Forever a Stallion

Your past support for our students and continued investment in our mission have helped transform the experience of every student and faculty member at St. Francis DeSales High School. As we work to provide the best opportunities for our Stallions, we ask you to consider a gift for Catholic education and the difference it makes in our world.  

Below are the four areas our donors have celebrated with us, and ask you to consider making a gift to one of the following:

Fund for DeSales - Support for our ongoing mission

Be The Light - Support for the Campus Master Plan

WishBook - Support for co-curricular programs

ALL in for SFD - Support for tuition assistance

Our fiscal year ends June 30th and you still have a few weeks left to share your passion for SFD and celebrate our legacy of excellence. Once a Stallion, Forever a Stallion!

Summer Reading

Every student is required to choose one of the books (titles linked below) to read by the first day of class. Each work contains a hyperlink to a summary from Goodreads.com to help you in your selection. Click here to view listing.

Summer Reading Challenge

Keep track of where Mr. Garrick is doing his summer reading throughout June, July and August, and you may receive a prize! At the beginning of the school year, you can submit your answers; those with the correct answers will be entered into a prize drawing.

Here is the first location....where is Mr. G?

College Essay Writing Boot Camp with Dr. Kathleen Wallace

When: June 26-30, 2023 

Finish the hardest part of your college application early!

(That means less stress for you--and your parents.)

Two sessions are offered. Pick the one that works best with your schedule.

Morning session: 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Afternoon session: 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Your Commitment

While in boot camp, you will be in-person at DeSales for 5 workshop hours with your peers and at least two hours working individually with Dr. Wallace. On your own, expect to spend 20-30 hours working on your essay. At minimum, be prepared for: 

• Morning large group meetings: 8:30-9:30 a.m. OR Afternoon large group meetings: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• 1:1 meetings with Dr. Wallace: Arranged individually

Why a boot camp?

• College essays are best produced in a focused, compressed schedule with an experienced coach.

How?

• You will get expert advice and support in real time. 
• Your peers will be working alongside you.
• Work hard and smart and you’ll get solid results.

My Approach 

The college admissions essay is a critical part of your application, especially with so many universities making standardized tests optional. My approach is pragmatic and reassuring. I help you understand that your college essay is your ally and proxy in the admissions process. 

What you’ll need to bring

• A paper notebook (Any will do. Have one from last year with extra pages at the end? Bring that.) and writing tools of your choice (pens, pencils, etc.) 
• Your iPad. (We will have access to Chromebooks.)

About Dr. Wallace

I know how to work with student writers. I understand the admissions process and higher education landscape thoroughly. I have over 30 years experience as an educator, writing instructor, and professional writer/editor at Ohio State, other universities, and with private clients. My PhD is in English.

I have been on staff at St. Francis DeSales High School since 2019. I started the College Essay boot camp in 2021 and have worked individually with DeSales students as requested by students, teachers, and parents. 

Student Ambassador Summer Training

Student Ambassador applications are being accepted for the 2023-24 school year.  New candidates AND former ambassadors are asked to complete a Student Ambassador Application by this Friday, June 16th.

All candidates must attend ONE summer training camp. You may choose from one of the following training camp dates:

• July 11-13; 1:30-4:30pm
• July 18-20; 1:30-4:30pm
• July 25-27; 1:00-4:00pm

Training sessions are limited to 90 students per session, please be sure to sign up early! Questions may be submitted to Mrs. Julie Barber at admissions@desales.co.

A Conversation with SFD Alumnus and Minnesota Viking Brian Asamoah: Mental Health + Youth Sports

We all know that sports is an important building block for today’s youth. Sports teach kids valuable life lessons: leadership, teamwork, perseverance, and more. But, today’s youth face more pressure than ever before: in the classroom, at home, and even on the field.

TeamSnap is partnering with Winning Is Not Everything podcast host Sean Jensen to hold a fascinating conversation featuring current Minnesota Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah (SFD alumnus, class of 2018) on his experience with mental health in youth, college and professional sports. The podcast will take place on Thursday, June 29 at 2pm.

An advocate, Asamoah brings a unique perspective to the table as he discusses his own experience with mental health and the importance of prioritizing mental health in youth sports. 

Click here to register for this podcast.

Action Alert

Lawmakers are currently weighing budget proposals (House Bill 33) to dramatically increase the availability of school choice scholarships. Use the chart to review your own eligibility and see if you would qualify under the expanded guidelines of 450%.

*Note: The EdChoice EXPANSION Scholarship Program provides income based scholarships. This scholarship is NOT based on residence, solely annual income. Qualifying families that do NOT receive the Traditional EdChoice Scholarship are eligible to apply. At the high school level, the EdChoice EXPANSION Scholarship is a $7,500 tuition grant.

Please click here to send a message to your state representative and let them know the benefits of making EdChoice scholarships available to all.

Downloadable informational flier is available here. We encourage you to share this with others!

Summer Fun!

Summer Camps at St. Francis DeSales are taking place through July. For more information on the camps, or to sign up, click here.

International Student Host Family Needed

IPERC is a non-profit organization that assists middle and high school students from around the world who want to study in the U.S. IPERC is currently looking for a host family for the 2023-24 school year for a 10th grade St. Francis DeSales student (female from China).  

Host families typically commit to hosting for a ten month period (August to May). Families are paid a $1200 monthly stipend to help with the cost of caring for the student.  Families are asked to provide the student with their own room, meals, and transportation to/from school. 

If you are interested in becoming a host parent, please visit iperc.org/hostfamily. 

Nurse's Notes

All Class of 2024 students are required to submit verification of a second dose of the Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine prior to the start of their senior year. It is a requirement for all incoming seniors in Ohio. Families can email the verification information to school nurse Kelli Fitzpatrick at fitzpatrick@desales.co or bring in a hard copy to school.