Dear Friends and Families of St. Francis,
It has been a confusing winter with some hot days, extreme cold days, rainy days, and then dry…but in all of this chaotic weather St. Francis High School is thriving. Lent is underway, with the unique celebration of both Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. Our great school celebrated Ash Wednesday with Fr. Beto Chavez from Our Lady of Help of Christians. Ms. McLeod and her Campus Ministry Core Team did another great job preparing for a full mass. The students were all in dress compliance and many were proudly wearing their letterman jackets. I really enjoy that crisp, clean, spirited look with students wearing their letterman jackets. Mr. Dewig had the Music Ministry students well prepared, and Katie So and Olivia Burke partnered for an amazing interlude. We will miss solos and duets from seniors Katie and Olivia next year, but we also know that we have to develop our students’ talent and confidence to perform in front of their peers. Please know that all parents and family members are invited to attend all our school liturgies.
Now, we anticipate Easter and God's blessings that come with the holy season. Thank you for your support of the St. Francis High School Salesian College Preparatory community. Please continue to remember our students and staff in prayer. You can also be assured our prayers for you and your families will continue throughout this Lenten season.
You are also invited to join us for our March 7th all school assembly when we have guest speaker Bryan Stow. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because he was the SF Giants fan who was attacked at the LA Dodgers game and almost lost his life. He has a new calling and he will be speaking to the students and staff about the perspective his new calling has given him. We feel his message connects with our Salesian values and that this time of year lends itself to this inspiring and uplifting message. His message will connect with our prayer service/memorial event on March 14th. The March 14th gathering at 10 AM is a prayer service to remember the victims and survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS shooting. Our event is a prayer service and a chance for students to reflect, remember, and write letters of support for the students of this high school. There is no political affiliation or agenda. It is a chance to educate and support the young people we serve and provide an avenue for meaningful prayer and dialogue.
Last year at this juncture, I wrote about a growth mindset and how that creates motivation and productivity in the worlds of business, education, and sports. It enhances relationships, which is a hallmark of our Salesian education. This year I want to address an important topic that all five Salesian high school principals have been talking about with our staff: accountability. In particular, helping our students take accountability for their success. This is hard and countercultural when one can Google anything instantly and it is much easier to blame someone else rather than accepting our triumphs and failures in the process of becoming lifelong learners…all of us, including adults.
In a recent National Education Association article written to teachers, the discussion of student accountability for their own success started with these questions and statement:
“Do you have students who constantly make excuses? Do they try to blame away poor grades and behavioral infractions on their teachers or fellow students without assuming any responsibility for their actions? Do they mischaracterize their mistakes while recounting the day's activities to a parent? Is there anything you can do to change their ways?...Making students accountable for their own success isn't easy, but fortunately your colleagues have some tried and true approaches to help students step up to the plate and become responsible learners.”I do not think this phenomenon is unique to us; on the contrary, whether I am speaking to a teacher or administrator from TK-University we have these same questions and challenges. How can we address this current situation through our Salesian educational philosophy?
- Create a Positive and Respectful Classroom Atmosphere for Students: Establish, practice, and enforce expectations and consequences… with the goal being for students to take ownership of their own behavior. Create a positive Salesian environment and ensure through our actions and words that they are loved and cared for.
- Make Students and Parents Partners in their Student’s Success: Students should have the opportunity to take charge of their academic success by formulating and following through on their own plan to improve. By assuming responsibility for their mistakes, St. John Bosco believed his students learned the true value of personal accountability. We believe that teachers work in tandem with parents to help our students grow into self-conscious and constructive adults.
From my experience, students seem to respond positively when parents and teachers give them the opportunity to take charge of their academic success. By holding students accountable for their work and responsible for maintaining a personal level of excellence, we can provide them with the necessary tools to better themselves – now and long after high school. As the NCE article points out, accountability breeds responsibility, and students who develop the tools to target and improve their academic shortcomings will, in turn, develop the skills they need to go far in life.
I encourage all of you to read more about student accountability and have those conversations with your student about maintaining a positive and respectful learning environment. We want your student to know that we support your values and goals as much as you support our values and expectations for your children. I imagine these conversations will lead to questions and even deeper conversations. This is the type of dialogue I would like us all to engage in as a community so that all St. Francis High School students can succeed.
God bless you all! And may St. John Bosco intercede for all of our intentions.
Yours in Christ,
Mr. Patrick Lee
President and Principal
Mr. Patrick Lee
President and Principal