St. Francis High School Admissions Newsletter-Issue 14

Congratulations Cast, Crew and Pit Orchestra on their amazing performance of this year’s Spring Musical, Les Misérables!

Join Us On The SFHS Path

“We should never desire to be raised above others;

we should prefer to be humble and entirely submissive,

for God’s sake, to all creatures.”

Saint Francis of Assisi

Welcome

"Our Spirit Is Franciscan, Which Translates to Care and Success”

With seniors nearing the end of high school, I’ve heard a lot of stories lately. Stories with the silver linings of hindsight and footnotes of wisdom and humility. Real triumphs and lessons learned. These stories strike me because of how “St. Francis” they are. Sure, bits and pieces could have happened elsewhere, but not in the same way. They radiate the Franciscan spirit of this high school community, which cares enough to help students transform and succeed year after year after year.

I’m not exaggerating when I say, most visitors comment on the “feeling” of St. Francis when they enter the building, whether they are touring the school or delivering a package. We describe it as “community” and call it “The St. Francis Way.” We sometimes take it for granted. But what makes this feeling palpable? Although it puzzled me initially, I’ve learned this “feeling” is Franciscan, and it reflects the spiritual gifts of our patron, Saint Francis of Assisi, who lived a radical life. He lived without worrying about impressing people around him. Instead, he loved his community. He forgave. He radiated joy. He cared in extreme ways for his brothers, the poor, and even the animals. We say his Peace Prayer in school each day, and somehow the words manifest themselves as care, compassion, and hope in our classrooms. It’s real. It’s mysterious. And when I stop to think about it, it’s staggering.

This Franciscan spirit helps students transform, academically and personally. Students receive care in this community. In turn, they let go and grow. Pope Francis says, “… never stop at the surface of things, especially when we are dealing with a person. We are called to look beyond, to focus on the heart to see how much generosity everyone is capable.” Transformation happens here because teachers focus on students’ hearts and capabilities. And at graduation, students radiate readiness for college and for life.

Call me to experience this Franciscan spirit (630) 668-5800 x1120. I’d love to meet you for a tour while school is in session.

-Maureen Isphording,

Director of Admissions

"I Am St. Francis"

Alumni-in-the-Workforce Perspective: Five Questions for Robby Ross ‘03 and McKenzie Burns ‘14

Alumni Robby Ross ‘03 and McKenzie Burns ‘14 invited SFHS students to Job Shadow them for a day. They donated career day opportunities to the St. Francis Auction last month, which were packaged for bidding along with Job Shadow invitations from other SFHS alums. Here are five questions for Robby and McKenzie.

1. What is your current occupation? What college did you attend? What was your college major/minor?

McKenzie: I'm currently a full-time marketing manager at CFE Media and Technology and a part-time author. I attended the University of Dayton where I earned bachelor degrees in Marketing and International Business Management.

Robby: I oversee global marketing and sales operations at S&P Dow Jones Indices. I went to Miami University in Oxford, OH and majored in English (Technical & Scientific Communications) with a concentration in Computer Science. I went on to earn my Masters in International Business from the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland.

2. You recently donated an SFHS Auction package for a current SFHS student to “shadow” you at your place of work for a day. Why were you interested in giving back to your alma mater?

McKenzie: I was given many opportunities at St. Francis that helped me determine what kind of career I wanted to have, and what my interests were. Continuing to offer these valuable experiences is something I believe is extremely beneficial to students, since high school is a great self-discovery time, after all! It goes to show what a great community St. Francis has, and I'm excited to be able to give back!

Robby: Any professional success that I’ve had in my career is rooted in something that I learned at St. Francis. It is important to me to try to pay it forward however I can. I am proud to be a Spartan for many reasons, but the most significant source of pride is the St. Francis community. I graduated nearly 20 years ago, and my graduating class remains incredibly close. Nearly 15 of us recently got together for a trip to Florida. We are located all over the country these days, but we talk and text nearly every day.

3. What teachers stood out at SFHS? What were the most fun and/or useful classes you took?

McKenzie: Mrs. Doane, Mrs. Kolasinski, Ms. Pratscher, and Mr. Wall were some of my favorites -- but it's very hard to pick! I had a bunch of great teachers, many of which I'm still in contact with to this day! I really enjoyed my English and Creative Writing classes since they opened my eyes to my interest in writing. I also developed an interest in graphic design after taking my design class senior year. Mr. Lynch's Honors Economics class project where we had to budget the life for a randomly assigned character scenario was also very helpful for learning life skills.

Robby: Mr. Kolodziej, Mr. Lynch, Coach Bussey, Coach Pribaz. I loved junior year English as well as senior year Government with Mr. Kolodziej and the various Consumer Ed and Econ classes with Mr. Lynch. Coach Bussey and Coach Pribaz were outstanding as well.

4. What are the values you took from St. Francis and how do you see those playing out in your life?

McKenzie: As cliché as these sound, I learned to be open to new experiences and to never take time for granted. So much more is introduced to you in high school, and I really believe that's where taking advantage of new opportunities (big or small) should start. Doing so back in high school definitely opened my eyes to how important it is now, later in life. Along those same lines, nothing lasts forever, and I still talk with friends from St. Francis about how much we miss those days. Time goes fast, even if it doesn't seem like it at the moment! It's best to take advantage of what you can, while you can.

Robbie: Back to an answer I shared earlier: Any professional success that I’ve had in my career is rooted in something that I learned at St. Francis. That is not necessarily limited to the classroom. I never had a class on honesty or integrity, but I know St. Francis instilled those values in me and my classmates.

5. What is one word you would use to describe your feeling toward St. Francis?

McKenzie: I mentioned it in an earlier answer, but "community" is definitely a word that comes to mind when I think of St. Francis.

Robby: Pride.

Only at St. Francis High School

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

THIS ISSUE’S FEATURE: STUDENT LIFE OPPORTUNITIES

Mental Health Awareness Week Encourages Students to “Flourish into Your Best Self”

The Counseling Department, SADD Club, and several faculty volunteers utilized Mental Health Awareness Week to highlight the importance of taking care of ourselves and others. Throughout the week, there was an exciting line up of educational and fun activities offered to students, faculty, and staff. Some of the activities included:

Mindful Monday: Card writing for friends, faculty, or residents of Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. SADD and Arts & Crafts Clubs hosted after school craft activity.
Take a Break Tuesday: Fun with Jenga, cards, and other games during lunch. Plus, collection for St. Strophia’s Forgotten Feline Rescue.
Wellness Wednesday: Nurse Schmidt hosted a wellness quiz at lunch. Plus, ping pong after school.
Thankful Thursday: Kahoot at lunch and Yoga after school.
Family Friday: Generosity Scavenger Hunt: “Catch Yourself Doing Good!”

Spartan Baseball in Orlando

Success for SFHS Varsity Baseball at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando. The Spartans spent Spring Break playing teams from Wisconsin, Utah, Pennsylvania, and more, in addition to having fun at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Go Spartans!