Luque, who is originally from Peru, doesn't speak English, so through his granddaughter as a translator he explained he has 11 grandchildren. With such a handful, he didn't mind temporarily adopting one more—13-year-old Emily Crowley—for the private school's seventh annual Grandparent's Day held in February.

Grandparent's Day at the school is growing. When Principal Jane Daigle came to the school seven years ago, the day was part of Catholic Schools' Week and included about 50 attendees, including some parishioners. This year, attendance soared to more than 220, grandparents only, packing Geary Hall—the school's gymnasium.

Students who didn't have grandparents who could attend or whose grandparents were deceased were adopted by another grandparent in attendance. The day included going to Catholic Mass in the morning followed by a heart-themed breakfast buffet, performances by the students and tours of the school.

"Grandparents now plan their yearly trips around this week to be here for Grandparent's Day," Daigle said.

Catholic Schools' Week traditionally includes open-house events, Grandparent's Day, school application and registration information, celebrations and recognition of the Catholic parish community. Daigle said Sacred Heart moved its school's Grandparent's Day to the week after Catholic Schools' Week to allow grandparents with more than one grandchild to attend more than one Grandparent's Day.

"It's a great opportunity for our kids to show off what they are doing and to recognize the good things that are going on around here," Daigle said. "In the long term for us, developmentally it's also another market to approach [grandparents] for contributions. We are still trying to build a communication and a relation with the grandparents."

Grandparents came from as far as the East Coast, Hawaii, Europe, and South America or from just around the corner from the school in Saratoga.

"It's been rewarding to see some of the same grandparents coming back year after year," Daigle said.

Grandparents Joe and Joan Botta, of Gilroy, especially enjoyed the visit. They are the parents of Denise Mingrone, who was a graduate of Sacred Heart along with her siblings. Denise met her future husband, Mark Mingrone, while attending Sacred Heart, and all of Mark's siblings also attended the school.

It's fitting that they've continued the tradition. Denise and Mark have two boys who attend Sacred Heart—Nick and Tony. The Bottas have attended Grandparent's Day at the school every year.

Joan Botta said she and her husband were involved in all sorts of activities and sports while her children attended the school, but now that her grandchildren attend, there's a lighter responsibility. Botta commented about how she has seen the school develop over the years.

"The biggest change at Sacred Heart School is the lack of nuns," Botta said. "When my children attended the school, there were seven nuns; now there are none. But I think the legacy that the nuns left is the fact that the school has probably doubled in size and enrollment since my children went there, and how much in demand today a Catholic education is."

Parent Caroline Johnson, one of the coordinators of Grandparent's Day, said it's a meaningful experience for the students to feel supported by their relatives and family.

"It's just a special moment to recognize the grandparents, especially those children who don't get to see their grandparents as often," Johnson said.