Dear Academy Families,

A houseful of noisy people, cousins playing together after not seeing each other since the last holiday, lots of food served on fancy plates and fine silver.  Thanksgiving is the universal American holiday.  It welcomes all.  We gather together, not out of media hype or commercial conditioning, but from a personal, conscious need to acknowledge all that we are thankful for and treasure. As we go about our lives, we often get caught up in the things we want and often forget about all of the little things we already have. Thanksgiving is a remarkable time to sit down and reflect on everything we have in life to be grateful for. 

As we prepare to celebrate this Thanksgiving Day, let us always remember all that we have, all that we do, and all that we need comes from God our Father! We are forever grateful, thankful, and appreciative of all that our faculty, staff, families, and students do each and every day, to advance the mission of Catholic Education here at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy.

May you have an enjoyable and relaxing Thanksgiving!

Now onto some important reminders, news, and events at the academy in the upcoming days….

Thanksgiving Holiday: Just a reminder that St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy has a half day on Wednesday, November 23rd with 12-noon dismissal. Grades 1-8 will be attending mass at 11 am. This is then followed by Thanksgiving Recess on November 24th and 25th. Happy Thanksgiving! 

Report Cards/Parent Teacher Conference Calendar Change: Please note that all report cards are digitally distributed on Tuesday, December 6th at 3 pm via the FACTS Parent Portal. 

This year all conferences will be done in person and will take place on Tuesday December 6th from 6 pm-7:30 pm and on Wednesday, December 7th from 12:45 pm-2:45 pm. Wednesday, December 7th is a 12 pm half-day for students and there is no after-school available on this day. Please note that this is a change from the original plan of having both afternoon and evening conferences on 12/7. That mistake was ours and we do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. 

On Monday, November 28th we will send out information on signing up for time slots for conferences. All families will have until Sunday, December 4th to sign up for the conferences on Tuesday December 6th from 6 pm-7:30pm and on Wednesday, December 7th from 12:45pm-2:45pm.

Family ADVENTure Bags: Starting on Sunday 11/27 Catholics around the world are celebrating the season of Advent by preparing their hearts for the birth of Jesus Christ. Advent is a season of waiting and anticipating the glorious birthday of our Lord.

At church each Sunday in Advent, we light a candle on the Advent wreath. There are five candles: three purple (which represent hope, love, and peace), one pink (which represents joy), and one white (which is the Christ candle and is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day).

Sometimes the only place we talk about Advent is at church or in the classroom. So what can you do to celebrate Advent every day with your family at home?

On Monday the youngest child in each family will be sent home with a Family ADVENTure Bag. This bag will be filled with many fun things families could do together to keep their focus on Jesus. We do ask that you share photos with us at [email protected] as your family does some of these activities at home during the advent season. A special thank you to Mrs. Hayes for coordinating this special prayerful activity for all of us to grow closer to the Christ child.  

Early Childhood Registration: We are beginning to prepare for the 2023-2024 school year.  In the past few weeks, we issued a Google Form of intent for any current Nursery and Pre-K student here at St. Francis who plans on attending St. Francis in 2023 as a Pre-K or Kindergarten student. Those forms are due by Monday, November 28th.  As always, we thank you for your dedication and support of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy. If you have any concerns that we may address, please do not hesitate to call or email us. 

After Thanksgiving,  an email will be sent home to families of current students to see if any siblings will be joining our Early Childhood program. Please fill out all letters of intent as soon as possible, as we will begin open registration in the winter of 2023.  This is especially important to do with our current enrollment numbers. 

2023 Christmas Show: It is amazing that when we return after Thanksgiving we only have four weeks of school until Christmas. This week a letter and order form went home about the Christmas Show. For another copy of the letter and order form please click here. Any questions about tickets please call the office. Any questions about costumes or dress please contact your child's teacher directly. To take another look at the information posted about costumes  please click here. Information about dress rehearsals will be in next week’s update.   

Inclement Weather: As we get into the winter months please note that the school administration will communicate via FACTS Alert, Social Media, and our school website if we ever have to close or have a delayed opening due to weather. 

Tuition Arrears:  Please be mindful to keep your account up to date for all tuition and outstanding fees. In order for report cards to be distributed, all accounts must be up to date by November 15, 2022. This includes payments on special lunches and any sales that the school has coordinated. (Fall Flower/1/4 Zip) Any issues please feel free to be in touch. 

SAVE THE DATE

Dress Down Day (Wear Purple): On Monday, November 28th the school will be having a dress down day. Students are asked to wear the color purple as we start the Advent season here at the Academy. 

Toys for Tots: With the Christmas season approaching, and as we look forward to the birth of our Lord, we should remember those less fortunate than us. In the spirit of giving, we are asking that students donate a gift for other children. Please bring in an unwrapped toy or game after the Thanksgiving holiday. All donations will go to children in need. Thank you for your generosity. All donations need to be made by Friday, December 16th.  

Polar Express: We are so excited to announce that we will host our annual Polar Express Night in the school gym on Friday, December 2nd. We will be having two sessions this year. The 1st session will be only for Kindergarten and 1st-grade students from 4 pm-6 pm. Our second session will be for 2nd-4th graders from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm. We are looking forward to a great night … All Aboard!

Tickets that can be bought at the door are $10. This will cover admission, Oreo cookies, hot chocolate, and a special treat. If your child has an allergy and cannot have these items please email  Dr. Scharbach at [email protected].

To help accommodate all children we are asking that this be a drop-off event. (Children Only)

Parents, please take a few minutes to go over these basic etiquette guidelines with your child(ren). It is our hope that by following these guidelines, everyone’s movie-going experience will be a good one.

1. We do not talk during the movie.

2. Refrain from getting up and down. People behind us are trying to watch the movie and too many trips to the bathroom, drinking fountain, etc. is distracting and unnecessary. This will also help eliminate many spills on the floor.

3. Running will not be tolerated.

4. Enjoy and have fun!

Immaculate Conception Day: Thursday, December 8th is a Diocesan Holiday for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This is a Diocesan Holiday so just a reminder that St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy is closed. 

SFDS Parish Tree Lighting: Please save the date for Wednesday, December 14th at 6 pm as St. Francis de Sales Parish lights its Christmas Trees, Angels, and Nativity. We hope you join us for this great tradition. 

Christmas Boutique: We are also happy to announce the dates of our Christmas Boutique this year. The Christmas Boutique for our students will be from December 14th - December 15th. More information to follow closer to the dates. 

Have a great weekend.