Dear Academy Families,

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams.
Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential.
— St. Pope John XXIII

I don’t know about you, but I am more than ready to be done with the winter cold! It’s so refreshing to see the days growing longer, and we can’t help but look forward to the warmth and renewal of Spring.

As we approach this weekend's Groundhog Day, a lighthearted tradition, let us take a moment to reflect on the deeper spiritual lessons it can offer. Groundhog Day reminds us that even in the shadows, there is always a promise of light. As Catholics, we hold fast to the belief that no matter how long or dark the winters of our lives may feel, the light of Christ always breaks through. The anticipation of shadows and sunlight on this day mirrors the hope and faith we are called to embrace in our own lives.

Take a moment to reflect on your own "shadows"—moments of doubt, fear, or uncertainty. Just as the groundhog’s shadow is fleeting, so too are our challenges. With faith, like the sun warming the earth, we can overcome even the darkest moments and embrace new opportunities for growth and renewal.

May this Groundhog Day remind us that, in our journey of faith, even the smallest shadows can give

way to grace and light.

Here’s hoping the groundhog skips his shadow this year—Spring will be here before we know it!

A huge thank you to Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Watson, and Mrs. Dwyer for their incredible work in coordinating and running the Lucky Lads and Ladies Bowling Night last week. Their dedication, time, and effort truly made the event a wonderful experience for our students and families. We look forward to the month of May when our girls have their sweetheart dance with the special gentlemen in their lives.

Dr. Scharbach
Principal

Now, onto a few important updates for next week…

As part of our Twisted Tuesday during Catholic Schools Week we're excited to treat all our students to a special snack! Every student will receive a delicious twisted pretzel from the Philadelphia Pretzel Factory during lunch.

If you haven't filled out a form for your child yet fill out the form below before Tuesday 2/4.

St Francis de Sales Catholic Academy’s administration and staff are already looking ahead and making plans for next school year. In preparation for the start of 2025-2026, please take time now to complete your child’s re-enrollment for next year. This form is due on Friday, January 31st, and the $200 re-registration fee per student is due on Sunday, February 24th.

To Re-Register, please follow the steps below:

1) Please go to www.factsmgt.com

2) Select Parent Log In from the menu bar and FACTS Family Portal from the drop-down menu.

3) Type in your username and password. If you have forgotten your username or password, please click on the link provided.

4) After logging in, click on Apply/Enroll in the left menu.

5) Click on the Enrollment/Reenrollment link.

6) Our Online Enrollment system will open with a link to the enrollment packet. The online process should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your information will be saved if you need to quit and come back later. All re-registration fees will be paid via the FACTS Tuition portal. All fees will be due on February 24, 2025. If you have your account set to automatic withdrawal the fees will come out of your account 2-3 business days before.

If you have any questions about the process, please contact Mrs. Kenny at 718-634-2775 or ckenny@stfrancisschoolbh.net.

A random act of kindness, no matter how big or small, can make a HUGE difference in the lives of others. The National Junior Honor Society of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy will be running a program called “Carnation Kindness.”

They will be visiting the Residents of the Beacon Rehabilitation Center, right here in Rockaway Park, on 2/13 to deliver carnations to the residents and staff as a surprise, a random act of kindness. Their goal is to deliver 200 carnations so that ALL the residents and staff receive a little bit of love that day.

If you would like to participate, the donated cost is $5.00 Please submit your donation to your child’s teacher in an envelope with the EXACT amount and your name on it by Friday February 7. Orders for the flowers need to be submitted by then to ensure we get the correct amount for the Residents and Staff at the Beacon.

We appreciate all your support.

Please note that all families that have a sibling (brother/sister) and filled out the intent form to register for the next school year have received an email with a link to the registration portal for the 2025-2026 school year. Please complete this application as soon as possible, yet no later then March 3rd as the general public will be able to apply starting on 2/7/25.

This Sunday, February 4th, St. Francis de Sales Parish will be having their monthly Family Mass at 10:00AM. There will be light fellowship afterwards with juice and munchkins for the children.

In the next few months, we will be celebrating the graduation of the Class of 2025. As we celebrate that occasion, we also would like to kick off the Class of 2026 with a tradition that we have here at the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy, a Class Ring/Pin ceremony. The class ring is a symbol of school-wide pride and a reminder of their academic achievement.

A collection box will be in our front lobby from Monday 2/3-2/28. Help support Ronald McDonald House Charities. Ronald McDonald House New York provides families of children with cancer and other serious illnesses a strong, caring and seamless circle of support.

Futures in Education is proud to provide partial tuition assistance for families demonstrating financial need, and who meet eligibility requirements, to attend a Catholic academy or school in Brooklyn or Queens. We are also a proud partner with Children’s Scholarship Fund, which administers the Teddy J. Forstmann and Bishop’s Scholarship programs.

Families requesting tuition assistance must complete a financial aid application with Futures in Education through our third-party vendor, FACTS AND submit supporting documentation, which will be used to verify all application responses.

Families can visit the Futures’ website at: https://futuresineducation.org/scholarships/ to apply.

Priority awarding and other important information:

• March 31, 2025 – Priority awarding for returning families who have completed applications by this date.
• April 30, 2025 – Priority awarding for all applications completed by this date.
• Awarding will begin May 1st and will continue on a rolling basis for eligible families until funding is exhausted.
• Returning parents should log into their existing Facts account to reapply using the email they used in the previous year.
• New families (and anyone not previously awarded) should apply with the link above.

Important: Teddy Forstmann Applications Open in February! (This is for returning Teddy Forstmann students only).

• Students who received a Teddy Forstmann award in previous years must only apply with Childrens Scholarship Fund (CSF).
• CSF will send emails directly to returning TF families in February with a link inviting them to re-apply.
• Teddy Forstmann families should NOT apply through Futures/FACTS and must not have two applications.

The time of year has come to submit your yearbook ads! All ads are due by Wednesday, February 12th. Ads may only be submitted as a JPEG file or a hard copy (paper submission). The yearbook platform does not support PDFs and Word Documents, therefore they cannot be accepted. We recommend using Canva to create your JPEG ad if you do not know how to do so, as this platform allows you to save your ad directly as a JPEG. Directions for using Canva are provided.

Please read the directions carefully (please see the document below), as there are specific dimensions for each ad size and specific information that needs to be included in the email submissions. Ads may be paid for using a check or Venmo. If choosing to pay via Venmo, please follow all directions carefully.

Please see the attached PDF with any family and friends who wish to submit a yearbook ad. If you have any questions please email yearbook@stfrancisschoolbh.net.

Thank you,

Danielle Farragher

Yearbook Moderator

Come and see our brand new online school store. We have some great items with our school name and Franny, our Mascot.

Choose your own designs! These are great items to wear on dress-down days, weekends, Blue and Gold Day, or just around the house.

Great brands (Nike, North Face, Under Armor, Puma, and more) and great quality. All orders are shipped directly to your home.

The sacrament of Reconciliation for our 2nd graders from Blessed Trinity will be celebrated on Saturday 2/8 at 11am. We will keep you all in our thoughts and prayers as you continue on your spiritual journey and prepare for receiving the Eucharist for the first time.

Just a reminder that from February 17th-February 21st St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy will be closed for Mid-Winter Recess.

Saved the Date- Friday May 16th as we invite the girls of our school to have their Sweetheart (Dad, Uncle, Grandfather, etc) join them for a special night out. More information to follow in April.

St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy

Asst. Principal: Mrs. Maureen Hayes

Email: admin@stfrancisschoolbh.net
Website: https://stfrancisacademybh.org/
Location: 219 Beach 129 Street Belle Harbor, NY 11694
Phone: (718) 634-2775
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFDSCA