what we do
Adult Education
Registration Opens May 8, 2023
At Sacred Heart Center, our Adult Education Programs strive to provide Latino families with tools to thrive and flourish. We strongly believe that education can help change lives for the better.
Whether you are looking to improve your level of English, earn a GED diploma, study to become a US Citizen, learn how to be a leader in your community, it starts with investing in yourself. The Sacred Heart Center is here to help you in your journey!
Our Programs:
ESL | English as a Second Language
Program Costs: $10 Registration Fee / $40 book fee – per semester
Language of Instruction: English
The English as a Second Language Program at Sacred Heart Center is one of our six Adult Education Programs. We offer five different levels of English starting with our Basic course for limited English speaking students, to our Level 4 course, our most advanced level for students that are already proficient in English but want to improve their reading, writing and conversation.
Our Fall and Spring semesters last 12 weeks. We offer classes in-person and online on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our morning classes are from 10am-12pm and in the evenings from 6-8pm. We also offer evening classes at our satellite location in Chesterfield on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8pm. For our Online courses, we offer 1 hour of class either in the morning from 10am-11am or in the evenings from 6pm-7pm.
Our Summer 2023 program offers 8 weeks of Beginning level classes or a conversation course based on a movie series. Students at the Beginner level can continue learning the basics by participating in our traditional program, or if they are Intermediate or Advanced learners, they can deepen their conversational skills by participating in our conversation program. Summer 2023 programs will be offered in person only.
GED | General Education Diploma
Program Costs: $60 Registration Fee / $30 book – per semester
Length of Program: 1.5 – 2 years to complete all content areas
Language of Instruction: Spanish
The GED (General Education Diploma) Program at Sacred Heart Center is one of our six Adult Education Programs. Completing the GED program is equivalent to a high school diploma in the United States. Our program is unique for our Latino families because it is a tutoring program taught in Spanish by native Spanish-speaking teachers. Our teachers are native Spanish speakers and have teaching experience either in the United States or abroad. Students are able to study all four content areas such as Math, Language Arts, Social Studies and Natural Sciences in Spanish.
Our Fall and Spring semesters last 15 weeks. We offer classes in the mornings on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am-12pm and in the evenings from 6pm-9pm for our in-person and online modules. Students may only take one content area subject per semester. Students are not encouraged to take another class from another program due to the time and work commitment necessary to prepare for the content area exams. Students are required to attend classes, participate in class discussions actively, do homework daily and maintain good grades to have active student standing. This is a demanding course, but we offer our students support along the way.
Our Summer 2023 semester is 8 weeks long and focuses on reviewing the content of a regular semester Mathematics 1, 2, or 3 course more quickly, as well as test-taking preparation to take the content level exam. Summer 2023 programs will be offered in person only
Citizenship
Preparation for the Naturalization Interview
Program Costs: $40 Registration Fee – per semester
Language of Instruction: English
The Citizenship Preparation Program at Sacred Heart Center is one of our six Adult Education Programs. Students learn about United States history, civics and government with the intention of preparing for the naturalization interview. Students in this course have permanent resident status and have already submitted their N-400 application to become a naturalized citizen, or will be submitting this paperwork soon. Because this course is taught in English, it is required to have an intermediate level of English before registering for this course. Students that do not yet have an adequate level of English are encouraged to start taking ESL classes as the first step before applying for Citizenship.
Our Fall and Spring semesters last 12 weeks and are offered on Wednesdays from 6-8pm
Our Summer 2023 semester is 8 weeks long and will be offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8pm. Summer 2023 programs will be offered in person only
Spanish Language
Program Cost: $400 Registration Fee – per semester
Language of Instruction: Spanish
The Spanish Program at Sacred Heart Center is one of our six Adult Education Programs. This course is conversation-based, meaning that the main objective of this program is to get students talking and more confident in their level of spoken Spanish. In order to achieve this, the program combines learning the structure of the language with other important aspects of language learning such as understanding the different cultures that make up all of Latin America, and customs of the different countries.
Our Fall and Spring semesters last 12 weeks and are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8pm.
Our Summer 2023 semester is 8 weeks long and will be offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8pm. Summer 2023 programs will be offered in person only.
Plaza Comunitaria | Literacy in Spanish
Program Cost: FREE – per semester
Language of Instruction: Spanish
The Plaza Comunitaria Program at Sacred Heart Center is one of our six Adult Education Programs. This 12-week program focuses on literacy in Spanish for students that have not had the opportunity to either go to school or have not finished their primary or secondary education in their country of origin. This program was developed in Mexico with the intention of reaching out to as many students as possible where learning how to read and write in Spanish was not a possibility due to many factors. In the United States, there are more than 3,000 different Plaza Comunitaria programs. All students from any Spanish-speaking country can enter this program and work towards achieving their literacy goals.
The program pairs students with a tutor, working one-on-one with a tutor. Both tutor and student must agree on a weekly schedule, choosing any one or two days a week, Monday through Thursday. The morning schedule is from 10am-12pm or the evening schedule from 6-8pm. This program is most successful when working In-Person and is offered at our Richmond site – 1400 Perry Street.
Latino Leadership Institute
Registration in Fall semester only
Program Cost: $200 total / $50 registration fee
Program Length: 9 months
Language of Instruction: Spanish
The Latino Leadership Institute offered at Sacred Heart Center is one of our six Adult Education Programs. This program consists of many components to build leaders within the Latinx community of the Richmond area and focuses on the history of Latinos in the United States, policies that have affected Latinos historically and currently in the U.S., advocacy around issues that directly affect the Latinx community, and service learning activities.
The LLI program is a 9-month commitment for all students. Students that wish to register can only do so in the Fall semester. The program starts in September and ends in June. All students that complete the required hours for the program receive 3 credit hours of Continuing Education from the University of Richmond. The total cost for the program is $200, however a $50 registration fee is required to enroll in the program. Not currently enrolling.