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Back to School Freshman Family BBQ/Potluck

Come spend the afternoon getting to know other freshman families. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided. Please bring a side dish, dessert or drinks to share.

We hope you can join us!

Sincerely, 

Maria Shropshire, Deanne Cagnacci, and Carmen Velasquez

Freshman Class Parent Representatives

September 14, 2014

1:00 pm

530 Mt. Madonna Road Watsonville, CA 95076

Dear St. Francis Families and Friends,

It is my privilege to welcome each of you to the 2014-2015 academic year at St. Francis High School. I am very excited to continue my journey as the President and Principal of such an esteemed college preparatory institution. I have spent 28 years in Catholic, Salesian education, providing me with a deep understanding of the profound responsibility that our faculty, coaches, and staff have in shaping young women and men to become successful adults equipped with a strong set of values and a genuine concern for others.

Our great school is named after St. Francis of Assisi, but our charism comes from St. John Bosco. The story of St. John Bosco and his mission is inspiring. It captures the essence of what education is truly all about - developing the whole person and preparing each young person to be a good Christian and honest citizen of the world. St. John Bosco's revolutionary educational leadership in 19th century Italy led to sweeping educational reform and has become the cornerstone and vernacular for most contemporary schools - whether they are public, charter, private, or diocesan. This educational philosophy is as relevant today as it was in Turin almost 200 years ago.

Since 2001, the partnership between the Diocese of Monterey, Salesian priests and brothers who follow the model of St. John Bosco, and our community of parents has empowered young women and men to be successful. They have found this success in the classroom, on the court and field, and in the community as each student and staff member continues to serve others in need. Students graduate from St. Francis, a Salesian college preparatory high school, as confident and dynamic young women and men of character who are ready to lead, serve, and inspire. As evidence of that readiness, we want to share with you the following noteworthy accomplishments:

* Our students annually test well above average on the PSAT and SAT exams. Our five-year SAT scores are 34 points higher than the local and national average.

* Our students annually test well above average on the AP and National Latin exams. Our two-year AP score history average 11.7-45% higher pass percentages than the local and national average. Within the last two years, Calculus BC, English Language, Studio Art, Spanish Language, and English Literature have each had a 100% pass rate.

* The senior class has two recognized National Merit Commended Scholars.

* 100% of our AP Spanish Language, AP English Literature, AP Calculus, and AP Biology students are recognized in their respective National Honor Societies.

* This year's junior and senior classes can boast 46% membership in the California Scholarship Federation and 38% are members of the National Honor Society.

* 43% of our student population is identified as a varsity scholar athlete.

* 26% of our students have a 4.0 or better in a rigorous college preparatory curriculum that includes honors, AP, and blended learning.

* 99% of our graduates attend college, and 100% of our students who apply to college are accepted into a college of their choice.

* 100% of our students participate in extracurricular activities and complete an annual service project.

St. Francis offers a comprehensive high school experience that is also an intensely personal one. Our teacher to student ratio is 12:1 with an average class size of 18. Within this framework, we are committed to preparing students for the dynamic challenges of an ever-changing world. Now, more than ever, students need to master not only subject knowledge, but also master 21st century skills of critical thinking, creation, collaboration, and oral and written communication. Our highly qualified, expert staff mentors each young person to master the rigors of class as well as to build the confidence he or she needs to be a leader in the community.

As part of our vision, we have grown the school by 13.9%. We have done this by delivering on our promise: we ensure excellence in academics, athletics, arts, service, leadership, and faith development. As a result, we now proudly serve students from four local counties in California as well as countries outside of the US - like China, Brazil, and South Korea. It is our plan to grow the local number of  students attending as well as expanding our service to students from Europe and Russia. Being so close to Silicone Valley and the international city of San Francisco, it is our plan to mentor global citizens who demonstrate good Christian values.

Second, our mission and vision focuses our attention on program and service expansion. The school allows students to take 7 classes each semester and we teach using the 4x4 block system. This allows our teachers and students to investigate, research, create, and produce better than any surrounding school. All of our students use iPads and all of us have committed to printing 25% less paper products than last year. We are getting greener each year. Since the introduction of blended learning - online learning done on campus, managed by our staff, with peer and teacher tutoring - we now offer more AP, honors, and elective choices in math, social studies, science, modern language, and the visual arts. The school has had recent success in athletics due to a commitment to hire teachers/staff who are program coaches as well as the expansion of our strength and conditioning program for all athletes in an effort to promote good health, safety, nutrition, and injury rehabilitation.

Finally, we continue to expand our robust tuition assistance program and our facilities. Over the last three years, we have grown the tuition assistance dollars by 69%. This affords more students opportunities to attend an excellent institution like St. Francis. Currently, we offer extensive need-based and merit-based tuition assistance. Besides enhancing our tuition assistance, we have completed classroom renovations with more access points and Apple TV's in each classroom to facilitate real-time, always-on learning. This year we have a strong commitment to facility improvements by turfing our athletic fields for our students and the young people of the Watsonville community. Our vision is coming to fruition as we continue to fulfill the mission of St. John Bosco.

Our school wide theme states that we are "Youth for Youth." Let us not forget this ideal as we celebrate the bicentennial of St. John Bosco's birthday. We are here for the young; as mentors and Salesian educators to the young, we are here to help them support each other. As part of our bicentennial celebration, we will be taking the entire school up to St. Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco on January 30, 2015. This is the Feast of St. John Bosco. We will take busses chartered by the school to celebrate mass with our sister school from Richmond along with the priests and brothers of the Western Province. The Salesians will celebrate mass and provide lunches for all students and staff members from both schools. In the picture seen here, Izzy Shahmirza and Erica Leung are all smiles with our Salesian Youth Ministry Delegate - Br. Al Vu. Br. Al stopped by August 27th to interview Izzy for a video being released worldwide on how our students live this year's theme: Youth for Youth.

There is something truly extraordinary about St. Francis High School, and each member of our community has played an integral role in our growth. As the leader of our St. Francis High School family, I look forward to building a strong relationship with you so that we may continue 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. God bless, and Go SHARKS!