St. Francis High School Admissions Newsletter-9/19/2024

Join Us On The SFHS Path

"Spiritual joy is as necessary to the soul as

blood is to the body."

Saint Francis of Assisi

Welcome

What to Look for During Your High School Visit

Fall is a perfect time to visit St. Francis High School, because at an Open House, Shadow Day, or tour, you can gauge your connection to the school. And that’s essential. So, I’d like to give you four of my favorite qualities to notice and understand when you visit SFHS this fall:

Sparkles with Success: I love this quote by Tony Robbins, “If we surround ourselves with people who are successful, who are forward-moving, who are positive, who are focused on producing results, who support us, it will challenge us to be more and do more and share more.” Notice all the factors that lead to success—attitude, process, support, individual growth. St. Francis High School fosters this kind of success.
Elevates Everyone: Whole School Education is one factor for achieving Blue Ribbon status, and it’s a hallmark of St. Francis High School. We raise up all students, encouraging academic strengths and supporting individual growth.
Feels Positive: When visiting SFHS, pay attention to how students, teachers, and administrators interact with each other. This speaks volumes about the environment. People here positively challenge and support each other, and it’s the recipe for student success.
Feels Right: I’m big on your gut feeling; it never lies to you! The feeling you get when you surround yourself in an environment is God’s way of telling you that this is the right place for you. St. Francis High School fosters development in every aspect of life, which is essential to students becoming their best selves.

High school success is a two-way street. I tell families it’s important for students to think about how they’ll contribute to SFHS as well as envisioning how this school will influence them. Your student can leave a legacy here and also move on to college prepared for the next level of success. Visit soon to explore your connection with St. Francis High School. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Warm regards,

Patrick Jacobsen, Director of Admissions

Only at St. Francis High School

Experience the SFHS difference, which offers distinct advantages that provide students with a well-rounded education to prepare them for a successful future.

COLLEGE PREP – TECHNOLOGY

SFHS Named Microsoft Showcase School for

8th Year

St. Francis High School is a Microsoft Showcase School for the eighth consecutive year! Selected by Microsoft, Showcase Schools are an elite group that exemplifies the best of teaching and learning in the world today. We are 1 of a very small group of schools in the U.S., and around the world, to earn this designation.

As a Showcase School, SFHS works closely with Microsoft to lead innovation in education transformation. Our faculty and staff work tirelessly to utilize technology in the classroom, embrace modern learning techniques, and push advancements in education in an ever-changing environment.

“Our 1:1 program with Surface Pros not only prepares our students for college and careers but also more deeply engages them in the classroom,” said Jeff Gerdeman, Director of Information Technology.

Every student, teacher, and staff member at SFHS is equipped with a Surface Pro 9 machine, as well as a type cover, stylus, protective case, and carrying sleeve. The Surface Pro 9 is now the fourth generation of Surface Pro that has walked the halls of SFHS, as the Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 5, and Surface Pro 7+ have been used by students and faculty previously.

In order to receive the Microsoft Showcase School designation, schools must:

Be a leading institution of vision and thought leadership
Foster a culture of learning and growth mindset
Drive personalized learning to meet student’s academic, emotional, and social needs and help every student realize their full potential
Prepare students with future-ready skills for use in current and future education and learning
Demonstrate innovative use of technology, using Microsoft solutions, to drive positive impact and student success with future-ready skills
Demonstrate thought leadership in building a schoolwide vision as the starting place for a holistic digital transformation using Microsoft’s Education Transformation Framework

SFHS fills the following Showcase School criteria amongst faculty and staff:

100% MEC/Microsoft Learn Active Accounts
39% 21st Century Learning Design Teacher Completion
11 Active Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts (MIEE) (20% of Educators)
4 Educators (7% of Faculty) MCE Certified – Kim Fermoyle, Katie Lembas, Tim Martens, Mary McCarthy

"I Am St. Francis"

The Student Perspective:

How has the Microsoft technology at SFHS been most beneficial to you?

Grace H. ‘26: “Microsoft technology has been beneficial to me in a multitude of ways. For example, the detachable keyboard enables the device to be converted into a tablet. This helps me do my homework (especially math) with ease. Additionally, the variety of apps have helped to streamline my studies while taking a variety of classes. These applications featured by Microsoft also ensure the ability to work offline, allowing me to stay productive anywhere I go. Knowing Microsoft is a platform used globally, it gives me the confidence that I will be prepared for college and future jobs.”

Lucas W. ‘25: “The Microsoft Surface Pro device provides unlimited possibilities for us students. The device is not only used like a laptop, but also as a touch screen which provides a user-friendly experience. The Microsoft applications are all simple and easy to operate. My favorite aspect of the Surface Pro is that it saves my work even when I am not connected to the internet. This is helpful when I am traveling for sports or even vacation. Learning how to utilize Microsoft technology while at SFHS will give me an advantage later in life because many workplaces use the same technology every day.”

Around Campus This August

Convocation Liturgy

The Spartan community gathered in Slantdome for our annual Convocation Liturgy on September 11. It was a morning of connection, and a chance to unite our hearts and minds in prayer.

Tennis Friday Night Lights The Spartan Tennis team put on quite the show during their “Friday Night Lights” event on September 6 against Batavia. It was one of the biggest nights of girls tennis in the state! The SFHS Rock Band performed from atop the pressbox, food trucks were brought in, and it was an amazing night!