Thanksgiving Greetings!

On behalf of the students, faculty, and administration of Saint Francis DeSales High School, I wish each of you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. The start of our school year has provided our students and staff with unique and formidable challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic; however, with these challenges we have been blessed with many outstanding opportunities for individual and collective growth. It has been gratifying to see our school family embrace the opportunity for growth in both our curricular and our co-curricular endeavors. With each opportunity to challenge ourselves we have been empowered to become better people. In essence, these opportunities for individual growth have enabled us to grow closer to Christ and to one another.

I would like to express my personal gratitude to our students and faculty for their collective efforts to make a positive and lasting difference in the world. In a year in which our school theme is “Rise by Loving” it has been a true blessing to witness our students and faculty live in a way that is consistent with the Beatitudes. Our school community is incredibly blessed to observe Christ’s grace on a daily basis. One does not have to search for any length of time to find examples of this grace, as it is clearly evident in the daily efforts of our students, our faculty, our staff, our alumni and our parents.  

It is with this in mind that I humbly request that our community take the time, during this well-deserved respite, to offer a prayer of Thanksgiving for the many blessings that have been bestowed upon our school. With each passing year that I am associated with this wonderful place it becomes increasingly clear that Christ’s guiding hand is ever present in all that we do.

As we prepare to move into the Holy Season of Advent, please know that the Saint Francis DeSales High School family holds you and your family in our prayers. May each of our families find the peace and love of Jesus Christ during the upcoming Advent Season and always.

Peace and God’s Blessings,

Daniel J. Garrick '79

Principal

Way to RISE TO THE CHALLENGE for our annual canned food drive! In doing this, we have come together to help good people in great need. We received 465 donations, with 110 volunteer hours served! Thank you all.

In more football news, senior Quintell Quinn has been nominated for a MaxPreps Ohio High School Athlete of the Week Award. The MaxPreps awards are decided by fan vote, so we encourage you to vote for Quintell! Voting will conclude at Noon on November 30. You may vote as often as you like. CLICK HERE TO VOTE.

Members of our E-Team finished their first recordings of popular children's books as a part of the Read with a Colts program. Treat yourself by listening to a story or two during your Thanksgiving holiday by clicking here.

Can’t wait until Giving Tuesday? Make your gift today!

We hope you will participate in Giving Tuesday, which also marks the first day of our annual Holiday Giving. During this time we ask you to “Give From Your Heart” to help with the Stallion Way Fund. This fund will help our students gain a new access and departure point for parking in the south lot. The new drive is designed to make the student commute safer and alleviate traffic on Karl Road. This is the next piece of the Be The Light Campus Master Plan, a comprehensive initiative to positively impact the opportunities we provide our students and families. Your gift will benefit the students at St. Francis DeSales High School for decades to come.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Karey Gabrielli (KareyGabrielli@yahoo.com) or Kristin Figliola (the3littlefigs@sbcglobal.net).

Please follow CDC and the State of Ohio recommendations for travel. States with a 15% or higher positivity rate, require a 14-day quarantine period before returning to school. This also includes international travel. 

Positivity information for Ohio’s travel advisory is updated once a week on Wednesdays, please continue to check the following link for updates: COVID-19 Travel Advisory.

Please keep your child home if they present with any of the above symptoms and contact the School Nurse, Kelli Fitzpatrick at (614) 267-7808 ext. 435 or email fitzpatrick@desales.co.

If a household member is being tested for COVID-19, students and siblings must stay home until results are received.

Please take a moment to watch this message, which reiterates the importance of following the ODH, CDC, and State guidelines about staying safe over the holiday seasons. 

Does your place of work participate in a United Way Campaign each year? Yes!!! Did you know all or a portion of your generous donation can be directed to Saint Francis DeSales High School?? It can!! You are able to customize your donation to causes you are passionate about and, if DeSales is one of them, we can help you direct your contribution. Email Phil Kraker (kraker@desales.co) in our advancement office for help. As we enter the 60th Anniversary of Saint Francis DeSales, the Faith, Family and Tradition of our school is stronger than ever and we need it to continue to flourish for the next 60 years and beyond. You can also designate what your United Way gift supports within the school if you so chose.