Dear St. Francis Families and Friends,
Spring has sprung and with Easter coming before us, we are quickly jumping into the celebration season. For many, it is a time for celebrating first communions, confirmations, Mother’s Day, and Graduations. There is anxiety and excitement about moving on to 9th grade or college as well as a mad dash to do well in class and on AP tests. For athletes, it is a time to PR in track like Justin Parker or shoot your lowest score in golf like Jason Kane; or, even hit a homerun in softball like Lena Ciandro or make a double play like David Talavera and Ruben Ibarra. I can also share that Mr. Dewig and his cast and crew are anxiously preparing for 3 remarkable performances of Damn Yankees musical in a few weeks – April 27-29. All three nights will be full beyond capacity and all of us will again be impressed with our students and Mr. Dewig. Thank you to the students and the parents who are part of the VAPA Boosters team. They help with the setup, take down, sell food and raffle tickets, and ensure that all have a great experience.
This week, April 5th, we will host our President’s Reception to honor our donors. This year we are bringing Nathaniel Ramos and Riley Scherr to share their Salesian high school experience with our donors. Our vision remains true as we continue to ensure that every student is qualified and prepared to attend a 4-year university and to live good Christian values as an honest citizen of the world. We will retain our Salesian values and be the college preparatory school of choice with an international student population. Our students will be global citizens that lead, serve, and inspire!
Currently, we are collecting all of the necessary information for our Awards Ceremony this May, and we are preparing students for their graduation or their new class schedules for 2017-2018. We are also following up on 95 resident and international applicants to grades 9-12 for next year in an effort to grow the school. Historically, the school has seen 70% of the resident applicants and about 45% of the international applicants be accepted and attend our great school. Consequently, we are following up with each potential new or transfer student with our trademark “Tiffany/ Nordstrom” customer service. All students, parents, faculty, and staff need to be thanked, as each of you has been instrumental in this effort. Please remember that if you refer a student who enrolls, you will get a tuition credit for the next school year (1 per household). Again, thank you.
I recently received a letter for our “Suggestion Box” and I wanted to share it with you:
- The first topic was the Baccalaureate Mass. This family loves the event and loves the parent blessing, but the suggestion is to involve more students in the mass. The suggestion is to add more students to the bringing up of the gifts and the prayers of the faithful.
- With the Yearbook, the suggestion is to have the class officers at the front of their individual class photos instead of with the clubs and Animas section.
- This family really likes the sports banquets but would like all seniors recognized during the main portion of the event/dinner to show our special thanks for their years of commitment. With this last one, we implemented this suggestion at the winter sports banquet, and the seniors and their parents met it with joy and gratitude.
Schools have always existed as an expression of what a given community values in its children, and how a society looks at the future. So, what truly defines a great Salesian school? For me, the relationship between a student and teacher/coach is at the heart of it. That relationship may be both subtle and vigorous. Vigor might seem like an unusual word but it implies energy and dynamism. We have rigor; we annually demonstrate more rigor and academic success than any of our other 4 Salesian high schools in California.
Yes, words like “vigor” do apply. The best learning occurs when both teacher and student are vigorously exchanging ideas in pursuit of a deeper understanding – whether it is in calculus, sports, the arts, or their calling in life. It is a relationship that is based on love, and it is one that is filled with authentic, joyful, challenging, and impactful experiences. Therefore, our great school is a place of respect and wonder.
The search to create, discover, reveal, and share is an unending journey that occurs in the best schools. We are one of those schools. Are we perfect? No. But, we are very successful at mentoring students to take responsibility for their actions that will extend far beyond our school walls. Our staff and students who led the high school Ecology Symposium displayed this call to action and responsibility. Thank you to Nathaniel, Riley, and all of our students and staff who came. Fr. Dave and I enjoyed the event immensely.
All members of our community, from custodians to teachers and principals to kindergartners, to parents and alumni, are learners in this community. A climate of fear and hostility, or a tone of acrimony and mistrust, will yield neither a school that serves the needs of our children nor the globally competitive country that all long for as the older generation passes it on to the younger generation. As we posted in the Register-Pajaronian: our community is a family affair. It was a great ½ page ad next to the Mas Mac ad congratulating our basketball team and school as well as the full-page ad sponsored by them and our friends.
Please take advantage of the communication opportunities that are here. This relationship is something you will not get at any other school– Watsonville, PCS, Aptos, Monte Vista Christian, Bellarmine, Soquel, etc. Like I shared with a parent on the bus trip home after the state basketball finals, you’re not going to talk to one of those other principals on the phone at 11 pm Monday with your athletic complaint or have a bowl of chips at Cilantro’s with one of those principals because you have some questions about academic integrity or rigor. I can promise all of you that won’t happen. But you get that here. This is what I have come to understand my role to be: be the leader who ensures our Catholic identity, provides access to all qualified students who want to come to our great school, demand and support excellence in all areas of school life, and then empower young people to make an impact in our local and on our global communities.
So meet with Mr. Cmaylo if you have questions about academics; speak directly to Mr. Hazel about athletics; exchange an email or set up a meeting with Mr. Monroy about activities or discipline; phone Mrs. Reyes if you have a question or concern about your billing/tuition; and, if you have a question about our Catholic, Salesian identity please reach out to Mrs. McLeod. We all value your input, and we rely on your support to build up our students and ensure our mission. The only two frustrations I have are with gossip and when a student or family leaves based on a perceived wrong that no one has shared with us. Don’t live either one of those examples. If you are unsure of whom to contact, call Neri and she will put you in touch with the right person. Use the anonymous “Suggestion Box” in the front office and complete the surveys when we send them out. Your words matter!
Something else that is critically important to our school is parent giving. As promised, we are again having a class competition for the most giving to our 2016-2017 Annual Fund campaign. To date, this is where we stand:
9th grade: 24.2% have given
10th grade: 25.3% have given
11th grade: 30.5% have given
12th grade: 32.7% have given
To date, we have received over $121,000 towards all of our student programs and services. This generosity helps us meet the tuition gap and every gift amount counts--from $5 to $40,180 all matter. Whether you are on tuition assistance or not, all can donate back to the school. It is an important part of our culture and is an important lesson for your children to see how important it is. The deadline for the class competition for free dress and a free pizza lunch is Wednesday, April 12th, 2017. Get your donation in ASAP! Make a difference in our community and be a great role model for your student.
The winning class will be announced on Holy Thursday. Lunch and free dress for the winning class will be Monday, April 24th, 2017.
SCHOOL BUSINESS:
- Next week, after our April 10th SFPA Board Meeting, we will be sending out a short survey on the administration’s leadership and Battle for the Paddle. Please complete this short survey and you can count the completed survey as 2 of your annual service hours. Remember, your opinion matters!
- The Business Office is currently tallying service hours and Bingo work attendance along with preparing to close out all outstanding tuition and fee balances. Ms. Lilia Reyes will be sending out information at the start of May to conclude this year. Please sign up or just show up and work with our amazing volunteer staff.
- April 2017 is the deadline to register at the current cost, secure the class schedule your student would like, and to sign/accept your tuition assistance award – even if you are appealing. If you don’t pay the registration fee and get the signed paperwork turned in by the end of this month, we will award your tuition assistance to other families who have signed theirs and registered their student(s). At this time, some students and parents have asked about their class schedules for 2017-2018. Mr. Cmaylo is building them and once your child, or children, has chosen their schedules and you have registered, your individual child’s schedule will be made available to you electronically. If you are registered by June 5th, you can also secure a hard copy that night at the freshman orientation.
- The Awards Ceremony for the entire school is May 18th; the senior Knight’s of Columbus Dinner is May 19th; the senior Baccalaureate Mass is across the street on May 26th with most reverend Bishop Ryan; and, Graduation is May 27th here in the gym. All are required attendance for our seniors, and all seniors must meet dress and grooming requirements. No exceptions!
- On June 5th, we will have the gym (BAC) set up with tables and bleachers for students to share/sell their books and/or their uniforms. This will start at 5 pm. Our current book vendor, ESCO, will not be sending anyone out because our book buys through them are so limited. We will also have Merry Mart here for uniform purchase and orders on this day as well.
- The primary focus of our June 5th orientation is to welcome incoming 9th graders and all transfer students. It will be the first new Orientation for the 2017-2018 school year. It will start at 6 pm with an Ice Cream Social for incoming students and our own ambassadors as well as an orientation for new parents in our gym. This allows us to distribute and orient students with their iPads as well as introduce all of the unique opportunities, services, and programs available for all students. This year’s St. Francis Parent Association (SFPA) parents are working with Marie and me to address new-parent questions/concerns. This way, we start out communicating clearly and often to our new families/students.
Our goal is to continue to demonstrate great outcomes for all young people who choose St. Francis High School as their home during their high school years. We are grateful for your leadership and support in this endeavor. God bless and GO SHARKS!
Yours in Christ,
Patrick Lee
President and Principal