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 Head of School Comments
By Alexandra Thurstone '84
Head of School
August is here and that means it's time for school to start! We have been busy over the summer preparing for the school year. We have a number of new faces on the Goshen and Downtown Campuses, and while they've been introduced in the summer mailing, I'd like to briefly recap so we can all welcome them. The great news on the Preschool Campus is that we once again have remarkable consistency in staffing and therefore no new faces. On the Goshen Campus, with the expansion of our Science curriculum and growing enrollment, we have a bevy of new science teachers who will each bring their unique experience and enthusiasm to the department, along with veteran Carol Clark. Carey Thornberg is one of our two new Lower School Science teachers, and she is joined by Pattie Koth. Carey has taught at public schools in Indianapolis for 10+ years and has taught all subjects, as well as having been a special-ed teacher. Pattie most recently taught in a local parochial school, but has even taught in a one-room schoolhouse. Franky Wade is our new Middle School Science teacher and Department Chair. Franky has taught in middle and high school, but really loves middle school kids. The Science Department at the Goshen Campus will be shepherding our School Garden going forward, as well as marshalling our efforts in building a Science Olympiad program in Lower and Middle School. We are also very excited to welcome Zhu Qianxin from China as our new Middle School Chinese teacher. She will be teaching Chinese to 5th, 6th and 7th graders (and doing an independent study with one of our new 8th graders who's already been studying Chinese elsewhere). We are grateful to the Ragland family for hosting Qianxin; it should be an enriching experience for all. Andrew Frechette is not a new face, but he will be joining our Lower School LA/SS teaching staff in 3rd grade, as well as serving as the Librarian. Rachael Dobring, also not a new face, will be teaching Humanities and 4th grade LA/SS. Two newcomers are alums: Tina Brown '05 (and Goshen '01) will be our new part-time art teacher and Lizzy Denny '09 (and Goshen '05) will be leading our Enrichment Program.
Click here to read more!
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 Highlights from the Downtown, Goshen, and Preschool Campuses |
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Our latest student body art sculpture is now complete on the Goshen Campus! Our maintenance staff finished adding tiles this summer. Look for this newest masterpiece outside the art rooms.
Congratulations are in order to artist Laura Ross who, along with Mary Ann Pollard, served as artist-in-residence on this project. Laura recently received a prestigious award! Here is a summary from a recent article:
Continuing the tradition of recognizing Kentuckians, businesses and arts organizations for outstanding contributions, achievement in and support of the arts, the Kentucky Arts Council announced the 2013 Governor's Awards in the Arts.
Artist Award - Laura Ross, of Prospect, has shared her work as a potter for nearly 30 years with the American public through exhibits and shows, as an educator and successful professional artist. Ross' sense of design, composition, use of color and pattern has influenced many of her contemporaries throughout the southeastern U.S. and beyond. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her work. Ross has exhibited in dozens of galleries and juried exhibits throughout the country.
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Paige Pence '16 tried out and was selected to be one of only five members of the United States Pony Club International Mounted Games Exchange Team which will train in Maryland and then compete in Canada in August.
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SFS Drama Project Alum and Assistant Director Marti White
with some "Oompa Loompas" before our Summer Camp production of Willy Wonka!
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| Congratulations to SFS students Sam Borden (guitar), Jonny Simpson (guitar), and JD Lanier (bass) whose youth rock bands have been selected as the top 10 Finalists for the State Fair Battle of the Bands to be held August 17 at 6:30 pm. Sam's band, Crowd Control, and Jonny and JD's band, Vault, both submitted original songs as part of their submissions to the competition. |
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Recognize this building?
The gym at the Goshen Campus as it undergoes its transformation!
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 Comments from the Head of Downtown Campus
By Suzanne Gorman
Head of Downtown Campus
The excitement is in the air ... only a few short weeks until the first day of school! Field hockey and soccer practices have begun; our School Committee overnight retreat is next week; the Book Sale and the Back-to-School Picnic and Alumni Games are coming up; and of course the Senior Rafting Trip and 9th Grade Orientation adventures, to cap off the start-of-school festivities.
I love all of it. I was one of those children who relished the school-supply shopping trip and the new pair of shoes to start the year off with, and couldn't wait for the alarm to go off on the first day of school.
One of my most favorite aspects of the start of school these days is seeing the high school students return and what changes summer has wrought. It's really amazing - in less than three months, some of them have grown (especially those 10th and 11th grade boys), gotten haircuts, changed clothing styles, changed attitudes. It's always for me an apt reminder of how much is always changing with them, throughout the school year, even though we don't see it physically in the same way when we're with them every day. As adults, we tend to fear change - we like sameness, comfort, familiarity. I wonder if this is why to some adults, teenagers can seem foreign or scary - because for adolescents, change is their essential, natural occupation. One of the greatest gifts our faculty possesses is the ability to roll with these changes - we accept the students wherever they are at a given moment and keep on believing in them. Working with teenagers is really one of the most hopeful jobs imaginable, because there is always so much possibility there.
On that note, I'll be setting my alarm extra early on August 20th!
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 Comments from the
By Reed Gabhart
Head of Goshen Campus
Last summer, the St. Francis School Drama Project received our first-ever National Youth Arts Theatre nominations and awards for our 2010 production of The Taming of the Shrew. I attended the ceremony in New York City along with Best Actress winner Marti White. It was a very special event, tremendously validating of the experiences we provide for our young theatre students. While there, I submitted three more of our shows to the Director of NYA, Rob Hopper: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Our Town, and Cyrano de Bergerac. We just got the news last Saturday, so drum roll, please!!!!!
In the 8th Annual National Youth Arts Awards for the 2012-2013 season, St. Francis earned four awards and 10 additional nominations!
Awards:
Lead Actor (Junior Division): Gabe Jackson as Cyrano de Bergerac in Cyrano de Bergerac
Lead Actress (Junior Division): Natalie Delautre as Emily Webb in Our Town
Lead Actress (Junior Division): Zoe Koss as Roxanne in Cyrano de Bergerac
Supporting Actress (Junior Division): Paige Didier as Mrs. Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie
Nominations:
Outstanding Production: Cyrano de Bergerac
Lead Actor (Junior Division): Gilman Bagga as Stage Manager in Our Town
Lead Actor (Junior Division): Braden Barnett as George Gibbs in Our Town
Lead Actress (Junior Division): Sarah Bourlakas as Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie
Supporting Actress (Junior Division): Margot Bond as Mrs. Webb in Our Town
Featured Actor (Junior Division): Harrison Stites as Simon Stimson in Our Town
Featured Actress (Junior Division): Katie Heit as Muzzy Van Hossmere in Thoroughly Modern Millie
Ensemble: Cyrano de Bergerac
Ensemble: Our Town
Direction: Reed Gabhart for Cyrano de Bergerac
Wow! While I knew these were all top-notch productions, I never expected such recognition. For those of you who saw any of these shows, I think you'll agree that the judges certainly picked out some stellar performances, but I find it even more gratifying that our shows as a whole were honored as well. This is a victory for our whole Fine Arts team (Rachael Dobring, Bob Bertke, Kim Aberle, our fabulous Art department, Mark Sawyer-Dailey), our incredibly supportive parents, and, of course, our devoted and talented students who love performing and don't shy away from the hard work required in creating such productions.
The Eastern Region is heavily weighted towards schools in New York City (The Broadway Training Center?), but it is also gratifying to see winners coming from Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky (us!). To see a full list of winners and nominees, click here to view the NYA website.
I think everyone appreciates recognition, but it is certainly not the reason we participate in theatre. It is in the creating of the shows, the many rehearsals, and the magic of the performances that the memories are made and skills are acquired that will benefit kids for life. So it is "back to the drawing board," as we anticipate a new season (and the submission of John Lennon and Me and Bye Bye Birdie for next year's awards!) As we currently dream and make plans for renovating the Main Amphitheatre and expanding both the size and potential of our theatre space, the future of the SFS Drama Project looks incredibly bright!
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 Comments from the
By Renee Hennessy,
Preschool Director
August brings many "firsts" for Preschool parents and children. For many families, this is their child's first-ever school experience. The first carpool, the first lunch away from home. The little ones enter the building excited to see what's inside, not quite sure if Mom or Dad will stay or go. Many of the older Preschoolers bounce inside with great enthusiasm and familiarity with the routine. They remember how much fun was had last year or at camp, and they are eager to jump right into the classroom. A few transitional bumps are not uncommon, though, as they are also experiencing new teachers and new classmates, too.
As teachers, we love the first day of School and the preparation of the classrooms for the children. We spend countless hours in our rooms arranging and rearranging to create inviting spaces for Preschoolers to learn and grow. The placement of each manipulative, puzzle, book and block has been carefully considered. We look forward to meeting the families of children in our classes and learning about the children who will be in our care. Each child brings his/her own gifts that we are delighted to receive.
One of my favorite back-to-school moments is watching the children walk in with their slightly oversized backpacks (because it's difficult to find one the exact right size), with three fingers or so holding hands with a parent. I know that pretty soon they will all have a really good idea of what the St. Francis Preschool is like: a warm and inviting place to try new things, laugh, dance, play, imagine, make friends, have ideas and try them out, and investigate this big world. I know I speak for all of the Preschool teachers when I say that we are excited about and anticipating with great joy the journey with your family this year.
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 Comments from the
By Tony Butler,
Athletic Director
Welcome to the St. Francis School Athletic Department. We are excited to have created a sports program that we can offer to all those interested in participating. Fall sports teams rosters are being compiled. High School soccer and field hockey and Middle School field hockey have already begun practicing (with soccer close behind) and will be kicking off the season with the Annual Alumni Picnic on the Goshen Campus. The event will open with a soccer/field hockey clinic for all Middle School students. Coaches and players from the High School teams will run the clinic. Following the clinics, the field hockey team will play a round robin of scrimmage matches versus competition from Butler, Holy Cross and North Oldham. The soccer team will rekindle its series with the a team of SFS alumni.
Click here to read more!
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August 10
Back-to-School Picnic and Alumni Games (ALL)
August 20
First Day of School (ALL)
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Alumni Games and
Back-to-School Picnic
Saturday, August 10 
You don't want to miss the Back-To-School Picnic and Alumni Games event on Saturday, August 10th, at the Goshen Campus.We hope you received a postcard invitation in the mail; if not, let us know so we can confirm your address. The day is full of fun and exciting events. We hope you can join us!
9:30 a.m. Middle School Field Hockey and Soccer Camps
The field hockey games begin, as well as the always popular varsity vs. alumni soccer game. We will also have a bouncy house and face-painting for the younger attendees.
11:30 a.m. The St. Francis Grill opens. Please feel free to bring your own lunch, but our own Chef Matt Thomas and the kitchen staff will serve hot dogs, hamburgers, and other munchies for a small fee (with all the "fixins" provided by the Goshen garden and local growers). We also have an ice cream cart on site, provided by Gelato Gilberto.
As the games wind down, the Alumni office will pass out yearbooks to our graduated 8th graders, now 9th graders. We will also have Parent Association and school representatives on hand if you have any questions or need to turn in school forms.
The picnic and games will end around 2:00 p.m. If there is inclement weather or the temperature is very hot, we will make alternative plans. The event will NOT be cancelled.
P.S. Volunteers are always needed. Please contact Emily Essex eessex@stfrancisschool.org or your campus PA Chair if you can assist us during the day!
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"Our Good Earth" 2013
Farm-To-Table Dinner and Auction Gala at the Goshen Campus
Saturday, October 12th
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Development Dish
Just a quick update from the Development Office...
We Made It! We are excited to announce that we reached the $320,000 Annual Fund goal this year! Thank you for your contributions!
5-Week Annual Fund Drive As the school year starts, we will once again kick off our 5-Week Annual Fund Drive. Last year we finished with 98% parent participation and I know we can reach the 100% mark this year! Please be prepared to make your pledge and help us reach our goal.
Upcoming Events Mark your calendars now for the events of the season: "Our Good Earth" Farm-To-Table Event at the Goshen Campus on Saturday, October 12 AND Imagine Art Auction and Scholarship Fundraiser, downtown location TBA on Friday, January 31.
More to come ... |
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The Downtown Campus Parking Lot is Now Open!
Next time you visit St. Francis Downtown, feel free to park in our new parking lot! We have several visitor spots available to our community.
Parents, if your student would like to purchase a parking pass, please contact Emily Boyle at eboyle@stfrancisschool.org or 502-736-1006.
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Check out the Insider Louisville Story featuring our
New Boys Basketball Coach, Tony Williams
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Camp Wyvern Happenings at the Preschool
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Summer Camps at the Goshen Campus
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