Weekly Howl
St. Francis Catholic School - 10.3.22
SFCS celebrates 26 Years of Growing Together in Faith & Knowledge
Dear SFCS Parents & Friends,
I hope everyone in our SFCS community and their loved ones were safe during and after Hurricane Ian. We had many prayer warriors asking for God's provision of safety for our families, Church, and School. We continue to lift up the communities in Florida, especially Fort Myers, Naples, and Sanibel Island, as well as Charleston, and Myrtle Beach, and all of the other coastal areas affected by the hurricane's path. Please pray for The Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Charleston, whose community was greatly impacted by flooding (see photo below).
Thank you to all who sent in photos of your student(s) working on assignments during the two days of asynchronous learning. Please see the collection of photos below.
The Lowcountry Soiree scheduled for Friday, September 30 has been rescheduled for October 21, 2022. If you have already paid for tickets, and the new date will not work in your plans, please let us know and your check will be returned. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Tickets are still available so please contact the School Office to reserve yours today!
Tomorrow, October 4 is our Feast Day! Since we will celebrate Mass on that Tuesday instead of our usual Wednesday, please remind your student to wear their Mass uniform on Tuesday this week. Mass will be celebrated at the usual time - 10:00 a.m. The 8th grade crosses will be blessed during this Mass. Also, we will have the Pet Blessing after school at 3:15 p.m. in the parking lot. All pets must be accompanied by an adult and secured in a pet carrier, or on a leash. The section of the Church parking lot where the Pet Blessing will take place will be sectioned off. Please park your car in the other available spaces and walk to the Blessing area. If attending the Blessing, we suggest you pick up your child first, park, then walk to the Blessing area.
We look forward to a busy yet productive week ahead!
Yours in Christ,
Andrea Smith, M.Ed., LPC, NCC
Principal
The Blessed Sacrament Catholic School - Charleston, SC
Kindness
Kindness: Expressing genuine concern about the well-being of others
Our prayer:
Dear Jesus,
You are kindness itself. I desire to show charity towards my neighbor through my thoughts, words, and actions. Amen
8th Grade Visit to JPII - Wednesday, October 5
The 8th grade class will travel to JPII for a glimpse of high school life during a campus visit from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Students will get a tour, attend Mass, sit in on classes, and have lunch while visiting the JPII campus. Permission slips will be sent out by Mrs. Markey today. Please be sure your 8th grade student wears their Mass Uniform on Wednesday, October 5.
PSAT 8/9 Testing for 8th Grade Class - October 13
The 8th grade class will participate in PSAT 8/9 testing on Thursday, October 13 from 8:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. (approximately). The PSAT is a standardized test published by College Board and tests students in 8th and 9th grade on reading, writing, language, and math. By taking the PSAT 8/9, students will learn through their score report, which skills to work on for continued success when preparing for high school and ultimately college.
Please be sure your 8th grade student gets a good night's sleep the night prior and breakfast the morning of the testing. 8th grade students may wear jeans (no rips, holes, or tears) and a SFCS spirit shirt on that day. The class will have testing until approximately 11:15 a.m., followed by a regular day's schedule beginning with 5th period.
School Family Sunday Mass Dates
Join the St. Francis Catholic School community at St. Francis by the Sea Catholic Church for School Family Sunday Mass on the following Sundays:
October 16, 2022
November 20, 2022
December 18, 2022
January 15, 2023
February 19, 2023
March 19, 2023
April 16, 2023
May 21, 2023
St. Francis Youth Group - Halloween Party! - October 26
The QR Code on the graphic below is not working. Please click on the link to register. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
St. Francis by the Sea - Christmas Strings and Sing-a-long - December 14
St. Francis Catholic School Facebook Page
Our official Facebook page is "St. Francis Catholic School". In an effort to consolidate communication, and have one central Facebook page for SFCS families to find announcements and learn about upcoming school events, the "St. Francis Families (St. Francis Catholic School, Hilton Head Island)" Facebook page is now inactive. As a reminder, the use of St. Francis Catholic School, or St. Francis by the Sea names, logos, etc., must be approved before associating any group with either name or SFCS. We appreciate your cooperation and partnership with this important policy and ask you to contact Mrs. Smith for school related requests, and the SFBTS Parish office for church related requests. Please join our school Facebook page! (scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter and click on link)
Feast Day Mass - October 4
The week of October 3, our weekly school Mass will be tomorrow, Tuesday, October 4 at 10:00 a.m. to celebrate our feast day honoring St. Francis of Assisi. Please be sure your child wears their Mass uniform on Tuesday, October 4, and regular uniform on Wednesday, October 5. (8th grade students will need to wear their Mass uniform again on Wednesday, October 5th). Also at our Feast Day Mass, we will begin a new tradition of the blessing of the 8th grade crosses. We invite parents, guardians, family, and friends to attend our school masses, and ask that you sit in the pews on the left side of the church as you walk in.
Dr. Betty Jankoski, EdD, LPC - School Counselor
Dr. Jankoski, or "Dr. J." as she is known around the halls of SFCS, is available to provide supportive counseling service to students who would benefit from additional guidance during challenging times that might interfere with their educational progress. Dr. J.'s purpose is to help children realize they can improve difficult situations with cooperative efforts and support. Dr. J. had been with the Beaufort County School System for 33 years and in education 7 years prior to moving to South Carolina. Retired from the local public school system, Dr. J. wanted to continue giving back to the community by assisting children and young adults with social, emotional, and academic support. Dr. J. focuses on the collaborative efforts which parents and school provides. The best faith-based educational background for our students is within this loving environment that children can reach their full potential for becoming productive and successful adults. Working with children has been Dr. J.'s passion and a very rewarding personal experience, realizing the importance of positive experiences and practices during a student's formative years of development. We are grateful for Dr. J.'s commitment and support at SFCS!
Virtual Learning During Hurricane Ian!
As the St. Francis community prepared for Hurricane Ian, we shifted to asynchronous virtual learning for the last two days of the week. Regardless of the wind and the rain, our students stayed committed to their learning! Gold stars for all of our students and their teachers who prepared the materials on short notice for continued learning.
VISUAL ARTS - 7th Grade
Navajo Sand Painting
The seventh grade studied the Navajo, an Indian tribe inhabiting parts of Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. They are the largest Native American group in the United States. The beautiful sand mandalas that were created for special ceremonies was the inspiration for this art form. The students created sand paintings that incorporate their own life experiences. You may view this artwork in the main school hallway and Fine Arts Building. A big Thank you to Mrs. Lori Taylor, for donating the pizza boxes that were used for the canvas!
A New Tradition.....8th Grade Crosses
The progression of the 8th grade crosses.....
The 8th grade class finished creating their crosses last week, just in time for the Feast Day Mass blessing on October 4. All of the crosses will be blessed and put on display for the remainder of the school year. The 8th graders will receive their cross and diploma during the graduation ceremony. We are excited about this new tradition for our 8th grade students! Thank you to Mrs. Lisa Kessinger and Mrs. Lisa Sweeney for collaborating in their Religion and Art classes, and working with Mrs. Smith on this project.
8th Grade Retreat
On Wednesday, the 8th grade class participated in an all day retreat, lead by the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team. The class participated in small group discussion, team-building games, lunch, worship, individual reflection, and prayer time.
2022-2023 Annual Fund
The annual fund is one of the most important gifts we ask of our St. Francis community. Gifts to the St. Francis Catholic School Annual Fund provide students access to opportunities that distinguish the SFCS educational, spiritual, and social experiences. Your gift to the SFCS Annual Fund today, will make an impact on the lives of many young people at our school.
Athletic Events This Week
10.3.22 -
4:00 p.m. Senior Girls Volleyball Game vs JPII (HOME)
5:00 p.m. Junior Girls Volleyball Game vs JPII (HOME)
10.4.22 -
4:00 p.m. Senior Girls Volleyball Game vs. Bridges (AWAY)
5:00 p.m. Junior Girls Volleyball Game vs. Bridges (AWAY)
5:00 p.m. Cross Country Meet at HHCA
10.6.22 -
4:00 p.m. Senior Girls Volleyball Game vs HHCA (HOME)
5:00 p.m. Junior Girls Home Volleyball Game vs HHCA (HOME)
SFCS Riding Team
A member of SFCS' Riding Team on the move!
PreK and Kindergarten Athletic Night!
The Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes enjoyed their first Athletic Night during a home Volleyball game on September 27. So much fun!
THANK YOU TO OUR BUSINESS SPONSORS SUPPORTING SFCS ATHLETICS!
FSA NEWS!
If you would like to be a part of the FSA community, please contact fsa.sfcs@gmail.com to learn how you may get involved!
Lowcountry Soiree's Date Change!
Due to Hurricane Ian, the FSA sponsored Lowcountry Soiree at Fishcamp, has been moved to October 21! Tickets are still available in the School Office, but space is limited. Join the fun and community during this social event, and pick up your tickets this week! If you had planned on attending, purchased your tickets, but now have a conflict with the date change, please contact Mrs. Kelly in the School Office.
SFCS VALUE CARD IS HERE!
ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
St. Francis Catholic School
Email: school@sfcshhi.com
Website: sfcshhi.com
Location: 45 Beach City Rd, HHI, SC 29926
Phone: 843-681-6501
Facebook: facebook.com/sfcshhi