St. Francis de Sales High School is expanding its educational program to include seventh- and eighth-grade boys.
With the permission of Bishop Daniel E. Thomas and the approval of the school’s board of trustees at its December meeting, St. Francis will offer enrollment to these younger students beginning with the 2015-16 school year.
Over the past several years, St. Francis has received an increased number of requests from current and prospective parents to offer these grades in concert with the school’s mission of providing a Catholic, college preparatory and Salesian education.
“In response to this demand, the Salesian emphasis on communitybuilding and friendship favors the college preparatory school model with six grades, 7-12, as opposed to a separate middle school or academy,” President-elect Father Geoff Rose said in a news release.
“There is a practice in education today to accelerate students; the addition of seventh- and eighth-grade students to St. Francis will enable them to take full advantage of the high school’s advanced offerings,” Rose said. “Providing access at an earlier age to these resources is consistent with the mission of St. Francis de Sales High School, where acceleration is already a reality as evidenced by having the area’s strongest AP program and the only dual enrollment program with the University of Toledo.”
The accelerated curriculum for the seventh and eighth grades will include a number of advanced classes to be taken for high school credit, some of which will be integrated with classes at the high school freshman or sophomore levels. Students will follow the same eight-period school day as the high school, including seven academic periods, homeroom and lunch.
The admissions process will focus on accepting students with a sound academic background who show the potential and motivation necessary to succeed in an accelerated environment.
Principal Eric Smola said, “The addition of seventh and eighth grades extends our ability to transform adolescents into outstanding Christian gentlemen. In addition, our ability to grant high school credit for middle grade students will afford them increased possibilities at the high school level.”
In addition to academics, a number of co-curricular activities will be offered to the students. These will include sports offered through the Catholic Youth Organization program, academic activities such as Power of the Pen, arts offerings in the areas of band and choir, and clubs such as robotics and yearbook.
James Neary, who teaches AP Economics and coaches varsity crosscountry at St. Francis, will become the seventh- and eighth-grade dean.
“Our school community is excited to welcome new students and share with them our passion for Salesian spirituality and education excellence as well as their physical and social development into Christian gentlemen,” Neary said in the news release.
There will be information nights for interested families at the school at 7 p.m. both Jan. 29 and Feb. 19.
More information can be found on the website at www.sfstoledo.org or by contacting Smola at (419) 531- 1618 or esmola@sfstoledo.org.
