St. Francis High School Admissions Newsletter-11/1/2023

Join Us On The SFHS Path

“A true servant of God…

should show outwardly great spiritual joy.”

Saint Francis of Assisi

Welcome

A Superior College Prep Road Trip with Heart – That’s The St. Francis Way

SFHS’s journey is designed to prepare students for admission to leading college and universities. This is not the scenic route but a targeted road trip to help students arrive at their destination. If you’re looking for an efficient four-year plan to map out your child’s journey to college, look no further than SFHS’s Course Map. It will show you how your student can start here and go further with these four exclusive member benefits:

The trip runs smoothly: SFHS’s 2023 Exemplary High Performing Blue Ribbon School Award. The Blue Ribbon, reserved for 1% of U. S. Schools, ensures overall academic excellence. St. Francis High School is the only high school in Wheaton (public or private) and the only Catholic high school in the Western Suburbs to ever receive the Blue Ribbon.

An electric playlist fills the car: College Prep, Honors, and Advanced Placement level classes take you places. SFHS’s optimal course selection and academic structure combine to help students work toward their strengths and show growth in academic pursuits. (SFHS offers 75 full-year courses, 19 honors, 18 Advanced Placement, and 48 semester courses.)

Great GPS, plus an exceptional community crowds the backset: SFHS counselors and faculty direct students. Exceptional guidance from SFHS counselors begins for freshmen, steering students at strategic mile markers in gentle yet comprehensive ways along the college prep road. Passionate faculty provide support to avoid potholes.

Finding the fast groove transforms the trip: Innovative Microsoft Showcase School technology takes the lead in teaching methods. One of 30 U.S. Microsoft Showcase Schools, this tech accelerates SFHS students’ ability to think, study, and learn. It’s built into the classroom experience and adapts to all learning styles, helping students reach academic goals in ways they can’t imagine until they get here.

There’s no duplicating The St. Francis Way. And the heart of it all? The deep tracks of Franciscan virtues rooting our community and crowning our Blue Ribbon distinction. I’d love to show you more at our final Open House on Sunday, November 5 at 1:00 p.m. Come visit so we can talk about your child’s starting point at St. Francis High School.

Maureen Isphording, Director of Admissions

Only at St. Francis High School

Experience the SFHS difference, which offers distinct advantages that provide students with a well-rounded education to prepare them for a successful future.

COMMUNITY

What is St. Francis High School’s greatest strength?

The community!

While the academic and co-curricular programs are impressive, SFHS is home. It is a place that elevates and embraces you as much as it challenges you. Relationships are at the heart of everything. Faculty and staff create exceptional growth and transformation through the bonds they form with every student.

Rooted in the Franciscan virtues:

Compassion
Humility
Simplicity
Prayer
Peace & Justice
Charity
Integrity
Joy
Brotherhood & Sisterhood
Acceptance
Generosity
Faithfulness
Peacemaking
Hospitality
Goodness
Service

community life is seen through a larger lens. Perennial Franciscan virtues anchor the transformative SFHS experience to create one powerful college prep culture. We call this culture The St. Francis Way.

Our goal is simple: put students at the center and surround them with a caring community of support, anchored by our dedicated staff. How does it help students achieve college goals? We asked the Director of Counseling, Bridget Buckley, and this is her answer.

“Franciscan values help students submit their best college applications.”

“Colleges are looking for young adults who are confident, capable, and healthy in every aspect of their lives: academically, socially/emotionally, physically, and spiritually. A high school experience focused on Franciscan values allows students to submit the best college applications possible in every area. Every single aspect of an application is strong because each student has had support holistically. The desire of a whole community to see our students succeed allows students to build skills and high school resumes that prepare them for college applications and, quite frankly, life in general. Everyone in the building helps. Every club, sport, activity, service project, spiritual group, and even every tutoring session or conversation that happens during a student’s time at SFHS lends itself to building a strong application. Our teachers, our coaches, and our staff are all asked to help with aspects throughout the process, from proofreading essays to coming up with creative answers to more unusual prompts, to simply giving students room to talk about their process. What we are doing, as a community, is giving our students a vast array of experiences leading up to that actual application process students go through as seniors. I think our Franciscan values and culture, first and foremost, allow students opportunities when they are applying to colleges because they have an entire community supporting their growth and development throughout their high school experiences. Their experience here throughout their four years makes them more prepared for the world and for life in college.”

Did you Know? SFHS National Honor Society Offers Tutoring Sessions

National Honor Society members serve all SFHS students by tutoring, no appointment needed. Any student may chat with tutors, who are active Junior and Senior NHS members five days a week before and after school and during most study halls. It’s easy, it’s free, and if students need a little enlightenment, it helps!

"I Am St. Francis"

The Alumni Perspective:

SFHS graduates are ready to excel, with 99% directly entering higher education. Recent graduating classes have earned more than $22 million each year in collegiate scholarships. SFHS students exhibit a mastery of academic skills and are prepared for success in higher education and lifelong learning. Who better to share that story than our SFHS Alumni?

Nick Atkins ’20 (Purdue University) – “My time at St. Francis made me feel valued and taught me the importance of developing friendship-like relationships with your teachers. I've utilized this same lesson throughout college with my professors, and this sense of value that becomes instilled within you from St. Francis helps you feel unique in a much larger crowd. This has been an invaluable tool for my success.”

Danny Blank ’20 (Indiana University, Kelley School of Business 3/2 MBA) – “St. Francis laid a strong foundation for me academically, socially, and spiritually. My teachers and coaches taught me how to learn, risk failure, and think critically, all of which have propelled me forward in college. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the selfless community of SFHS.”

Elena Castaneda ’20 (U.S. Air Force Academy) – “St. Francis prepared me very well for life as a service academy cadet! The academic program helped me develop productive study habits and created a great foundation of knowledge to tackle USAFA’s extensive and diverse core curriculum and major’s classes. Additionally, the athletic program, sports teams, leadership, and religious opportunities SFHS offers helped me to learn how to manage my time effectively, develop leadership skills and my personal leadership style, while also making time for things that are important, especially my faith. St. Francis developed me as a whole person and prepared me in the best way imaginable for college, life at a service academy, life in the military, and beyond!”

Frank Marsico ’20 (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Biochemistry) – “One of the biggest parts of an SFHS education is the interaction with other students and faculty. This really helped prepare me for college by teaching me the importance of developing strong relationships with others. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important these relationships are both personally and professionally.”

Amy Wiborg ’20 (Marquette University, Nursing) – “I am so grateful for the strong foundation that St. Francis provided me, not only academically, but also in fostering my stewardship. There are so many leadership opportunities at St. Francis from being the captain of a sports team, to being an executive board member of a club, to being a student representative for your class. The options are limitless. Because of this, I entered nursing school at Marquette University with confidence and determination that have truly set me on the path to success.”

Around Campus This October

Grandparents Day

We know the important relationship grandparents play in the lives of our students and it was pure joy to celebrate that with them on Friday. Grandparents enjoyed Mass, conversation, and tours of the building with senior students.

Christian Service at DuPage Pads

Many of our students have been making meals for families in need who access DuPage Pads. Thank you, students and DuPage Pads, for providing this wonderful opportunity for our students to give back!

Red Ribbon Week

Through activities, service opportunities, and dress theme days, we emphasized the importance of making positive and healthy decisions and doing our part in creating an inclusive community. Thank you, SADD members, the Counseling Department, and various faculty volunteers who planned an exciting lineup of educational and fun activities!

Fall Play – Clue

Everything about this production had us on the edge of our seats. Congratulations to everyone involved on an amazing set and performance! Photo by Jennifer Heim Photography | @jenheimphoto