucci that she can teach physics to women, which has been a subject usually dominated by men over the years. This year she gets to teach 24 girls in AP Physics!

She plans to have very exciting “High-Tech Labs” be a part of the SHA curriculum this year. She notes, “I have new lab equipment for advanced labs in all of my courses. [I have] future planning toward bringing students to astronomy conventions with research projects.” Her courses are jam-packed with new, interesting ways of studying and learning. Mrs. Granucci is a fantastic addition to the science department.

Mrs. Granucci has much to share with the SHA girls, even beyond all her academic knowledge. She says confidently, “Do not be afraid of something difficult. Persevere. Sometimes the answer isn’t obvious immediately.  Don’t shut down immediately without putting up a good effort. Try new approaches, try “crazy” ideas and trust your instincts. You can learn ANYTHING. Some things will take more time than others, but if you want to learn it, you will. Do not give up. Also, physics is phun.”

Furthermore, she shares advice for seniors on their journeys toward majors, careers, and lifestyles: “There is so much money given to women who pursue careers in physics, engineering and astronomy. In some cases, you can get your education for free! In addition, these jobs are in high demand and start with great salaries.” She wants girls to feel confident enough to pursue anything that catches their interest, no matter how challenging or intimidating. Mrs. Granucci offers great energy, wisdom, and knowledge to the school and the girls can’t wait to continue in her classes.