Dear St. Francis Families and Friends,
Happy New Year! Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year where our school-wide theme is – Our Story, Our Journey! This year we will journey together for the growth and maturity of our students, and together, write our St. Francis story.
“We have…[are] a family of scholars, artists, athletes, musicians, entertainers, activists and leaders. We have been inspired by teachers that teach both the mind and the heart; administrators that model respect as they greet students individually each morning at the gate; and leaders…that teach us the patience of faith with humor and encouragement. Through the camaraderie and support of this family, we have each caught a glimpse of who we are, and who we want to be.”
As Mr. Valdivia and I welcome our students daily, we want to lead off with our commitment to you and your student: St. Francis partners with you and your student to achieve excellence in a safe, welcoming, family environment.
The opportunities are here and the support is here. You and your student just need to fully participate. I know our teachers, coaches, and staff are 100% committed to you and your child. It is our vision that we validate that partnership every day with you and your student.
To that end, one of my goals as President/Principal is to again promote a positive, Salesian
climate designed to maximize learning. This is critically important as we welcome students from four counties and multiple countries who may not be Catholic and/or may not have attended a parochial school in the past. With such diversity on campus we want to support student and parent connectedness to our school; engage and motivate students to participate in their learning; and, we want to ensure that we support and promote a respectful learning environment. To that end, I will randomly choose 2 students per grade level to have lunch with me and talk about school life – culture, community, classes, etc. This is your child’s opportunity to speak freely about what makes St. Francis great and what we can improve upon. I will highlight the recurring themes of these conversations in the following month’s Faculty-Staff meetings and the Principal’s Newsletter.
This year we are asking all families to support and participate in our fundraising efforts. We intentionally limit the number and type of fundraising so that you can focus on the major ones the school needs:
- Participate and support Friday Night Bingo
- Attend the Burgundy & Gray Gala dinner and auction
- Donate to the VISION Capital Campaign for a Counseling Center/ Administration Building and a newly turfed 400-seat stadium for football, soccer, and women’s lacrosse
- Donate to the Annual Fund
We look forward to our annual tradition of Grandparents/Grandfriends Day. On September 7th, we will honor and celebrate those special family members who play a significant role in the lives of our students and our community. We will share in the eucharist at mass and also share a meal together as we recognize meaningful relationships across generations.
With excitement we are launching head first into academics, choir, music ministry, sports, service, class officers and youth ministry, and the growth of a drum line and pep band (Mr. Dewig just got his trumpets and trombone!). This year we can journey with our young people to write their story of who they are and who they want to be. Please join us in being fully vested into your student’s life and the lives of all of our students. St. Francis is a great place to call your home!
Yours in Christ,
Mr. Patrick Lee
President and Principal
College is just around the corner
Do you feel you need to hire an outside counselor to help your child get into college? Don’t. St. Francis has 2 great counselors to assist you every step of the way. This new team of Academic Counselors helped get the 2018 graduation class into 4-year universities of their choice and $7.1 million in college academic and athletic scholarships.
Tips to get you started: Register your child on collegexpress.com and nich.com for help matching your child’s interest to colleges. Both sites offer expert, free advice on financial aid, application essays, standardized testing, choosing a major, internships, and scholarships. Once registered, you and your student will get acknowledgement from universities to start the process. I started this when my oldest was turning a sophomore 3 years ago and just registered my current college freshman this summer. It’s never too late!
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RESPONSE TO PENNSYLVANIA SEX ABUSE
In response to the Pennsylvania grand jury releasing their report on sexual abuse by clergy, Pope Francis expressed his concern and compassion:
“’The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced. But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity,’ Pope Francis wrote in a letter Monday, which is addressed to ‘the People of God.’ ‘The Lord heard that cry and once again showed us on which side he stands.’"
Like the Pope, our hearts and prayers go out to all of the victims. Consistent with the teaching and example of Jesus and our patron saint, Don Bosco, St. Francis High School focuses our concern on the well‑being of all people. We have a special concern for those young people who are most vulnerable and cannot fully care for themselves.
St. Francis High School speaks out and takes direct action against child abuse. The young people entrusted to our care are our primary concern while the reputation of a suspected individual or the institution is secondary.
It is important to note that there is no case pending that relates to St. Francis High School, nor have there been any accusations against individuals while in the employ of SFHS.
At our Salesian President’s and Director’s meeting this week, Fr. Ted shared this statement that I want to share with you:
Like Pope Francis, our Salesian hearts and prayers are with the victims. We pray that the crimes committed by employees of the church do not diminish the faith and value of the larger Catholic faith. Together we are a faith community founded in Jesus Christ. The Salesians have currently acknowledged and addressed all of their past cases of abuse. Since 2002 Dallas Salesians have implemented protocols, training, and safe child policies throughout all of their works for professed and lay employees. An outside organization annually audits this work and accredits all of the child safety procedures in place at their works. They are fully compliant and accredited.
I thank Fr. Ted and the Salesians for their compassion and leadership. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Patrick Lee through email at [email protected] or by phone at 831-724-5933 extension 204.