Dear Academy Community, 

This Sunday at mass we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, when the season of Christmas officially ends. Then we move on to the next phase in the liturgical year, which is called “Ordinary Time.”  Ordinary Time is in fact the ordered life of the Church—the period in which we live our lives neither in feasting (as in the Christmas and Easter seasons) or in more severe penance (as in Advent and Lent), but in watchfulness and expectation of the Second Coming of Christ.  In this season of endings as well as of new beginnings, we are assured of God’s ever-abiding presence. He remains to guide and protect us.  

Let us today pray for a wonderful new year and a great 2nd half of our school year. 

Prayer for the Baptism of Our Lord

Open the heavens, almighty Father, and pour out Your spirit upon Your people.  Renew the power of our baptismal cleansing and fill us with zeal for good deeds. Let us hear Your voice once again, that we may recognize in Your beloved Son our hope in inheriting eternal life. Grant this through Jesus Christ, Your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the splendor of eternal light, God forever and ever. Amen.

Onto a few items for next week…….

½ Day and Faculty Professional Day: Just a reminder that this week is short and  our students have a 4 day weekend that gets kicked off on Thursday 1/11 with a 12pm dismissal. On Friday, 1/12, our faculty will participate in a professional development day.   Finally, next Monday, 1/15, all schools are off for Martin Luther King Day. 

8th Grade High School Acceptances: Congratulations to our 8th grade students on beginning to receive your high school decision letters! All Catholic schools in Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island will send decision letters/emails this week. Schools in Manhattan will send their decision letters/emails during the week of January 15th. We are very proud of all our Class of 2024 accomplishments. If parents have any questions, feel free to get in touch with your child’s homeroom teacher or Mr. Scharbach at [email protected]

8th Grade Dinner Dance Meeting:  We are excited to be hosting our dinner dance for Grade 8 in our school gym on Friday, June 7th, 2024. Eighth-grade families are invited to join us for our second Dinner Dance meeting on Tuesday, January 9th, at 7 pm here at the academy. All those parents who signed up to volunteer at our last meeting will get a more detailed invitation this weekend. 

Inclement Weather Notification: Although it does seem that this weekend’s storm will be more rain than snow, there may be times when the school must be closed or have a delayed opening due to inclement weather or other emergencies. 

Below, please find provisions established to maintain open lines of communication with St. Francis de Sales families:

• Once it has been determined that the school will be closed or have a delayed opening, faculty and staff will be notified.  An email will be sent out alerting all families.  (If you are currently not receiving weekly email communication from St. Francis, please get in touch with us electronically at [email protected]. in order to be placed on the distribution list.)  

• The School will post its school closing/delayed opening status on the school’s website and social media accounts, www.stfrancisschoolbh.org

• The School will send out a text to all those families that have opted in to our text message system

Chocolate Bar Sale: Our school will be conducting a fund-raising candy sale during January. We will be selling World's Finest Chocolate Products - truly delicious chocolates that have been sold for years by schools and organizations. This year we are hoping for All Families to assist with this sale to make it as successful as possible. If all 380 Families sell 1 box of chocolate, we will earn a profit of over $11,000.00. 

This week one of your children were given a box of chocolate to take home.

If you would like to request more than one box, please also use the Google form  that can be found by clicking here. 

All Students of families selling a box of Chocolate will receive a dress-down ticket to use on a day of their choice in February or March. 

Graduation and Makeup Pictures: On Tuesday, January 9th, the 8th grade will be taking their individual graduation pictures. All 8th grade students are to be in full winter uniform.  Graduation gowns and mortarboards are provided by the company. Our gentlemen need to bring a white, button-down dress shirt.  A tie is not necessary.  (The shirt may be brought on a hanger). 

Also if your child in Nursery-Grade 7 was absent on the original picture day, please know your child can dress up or wear their uniform for their makeup picture on January 9th.

Junior High Math Bee: Congratulations to Emma Minson, Lucas Allen, and Niamh Mullen, who were Junior High School Winner, Runner Up, and 3rd place winners, respectively, in our school-wide Math Bee. Emma will be representing our school at the Diocesan Math Bee on 1/9. Congratulations to all the classroom champions and great job,!

 Chess Nuts, Abrakadoodle Art, Spring Drama Club, and Paul Effman Band Enrichment Programs: This week our Chess Nuts Flyer went home on how to register for the Winter Session of Chess Nuts. Next week we will be sending home flyers with information on how to register for the Winter/Spring Semesters for our Abrakadoodle Art program (Dates listed on School Calendar), and Spring Drama Club Program (Dates listed on School Calendar). If you have any questions, please contact the main office at 718-634-2775.

Just a reminder that Paul Effman Band Lessons begin again on Tuesday, January 16th, 2024. There is no band lesson on Tuesday January 9th. 

Baya Bar Day: Just a reminder that this Wednesday, January 10th is a Baya Bar day. If you’ve signed your child(ren) for this Special Lunch, you do not need to send them in with a packed lunch that day.

SFDS Family Mass: St. Francis de Sales Parish welcomes everyone to their January Family Mass. Please join them this Saturday at 4:30pm. If you are interested in ordering tickets for the Pasta night after mass, please click the link below. 

SFDS Parish Pasta Night Tickets

Re-Registration 2024-2025: Over the next week we will be sending out instructions to re-register for the 2024-2025 school year. All re-registration forms  will be done via the FACTS Family Portal. Please note that all re-registration fees ($200 re-registration fee) will be added to your FACTS account. At that time you will have the option of paying through your checking account or being invoiced. Please note that all fees are non-refundable. 

Please note for your re-registration to be complete you must fill out the form and pay the registration fee no later than 2/25/24 and be up to date on all tuition payments for the 2023-2024 school year. We do expect to have a waiting list in many grade levels once we open registration and cannot hold a seat unless your re-registration is complete. If there are any financial issues please let the school administration know as soon as possible. 

Please note that all families that have a sibling (brother/sister) and filled out the intent form to register for the next school year will be receiving an email prior to 2/5/24 (if space allows) with a link to the registration portal for the 2024-2025 school year which officially opens on 2/9/24. 

SAVE THE DATES

1/18/24-1/26/24- I Ready Mid-Year Diagnostic Test

1/25/24- St. Francis de Sales Parish First Reconciliation at 6:30pm

1/29/24- Coffee with Administration (9am Session and 7pm Session). The topic of these sessions will be an overview of I-Ready, how to read the I-Ready diagnostic report, use of I-Ready in School, and how I-Ready can be used at home) 

2/8/24-2/16/24- 2024 Catholic Schools Week (More information to follow)

Have a great weekend! Stay Dry!