November/December 2019

Dear St. Francis family,
 
On Saturday, November 23rd, we will hold our annual Admissions and Scholarship examination for incoming freshmen at St. Francis High School, which we are currently running review classes for on Saturdays. I remember several years back when I had the opportunity to proctor this exam. The boys and their parents entered the building both excited and nervous, trying to figure out which way to go and what to expect. Parents lingered with anticipation and emotion. One mom shared with me that she had asked her son why he was so nervous, and he said, “This is my future at stake mom,” and she said to me proudly, “Who talks like that?”
And I thought….
boys who attend St. Francis talk like that…
boys who become true Christian gentlemen at St. Francis….
boys who become men.
As I begin my ninth year here as the Assistant Principal, and I walk the halls of St. Francis and stop into classrooms, there are two words that frequently come to my mind. The first is special, and the second is serious. St. Francis High School is a special place, and the work going on here is SERIOUS.
 
I recently reviewed the school’s current Strategic Plan, as we are beginning work on a new plan this week to take the school into the next phase. The words I reviewed in the Mission and Belief Statements mirrored the experiences I have had at St. Francis and included phrases like: the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, academic excellence, exceptionally dedicated faculty, creativity, faith, critical thinking, service to others, integrity, concern for the environment, lifelong learning, safe and secure learning environment, discipline and structure, spiritual development, respect and compassion toward all people and for all creation, community involvement, and development of our students’ maximum potential in all areas.
 
As a student who hung around here as much as I possibly could during high school (being a female), as the sister of a brother who attended here, as the parent of my son who is now an alumnus, and now as a school administrator here, I know that these are not just words on a page, but beliefs that are lived out every day in the school. The people at St. Francis High School are serious about their mission and their beliefs, and that’s what makes it a special place. As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, I am grateful for what it has offered my son and family, and what it is here to offer yours.
 
 
Dr. Mary Lou Stahl
Assistant Principal
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