SPRING EDITION 2020-2021
SAINT FRANCIS
Dear Saint Francis Families, On behalf of the staff at Saint Francis High School we wish you all a happy and blessed Easter. Lent at Saint Francis began with our Ash Wednesday classroom liturgies. As a community of faith, we have been asked to understand and accept our imperfections. We are called to focus on creating meaningful, purposeful, and lasting change to prepare for the resurrection of our saviour Jesus Christ. During Lent, our school community worked together to raise funds for the Calgary Catholic Diocese’s Mission Mexico project. We sold popcorn and pretzels to raise funds to support people living in the poorest region of Mexico. Together we help our brothers and sisters to have a better future, to sow hope among those who suffer. If you are able, please support these important charitable works. https://www.catholicyyc.ca/donatemissionmexico.html
The Mission Mexico Pretzel Making Crew!
This coming Thursday we will be live streaming our Stations of the Cross Holy Thursday Liturgy into our classrooms. We look forward to celebrating and preparing for Christ's resurrection with our staff, families, and students. Graduation—The coming months will be filled with anticipation for our upcoming graduation events. The initial graduation information letters have been mailed to our graduating students regarding payments, time and dates of all activities. Graduates and parents can expect a second communication following our Easter break with further details and explanations. You may also check our school website for up-to-date information at https://stfrancis.cssd.ab.ca/graduation. Report Cards—Students will be receiving report cards on Thursday, April 29, during their first class. We have adjusted the hours of our Parent/Teacher Conferences to best suit your accessibility to teachers. Parents are encouraged to book an appointment with teachers once the online Conference Manager becomes available. Parents will be notified of the dates and times via email. As well, information will be listed under the News section on our website. 2020/2021 Alberta Education Assurance (AEA) survey—We encourage parents to complete the online AEA survey using their mailed Random-Access Codes. Your feedback helps us to identify our areas of strength and where we can improve. Parents have until April 23, 2021 to complete the survey. https://public.education.alberta.ca/apos/ Summer School—Due to COVID-19, in-class summer school programing will not be offered at Saint Francis. The district has elected to host summer school programs online only. Please use the following link for more information. https://www.cssd.ab.ca/summerschool Lastly, I want to give a hearty thank you to our student volunteers who gave up their time to help clean up outside and around Saint Francis and our community. These students showed through their generosity and caring efforts what it means to be a Brown! Please, enjoy the newsletter and we wish everyone an enjoyable and restful upcoming Easter break. Mark Berger, Principal
A special thank you to School Council who does so much for the Saint Francis community and always makes our staff feel special and appreciated—it is truly a pleasure to work with you to ensure student success!
This year, as we journeyed through Lenten season, students were reminded to focus on the three pillars of the Lent: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Even though we are unable to gather in the Church, we were able to participate in Ash Wednesday and Holy Thursday Liturgies which were live streamed from the Chapel. Students were encouraged to think of small sacrifices they could make and the school took part in fasting by not offering meat on Fridays in our cafeteria. Our almsgiving focus this year were fundraising initiatives such as pretzel and popcorn sales in support of Mission Mexico. “Mission Mexico is an outreach by Catholics of Southern Alberta to some of Mexico's poorest people. Since its beginning, it has focused on school construction, literacy, health, housing, and micro-economic self-help projects. Mission Mexico serves the poor in La Montaña, a region in the State of Guerrero, Mexico.” (missionmexico.com) Through prayer, almsgiving and fasting we come to spiritual renewal as we approach the resurrection of Christ at Easter. The resurrection is an invitation to look around and see transformation. Human life is good but it will end. Each of us will pass through a physical death but Christ’s suffering reminds us that we are not alone. Christ’s triumph over death offers hope and meaning. As this pandemic has taught us, we cannot live without hope. As Christians, this hope is more than just a longing, more than just a vague metaphor for life after death. We are called to be the hope, to embody all that the resurrection has to offer us.
Please take a moment and view the Holy Thursday Liturgy video we celebrated as a school community https://vimeo.com/531412569/289664c738
Click the link for up-to-date Saint Francis calendar events! https://stfrancis.cssd.ab.ca/calendar
Saint Francis High School 877 Northmount Drive NW Calgary, AB T2L 0A3 Phone: 403-500-2026 st.francis@cssd.ab.ca https://www.cssd.ab.ca/schools/stfrancis
School fees are posted on student accounts, to access and make a payment please follow the link https://stfrancis.cssd.ab.ca/fees
Even though we are living through another year of COVID-19, the Saint Francis School Council is still active behind the scenes and it continues to support school activities and hold fundraisers. We look forward to returning to being fully involved in the next school year with all of the exciting events and activities that take place at Saint Francis High School! Textbook Rentals Parent volunteers helped the staff in the Learning Commons with textbook distribution in September and November. Due to the district safety measure of no longer allowing parent volunteers in the school, we have not been able to help with subsequent distribution periods. We are ready and willing to help if the policy changes for the April distribution and June textbook returns. Secretary Needed The Secretary position on School Council is vacant. If you are interested in filling this important role, please contact the School Council Chair. Fundraising We are so excited to host our Annual Spring Plant Fundraiser where we sell beautiful, locally-grown plants. Please share the link with your friends and family, share the joy that plants and flowers bring to our mental health and make your garden and our world a more beautiful place! ONLINE Order Forms are due May 12, and plants will be ready for pick-up on May 26. Throughout the school year School Council hosts four fundraisers to support school activities and needs. Other ways in which School Council fundraises include the ongoing fundraiser with Cobs Crowfoot and Papa John’s Pizza Night on May 20. Thank you for your continued support of Saint Francis!
Cntrl+Click for ONLINE order form
School Council Plant Fundraiser
The next School Council meeting will be online, Wednesday, April 21, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting link will be emailed to parents after Easter Break. The School Council Annual General Meeting will be May 12. We hope you can join us! Saint Francis School Council – Executive and Coordinators Chair - Mary Pat Senger stfrancis@schoolcouncil.cssd.ab.ca Vice-Chair – Monique Shaw Treasurer - Mara Marchesan Secretary – vacant Volunteer Coordinator – Kim Yablonski Plant Fundraiser Coordinator – Anita Wald Staff Appreciation Coordinator – Terri Daprocida Textbook Distribution Coordinator – Roberta Siegel Cobs Bread Dough Raiser—Please let the staff at Cobs Crowfoot location know you are with Saint Francis High School. Cobs will donate 5% of your purchase back to our school in June. It's a very easy way to support your school while enjoying delicious and high quality breads and treats. Crowfoot Corner Shopping Centre, #107, 150 Crowfoot Crescent N.W.
ONLINE Orders Only at www.papajohns.ca Arbour Lake, Panorama, Stadium (2134 Crowchild NW) locations ONLY! Use PROMO CODE: STF25 Save 25% off Regular Price Orders—Papa John’s donates 10% of net sales to Saint Francis. Treat yourself to a no-cooking night & support Saint Francis! It’s a delicious WIN-WIN evening!
International Languages Week took place from March 8 to 12. Although we were unable to run some of our annual events this year, students were able to participate in many activities celebrating language and culture. Each morning the day started with a prayer in one of the language programs taught at Saint Francis, French, Italian and Spanish. There were flags in the main foyer welcoming students and a large map of the world in the upstairs gathering area where students could mark their family’s country of origin. On Tuesday, we invited students to wear any clothing item that represented a country, including Canada. Participating students received a ballot to enter a draw for Tim Horton’s and McDonald’s gift cards. There were many smiling faces at the end of the day as winners collected their prizes. International Languages Week would not have been the same without food! Each day students had the opportunity to purchase many tasty international delights from the Culinary Arts kitchen. A big shout out to our amazing Culinary Arts student and staff for helping us celebrate. To end our festive international week we had a café and croissant day for our International Languages students. They were able to enjoy an authentic coffee or hot chocolate with a delicious chocolate croissant! We are fortunate to have so many cultures and languages represented in our school.
Our Spanish and Culture students celebrated our Languages International Week by creating Folk and Latin Dance routines and cultural facts from the Hispanic world to share with the school community. This presentation was recorded in a video "NUESTRA CULTURA" (Our Culture) that showcased these cultural samples and promoted the Mission Mexico initiative.
Thank you to our students who shared their great spirit and talents! Check them out at https://youtu.be/APCZO33M_tU
On February 23, the ESll class was one of sixteen schools in Alberta that entered the virtual Unified Bean Bag Toss Contest! We'd like to send a huge THANK YOU to Ms. Reece and her EAs who organized this bean bag toss event at Saint Francis and participated in this challenge! All teams were placed into one of two divisions: teams that made their own bean bag toss set up (the "DIY Division") or teams that used standard bean bag toss boards (the "BBT Board Division"). Although we did not win the contest we had a lot of FUN!
In February, St. Francis High School participated in the celebration and recognition of Black History Month. Our purpose was to embrace black culture, acknowledge the impact black culture has made to the world, and to recognize those before us who paved the way for freedom and liberation from those who had placed a target on our backs based on the color of our skin. Although focusing on our dark past is important to understand the importance of this month, we wanted to emphasize how black culture all around the world has made a huge impact on our lives today. Saint Francis High School BHM committee played music before and after classes, featuring https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ9WS0VJ-MzdG6YmpRiILOw black artists, both old and new. Such genres played included rap, afrobeat, reggae, jazz and R&B. Posters were put up around the school, recognizing Canadian black citizens who became successful and well known individuals who used their education and passions to make an impact to the music industry, sports field, and advocacy for the black community. Each week, two videos from former black Saint Francis alumni were posted on our YouTube channel, highlighting their experiences in our school and discussing important societal contributions of other black figures. Three times during the month, our Culinary Arts program prepared and served delightful regional dishes representing various black cultures. For the last three Fridays of the month, the BHM committee set up an open mic where talented students shared rapping, poems, and dancing, as well as music from published black artists. Students participated in a dress up day in support of BHM; all black clothing or black cultural attire was worn. We would like to thank all staff, students, and the school community for their support and recognition of this important month!
With Covid restrictions and social distancing, we aspired to find new ways to promote and build a sense of community and school spirit. Here are our events and activities. Lenten Message 2021: A Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Love. Lent is the season for renewing our connection with Christ, living God’s Word, and sharing with our neighbors. The theme chosen this year is: Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18). Lent: A Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Love. Pope Francis encourages us to “…remember the One who “humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8), …to renew our faith, draw from the “living water” of hope, and receive with open hearts the love of God, who makes us brothers and sisters in Christ.“ He counselled that Lent is a time for believing, for welcoming God into our lives and allowing him to “make his dwelling” among us (cf. Jn 14:23). He invites the faithful to draw from the “living water” of hope and receive with open hearts the love of God. The Lenten practices of fasting, almsgiving and prayer is what enables our conversion. The path of poverty and self-denial (fasting), concern and loving care for the poor (almsgiving), and dialogue with the Father (prayer) make it possible for us to live lives of sincere faith, living hope and effective charity. We began our Lenten journey by daily encouraging the Saint Francis community to Fast from something and Feast on something else. For example: Fast from gossip, Feast on words that support. These daily challenges remind us to turn away from negativity that weighs us down and promote actions that inspire hope. In these uncertain times with the continued restrictions of Covid, Lent is a time of renewal. A time to spread hope, to show concern for others, to be compassionate and to share in the love of Christ. March Spirit Week Student Council planned activities for the week of March 15-18th. Students showed their school spirit by participating in the daily themes.
Student Council Election Once again, the Student Council Election process has begun. Students are being encouraged to run for the executive offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. Elections will be held after Easter holidays.
SFI 51 would be like no other….no, not celebrating a Saint Francis victory, something that hasn’t been done since 1979 (when Mr. Stappler was 2 years old and Mr. Ferrero wasn’t even born!). No, SFI 51 would not be competed for – something that hasn’t happened since 1970 (the year before the epic tournament began)! In the wake of COVID-19, the Saint Francis school community would not let SFI 51 drift by without being recognized. So, with the help of many staff members we conducted the first ever SFI T-shirt design student contest. Only one week later 18,submissions from 17 talented students came in celebrating SFI 51 in the form of a T-shirt design to be voted on. Another week later and over 500 votes came pouring in to reveal our winner! Students then had the opportunity to pre-order their SFI 51 T-shirt leading up to Easter break!
In STEAM 20 this quarter, we have experienced the Physics 20 course in a very hands-on manner. Through the integration of computer science and design studies, we are challenged to design and test labs to explore the concepts learned in Physics 20. Using Computer Science or Design Studies, we have access to a wide range of tools, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and robotics kits, to design and create tools with the purpose of gathering data to answer questions based on what is learned in Physics. We have been busy building large tracks for golf balls to explore kinematics, designed pendulums to learn about waves, and using nerf guns we have researched projectile motion. Any students who enjoys handson activities and are keen to learn in a different environment will find that this course is perfect for them. Ctrl + Click
-Sebastian Vonkeman and Dawson Becker
Several universities have been offering zoom meetings to accepted and prospective students and at least 150 of our students have participated in these events. Most of the meetings have been recorded and can be accessed on the university websites or through the recruiters. Students can get more information if they require it. Scholarship information is available under the admin course that students are registered in. Grade 10s interested in any of the dual credit programs should see Mrs. Campbell in Student Services. Twitter – follow @SFGuidanceCCSD for up-to-date information!
Office Hours:
8:30—4:00 Monday—Thursday 8:30—2:00 Friday
Office Assistant: Peggy Pilon, Ext. 346
peggy.pilon@cssd.ab.ca
COUNSELLORS: Coralie Bedier, , Ext. 345 coralie.bedier@cssd.ab.ca Coordinating Teacher Marc Osenton, Ext. 347 marc.osenton@cssd.ab.ca Rob Schrauth, Ext. 344 rob.schrauth@cssd.ab.ca Karen Wadson, Ext 348 karen.wadson@cssd.ab.ca Carolyn Campbell, Ext. 349 carolyn.campbell@cssd.ab.ca Career Practitioner (Wed.—Fri. only)
Summer Work Experience Program • Are you planning to work, either part time or full time, this summer? • Are you volunteering at a summer camp or program this summer? • Did you know that the hours you work or volunteer can help you earn credits towards your High School Diploma? As part of the Off-Campus program, worksites are approved, students are evaluated and a teacher supervises the students’ experience. Students involved in the program have the opportunity to: • Earn high school credits (1 credit for every 25 hours worked, with a minimum 75 hours worked). • Acquire the skills and work habits needed to succeed after high school. Credits can be earned in the following courses: HCS 3000: Workplace Safety Systems (1 CTS credit) Work Experience 15, 25 or 35 (3 – 10 credits per course) Career Internship 10 (3 – 5 credits). Of these credits, a total of 21 (1 CTS and 20 Work Experience) credits can be used toward the 100 credits required for a High School diploma. Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) - Is a career in the Trades something you might want to explore? RAP can help you “test drive” a trade to see if it is a career possibility for you. Working with Careers: the Next Generation, we find employers that are interested in hiring students for the summer. These are paid, full time summer positions and enable a student to earn credits based on the hours worked. Interested students will have to fill out a formal application and interview with the employer. This is a competitive process and students are not guaranteed a position. Applications are available on your D2L homepage under “District Academic Programs”. As part of the application students will need to include a cover letter, resume and a teacher recommendation. Careers: the Next Generation is also presenting the following virtual showcases to help students explore other career paths and connect with local industry experts. They will help students learn about a variety of career paths in the skilled trades and technologies. You will see a day in the life of these occupations, get a live tour of the work environments and learn about the post-secondary requirements. • Cook/Culinary: April 15 • Information & Communications Technology: April 27 • Sheet Metal Worker: May 12 All showcases are free and run from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Go to www.careersnextgen.ca/virtual for registration and more information. For more information on the Off-Campus programs offered by CCSD, please visit: Please note that in order to enroll in https://www.cssd.ab.ca/off-campus-education any Off-Campus program, students must have first completed the CTS Or contact your Off-Campus Teacher: course, HCS 3000: Workplace Safety Mr. Don Buckie Systems. Cell; 403 – 880 – 1711, E-mail: don.buckie@cssd.ab.ca • • •
Mrs. Carolyn Campbell is the Career Practitioner for St. Francis, St. Timothy and St. Martin de Porres High Schools. Email: St. Timothy Hours: St. Martin Hours: Saint Francis Hours:
carolyn.campbell@cssd.ab.ca Every second Monday – Student Services Every Tuesday – Chaplain’s Office Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and alternating Mondays – Student Services
The Career Practitioner is available to assist students with
• • • • • • •
Career Planning – What would you like to do after high school? Self Assessment – Interests, Skills, Values and Personality Post Secondary Exploration Occupational Research Job Search - Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviews Volunteer Opportunities Off Campus and Summer Program support and assistance
What is Career Planning? Career planning is a unique life long process for each person. Your Career Practitioner will work with you to learn more about how your interests, skills, values and personality impact your choice of career direction. It is an active process that students begin in their Career and Life Management class and continues with meetings with your Career Practitioner and your Student Services counselor. You will be making career decisions throughout your life. Does the Career Centre offer Career Tests and Assessments? Any “career tests” are tools for students to learn more about themselves and potential careers that may be of interest to them. The “tests” are designed to provide career suggestions for exploration but there is no test that will tell a student what they should choose as a career. The goal is for the students to learn as much as they can about themselves and the careers that are available so they themselves can make an informed decision about their first step after high school. Will the Career Centre find me a job? We do everything we can to give students the tools to find their own jobs. That may mean assisting students with creating a resume and cover letter, doing practice job interviews and talking about job-search skills. Can I get High School credits for my part-time job or volunteer work? Yes, you can! You must see Mr. Buckie, Off Campus Teacher. POST SECONDARY INFORMATION AND DEADLINES: Post Secondary deadlines vary by institution. For students interested in attending a post secondary program for the fall of 2021, applications should be submitted as soon as possible. Some post secondaries have already closed their applications while some have closed their applications for specific programs. Check the post secondary website or contact your counsellor if you have questions. SAIT—Check their website to find out about upcoming Information Sessions for their programs. Some programs are still accepting applications for the fall of 2021. https://www.sait.ca/event-calendar UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE—The University of Lethbridge continues to accept applications for their programs for the fall of 2021. https://www.uleth.ca/ BOW VALLEY COLLEGE—Some programs are still accepting applications for the fall of 2021. https://bowvalleycollege.ca/about/events ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY—St. Mary’s University in South Calgary is still accepting applications for the fall 2021. There will be a Virtual Open House on May 12 from 6–8 PM. https://www.stmu.ca/event/may-2021-open-house/ CAREER WEBSITES TO EXPLORE: www.alis.alberta.ca—This website provides excellent information about job search, occupation descriptions, career planning, post secondary planning and more. www.alis.alberta.ca/occinfo—Great job descriptions. www.alis.alberta.ca/careerinsite—This is a Career Planning website. The 4 steps of Career Planning are introduced. Students can complete 7 self assessment quizzes to assist them to learn more about themselves to improve career and post secondary decision making. www.careercruising.com—Email Mrs. Campbell at Carolyn.campbell@cssd.ab.ca to obtain User Name and Password. Excellent career information is available along with a thorough Interest Survey – Matchmaker.
OFF CAMPUS PROGRAMS DUAL CREDIT PROGRAMS: Dual credit programs enable high school students to obtain post secondary credits and high school credits at the same time. The Calgary Catholic School District may be offering Dual Credit programs in the following areas for the fall of 2021. Veterinary Technical Assistant (Olds College) Business Management 2000—Online Pharmacy Assistant (SAIT) Health Care Essentials (SAIT) Health Care Essentials (SAIT) Pre-employment Carpentry (SAIT) TBA Pre-employment Welding (SAIT) TBA Pre-employment Pipe Trades (SAIT) TBA
Fall 2021 Fall 2021 Fall 2021 Fall 2021 February 2022 Fall 2021 Fall 2021 Fall 2021
(2 Years) (1 Course) (1 Year) (1 Semester) (1 Semester) (1 Year) (1 Semester) (1 Semester)
Info Session—April 14, 6:30-7:30 PM Info Session—April 22, 6:00-7:00 PM Info Session—April 28, 6:00–7:00 PM Info Session—April 29, 6:00–7:00 PM Info Session—May 4 or 5, time TBA
Check D2L on the Overview for the Student/Parent Information Session Zoom Links. Students interested in Dual Credit programs should complete the “EXPRESSION OF INTEREST” form on D2L under District Academic Programs. Please read the information about the program of interest carefully to review the program requirements. If there are questions, please email Don.buckie@cssd.ab.ca (Off Campus Teacher) or Carolyn.campbell@cssd.ab.ca (Career Practitioner). All students applying for Dual Credit Certificate programs must complete HCS 3000 – Workplace Safety Systems, the Dual Credit Application form, a resume and cover letter. Please book an appointment with Mrs. Campbell for assistance with your resume and cover letter. Students are encouraged to apply earlier to ensure their application meets the deadline. All applications must be submitted to the Off Campus Teacher or Career Practitioner. FINAL DUE DATE is May 12. SUMMER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM READY PROGRAM—The Alberta Children’s Hospital, Foothills Medical Centre and Peter Lougheed Centre offer a youth volunteer program called READY (Red Thread Engaging and Developing Youth) for Grade 10 and 11 students. This is a 14 month commitment beginning in July of 2021. Applications are being accepted from February 3 to April 15, 2021. Apply on line to the location easiest to get to. Interested student may to pick up an information sheet in Student Services or email Mrs. Campbell with questions. Foothills Medical Centre http://bit.ly/AHSFMCApp Albert Children’s Hospital http://bit.ly/AHSACHMVP Peter Lougheed Centre http://bit.ly/AHSPLCApp CAREERS—THE NEXT GENERATION: REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM: “Try a Trade” for 6 weeks in the summer. Check out the requirements on D2L—District Academic Programs. See Mr. Buckie, Off Campus Teacher, if you have questions. For assistance with the resume and cover letter, please see Mrs. Campbell. Apply as soon as possible if you wish to be considered. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM (ICT) - Technology is an important ingredient in our day to day lives and should be a tool for social development. Get connected and design your own exciting future in ICT. The world is constantly changing with technology, and technology is constantly changing the world. Be a part of it or better yet, become the one leading the way! Career options include: Social Media and Communications, IT Maintenance, Junior Programming, Quality Control Testing, Hardware Engineering, Software Developer and more. Summer opportunities are available through Careers, the Next Generation. Students are required to complete an application, resume and cover letter. Students are encouraged to apply asap. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Campbell, Career Practitioner or Mr. Buckie, Off Campus Teacher. Application: https://www.careersnextgen.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ICT-Student-Application-Form.pdf INTERESTED IN OCCUPATIONS IN THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY? CAREERS: The Next Generation (CNG) is offering a virtual information session to learn about the opportunities available through the new Agriculture Internship Program. Find out information on occupational pathways in agriculture and learn how to apply for the CNG internships. Find a paid internship in the agriculture industry that also earns you high school credits. CNG is planning an Agricultural Showcase March 23 (Registration TBA). Ask questions of potential employers. Hear what the companies offering CNG internship opportunities look for in students looking to get started within their industry and company. Engage in work integrated learning opportunities for the Summer of 2021!
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The Saint Francis music ensembles are ramping up the practice in preparation for our Virtual Spring Concert! Thanks to the special bell covers and playing masks designed by the St. Francis Music Society the band program has continued to play and prepare for the upcoming competition season. Many thanks go out to the parents, students and community members who have supported us throughout this difficult year and enabled the band program to continue playing music at Saint Francis! “Celebrate Spring a Virtual Concert of Hope” will be live streamed by Jaxon Pham on May 12 starting at 5:00pm! This event will be live streamed on the music programs YouTube channel. Please join us from the comfort of your homes for an evening of bands, choirs, and community!
SFHS YouTube MUSIC CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCezxdMEPnric7pQiWX9V-ng UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS: March 31—April 26 Gourmet SOUP FUNDRAISER Please see the Music Society website www.saintfrancismusic.com for ordering, payment and pick-up details.
Saturday, May 1—SFHS Music Bottle Drive - BRING YOUR BOTTLES! Collection will take place in the Saint Francis Parking Lot from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The concert Band is looking to perform a few Field Concerts in May and early June with weather permitting. WE are hoping to walk to nearby schools to perform in the school field. More to come on this!
Important Dates March 31-April 26 Gourmet Soup Fundraiser April 16th Virtual Spring Concert Recording Part 1 (MAIN GYM marching charts 2:00-3:30p.m.) April 27th Jazz Band Recording for the Virtual Spring Concert (band room 7:45a.m. - 10%) April 30th Music fest Nationals VIRTUAL COMPETITION and Virtual Spring Concert Recording Part 2 (Cafeteria 2:00-4:00p.m.) May 4th Jazz Choir Recording for the Virtual Spring Concert (choir room 8:00a.m. - 10%) May 7th Adjudication with band in band room - National Music festival on ZOOM (2:15-3:15p.m.) May 1st SFHS Music Bottle Drive - BRING YOUR BOTTLES! SFHS PARKING LOT! (9:30a.m.-1:00p.m.) May 12th Virtual Concert Live Stream (5:00p.m.) TBD Field Concerts at St. Margaret and other close by schools - MORE TO COME June 11th Instrument Return TBA Uniform return and parent volunteer dry cleaning prep
Things haven’t slowed down in the drama department at Saint Francis, even though COVID-19 has come into the picture. The Musical Theatre class has been hard at work, putting together a full musical review in only a few months. You may be wondering, how is this even possible? Won’t COVID-19 cancel the production? Nope! It’s been a little different then past years of course, but this was all to be expected. We have to sing and dance socially distanced for one thing, and our many teachers from across the Calgary community cannot come in the building to teach us. Not to mention our entire production will have to be filmed and watched from our own homes rather than performed live. These are only a few of the many changes we have made to make this show a reality. Despite everything, our entire class has found ways to move forward with the project. Our incredible pianist Bruce has been working with us over zoom to teach our music and record all our music tracks, and the talented Lisa Ryan has been choreographing everything from home. We have been blessed with the help of Ms. Doane, our student teacher, who has choreographed some stellar dances, and cleans up our harmonies to perfection. Not to mention the incredible Mrs. DL who found a way to make everything happen! All of this has set us well on our way to having another annual musical theatre show, filmed and ready to be watched from the pleasure of your home. After everything we have been through, it doesn’t surprise me how committed and innovative the community at Saint Francis is. Even in the most challenging situations, there is nothing the Browns cannot handle. I’m very glad that in a world where the arts community has gone dark, Mrs. DL has given us all a creative spark! Daniella Snyder-Blok
Drama/Dance - Students enjoyed filming our musical/ dance interpretation of the prologue of Romeo and Juliet with cast and crew of R & J and film maker, Arran Brownlee. The film will be released in mid-May and will be included as part of the East Side Dance Festival 2021—an online festival of dance made in Calgary High Schools this year.
Saint Francis Grade 12 students Christopher Tandyo and Jaxon Hirtle were finalists in the very prestigious Alberta University of the Arts competition ShowOff!. While neither Christopher nor Jaxon won the competition they should be very proud of their efforts. The AUArts offers Grade 10, 11 and 12 students from across Canada the opportunity to win mega prizes and showcase their art and design work in the 2021 Alberta University of the Arts ShowOff! art competition and virtual exhibition. Congratulations to Christopher and Jaxon for competing again some of Canada’s most talented young artists and representing Saint Francis.
Remember to return all textbooks by April 16 New Quarter starts April 21 – Bring your VID for textbook Checkout
Bus Pass Scanning in the Learning Common
http://urstore.ca/schools/ca/alberta/calgary/ saint-francis-high-school-browns-apparel
POWERSCHOOL: PARENT VIEW Parents have quick and easy access to view attendance records, report card marks, and grade history. You must have two pieces of information to create an account. Your child’s Calgary Catholic School District ID number (6 or 7 digit number) and your child’s birthday with month, day, and year. (example: Jan 8, 1996 must be typed as follows: 181996 (month/day/year).
Go to Saint Francis Website https://www.cssd.ab.ca/schools/stfrancis click on “Parent View” https://sis.cssd.ab.ca/public/ click “Create Account” / Follow steps