From the Associate Principal

Dear St. Francis Families,

The end of the third quarter is only 3 weeks away.  Please encourage your student to make use of Tutorial and to keep up on their day to day work and studying.  Success is usually the result of consistent, proactive work!

Topics included in this article are:

• Tutorial as an Added Bonus
• Graduation Requirements for Class of 2019
• Planning Ahead for 2019-2020
• PSAT and Khan Academy
• Junior Parent Night
• AP Exams
• First Semester Honor Roll

Tutorial as an Added Bonus

Tutorial is an amazing opportunity for students to obtain more individualized help from the teachers who are conveying the content and creating the tests for their classes.

Mr. Falcone still offers Wednesday morning zero period math help for all students. Bring your breakfast and your math questions to get 1-on-1 math help. Get the “A” you want and deserve and avoid paying high tutoring prices from someone outside of the school.

However, Tutorial is a very underutilized opportunity.  Many afternoons during Tutorial I walk around campus and classrooms are near empty.  If your student is struggling, they should be attending Tutorial and engaging with the teacher and material while they are there.  It is not uncommon for students walk into a classroom, sit in a desk, and when the teacher asks if they need help, the student says no.  While having quiet work time is important, the student has not taken advantage of the opportunity to work with the teacher of the course.

Graduation Requirements for Class of 2019

Dear Parents of Seniors, please help your student remain engaged in the St. Francis High School campus and learning opportunities!  Looking ahead to college and the difficult decisions that go with planning the future can be an exciting distraction, but the skills and content taught during the spring semester of senior year are also important.  

Please also confirm your student has all hours for the Christian Service Program submitted.  Additionally, if they have taken any courses at a school other than St. Francis, it is worth the time to ensure the OFFICIAL (unopened) TRANSCRIPTS have been submitted to St. Francis. It is also important to have those official transcripts forwarded directly to their college.  

Finally, each year I have worked in a high school, I or one of my peers have a had a student whose college acceptance(s) was revoked.  I personally know of examples where it was the result of students who did not pass a second semester class or two, students who posted inappropriate pictures/messages on social media, or who for one reason or another were no longer eligible for admission to that particular college.  There are so many good reasons to share regular reminders with your son or daughter about the importance of finishing their high school career strong!

I look forward to celebrating the Class of 2019 Commencement Exercises with the St. Francis High School community in May!

Planning Ahead for 2019-2020

The Academic Departments have begun conversations regarding the course catalog, textbooks, and courses to be offered during the 2019-2020 school year.  

• The course catalog will be included in a the new Academics Handbook and will be available to students and parents when we return from Winter Break.  Class selection for returning students will also begin following Winter Break.
• Stay tuned for information regarding the process and its deadlines.

PSAT Results & Khan Academy

Students in grades 9th -11th should have received a digital copy of their PSAT scores.  Please take time to look at the information provided by the College Board regarding the PSAT.   They have a tremendous number of resources to help you and your student understand the data provided with the test results.  

Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the collaborative work between Khan Academy and the College Board.  They also have joined together to focus students’ practice on the skills where they need the most assistance to reach mastery. There are many examples of students who took advantage of the dedicated and FREE practice available and significantly improved their scores on subsequent PSAT tests or the SAT.

College Information Parent Night hosted by the Counseling Department

Thank you to the Counseling Department for hosting the College Information Night on February 6.  The evening included representatives from UC Santa Cruz, St. Mary’s College, and Grand Canyon University.  Thank you to all parents who attended.

AP Exams

If your student has taken an AP Course, they are highly encouraged to take the exam.  Many colleges have even stated that they expect students who take the courses to also take the test and submit their exam scores.  Tests will be ordered in the next few weeks. The cost of the exam is $94 per exam. While that may sound high, many colleges allow students to skip courses expected of all freshman, so $94 now may save hundreds if not thousands of college tuition later!

Exams take place Monday, May 6 - Wednesday, May 15.  The College Board is very strict about attendance and behavior during the exams.  In the coming weeks, students taking an AP course will receive a Student and Family Bulletin that provides all the necessary information.  Please look ahead on your calendars and reschedule any appointments or other obligations that conflict with the AP exams. It is very difficult for the school to approve a retake of the exam for students who miss the regularly schedule exam time.