PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE DEAR ST. FRANCIS COMMUNITY, We are so thankful for the support of our community, the community we have so desperately missed being with and the community that has allowed us to welcome back your daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and sisters for the 2021-22 school year. This Statement of Community Support edition of our Pax et Bonum magazine is a tribute to the generosity, love and loyalty of the greater St. Francis community, which has allowed us to remain mission-focused, even as we continue to navigate the challenges of COVID. Last year was our 80th anniversary year. Since we were unable to celebrate in true St. Francis style, we will continue to honor this milestone throughout this school year and seek out opportunities for connection, community and celebration. In this edition, we also celebrate the Class of 2021 who we were able to honor in such a beautiful and unique way after the challenges of distance and hybrid learning protocols during their senior year. We are so proud of our Simbas! While we were challenged with photo opportunities throughout the year, our outdoor Baccalaureate Mass and Graduation ceremony were something to behold. We hope you will enjoy our graduates’ words of wisdom, encouragement and inspiration. In spite of our many challenges, we continue to see expanded opportunities for young women to attend St. Francis Catholic High School and become part of this unique faith community. We remain committed to expanding tuition assistance; this past school year we awarded nearly $2 million in tuition assistance to our students. Along with providing more financial support, we continue with plans to expand our campus and provide more program offerings. Our 2021-22 school year theme is “Inseparable Companions: Truth, Justice and Mercy.” Indeed, we are companions on a journey, and we look forward to seeing you on campus this year. Our annual Crab Feed and Revelry Auction, which we hosted virtually last year, are being planned for in-person events this year. We also look forward to continuing to welcome our alumnae community back to campus, first for the homecoming rally (October 1) and again in the spring to share their professional lives with our current students on Career Day (March 11, 2022). We thank you for the impact you have made on the lives of those who walk our campus each day. It is through your generosity that the community of St. Francis continues its mission of empowering the next generation of women to go out and change the world - and that’s definitely something worth celebrating! In the spirit of Pax et Bonum,
Theresa Rodgers 4
