Dear Academy Community, 

During this time of year I always think of the story on the Road to Emmaus. In this story, we see the origins and the structure of the Holy Mass that the Church has celebrated for over 2000 years! Jesus is the Master Teacher. The way He teaches the disciples on the Road to Emmaus gives us a blueprint not only for what good teaching looks like, but also the basic structure of Christian worship—Holy Mass. 

The journey to Emmaus becomes a journey back to Jerusalem. But this time the disciples return to Jerusalem with a renewed sense of vigor and faith. They have been witnesses to the power of the Resurrection. They come barging into the room where the other disciples are and boldly proclaim: “The Lord is risen!” Their sadness and discouragement are no more. They have seen the Lord.

During this Easter Season, let us continue to journey back to the Lord and, in a special way, make sure we make time to join him in the Eucharist at mass each Saturday Night or Sunday Morning. 

See below some issues and topics that will help all be successful during the week of April 21st. 

Onto some updates for the days ahead….

2024 Card Paty: Tomorrow night is the big night. Our Annual Card Party is finally here.  Thank you again to all of our donors. Doors open at 6:00PM on Friday.  A special thank you to all of our volunteers and Card Party Chairs who help make this event a success each and every year. 

Golf and Tennis Outing: Our Annual Msgr. Martin T. Geraghty Golf and Tennis Outing honors the life and legacy of Msgr. Geraghty while raising funds for St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy that was so close to his heart. We honor the memory of him, whose dedication to serving others left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him. He was a golf enthusiast and golfer who loved the game. Please join in to make this day a great success for our Academy.

Our Golf and Tennis Outing will be held on Friday, May 31st 2024 will be held at the Marine Park Golf Course (Golf) and Belle Harbor Yacht Club (Tennis). To be a part of the day please click the link below.

https://ticketstripe.com/SFDSCA_Golf_Tennis_Outing

Please jump in on a great day at the Marine Park Golf course or at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club for some Tennis where we enjoy fellow neighbors & friends for a full day of golf and tennis followed up by great eats and drinks at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club. Put your foursomes or doubles teams together as soon as possible to help secure a successful fundraiser on this truly special day.

Please also consider taking a sponsorship with your family name displayed or a special cause or business you may wish to advertise. A beautiful sign will be displayed on a given golf hole or two displaying your support for our great school. More details are in the form above. There are various levels to choose from. This is truly appreciated.

The success of this day, May 31st, requires all of us even if you do not golf. As we rely on fundraisers such as the Annual Golf/Tennis Classic to help support the education and growth of our students here at St. Francis de Sales. If anyone has any questions, concerns or inquiries, please contact Mike Brenna our Golf/Tennis Chairman at 646-644-4513

Math State Exams: The New York State Science Test will be administered to students in Grades 4 and 6, and 7 during the week of May 6th. All students will be taking these exams on their chromebooks. The computer-based test will have the same questions as the paper version. Please make sure that your child in those grade levels gets a good night sleep, eats a good breakfast, and comes to school ready for testing. 

Family Survey: In an effort to improve system practices, Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Academy will be conducting another survey over the next three weeks. Thanks to all who participated (20% of our families)  in our Catholic Identity Survey before Easter Recess. To see the results of this survey

We value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. 

The second survey we are opening up is the Parent Survey. We hope to have at least 30% participation. 

This survey asks parents their opinions about our school, including questions about teachers, administrators, and other aspects of your child's and own experiences with the school. We appreciate your time and your responses. Please note that the responses from these surveys are helpful for the academy to make decisions for the future. Thanks again.

In order to complete the survey, please go to: 

https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/251327/40084

This survey will be open for two more weeks  until 5/4.  

Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous.  Your honest opinion is appreciated. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sweetheart Dance: Tickets on Sale Now

https://ticketstripe.com/SFDSCA_Sweetheart_Disco

The AFA invites the girls of our school to have their Sweetheart (Dad, Uncle, Grandfather, etc) join them for a special night out Friday April 26th from 6:30pm-8pm.

NO NYC Yellow Bus Service: Please note due to the NYC public school calendar being different from our school calendar this school year we had to choose 5 days not to have NYC Yellow Bus Service. We choose the first three days of the school year and Monday April 29th and Tuesday April 30th. Please note there is no NYC Yellow bus service on 4/29 and 4/30. Families who use the bus are asked to make other arrangements for transportation to and from school. 

Shrek Jr. : TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Tickets are $5 and may be purchased by clicking below

https://ticketstripe.com/Shrek-Jr

Saturday May 18th @3pm

Saturday May 18th @7pm (Less than 100 tickets remain)

Sunday May 19th @2pm

For more information, please call the main office at 718-634-2775.

Nasty will be nice and St. Francis de Sales will be ogre-the-moon when our students present their production of Shrek The Musical JR. on Saturday May 18th at 3pm and 7pm and on Sunday May 19th at 2pm. The family-friendly musical comedy follows the adventures of an ogre named Shrek who sets off on a quest to save a princess from a dragon. However, it turns out that in order to ultimately succeed, Shrek must battle an even bigger obstacle: learning how to believe in himself and open his heart to others.  

Shrek’s unique story of discovery encourages each of us to examine our prejudices, review what we believe to be our limitations and work to better understand ourselves and others. The actors and crew in this production have embarked on a similar journey, as students and teachers with many different interests have learned more about themselves and each other while collaborating towards the common goal of presenting this musical. A very special thank you to NYC Councilwoman Joann Ariola and the Diocese of Brooklyn Superintendent's Office for sponsoring this enrichment activity within our school.

Records for Next Year:  If any child is transferring from St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy for the 2024-2025 school year, most likely their records will need to be sent to their new school. Please request that as soon as possible yet no later than the end of May as many schools are closed for the summer and ask for that information before we break for summer.  

SAVE THE DATES

Summer Uniform:  Starting on Monday, May 6th students can begin to wear their summer uniforms. This is just a reminder if anyone needs to purchase summer uniforms you should think of ordering them soon. Please see the graphic below in regards to some reminders about our summer uniform. 

State of the Academy: Please join us on Tuesday, May 7th at 7pm for the annual Board of Directors’ State of the Academy. Our Board Members will be providing specific updates on various facets of the Academy including finances, facilities, academics and many more. 

½ Day Dismissal: Please note that Friday May 10th is a ½ day with a 12pm dismissal. 

May Crowning:  Tuesday, May 21st the 2nd Grade Class will be taking part in our school’s annual May Crowning. Our 2nd grade parents are invited to join their children and the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy Community for the May Crowning at 11am in St. Francis de Sales Church. We are asking that all 2nd grade students come to school dressed in their Communion attire. Please send in a large shirt to wear over their clothing. Please remember all students should wear dress shoes. May 21st  is also a ½ day for the second grade students. 

Science Fair: Wednesday, May 22nd, our students in grades 5-7 will be displaying their projects at our annual Science Fair. Information on when families will be invited to look at our students’ work will be shared closer to the date. 

Class of 2025 Ring/Pin Service: The Class of 2025 (7th graders) will receive their class rings and pins in St. Francis de Sales Church on Wednesday 5/29 at 7pm. A small reception will follow in the Small Hall. All 7th graders are asked to report to the Small Hall at 6:40pm.  

Art Night: Please join us on June 5th at 5pm for our annual Art Show! Mrs. Troia and Mrs. Todd and our students have worked tirelessly in preparation for a truly superb art gallery display. We hope to see many of you there. To get a sneak peak of some of our students artwork please follow our artists on Instagram at (sfds_art)

Have a great weekend and Good luck tomorrow night!