Dear St. Francis Families and Friends,
Spring has sprung and with Easter coming towards us, we are quickly hopping 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 the 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 Samantha Bellucci or shoot your lowest score in golf like Aaron Soto; or, even hit a homerun in softball like Lena Ciandro or sign your National Letter of Intent like Chase Watkins. I can also share that Mr. Dewig and his cast and crew are anxiously preparing for some remarkable performances of The Music Man musical in a few weeks – April 26-28. All 3 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 as well as the parents who are part of the VAPA Booster’s team. They always help with the setup, take down, selling of food and raffle tickets, and ensuring all have a great experience.
March 14th marked the completion of the work of the visiting committee in the WCEA/WASC Accreditation process for 2018. The final report of the committee was, frankly, one of the most positive I have seen in my twenty-nine years in Catholic education; and it serves as testament to the continuing hard work by staff in partnership with the Board of Directors and the local community. Thanks to all members of our St. Francis community who served on committees; who met with the visiting committee during its visit; and who continue to support the school in so many, varied ways. St. Francis is a success precisely because it is a shared partnership in Catholic education.
Ms. Colleen Eagleson is to be commended for her work as our WCEA/WASC Coordinator. Under her direction (and gentle reminders!), we stayed on task throughout the term to continue to build a school that meets the needs of youth.
In July, the school will get official certification by WCEA/WASC as to its term of accreditation. I anticipate a six-year accreditation again, the longest term available to schools.
I also want to thank Mr. Monroy, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, and all of the students and parents, for an amazing Battle for the Paddle VIII. The venue allowed for maximum visibility and engagement by all. The sound system still needs work, but all of the moderators and students did an amazing job with their performances on the dances and in the games. I was extremely impressed with the freshmen’s theme, dance, and whole class involvement. Brandon and Mia were amazing Super Bowl halftime performers in the dance; their final battle in tug-o-war against the seniors was commendable, and the victory in the egg toss was admirable. Great job freshmen, and great job by all grade levels. Congratulations to 2-time winners of the class of 2019!
We have many important events coming up so please make sure to check your student’s grades and behavior on RenWeb1 weekly. Also, be aware that we have the Luau in April as well as the musical. The month of May will also be busy: AP tests, the new Mother’s Brunch on May 6th, Junior/Senior Prom, Concert on the Green, Marian Day, Awards Ceremony, Senior Dinner at the Watsonville KOC, Baccalaureate Mass, and Graduation. With all of these great events come the tendencies for young people to celebrate and have parties.
Parents are encouraged to host healthy events at their houses for students to enjoy and to encourage honest fun and celebration without underage drinking or the use of illegal drugs. Students under the influence on or off campus will be subject to the discipline consequences outlined in the handbook, which may include suspension and/or dismissal from school. Also, parents are liable if they host a party where these items are shared with minors or if their child hosts a party without a parent to chaperone. Parents are also liable if they rent a hotel room for their child to host a party. As a Salesian school, our goal to educate and be preventive so I am being just that by reminding students and parents about their responsibility and liability.
Finally, we have this last week for the Annual Giving class competition. As a true culture of giving, we ask every family, every employee, and every board member to make a donation to St. Francis High School. We know we aren’t your only philanthropic focus for giving, but we do ask to be one of your most important efforts. Currently this is where we are at:
Freshmen total: $9,854 = 27% of parents are donating
Sophomore total: $53,929 = 42% of parents are donating
Junior total: $12,394 = 25% of parents are donating
Senior total: $50,763 = 34% of parents are donating
My goal is always 100%. Thus far we have 100% from the staff and the board of directors. We are asking you to join in this effort, not just for your son or daughter to win a free lunch and free dress pass, but more importantly to support the exceptional care and education your student gets as a St. Francis High School Shark! Please stop by the office, mail a check in, or go online to make a donation today. The class competition ends this Friday, March 30th.
100% of the proceeds collected goes to this year’s programs and services for students as well as tuition assistance. For as little as $0.05 a day your $20 total contribution can make a huge difference for all of our students. Join the Salesian movement and give today! Be the difference in a young person’s life!
Yours in Christ,
Mr. Patrick Lee
President/Principal