The end of the third quarter is only 7 school days away. Remaining current with assignments and regularly getting extra help will help ensure a solid grade going into the fourth quarter! Take advantage of the highly qualified and caring professionals who want you to learn the content and master the subject skills. Take accountability for your academic success!
Topics included in this article are:
- WCEA Accreditation Week
- SFHS Mission Statement
- SFHS Statement of Philosophy
- Integral Student Outcomes for a SFHS Graduate
- Graduation Requirements for Class of 2018
- Planning Ahead for 2018-2019
- AP Exams
- Quarter 3 Grades
- Final Exams - Tuesday 5/22 through Friday 5/25
WCEA Accreditation Week
Beginning Sunday, March 11, St. Francis will be hosting a WCEA Accreditation Visiting Committee. We hope you are able to take a few minutes to review three primary St. Francis High School documents as they articulate goals for St. Francis High School students - individually and collectively.
Mission Statement
St. Francis High School: Salesian College Preparatory expresses the educational philosophy of reason, religion, and loving kindness of the Salesians of St. John Bosco and works to create a community that fosters emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical growth. In partnership with families, St. Francis High School provides students with the foundations of lifelong learning: logical and creative thinking skills, promoting awareness of social justice and peace, and appreciation and respect for others.
Philosophy
St. Francis High School: Salesian College Preparatory recognizes the importance of a high quality, holistic education for a rapidly changing world. Guided by St. John Bosco’s educational philosophy of reason, religion, and loving kindness, and in the spirit of St. Mary Mazzarello, foundress of the Salesian Sisters, St. Francis High School provides a college preparatory education for students from diverse abilities and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The faculty and staff actively seek to provide students with an experience of home, where they feel welcome; school, where they learn 21st century skills for life; church, where they find meaning; and playground, where they celebrate life and others.
Embracing St. John Bosco’s vision of community as family, St. Francis High School collaborates as a total Salesian family--students, parents, administrators, teachers, and staff--to achieve the goal of preparing young people to be outstanding citizens of this world and the next.
Integral Student Outcomes
St. Francis High School: Salesian College Preparatory graduates are guided by St. John Bosco's Salesian philosophy of life. They are committed to...
Reason: As creative, critical thinkers and life-long learners who...
- Express themselves and collaborate with superior communication skills;
- Master the arts and sciences for success in college and life beyond high school;
- Utilize talents and abilities while choosing safe, healthy, and well-balanced life decisions; and
- Understand the potential of technology and use it responsibly.
Religion: As responsible, spiritual people who...
- Understand the teachings of the Catholic faith and are respectful of all faiths;
- Behave in a way consistent with the belief that they and all others are created "in the image and likeness of God"; and
- Develop and share their spirituality.
Loving Kindness: As involved citizens of their communities who...
- Value individual and group diversity and act with compassion toward others;
- Demonstrate authentic leadership with integrity and humility;
- Make their local communities more loving, just, and sustainable through responsible moral decisions and voluntary service; and
- Demonstrate active and informed citizenship to support regional, national, and global communities.
Graduation Requirements for Class of 2018
Just a reminder, by this point each student must have completed and submitted paperwork for all required Christian Service Program hours. Additionally, if they have taken any courses at a school other than St. Francis High School, it is worth the time to ensure the grades have been submitted to St. Francis and have been added to their transcript, where applicable. Have your senior ask Mrs. Gutierrez or Ms. Eagleson for an unofficial copy of the transcript to ensure the applicable course(s) have been added.
Planning Ahead for 2018-2019
The Academic Departments have begun conversations regarding the course catalog, textbooks, and courses to be offered during the 2018-2019 school year.
- The course catalog for 2018-2019 and information regarding the course scheduling process will be available in the coming weeks.
- Stay tuned for information regarding the process.
AP Exams
AP Exams are being ordered! If your student took an AP class, it is expected that they also take the exam. The cost of the exam is $94 per exam. While that may sound high, many colleges allow students to skip courses expected of all freshman, so $94 now may save hundreds if not thousands of college tuition later! See me if you have a financial hardship.
Exams take place May 7-17. The College Board is very strict about attendance and behavior during the exams. Students taking an AP course have received a Student and Family Bulletin that provides all the necessary information. Please look ahead on your calendars and reschedule any appointments or other obligations that conflict with the AP exams. It is very difficult for the school to approve a retake of the exam for students who miss the regularly schedule exam time.
Quarter 3 Grades
The last school day of the third quarter is Friday, March 9. Please take a few minutes to access the gradebooks of RenWeb and speak with your student(s) regarding their current class progress. If they have missing work (due to illness or other absence) or tests and quizzes that have not yet been made up, they must speak with their teacher ASAP to schedule a time to complete the work. Students not making the time to take tests and quizzes before Friday, March 9, will likely have a zero entered in the gradebook for that particular assignment, quiz, or test.
Please note that report cards will not be mailed home at the end of the quarter. A digital version of the report card will be available for viewing on RenWeb beginning Wednesday, March 21.
Final Exams - Tuesday 5/22 through Friday 5/25
Please look ahead to May. If your daughter or son has an appointment or other commitment scheduled, please reschedule it. It is much more difficult for students to demonstrate their learning when they take their exams under unique circumstances. Taking the exam with their class at the regularly scheduled time allows them greater opportunity for success.
Finally, the spring semester goes very quickly, so thanks for all you do to help students remain engaged. Also important is their ability to stay healthy, so please do not let them underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep and healthy meals.