St. Francis Academy

Dear Parents,

On this cold March day as a snowy blanket covers our school grounds your beautiful children are diligently working on their Terranova assessment. Even our littlest kindergarten students are concentrating intently, doing their very best on this important testing tool. How proud you would be if you could see their attentive demeanor, their bright eyes never leaving the teacher’s face as they listen conscientiously to instructions. At break time they walk through the halls in silence so as not to disturb a testing class, their #2 led pencils are at ready and clean new erasers sit on the desktops in case of error. Even though we are taking a new edition of Terranova and a slight dip in scores is expected I believe our students will again excel.

The holy season of Lent brings the spirit and act of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting to the halls of SFA. Each morning one of our classes attends Mass at Sts. Joseph and Michael Church, the daily communicants frequently compliment our students on their reverend behavior. Volunteer students from grades 5 through 8 are eating a nominal lunch on Tuesdays in solidarity with the poor of our world. These same students are organizing a food drive to benefit Sts. Joseph and Michael Food Pantry. All students and faculty are participating in Stations of the Cross each Friday, we are joining with the Holy Childhood Association in a quarter collection, and our 8th grade is preparing for Living Stations of the Cross during Holy Week and a trip to the Basilica to attend the magnificent Chrism Mass.

The wise philosopher Aristotle wrote: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” You, dear parents, and we at St. Francis Academy have joined in a sacred partnership, training your children in the habit of academic and spiritual excellence.

God bless you during this Lenten Season.

(sgd) Deborah A. Savage
Principal