Dear Academy Community, 

As we approach the midway point of this school year we realize that there is so much going on in our school, and that WE ARE BLESSED!!!  No other way to look at it all. We continue to have faith, hope and love because He is with us every step of the way.  The steps can be challenging, but we are given the grace of God to keep taking them.

Onto a few items for next week…….

Faculty Professional Day: Just a reminder that tomorrow, Friday, 1/12, our faculty will participate in a professional development day.  This Monday, 1/15, all schools are off for Martin Luther King Day. Enjoy the 4-day weekend!

Re-Registration 2024-2025: St Francis de Sales Catholic Academy’s administration and staff are already looking ahead and making plans for next school year. In preparation for the start of 2024-2025, please take time now to complete your child’s re-enrollment for next year. This form is due on Friday, February 2nd, and the $200 re-registration fee per student is due on Sunday, February 25th.

To Re-Register, please follow the steps below:

1) Please go to www.factsmgt.com

2) Select Parent Log In from the menu bar and FACTS Family Portal from the drop-down menu.

3) Type in your username and password.  If you have forgotten your username or password, please click on the link provided.

4) After logging in, click on Apply/Enroll in the left menu.

5) Click on the Enrollment/Reenrollment link.

6) Our Online Enrollment system will open with a link to the enrollment packet. The online process should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your information will be saved if you need to quit and come back later. All re-registration fees will be paid via the FACTS Tuition portal. All fees will be due on February 25, 2024. If you have your account set to automatic withdrawal the fees will come out of your account 2-3 business days before.

If you have any questions about the process, please contact Mrs. Kenny at 718-634-2775 or [email protected].

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 receive an email prior to February 5, 2024 with a link to the registration portal for the 2024-2025 school year which officially opens on February 9, 2024.

Computer-Based Testing (State Exams): As we start the 2024 calendar year, it is time for us to prepare for the administration of the Spring 2024 New York State Education Department (NYSED) grade 4-8 assessments. Continuing this school year we will be conducting Computer-Based Testing during the upcoming Spring 2024 NYSED grade 4-8 assessments. Students will be using their school-issued  Chromebooks to complete the assessments and may be participating in Math/ELA/Science simulation exercises in class during the statewide simulation period between January 16-18, 2024 to become more familiar with the testing platform. This will allow our students and staff to better understand the process and protocols necessary to successfully administer these assessments. 

Calendar Change: Please note a change to our calendar in May. The scheduled ½ day on Friday 5/3 has been moved to Friday 5/10. Please note that Friday 5/3 is a regular school day, while Friday 5/10 is now a ½ day with a 12n dismissal. Due to this the Pizza Day for grades 5-8 scheduled for 5/10 will now be on Friday 5/3. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

First Penance: Good luck to many of our Saint Francis second graders who will be receiving first Penance in two weeks on Wednesday 1/24 at 6:30pm at St. Francis de Sales Parish. We will keep you all in our thoughts and prayers as you continue on your spiritual journey and prepare for receiving the Eucharist for the first time.

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 joinus for our second Dinner Dance meeting on Tuesday, January 16th at 7 pm here at the academy. All those parents who signed up to volunteer at our last meeting have already been invited to attend. 

2024 Yearbook Ads: We are now accepting ads for the Class of 2024 yearbook! All ads will be accepted and considered on time until Wednesday, February 7th. Late ads will be accepted on 2/8 and 2/9 with a $10 late fee per ad included in the total price. 

All ads must be submitted as a JPG or hard copy. No PDFs can be accepted. Please follow all directions EXACTLY as they are printed in the link below. Directions are provided for ways to create a JPG ad using Canva.  Please share the directions with any family members/friends who may want to submit an ad for a graduate. 

We recommend working on your ads early. Working on your ads early will allow us to assist you should you encounter any issues.  All questions and ad submissions should be sent to Ms. Farragher using our school's yearbook email:  [email protected]

SFDS Class of 2024 Yearbook-Creating an Ad

FACTS Gradebook: As we are now almost ½ way through the 2nd trimester of the school year please if you haven't already, log on to the Family portal of FACTS to check on how your child is progressing this year. This is a great way to see if your child is missing any assignments. Please contact the main office via email at [email protected] if you have any questions. Please remember you can also look at the yearly calendar and  your tuition balance through the FACTS parent portal as well. 

Dress Down Day Friday 1/19: Early next week each family will be sent home with their oldest child a baby bottle. We are asking each family to return the bottle on Friday with a small donation (loose change is fine) for the Bridge to Life Inc. This group helps thousands of women and newborn children who were experiencing financial hardship. All families that turn in a bottle can dress down on Friday. 

Parking at Dismissal: Just a reminder to please be respectful of everyone. Please do not double park or block our neighbors driveways at dismissal time. It causes issues through traffic as well as can create a dangerous situation for our children.

Thank you for your consideration.

SAVE THE DATES

1/22/24-1/30/24- I Ready Mid-Year Diagnostic Test

1/29/24- Coffee with Administration 9 am Session and 7 pm 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- A more detailed schedule will be included in next week’s update. 

Have a great weekend!