Well done, Class of 2019 State Scholars.
Forty students (24 percent of SFHS seniors) earned the State Scholar honor based on exemplary ACT/SAT scores and GPA from the Illinois Students Assistance Commission.
(Statewide, 10 percent of high school seniors become State Scholars.)
Join Us On The St. Francis Path
"Start by doing what is necessary;
then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
"
Saint Francis of Assisi
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Welcome
Hope, Community, and Heart Give Students Fresh Start
January reboots with college prep academics alongside a perspective of a larger purpose in a Catholic high school. Here at St. Francis High School, we say "it's when the work of Christmas begins," when SFHS students serve others and fulfill their potential in the process. A Franciscan spirit of hope, community, and heart help students transform-the same perennial traits Retired Admiral William H. McRaven cites in his bestseller "Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life ... and Maybe the World." When I read a recap recently, I was struck by similarities between this Navy SEAL commander's outlook to our SFHS culture, and I wanted to share.
Hope-"Hope is the most powerful force in the universe," McRaven states, because it illustrates tangible strength, inspiration, and support. "Hope that in the very worst of times we could rise above the pain, the disappointment, the agony, and be strong."
Community-McRaven focuses on the SFHS hallmark of community, emphasizing its power to help a person achieve. "You cannot paddle alone," advises McRaven. "Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others."
Heart-McRaven suggests "heart" matters more than any objective obstacle. "Those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment, will never achieve their potential," according to McRaven, who urges young people to "dare greatly" in order to know what's possible.
This month of new beginnings has brought quite a few transfer students to St. Francis High School. It is my pleasure to help your children find the right school fit. I invite you to contact me on behalf of your transfer student or 7th/8th grade student who would like to shadow at (630) 668-5800 x 1120. So often, new families say the St. Francis path is the beginning of more than they ever imagined. For this reason, I encourage parents to explore their options, whether through a school tour or quick email conversation-even if you may anticipate the need for tuition assistance. Did you know, SFHS sponsors scholarships? In addition, families may apply for 2020/21 scholarships through the Empower Illinois website.*
I look forward to meeting you soon.
Sincerely,
Maureen Isphording, Director of Admissions
*To submit info for Empower Illinois scholarships, visit the Empower Illinois website on January 15 at 6:30 p.m. to enter information and 7:00 p.m. to apply. Individual or corporate donors may supplement Empower Illinois scholarships for SFHS students and receive a 75 percent state tax credit when they donate. Visit empowerillinois.org for more information.
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"I Am St. Francis"
The Recent Alumni Perspective: Seven Questions for College Freshmen Payton Morse '19 (Indiana University) and Ryan Martin '19 (University of Illinois)
1. What college do you attend? What activities/clubs/athletics were you involved in at SFHS?
Payton:
I attend Indiana University. While at St. Francis I was involved in Student Ambassador Leadership Team, Eucharistic Ministry, and Student Government. I was also on the Dance Team.
Ryan:
I attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During my time at SFHS, I was involved in Student Government, Music Ensemble (Rock Band), National Honor Society, Track and Field, Engineering Club, and Pit Orchestra (in Spring Musical).
2. What is your college major/minor? What activities/clubs/sports have you been involved in so far?
Payton:
My major is Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation through The Kelley School of Business with a minor in Religious Studies. I am on the RedStepper Dance Team, where I perform at all home football games along with many other sports. I am a member of Women in Business, which is a club that supports women in higher academia and mentors women in Kelley School of Business who are earning a Business degree. I am also a Hudson & Holland student, which is an organization that promotes diversity throughout IU.
Ryan:
My major is Bioengineering. I play lead guitar in Illini Contraband, a cover band that performs at events around campus. I'm also a member of the UIUC chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society as well as the Community Engagement Committee of Honors Student Council.
3. Describe your transition to college. How did St. Francis prepare you for your post-secondary education experience?
Payton:
My transition into college was the most exciting time of my life. Leaving St. Francis, I felt prepared academically, socially, and spiritually to continue on my academic journey, knowing I have all the tools to succeed. I was used to being challenged academically, so the course load and rigor was not too overwhelming. Also, St. Francis brought me closer to my faith, which made me seek out religious studies at IU and incorporate it into my education.
Ryan:
St. Francis prepared me for a smooth transition to college both academically and socially. The wide selection of AP courses both allowed me to gain credit for my major as well as to prepare for the rigor of college courses. My experience at St. Francis also taught me the importance of getting involved within the school community in order to make the most of my opportunities. For example, extracurriculars such as Pep Band and Pit Orchestra showed me that I could cultivate my passion for guitar within the school community, and I continue this in college by performing in Illini Contraband.
4. Describe your relationships with faculty/staff at St. Francis. How did they help you in your high school journey to be the best version of yourself? What tools did they provide that have been useful to you now?
Payton:
The faculty and staff at St. Francis are more than educators; many of them have become my friends. They truly care about the success of their students both in the classroom and in life. Looking back, I appreciate that everyone at St. Francis roots for you to become the best version of yourself. All of them value who you are more than the grades you earn and because of this, I connected with all my teachers and many staff members. They taught me the value in hard work, the benefits of a strong connection with God, and that things worth having are worth working hard for. They challenged me in the classroom, which made me appreciate the beauty of learning. They also were examples of passion, hard work, and determination outside of the classroom, which always encouraged me to become a better person. The relationships I built at St. Francis are lifelong, and I cherish all those who helped me get to where I am today.
Ryan:
The faculty at St. Francis guided me both academically and spiritually throughout my four years. I formed close relationships with many of my teachers, especially with my teachers who led retreats. They inspired me to become the best version of myself by serving as role models for living authentically and faithfully. In addition, they provided me with the affirmation of my academic abilities and encouraged me to pursue my interests in Engineering.
5. What is your favorite memory during your time at SFHS?
Payton:
My favorite memories from Francis are Mass days, more specifically the Transition Mass senior year. Mass at St. Francis is one of the many things that makes St. Francis magical. The space is filled with love, appreciation, and a sense of belonging. The Transition Mass signified all the amazing things the Class of 2019 did and the movement into life outside of St. Francis. Thinking about singing the song "Oceans" as a class at the end of Mass still brings me chills because it's one of my favorite senior traditions.
Ryan:
My favorite memory during my time at SFHS is playing in Music Ensemble in Disney World for the SFHS Band trip. Performing with my closest friends for the crowds at Disney Springs was an experience I truly will never forget.
6. Why are you proud to be an SFHS alum?
Payton:
I'm proud to be an SFHS alum because St. Francis is unlike any place on Earth. It promotes incredible scholars and even better people. I feel blessed to be an alum because I know my time at Francis prepared me to succeed in my future endeavors.
Ryan:
I am proud to be an SFHS alum because I am grateful for all the opportunities that SFHS provided me. Whether it was playing guitar in first period every day or celebrating Mass with the community every month, my memories of SFHS are studded with the unique aspects that make SFHS my special home.
7. What one word would you use to describe your feeling toward St. Francis?
Payton: I AM GRATEFUL.
Ryan: I AM GRATEFUL.
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Only at St. Francis High School
The SFHS College Prep Difference: What Does College Prep Mean for Your Child?
Highest quality coursework, strategic guidance, and academics planned with college in mind. These are some hallmarks of the college prep difference at SFHS, where opportunity allows students to reach their personal goals. Below are two lists of 10 college prep benefits along with insights from Director of Counseling Bridget Buckley.
Ten Academic Benefits of the SFHS College Prep Path:
- Smart academic structure planned with college in mind.
- Highest quality coursework and standards.
- Strategic guidance starting freshman year.
- Highly trained counselors and low student:counselor ratio.
- Wide ranging services, programming, and support that exceeds guidance norms.
- Personal attention, resources, and support.
- 16 AP classes beginning sophomore year, with 76% of last year's students scoring 3 or higher on AP exams.
- Opportunity to take highest level classes where you excel and trend upward without tracking.
- Invested teachers.
- In-school leadership opportunities.
"What Does SFHS College Prep Mean" to Director of Counseling Bridget Buckley:
- Firstly, it means our curriculum is built to allow our students to succeed in college (and beyond college).
- Our coursework itself is elevated.
- We hold our students to very high standards. Our standards are not only high in terms of material, assessment, and assignments. Our standards are high for students as young adults.
- We help students learn practical skills to advocate for themselves and expect that they utilize those skills.
- We support students in the pursuit of their goals by allowing them to not only recognize and use their strengths, but to recognize and address their weaknesses. We help them set lofty yet attainable goals for their futures.
- We begin college and career counseling at the beginning of the students' high school careers.
- We utilize interest inventories, along with aptitude and learning assessments, to help students find where their natural abilities and interests overlap.
- We help students discover areas where they need to do some work to improve, because students should never rule out a career option because of lack of education about a specific area or because of a perceived weakness.
- We use all of this information as we support our students through their college search and application process.
- Students select the colleges that are the best fit for them, based on what their values are in a college or university. We help them with the knowledge and information necessary to make the right decision for themselves.
Insights from the Classroom
Student Olivia C., '20:
"One of the biggest college prep benefits for me are the AP classes. The teachers are still amazing, and the classes are college level. We are encouraged to be much more independent in these classes, and I plan to receive the credit for college next year."
Student Connor S., '20:
"In English and all of our classes we focus on ACT skills as well as writing the college essay junior year. Personally, the reading and English techniques learned at St. Francis helped me to earn the excellent ACT score I did."
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A Parent's Guide to Opportunity in SFHS Religion
Would you be surprised to learn Religion is one of students' favorite classes at St. Francis High School?
Parents often ask why students like Religion so much, so we asked Religion teacher Christine Paolella, '08 the same question. "I believe students like Religion courses because these are classes that challenge students to reflect deeply, thoughtfully, and maturely about themselves, their relationships with others, and their relationship with God. The classes themselves approach these challenges in many ways, including conversations, discussions, contemplative and embodied practices, rituals, analyzing music and movies, and completing written reflections. Students will be challenged to learn a lot in Religion classes, but they are also challenged to grow a great deal."
Religion at St. Francis extends into real life because teachers care about each student and the bigger picture of applying theology to life's situations. Teachers reach out to students in relevant ways, and the department's comprehensive curriculum pairs with the ongoing practices of daily prayer, Christian service hours, grade-level retreats, and monthly liturgies. Studying Religion at St. Francis High School also prepares students to transition to college experiences. "Religion classes allowed me to understand myself more and how I interact with the world around me," says Rachel S., '19 (University of Illinois). "They also helped me understand more about my friends of other religions as well as the role of faith in my life, especially when I'm on my own at school."
Department Overview:
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to continue His mission in the Church by proclaiming the Gospel to our students. Rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition and the charism of St. Francis of Assisi, the department seeks to make the kingdom of God present through the intellectual and spiritual cultivation of faith among our students. Through the study of theology following the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) standards and the religious traditions of the Catholic faith, our students should leave our faith community at St. Francis High School knowing who they are as a Catholic women and men; prepared to bear witness to their faith; eager to continue their pursuit of truth and justice; and desiring to serve those in need. Working with the office of Pastoral Ministry, we hope to evangelize our students with the Gospel in order to send them forth as disciples of Jesus Christ into the world. Graduation requirement: 4 credits
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Religion Curriculum
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| Freshmen |
Religion I: God's Revelation
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| Sophomore |
Religion II: The Body of Christ: The Paschal Mystery and the Church
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| Junior |
Religion III: Living Sacramentally
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| Senior |
Religion Electives
Two of the following courses are required for graduation.
- Christian History & Heritage*
- Franciscan Spirituality*
- Peace and Justice*
- Honors World Religions*
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*Designates a one semester course
Quick Questions with Department Chair Kristen Ras:
1. With such an emphasis of core subjects (i.e. Reading, Math) from governmental leaders and public schools, why is Religion an important class to include in the St. Francis High School curriculum?
Religion is a part of culture. It is in our society, history, and language. Religion is also a means of communication-it communicates our values and priorities. For people of faith, understanding their religion is an on-going process that is a constant part of their development. Studying religion is an essential component when educating the whole person.
Religion classes never assess or judge a student's personal faith, be it Catholic or non-Catholic-everyone has the opportunity to learn the same information and reflect on it in a personal way. For a Catholic student, our hope is that religion classes will provide more opportunity for formation and transformation. Non-Catholic students do not need prior Catholic 'training;' all students in religion classes are provided the opportunity to learn the material. Tests and assessments cover information, but we do not grade a student on their personal faith or values. SFHS tries to follow the example and tradition of Jesus Christ as well as the spirituality of Saint Francis of Assisi, which means everyone has a place and opportunity for personal enrichment if they desire.
2. Why do religion classes programs in a particular sequence?
We follow the sequence of classes as set forth by the USCCB. All textbooks and class materials are consistent with the standards according to the national curriculum established by the USCCB.
3. What do you view as the Religion department's three greatest teaching strengths at SFHS?
a)
Passion-all of our teachers are extremely dedicated, not only to the material we teach, but also to our own faith development and enrichment.
b)
Highly educated-all of our teachers are well educated and specifically trained to teach religion curriculum at the high school level.
c)
Welcoming-one of teachers, Mr. Page, is fond of saying, "Students do not care what you know if they do not know that you care." I believe all of our teachers strive to create a warm and inclusive environment for students.
Quick Questions with Religion Teacher Christine Paolella, '08:
1. Religion teachers say "everyone (i.e. Catholic, non-Catholic) has the opportunity to learn the same information and reflect on it in a personal way" - could you provide an example from a lesson in your classroom?
The second semester junior year course of Religion is Morality--which students approach through the lens of the Franciscan Tradition. An important component of Morality is conscience, and juniors spend a couple of weeks discussing this dimension of morality. Students will read different writings about conscience written by well-known individuals, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Sister Joan D. Chittister, Vincent Van Gogh, Dorothy Day, Pope Francis, and Saint Augustine in order to broaden their concept and perspective of what conscience is, how God speaks to us universally through our conscience, and ways in which we respond to that inner voice. This is a perfect example of a lesson that anyone, regardless of one's religious background or education, can grow from. It is an opportunity to not simply broaden one's childhood understanding of conscience but to instead reflect thoughtfully on how this inner voice might speaking to an individual today. Rather than approaching conscience as something that guides us between "right and wrong," students are challenged think about the complexities of tuning in to God's voice amidst that chaos and noise of their lives.
2. Describe a favorite lesson/project. What is your objective? How do students grow from having completed the assignment?
One of my favorite projects to do with students is the final project for the senior elective course, Peace and Justice. This is a class that spends an entire semester analyzing social issues of our world and challenges students to consider what a Catholic, Franciscan response might be to such issues. Students' final project is to research an individual who has been a social justice advocate and who has made great strides to bring peace, compassion, mercy, and change to our world. Students have researched heroes ranging from Malala Yousafzai, Dorothy Day, Sister Helen Prejean,
Gustavo Gutiérrez, St. Óscar Romero, and Pope Leo XIII over the past few years. This project is a powerful way to end the semester because students conclude the course on a hopeful note. Hearing about the work of so many individuals who have dedicated their lives to fight for human rights and change in the world is impactful. After spending a semester learning about many of the challenges and struggles our world is facing, students are able to consider the positive outcomes that people, not much different than them, have fought to make a reality. My hope in concluding the semester in this way is that students' eyes have not only been opened to the needs of the world, but that they also consider how to respond to those needs in a compassionate, action-oriented, Christ-like and Franciscan way.
More from the Classroom:
Student Emily D., '20:
"In class there is an emphasis to not only know your facts but to develop your faith and spiritual life. Coming from public school, I have particularly liked the focus of values such as kindness, and St. Francis develops us to be good people."
Student Brady W., '20:
"It's difficult to sum up my feelings for Religion class and the growth in faith I have developed over the last four years. My faith has deepened. I went to a Catholic grade school, but having Religion in high school has allowed me to connect the dots and fill in the missing pieces. St. Francis has given me the opportunity to grow in faith on a much deeper level with amazing people around me."
A Sample of Experiences that Complement the Department
- Liturgical Ministries (servers, lectors, and Eucharistic Ministers)
- Pastoral Ministry
- Retreats
- Christian Service Program
- Student Ministry Team
- Men's Spirituality Group/Women's Spirituality Group
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Beyond Admissions Events - You're Invited
St. Francis Speaker Series Invites Prospective Parents
Each year, SFHS Counseling and College Prep offers powerful speakers on relevant topics and welcome prospective parents to attend the events. Scan the list and see what topics may make an impact with your family. All events free of charge.
"The Critical Voice: To Whom Are You Listening?"
Wednesday, January 29, 2020 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Ann Letourneau from the Central DuPage Pastoral Counseling Center
Do you ever find yourself thinking, "I can't do this?" While many of us have such inner dialogue, do we ever consider what life might be like without that critical voice? This workshop will help participants begin to find a self-acceptance that leads to freedom. Participants will also practice skills and integrate faith to find a more balanced inner voice.
"Motivation"
Tuesday, March 4, 2020 at 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Nicole Burmingham from Nurturing Wisdom
It's not uncommon for teens to lose their spark when it comes to school. While it's easy to chalk it up to disinterest or laziness, that's usually not the case. Students thrive when we take a more nuanced approach. This talk will unpack the complex psychology behind motivation and share tips to help children rediscover their passion for learning.
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2019-2020 Viewbook
Admissions Video
Feast of St. Francis
We hope you enjoy our talented choir singing the prayer of St. Francis
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Thanks for reading
Maureen
Isphording
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St. Francis High School Fast Facts
COLLEGE PREPARATORY:
Enrollment: 685
CLASS OF 2019-
100% of graduates were accepted to colleges or universities
Earned $27 million in college scholarships
ACADEMIC
74% of faculty have advanced degrees
Class of 2019 average ACT score = 27
123 Full year and semester course offerings
21 Honors courses
16 Advanced Placement (A.P.) courses
CO-CURRICULAR: ACTIVITIES & ATHLETICS
98% student participation in at least one activity
24 sports programs
10th Place Division 2A State Math Team
65% of students participate in the performing arts
73% of students participate in athletic programs
PASTORAL MINISTRY
Provides opportunity for prayer and worship, retreats, justice and service, ministry leadership formation, pastoral care, and community building
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SFHS Bus Service
St. Francis High School offers bus transportation. The school provides two-way bus service in the northern, western and southern suburbs, with students arriving to St. Francis High School by 7:25 a.m. and departing school after the Activity Period at 3:15 p.m.
For more information, fees, route schedules or questions, please contact Bob Gorski at (630) 668-5800 x1138 or at
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