Upcoming Calendar Reminders

3/29-4/7/13 Easter Vacation

Dear Families and Friends,

It is my privilege to share with you the exciting Next Steps for St. Francis High School. For me, it is a welcome transition into spring with Battle for the Paddle, Easter, AP testing, and a wonderful time for celebrating a new pope; I am hopeful for this progressive direction in the Church: a pope from outside of Europe, one who has a passion for soccer, and one who has taken the name of Pope Francis I. 

For me, this first year as a Shark has validated the strong Salesian charism present on our campus. The students, parents, staff, and teachers all show a love for and a commitment to the educational philosophy of our patron saint. Fr. Esteban Ortiz, SDB from Rome, commented on this when he visited us last month. I know we will all continue to grow in our faith and grow our community.  Now, I am excited to share with you some of the many excellent outcomes that are sustaining and growing our great school.  We are well on our way to being the school of choice for students and families committed to success.

• The 5-year SAT average for St. Francis is 1608. This is 110 points higher than the national average.
• The 4-year AP pass rate of a 3 or higher is 66%. This is 48% higher than the national average.
• 25% of the students have a 4.0 or better GPA.
• 26% of the student-athletes have a 3.0 or better GPA.
• 46% of the upperclassmen are full members of the California Scholastic Federation (CSF).
• 38% of the upperclassmen are members of the National Honor Society (NHS).
• 9% of the seniors are Nationally Commended Scholars.
• 100% of the students participate in annual Christian Service Projects.
• 100% of the students are involved with extra-curriculars.
• This fall, St. Francis won a league title in women's tennis.
• This winter, the women's basketball team won their first CCS title.

Within this framework, we are committed to prepare students for the dynamic challenges of an ever-changing world while remaining grounded in Catholic values. Now more than ever students need to master not only subject knowledge and 21st century skills like critical thinking, creation, collaboration, and oral and written communication, but they also need a moral compass. Our highly qualified, expert staff mentors each young person to master the rigors of class as well as build the confidence he or she needs to be a faith-based leader in the community.

In 2013-2014, St. Francis High School will be changing to a 7-period schedule. This period schedule allows for more honors and AP classes, expanded language options, and blended learning opportunities that will only benefit our students' learning experience and improve their success rate as they move on to higher education and life. The addition of a Learning Resource Center will provide a warm, safe place for students to work collaboratively and independently. We will also be enhancing our athletic program by expanding our dance program and continuing the cheerleading program through the winter, as well as adding a men's tennis program in the spring of 2014.

The school, with the Board's leadership and support, has committed to offering merit-based scholarships as well as need-based tuition assistance and that we will grow the amount of tuition assistance offered each year. Along with expanded assistance, we are expanding the territories we will serve through van-service transportation. We will launch a newly expanded and intuitive website this spring and will continue to expand our communication through traditional, website, and social media platforms. Our collective goal is to enhance our communication and provide expanded customer service. In all, the value proposition continues to grow during our Next Steps. 

Finally, as I stated at the well attended Parent Enrichment Night in January, there will be a "$0" tuition increase for the 2013-2014 school year. There will be a slight increase in the fees. The increase comes in two forms: iPad/technology fee increase and the introduction of a mandatory Annual Raffle Drawing. The iPad deployment increase goes from $10 a month to $30 a month as was shared last spring by Mr. Mathews. In total, it is $240 fee increase. Next year, we are eliminating the Magazine Drive/Sale. In lieu of it, we will have the mandatory Annual Raffle Drawing (ARD) at $360 a year. All families will have the option to recoup the $360 raffle ticket fee by selling the tickets. The total increase in fees for the 2013-2014 school year is as little as $20 a month or as much as $50 a month, depending on whether you choose to sell the Annual Raffle Drawing tickets. From my experience, the raffle tickets often sell themselves since there is a total prize package pay out of $10,500 for the ARD. 

As previously stated, I am hopeful for the progressive direction our church is taking, and I am equally hopeful for our Next Steps. There is something truly extraordinary about St. Francis High School: family spirit is a tangible part of our community and is palpable once you walk on our beautiful campus or meet one of our amazing students or staff members. Your commitment, support, and participation is valued and appreciated; you have made, and continue to make, the right decision for your child. St. Francis High School is the best place to provide young women and men with the necessary formation to be captains of industry, champions of social justice, innovative thinkers, and ethical leaders in our local and global communities. As our school wide theme states, let us all "Bring Joy to Our World."  God bless and Go SHARKS!

Yours in Christ,

President and Principal

St. Francis High School