Dear St. Francis of Assisi Families and Community,

 

Back in the summer of 2013, I was attending graduate school at the University of San Francisco. That summer, the America's Cup challenger selection races were hosted in the city, in preparation for the America's Cup Finals in September. One weekend, I went down to watch and was mesmerized by what I saw: massive boats flying over the water, crews working with remarkable precision and intensity. Everyone was in sync, knew their roles and responsibilities, and executed them so well that the whole endeavor had a rhythm and flow. Those sailors locked in on their own tasks while also relying on their crewmates to be just as attentive to theirs.

 

Now, I'd be hard-pressed to call myself a sailor, even a “boater” is a bit of a stretch. My family's casual fishing and cruising trips on the Sound never required that kind of coordination. Still, I knew what I was watching was something special that summer afternoon.

 

That same coordination and synchronicity is what makes a good school great—exceptional, even. At St. Francis we work hard to stay locked in from the first bell to the end of the day, from the first day of the year to the last. Central to that effort is our mission: educating the whole person within a Christ-centered, Catholic community; fostering an active faith; promoting academic growth; and empowering all students to think critically, act with purpose, advocate for justice, and serve with compassion.

 

This year, we'll be undertaking our Accreditation self-study—calibrating, if you will–on all aspects of our school. Next week, we'll send out a survey from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), which provides the diagnostic tools we'll use for our Accreditation process. Hearing from each household will help us fine-tune our practices. Thank you for your continued collaboration–we are one crew, with the same wind at our backs.

 

Peace,
Mrs. Farewell