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SFPA News and Announcements LINK
The next SFPA Board Meeting will be held Monday, October 12th from
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Room E1 (Art Room).
All parents and guardians of students attending St. Francis are members of the St. Francis Parents Association (SFPA) and are welcome to attend the monthly meetings. Check out our link on the school website for more information LINK
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From the Admissions Office:
If you would still like to set up a shadow date, please contact Marie Marheineke in the Admissions office. 831-724-5933 or mariemarheineke@stfrancishigh.net
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Check out our new Bingo section on the school's website:
LINK
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St. Francis High School
Salesian College Preparatory
2400 East Lake Ave.
Watsonville, CA 95076
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Service hours in RenWeb
Students are now able to check their service hours on RenWeb. The SF graduation requirement is 80 hours. If you want to know how many you have done, please go here for instructions: LINK
If you have any question or concerns about your service hours, please contact Ms. McLeod.
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Double Your Impact....It's Not Too Late!
Did you know that on average, one in 10 companies match employee donations?
By simply completing a matching-gift form from your company you may be able to double-or even triple-the impact of your donation to St. Francis. If you volunteer with us your employer may provide us with a grant as a way to recognize your ongoing support. Most employers include spouses and retirees in their matching-gift program.
As a supporter of St. Francis, you know that contributions of any amount help us do more for our student's.
To find out if your employer has a matching-gift program, just click this link
https://doublethedonation.com/sfhs
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iPad tips: LINK
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Dear St. Francis Families and
Friends,
September has the autumnal equinox and it marks the arrival of the season of fall - traditionally seen as a period of change. It is also the time for students to play tennis and volleyball or run cross-country and play football. It is a time for students to hone their musical talents through Music Ministry or begin rehearsals for the VAPA Small Shows this October. Though we are in a season of change and are part of an evolving school committed to excellent outcomes for our young men and women, this is also the time of year to observe, appreciate, and reflect.
As summer turns into autumn, I observe the leaves turning shades of red and orange; I appreciate sweaters coming out of storage to protect against the impending cold; and, many of us find ourselves "wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that...we...had never seen...come...into our dreams [before]." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring. All children (not just little ones)begin to think about the thrills of Halloween, while seniors frantically prepare their college application essays and students run for class officers and Animas.
Through reflection, autumn reminds me of change and that I should value each relationship and each conversation...before they change. This means spending time at the front gate, between classes, during tutorials, and at sporting and VAPA events with students. The distinct difference between us and any other high school on the central coast is this value we place on relationships inside and outside of the classroom - with current students, alumni, parents, and friends of the school. Empirical evidence validates St. John Bosco's most basic belief - children must know they are loved. Here, I can say with great pride, our students know that. They are reminded of it every day. Sometimes love appears in corrections or consequences for bad decisions, but other times it is celebrating those small victories in their daily lives. Every time, though, it comes from a place of love to help them grow.
This autumn season we have our 4th annual Burgundy & Gray event. We have moved it to school and are expecting 270+ attendees - the most ever. I sincerely hope you see the value in this SFPA event as the hallmark fundraiser for the school. All of our students benefit from this dinner and auction. Even if you rely on tuition assistance to attend St. Francis High School, you should attend, donate, and/or purchase something to further the cause. The success of this event supports and enhances all of the programs and services for all of our students. I know families on assistance that have the new iPhone 6S or Samsung Galaxy along with elaborate data plans that identify communication as a priority in your family. I agree with this priority. However, I also want to encourage all to make this exceptional Catholic education a priority as well.
I am proud to share that we have successfully launched our Salesian School Climate Committee and we have had two meetings thus far. We have representation from each grade level and from a variety of interest groups on campus. All parents and staff are invited to participate. Our next meeting is October 21st at 12 pm in the Heritage Room. This effort is part of our WCEA/WASC Action Plan and a topic very close to my heart. As we welcome students from public, charter, parochial, and private schools, as well as multiple countries across the globe, we want to support student and parent connectedness, engage and motivate students to fully participate in their learning, and we want to ensure that we promote a respectful learning environment. We applied for a grant to participate in the Harvard Graduate School of Education's National School Climate Program and we were accepted. Here is an excerpt from of our acceptance letter to illustrate the program:
Dear School Leader,
We are pleased to welcome your school to participate in the 2015-2016 Caring Schools Initiative (CSI). We received an unprecedented number of applications this year-more than 200 from schools across 36 states and 7 countries! Over the course of the school year, we look forward to learning more about your school, and sharing innovative ideas and school highlights for supporting and caring school climate. In this highly interactive program led by Making Caring Common director Richard Weissbourd, you will have the opportunity to consult and collaborate with peers to develop a strategic action plan. As you begin to prepare for survey administration, we would like to highlight a few important dates and reminders. Given a recent increase in submissions to our research board, we have adjusted the survey administration timeline. We anticipate that the student and staff surveys will be available on October 12th. At that time, your school will receive survey links as well as tips and guidelines for administration. When you receive the links you will have one month to administer the survey. For example, if you receive the survey on October 12th, your school will have until November 12th to complete the surveys. Parent surveys will be available within several weeks following the student and staff surveys. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. We look forward to working with you!
Sincerely, Caring Schools Initiative Team
It is this committee's intention to use the student, parent, and staff representatives to promote a Salesian School Climate worthy of our school. This committee is interviewing, analyzing, and reflecting on current practices to create a student-generated action plan to promote this climate for all students, alumni, parents, and staff. It is their goal to unveil this action plan in the spring semester.
Please continue to use our Suggestion Box, surveys, SFPA Grade-Level Rep's, and school website. We are always looking at ways to improve the St. Francis experience for all. Your word of mouth and the sharing of your experiences at Family Information Nights and on NICHE or GreatSchool invite more quality families to the school and grows our reach.
I thank you in advance for your participation in our school community this fall - attendance at the Burgundy & Gray, SFPA Parent Nights, Counselor Nights, VAPA and Choir Shows, sports events, working Bingo, and for donating to the Annual Fund. As always, know that you and your family are in my prayers and that together we will ensure excellence in academics, athletics, arts, service, leadership, and faith development at St. Francis. We are the home of Scholars and Champions! God bless and
GO SHARKS!
President and Principal
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Warm greetings to the Saint Francis High School Family. The change from busy and hectic Los Angeles to Watsonville has been like escaping the deafening roar of jet planes for the soothing warbling of a loon (and what is a loon?). Those smiling "Good mornings" at the beginning of the school day are such radiant reflections of the warmth of the sun. In
them I read the students' zest and appreciation for life, their determination to be artists like the great Paganini who even with only one string on his violin was able to make incredibly beautiful music. A flawed instrument, an imperfect young woman or man, but with such promise and giftedness.
We are the clay in the hands of a loving God who asks us to trust. Our life experiences and our decisions all contribute to fashioning the person that God wants us to be. May the music of our lives lend beauty to the world. The Russian novelist tells us: "The world will be saved by beauty". Beauty is a good heart, gentleness, daring, compassion, being there for others. That is the example and calling that Jesus Christ left us.
Fr. Tom Juarez
Community Director for Our Lady Help of Christians
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Cherish is the guide dog puppy on campus. She has been coming with me, Katie Farley, to class each day. Cherish gets one day off each week; the particular day varies, but I generally try to aim for Thursday's. On her days off from school, she stays with my mom and runs errands with her throughout the day. When she is at school, she will usually sleep during class and she wakes up when it's time to change classes. The block schedule gives her a nice long nap time. Cherish has been making very good progress in her training. We are still working on her tendency to pick up trash off the ground, but otherwise she is exactly where she is supposed to be at her age. She will turn seven months old on October 7th--she is growing up so fast. Thank you to all students and teachers for resisting the urge to pet her. I appreciate it and, because of your
self control, Cherish is growing very good at ignoring people when it is working time.
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A BIG "thank you" to the St. Francis Football team, the servers, and the Booster parents that made the Applebees Flapjack Fundraiser a success. We raised over $600 for our school!
Thank you to all that participated in the DeBrito caramel apple sale as well. A Big thank you to Genie Yamaoka for organizing the event. Remember that apples will be distributed on Friday, October 9t
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This month the 2015-2016 Drama class
presents:
The Third Annual
Theater Arts Showcase
An evening of short scenes and one-act plays
all set in the magical city of New York.
Thursday 10/22 - 7pm
Friday 10/23 - 7pm
Saturday 10/24 - 7pm
In the Performing Arts Room (B2)
Tickets: $10 adults; $5 students; Free - children 5 and under
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VAPA Boosters Meeting
Date: Friday, October 9, 4-5pm
Location: Art Room
Join the parent power behind the Visual And Performing Arts at St. Francis! All parents, especially those who have students in visual art classes, theater arts, choir or music ministry, are welcome. We will be planning the box office needs for the Theater Arts Showcase to be held in mid-October and the choir's Christmas Concert in early December. For more information, please contact Mindy Scherr (mindysch59@gmail.com).
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St. Francis: The Education of a Lifetime
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 Athletic News: Stay up to date by visiting our Department of Athletics site
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From the office of the Assistant Principal of Academics
Hello, Parents and Students!
It is great to have the school year in full swing. I have really enjoyed my opportunities to visit the classrooms around campus and to witness firsthand the student learning that is taking place. I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the key academic events on the calendar for October:
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Friday, October 9 marks the end of the first academic quarter. It is important that any missing work (due to illness or other absence) be made up prior to the end of the first quarter. Please note that report cards are not mailed home at the quarter. Report cards will be available for viewing on RenWeb beginning Friday, October 16.
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Mr. Bare has arranged for a special guest speaker, Santa Cruz County Treasurer Fred Keeley, to visit our campus and speak to our school community on Thursday, October 15.
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Parent-Teacher Conferences will be occurring on Tuesday, October 27. All teachers will be available from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Parents will be able to schedule appointments to meet with teachers beginning on October 12 through Ms. Nereida Madrigal in the front office. There are no "drop in" appointments available this evening; please schedule your appointments ahead of time. You can schedule the appointment in person, by phone (831) 724-5933 x201, or by email (madrigal@stfrancishigh.net). If this evening does not work in your schedule, or if you need to speak with a teacher before the conference date, please contact that teacher directly via email or phone.
As a reminder, please continue to be vigilant about checking student progress on RenWeb. It is only through the combined efforts of teachers, parents, and students that we can be assured of student success.
I'm thrilled to be working on behalf of each student for a successful 2015-2016 school year. If you have questions or concerns regarding any academic issue, please feel free to contact me at 831-724-5933 x203 or by email at cmaylo@stfrancishigh.net.
Sincerely, David M. Cmaylo Assistant Principal of Academics
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CYM Report
Autumn is a special time of year where we start to slow down and prepare for cooler days and longer nights. In our Church, October offers us some very special feast days: the devotions to the Guardian Angels (October 2), St. Francis of Assisi feast day (October 4), and devotion to the Holy Rosary (October 7).
We will be honoring St. Francis of Assisi, our school's saint namesake, in a prayer service on October 2. St. Francis is the patron saint for animals and ecology; thus, as part of the prayer service, the Ecology Club will inform us on how St. Francis High School will continue to be good stewards of the environment and an Ocean Guardian School. We are so blessed to have an active ecology club on campus that challenges us and encourages us to care for our environment.
The entire month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. I encourage every family to make time to say the rosary together. There is a free app called the Rosary Guide. It gives you a virtual rosary that you can tap on the beads and the prayers are written there for you. It is user-friendly and can even be done in the car as you're driving. Remember--everywhere is a good place to pray!
I pray to all our Guardian Angels to continue to watch over us to bless us and keep us in good health.
Shannon McLeod
Senior Retreat
Senior retreat, Kairos, will be held December 6-8. This is an optional retreat. If a student chooses not to attend, he or she is expected to be at school. The cost of the retreat is $250. E-mail Ms. McLeod at mcleod@stfrancishigh.net to RSVP. Information packets will be sent home soon.
Freshman Retreat
Date: Wednesday, October 14
Time: 8:30am-2:00pm
This is a required event for freshman. Attendance will be taken.
Students need to arrange you own transportation.
There is no cost.
Location: Corralitos Padres Hall (35 Browns Valley Road, Corralitos). It is less than 5 miles from St. Francis.
Students are expected to conform to the free dress policies outlined in the Student-Family Handbook. We will be outside at times, so bring a jacket and closed toe shoes. We will be providing lunch and snacks so students don't need to bring anything other than themselves.
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Athletics News
Homecoming is October 10th! The day will start with a 9 am mass at St. Francis in the Borina Athletic Center followed by an 11 am frosh/soph football game vs. North Monterey County. The varsity football will kick off at 2 pm vs. Livermore Valley Prep. The Homecoming Court ceremony this year will be after the game instead of at halftime. Please stay after the game to see who is crowned.
Volleyball has added a pair of games to make up for some cancellations by other schools and to help with our playoff push. On October 16th, the Sharks will travel to San Francisco Leadership Academy at 5:30 pm and on October 24th we will host East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy at 1 pm. On October 24th, the frosh/soph team will host Woodside Priory at 10 am and our JV will host Priory at 11:30 am.
Girls Tennis is going quite well as they are fresh off a clean sweep of Soquel and a win over Monte Vista Christian. Our girls are once again in the mix for a SCCAL banner. Singles players Claire Casper, Megan Kelly, and Katherine Casper are leading the way in singles and the doubles teams of Cameron Croghan and Rachael Boxwell and Maya Talavera and Gabriella Gutierrez are playing well helping the Sharks earn wins.
The Cross Country team is off to a great start as our boys' team is currently the fastest team in the CCS Division V and the 18th overall ranked in all of CCS. The girls team is also having a strong start and are currently the 3rd fastest team in the CCS Division V and are gearing up for a playoff spot.
Football earned a win over Marina and is looking to build on the success at home vs. Harbor on October 3rd at 2 pm. The Sharks varsity will be home again on October 10th with varsity at 2 pm for the homecoming game. The frosh/soph team is off to a great start with a 4-0 record and a thrilling 37-32 win over Stevenson last week. Also, on October 30th the Sharks will play against Pajaro Valley High School under the Friday night lights at Watsonville High School. Frosh/soph kickoff at 5 pm and varsity at 7:30 pm.
Class of 2010 Alum Ty Sambrailo is the starting Left Tackle for the Denver Broncos. On Sunday October 11th, the Broncos play in Oakland and there are still a few tickets for sale in the main office for $100 each.
Thank you to all who sponsored our fall sports program. We are still taking sponsors for the winter sports program as well. As always, come out and support your Sharks! |
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Greetings and from the Office of the Dean of Students and Director of Students Activities:
Dear St. Francis Community,
Now that September is behind us, I would like to thank all parents for working together with staff and faculty to ensure that we provide an enjoyable, positive, and meaningful learning experience to all of our students. October is upon us, and I am excited to provide you with updates for Student Activities and Office of the Dean.
Student Activities September brought many enjoyable activities, including the Club Faire, Homecoming Court Nominations, Animas Applications, and Class Officer Elections. I am happy to report that 21 clubs were created by students, and I looking forward to seeing how each club will add value to our school and the St. Francis community. Homecoming Court Nominations, Animas Applications, and Class Officer Elections will be decided by Friday October 2, so be on the look-out for the results in the next newsletter. As always, I would like to thank all members of Animas for all their leadership during these events. Our "Animators" have taken the joy and excitement of our events and activities to a new level! Thank you! Here is the list of activities for October:
October 5 - October 10 Homecoming/Spirit Week - Students will enjoy fun and exciting themes, food, and activities every day of the week. Please check the school calendar for information regarding options for fun dress attire and lunches. October 8 Homecoming Rally - It's that time! What better way to show school spirit, class pride, and friendly competition than to participate at the rally! Please make sure to ask your student about his or her experience! October 10 Homecoming Dance - Calling all "dance machines!" Our Homecoming Dance theme is "A Night Out on the Town." This dance promises to be one to remember, and all students are encouraged to submit their guest passes early. Parents are encouraged to purchase tickets for their students before the day of the dance. Tickets are $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Office of Dean As mentioned last month, I want to continue to inculcate and encourage our students to follow the dress code guidelines as defined by the Student-Family Handbook. I would like to thank all parents and students for continuing to support the school's policies regarding dress code, and I am optimistic that the positive trend will continue. While we are noticing adherence with grooming and dress code in certain areas, the two themes that still require improvement are facial hair and skirt length. Our staff and faculty are on board--with the support of students and parents, we can make great strides in providing positive, enjoyable, and meaningful school climate for all students. Like I mentioned in my previous newsletter, I am here to serve all St. Francis High School students, faculty, staff, parents, and community members. Together, we can ensure a meaningful learning experience and success in all facets of student life for your student!
Thank you for all your support, and I wish you an enjoyable and purposeful October!
Vince D. Monroy monroy@stfrancishigh.net |
St. Francis High School's Honors Program, Project Lead The Way, and Presidential Scholarship are becoming more popular and competitive every year. The number of freshman class spaces available in these programs is limited. In an effort to more effectively meet this demand and provide a quality Catholic college preparatory education to the young people we serve, St. Francis High School has an Early Commitment Program to select freshman candidates for the Class of 2020
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Early Commitment Application Process:
Once you have completed the online Application, you will be asked to send SFHS the following items:
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$50 Application Fee (payable online).
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Completed Confidential Recommendation Form with middle school transcripts and test scores (form available online).
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Please contact the admissions office to schedule a date for the HSPT .
Once the online application is complete and the admissions office has received your completed Confidential Recommendation Form from your current school, you will be scheduled for an Early Commitment interview that will take place during the week of November 2nd.
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St. Francis Presidential Scholarship:
Apply now for the Presidential Scholarship! The scholarship application window is open now through November 15, 2015 (Fall Open House). No late applications will be accepted. Scholarship winners have the opportunity to be awarded either $5,000 or $2,500 merit-based scholarships. LINK
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Be a Shark for a Day!
Shadow-a-Shark Program
The Shadow-a-Shark Program is available to current 8th graders who are interested in spending a full day at St. Francis High School. The program runs from 7:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on select days during the 2015-16 school year. Fill out the following form to get registered for a shadow day! Shadow-a-Shark
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Open House 2015
Open House is your chance to learn all there is to know about St. Francis High School. Come spend the afternoon on our campus: learn about our college-prep curriculum, athletics, and clubs, and activities; meet St. Francis students and teachers. Open House is November 15, 2015 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Don't miss out on this informative and fun day!
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OCTOBER 2015-- Counseling Newsletter from Mrs. Green, Counselor 
The month of October is busy and an important one because it marks the period when standardized testing begins for our sophomore and junior students and many college application sites are opening for seniors.
Seniors:
CSU application due dates: Oct. 1st- Nov. 30th A CSU application workshop will be held after-school on Oct. 2, but all seniors are invited to see Mrs. Green individually if they need help applying earlier.https://secure.csumentor.edu/
UC application due dates: Nov. 1st-Nov. 30th The UC website is now open, but application submission will not be available until Nov. 1st. A morning application workshop will be held at school on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 8:50 am. Seniors applying to UC's are strongly recommended to attend this workshop. http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/
Common Application due dates vary with each college; check college websites for information. An after-school application workshop will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 2:15pm. The common app website is open now to begin applications early. www.commonapp.org Some scholarships are currently available for senior students. Check with Ms. Green and on the counseling section of the St. Francis website for the latest updated information.
Start thinking about Financial Aid now. Go to thewww.fafsa.ed.govsite and begin by creating your PIN (Personal Identification Number) on the PIN link. One student and one parent must have a PIN to legally sign documents for college apps, loans, FAFSA forms, etc. Keep your PIN safe...it is your identity.
Students applying to Santa Clara University and a few other institutions: You need to know about the CSS Profile. This is a different type of comprehensive financial aid form that must be completed by students and parents as part of the financial aid process for certain institutions. It is usually filed in October and November depending on the university's preference. You can find the form on https://student.collegeboard.org/content/css-financial-aid-profile
All OTHER PARENTS & STUDENTS: There is an informative Parent College Guide Resource Booklet on the St. Francis website now available to download. This booklet gives a great "College 101" overview of the college planning, search, and application process. It is a "must see" for any parent or student interested in going to a four or two year college program out of high school. Go to "Students" @ "Forms & Docs" @ College Guide v-6, if the link below doesn't work.
PSAT: The PSAT is given to allSophomores and Juniors to prepare them for the kinds of questions they will be expected to know for the SAT and to help them determine where their individual skill levels are in relation to other students locally and nationwide. It provides important insights into what your student needs to know and do to improve in those areas of concern. It also provides the school insights into what areas of curriculum to improve. This year your students will be taking the new version of the PSAT on October 14th.
The sophomores are given the test as a practice in standardized testing protocol. Juniors who score very high (99%tile) on the PSAT test become eligible for Merit Scholarship recognition. This type of recognition can be very valuable when they apply for college as seniors.
The testing date this year is Oct.14th. Your student should be bringing home a PSAT practice test booklet to work on. You should encourage him/her to work on a few questions every evening to help improve their scores. Teachers will also be using various questions from the booklet and other strategies in the classroom to assist in this process. They have been practicing for the exam in their math and English classes as well. The test day will be a special schedule shortened to a half-day program. Students need to be here from 7:50 to 11:15 a.m. in regular school dress. They will be asked to report to assigned classrooms to take the exams. Parents and students will need to make arrangements for student pick-up to accommodate this early release schedule. This is a mandatory school day for juniors and sophomores.
The freshmen will be going on their Class Retreat during the PSAT testing period.
Seniors are not required to be in school that day. They will be given the opportunity to work on their college applications, which will need to be concluded in early November. Remind your student to complete the Senior Profile by early October, at the latest, and make copies or send via e-mail to Ms. Green and the teachers they are requesting letters of recommendation from. The Cabrillo College and Career Night program will be held on November 2nd from 6-8pm. This is a once-a-year opportunity to meet with and get information from public and private college representatives from all over the state and the nation. Financial Aid presentations are also available in the Library for Seniors and parents to begin working on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
Looking for a Career Tech Education?...then this night is designed for you! Learn all about multiple career programs that you can train for at Cabrillo. |
Niche.com
Go to Niche.com and register your family and your student. When you set up a profile under theK12.niche.com, you can rank your student's experience at St. Francis High School and help to raise our rankings so that we can be identified as one of the Top Private Schools in the country!
Also, by registering your student, you can identify college scholarships and review university rankings for over 1,000 universities in the United States. Start the process early so that you and your student have choices, rather than limitations, for life after St. Francis. We are listed in this directory as St. Francis Central Coast Catholic High School.
By completing our NICHE.COM ranking, you will be credited for 1 service hour. Join today!
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Do your shopping on Goodshop.com. Find the best deals and support St. Francis High School. A percentage of every dollar you spend comes directly back to the school!
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Amazing Parental Controls for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch - Third Party Service
Curbi's breakthrough technology provides you with ability to totally manage your child's mobile online experience. Stop in-app purchases, block adult content and set boundaries for social media use and time wasting apps.
Curbi manages iPhones, iPads and iPods.
Curbi gives parents peace of mind; providing the best solution so the entire family can enjoy the virtual world as much as the real world.
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"Do good while you still have time." -St. John Bosco
Sincerely,
Newsletter Team
St. Francis CCC High School
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