From the President and Principal

Dear Students, Alumni, Parents, & Friends of St. Francis,

Happy February, as we transition from Christmas to Chinese New Year, to the upcoming season of Lent.

Though many people in the secular world look to celebrate Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras, our Catholic school looks beyond these “Hallmark” holidays. It’s not that we don’t value the chocolate, flowers and diamonds; it’s just that one of the most important holy days of the year is about to take place, on February 26th: Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday takes place 46 days prior to Easter and kicks off our Lenten season. Lent is a season of fasting and prayer. The Catholic celebration actually comes from the Jewish tradition of penancing, fasting and wearing ashes on the head. The latter symbolizes the dust from which God made us; and to that which we will return. All are invited to accept the ashes- not just Christians or Catholics. We invite all alumni and parents to join us for our Ash Wednesday celebration on campus on Wednesday, February 26th, 2020.

As you’ve heard me and staff say hundreds of times, we offer the best Catholic college-prep education in the smallest classroom sizes with the best teachers who genuinely care about each and every student. To do that, we need your help.

We mailed the Annual Appeal just after Thanksgiving, and we joined the rest of the world for the December 3, 2019 National Day of Giving. With your help we more than doubled our gifts from last year! Instrumental to this portion of the comprehensive fund for St. Francis High School was giving from the Board of Directors and our Faculty & Staff. 

For those who haven’t donated yet, please find it in your heart to do so. All of your donations are tax deductible and directly impact this year’s student programs and services. If your child is in leadership, campus ministry, sports, the arts, and/or clubs, then we need your help to bridge the cost of what we charge for tuition versus the actual cost to educate each student. The difference is almost $1,500 per student. 

Every donation counts – from $20 to $20,000, all makes a huge difference. On an annual basis, $20 is just about $0.05 cents a day! We can all do at least this much for the great teachers and coaches we have supporting our sons and daughters. Even if you are on tuition assistance, our goal is 100% participation from our families. This year we will use our SFPA Grade Level Representatives to facilitate each grade level’s participation in the online and/or direct mail Annual Appeal. The class with the highest percentage of families participating will get a free lunch and free dress day on Thursday, April 9, 2020. 

I’m happy to announce an Easter Break extension! Yes, you heard correctly. Thank you for helping us win the Reader’s Choice award from the SC Sentinel for Best Private High School in the county.

As a result, all students and faculty/staff will get Monday, April 20, 2020 off. Along with this recognition, we were awarded the Top Business Award for Watsonville and Newsweek recognized us as a Top STEM high school in the USA! More banners and fanfare to come! 

For returning families, the Board is reviewing the tuition and fees for next year. The next step is for them to vote on them and present them to the Corporate Members Board, including our Bishop Danny Garcia, for the Members Board to approve.  The Corporate Members and Board of Directors meet February 13th to discuss and finalize next year’s tuition and fees. We know that current pricing and some of next year’s costs are published for competing schools and I assure you we will remain right in the middle for the best value:

‘19-20 tuition at Notre Dame Salinas $13,275

‘19-20 tuition at Palma Salinas $14,760

‘19-20 tuition at Monte Vista Christian $13,575

’19-20 tuition at St. Francis High School $13,850

Biomedical Science Capstone Project Presentation to SFPA Board & Community:

Monday, April 6, 2020. SFHS’s Year 4 senior PLTW students will present their innovative solutions for the most pressing 21st century health challenges. Experience their capstone projects and learn about this unique high school biomedical science pathway. All current, alumni, and future families are welcome to attend. Come experience this amazing learning opportunity, whether you are a current or future student. Event starts at 6 PM in E1 (Art Room) with light refreshments provided.

Finally, I want to reiterate the value of Friday Night Bingo and why we need all freshmen families and all families on merit-based or need-based tuition assistance to work their assigned days. Bingo is the only significant fundraiser held outside of school where you are not expected to contribute financially. Instead, we ask you to donate your time and your joy. It involves our entire community – including the parish and local towns – and it takes all of us working together to make it successful. 

I would like to give a hearty thank you and shout out to the following families for their loyal and welcoming work at Friday Night Bingo: