August 01, 2023
Summer Update #3 2023
Dear Academy Families,
I hope this letter finds you and your family healthy, well, and enjoying the beautiful warm summer days. I know we have all spent the month of July anticipating the reopening of our beloved school for its 111th year.
In this past Sunday’s Gospel, we embark on a journey of discovery through the parables of the kingdom of heaven. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus shares a series of parables, each containing valuable insights into the profound truths of God's kingdom. These parables are not only for adults but also hold great significance for our families.
Imagine stumbling upon a hidden treasure buried in a field! The joy and excitement of finding something so valuable is beyond words. In our families, we also have treasures - our loved ones, the bonds we share, and the time we spend together, especially during the summer months. Let us cherish these gifts and recognize the kingdom's beauty in the love we give and receive.
The parables of the kingdom of heaven also call us to discover the treasures God has placed in our lives. As we journey together, let us:
Treasure the love and joy found within our family bonds.
Seek God's kingdom and righteousness as our top priority.
Extend love, compassion, and forgiveness to others.
As we move into the next school year, we would like to share with our school community some staffing additions that have been made as we move into next year.
Please join me in welcoming Ms. Jenny Fahy to our 2nd-grade team. Before coming to St. Francis, Ms. Fahy has been teaching at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Garden City. We also welcome to our 3rd-grade team Ms. Julianna Hansen. We are happy to announce that Ms. Marybeth McManus will join the 7th and 8th-grade team next year. Ms. McManus is a lifelong Catholic School educator who has most recently taught at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Forest Hills. Finally, we welcome Mrs. Aileen Warnock as our Creative Writing teacher. Mrs. Warnock is no stranger to St. Francis as she has been a substitute teacher in our school the past school year. Please join me in welcoming our new teachers to our already dedicated staff.
Onto some updates and reminders for the next two weeks of August……
SFDS Parish Confirmation Holy Hour: Just a reminder to those 8th graders scheduled to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this Fall at St. Francis that next Wednesday, August 9, 2023 there is a Confirmation Holy Hour where each Confirmation Student and Sponsor/Parent are asked to be in St. Francis Church at 6:30 pm. All confirmandi and their sponsors are expected to attend. If the sponsor is not available, please have a parent/adult accompany the candidate. If you are unable to attend, please call the Religious Ed office (718-945-6911) so the absence can be noted. The activity for that evening can be found at sfdsparish.org under the “Our Parish” tab under the Religious Education tab and the Confirmation Sponsor link. The parish looks forward to a beautiful, prayerful, and meaningful evening.
8th Grade TACHS Registration: 8th Grade Parents starting on Monday, August 21st you can begin to register your child for the TACHS exam. If your child will take the TACHS exam (entrance exam for Catholic High Schools) please register as soon as possible. For more information including how to register please click here. Any questions please contact Mr. Scharbach at [email protected].
Immunizations: We wanted to inform you of important vaccination requirements from the New York State and New York City Departments of Health that must be completed before your child(ren) return to school this September 2023. Please use the reference sheet as a guide for the immunizations required for returning to school this coming September.
Uniforms: Please click here for a few helpful reminders when getting your children’s uniforms ready this summer.
For the full uniform policy please click here.
Some reminders as we get those Back to School Haircuts and go to the store for shoes and other items.
The only sweater or sweatshirt that students will be allowed to wear in the school building is the school sweater from Flynn and O’Hara and/or the quarter-zip sweatshirt that the school sells annually in the Fall.
NO other SFDS sweatshirts or CYO sweatshirts will be allowed to be worn in the classroom. The gym sweatshirt can only be worn on gym days.
Hair must be a natural color. Streaking, highlighting, lowlights, glints, etc. are not permitted.
Hair must be clean, neatly combed, not totally covering the ears or eyes, or falling below the shirt collar (boys).
Shoes: Students may choose brown or black shoes to wear with the summer uniform (sneakers and sandals are not permitted; Sperrys/Boat shoes without design or bright colors may be worn with white/black socks).
Shoes for the winter uniform must be black leather dress shoes with black rubber soles. They can be tie or slip ons. Please see the following suggested shoe styles for boys and girls in grades 1-8. The links are only to serve as samples of approved styles. If you have questions regarding shoe styles, please email Mrs.Hayes at [email protected]. As always, the uniform is up to the discretion of the staff and administration of St. Francis de Sales. Black sneakers and/or black moccasins are not part of the school uniform. Families may be asked to purchase new uniforms and shoes, if they do not follow the uniform policy.
In Nursery, Pre-K and Kindergarten students wear sneakers all year long. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sperry Unisex-Child Authentic Original Boat Shoe - Tan or Black Only
Black Leather Mary Janes (Girls Only)
Flynn & O’Hara continues to be our only uniform supplier. If you need anything for next year, we suggest that you visit the store early in the summer to avoid the crowds. The store location is The Shops at Atlas Park, 8000 Cooper Avenue, Lower Level, Glendale, NY 11385. Uniforms can also be ordered online at flynnohara.com,or by phone at 718-326-2704.It is recommended that all orders are placed ASAP to make sure that uniforms are delivered for the first day of school.
Please email Mrs. Maureen Hayes [email protected] with any questions.
Thank you for your support!
Tuition: Just a reminder that Tuesday, August 15th the first tuition payment is due for the 2023-2024 school year.. All families should have a FACTS account. (https://factsmgt.com/) Here you can see how much is owed, dates when tuition or other fees are due, past payments, etc. Any questions about your account please reach out to our Bookkeeper Mrs. Marguerite Kazalski at [email protected]
Now more than ever planning is so important and we will need to know as close as possible an exact number of students in each grade level. By not paying tuition we may not be able to hold a seat for your child. If there are any issues paying on August 15th, please let us know in advance so we can plan for your child(ren) to be joining us.
2023-2024 School Year, Summer Assignments, and Supply Lists: On our website there is a landing page for all information about the next school year (Calendar, tuition, yellow bus, uniform, etc.)
All supply lists and summer assignments are available and can be found by clicking here. Please note we also have created supply lists on Amazon for your convenience. Here you will find almost everything on your child’s supply list with some exceptions (ie. Bookbags) that you can order all or some of the supplies needed for next school year. Please note that all summer assignments and school supplies are expected to be brought to school on the first day unless otherwise noted. The most important assignment is that of reading each night. The more your child reads and is read to, the more your child’s network of knowledge strengthens. It not only is “preparing them for the next grade,” but also improves their listening skills, builds early literacy skills, and strengthens their ability to make connections, draw conclusions, and better understand the world around them. Reading with a child each day is an investment for a lifetime.
Just a reminder that school will officially begin Wednesday, September 6th for students in Grades 1 to 8. Children in Kindergarten will begin on Friday September 8th. Children in the Nursery and Pre-K will begin on Monday, September 11th.
Main Office Hours: The summer office hours along with the calendar for next year are already posted on our website. Throughout the summer check the calendar for any updates. Although the school office may be closed at times, we are always available with any questions or concerns through email at [email protected]
2023-2024 School Year Volunteering: For the safety and well being of each and every child in our school, all volunteers must go through the following process:
1) Read and sign a code of conduct
2) Have a background check
3) Take part in the VIRTUS program. (Register at virtusonline.org. Download the registration guide.)
Please note that St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy will be offering two sessions of the VIRTUS program on 9/25 and 11/6.
After completing the VIRTUS Program we ask that you please bring to the office a copy of your certificate for us to keep track of in our database. We hope that this is not an inconvenience for anyone, but we need to be sure that all adults who interact with students are in compliance.
Last Chance for 2023-2024 Yellow School Bus: Please fill out the following form if you are a parent of a new student, a returning Pre-Kindergarten student going into Kindergarten, or a student who needs to take the NYC Yellow Bus for the first time this school year.
Bus Request Form for the 2022-2023 School Year
All bussing questions can be directed to Mrs. Kenny at [email protected]
SAVE THE DATES
Back to School Nights (Meet the Teacher): All parents are invited to meet their child's teacher(s) on the following evenings.
Thursday, September 7th at 6pm - (Grades Nursery- Kindergarten)
Wednesday, September 13th at 6pm - (Grades 1-4)
Thursday, September 14th at 6pm - (Grades 5-8)
More information to follow on this special event in the coming weeks. We hope to have 100% attendance to this all-important night of the school year.
Catechetical Sunday: Catechetical Sunday is when those designated to serve as catechists are called forth to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in passing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. All are welcome to join the Saint Francis faculty and Saint Francis Religious Education faculty at this very special liturgy at 10:00am on Sunday, September 17th.
Have a great week. Our next update will be on Wednesday 8/16.