The Knight Light - May 2026

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Kindergarten
As this school year comes to an end, we reflect on how quickly the months have passed and gratefully acknowledge what a privilege it has been to teach these very special children. The boys and girls have worked very hard this year in kindergarten, we are proud of each and every one of them! The students have diligently remembered so many of the SFDS Life Skills; effort-in trying their best, initiative, by doing what needed to be done, as well as growing in their commitment to, and understanding of the St. Francis de Sales School-wide Learning Expectations.
Our year working with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd religion studies has been joyfully rewarding and continues to leave us humbled by the profound influence this invaluable curriculum has on boys and girls. As the children work in the Atrium each week, we witness the building of their personal relationship with God and each child forming their own way of expressing their faith.
The boys and girls enjoyed a close and fulfilling relationship with each other. Truly living the St. Francis Life Skill of friendship, making, and keeping friends through mutual trust and caring; we know the children will forever remember the many special times spent together.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Earth Day Projects! Your projects were so creative! Congratulations to our winners: First place Nova Meehan, Second place Amethyst Gonzalez and Third place Kayen Silva. Wonderful job! We are so proud of you!
Also, we are proud of all our students for the wonderful stories they wrote and illustrated for the PBS Go Writers Contest this year. Well done everyone! Congratulations to our winner James Denton.
A big thank you to Mr. Davis for such a wonderful performance. The children sang so beautifully, and their parents were so proud!
We appreciate all the parents and students who enthusiastically participated in the Fun Run, helping us reach three of our goals, a fantastic achievement that we celebrated with a free dress day, extra success, dance and dressed as our favorite characters, Thank you so much for your support!
This year’s May Crowning was truly beautiful; the singing and prayerful reverence is always an inspiration. The boys’ and girls’ hearts are always filled with love for our Mother Mary. We know she continues to intercede and watch over us all.
Once again, the St. Francis de Sales Field Day was a huge success. The snacks were so yummy, and the games were great fun! The kindergarteners enthusiastically spent the day happily playing together, enjoying each other’s company, and cheering each other on!
Many thanks, also, to all our Kindergarten parents for their willingness to help whenever we asked throughout this year, most importantly by supporting their child’s learning with conscientious reinforcement at home.
Students of the Month
Melanie Garcia and Kayen Silva
Scrip Purchases
None
Our sincere good wishes for a happy, relaxing summer; and until we gratefully gather again in the fall, rest in the comfort and peace of God’s ever-present love.
Bless you all,
Mrs. Wilske and Mrs. O’Sullivan💕
First Grade
It’s hard to believe that we are nearing the end of our First-Grade adventure. I am grateful for your continued support, kind words, and dedication. As our year together and my career of 45 spectacular years in education come to a closure, please know how much your families mean to me. I will miss you. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. God bless all of you.
We have already learned so much this year! The month of May is filled with educational lessons, community events, and traditions that we all treasure! We shared Mass and reading with our Prayer Pals. They have been an inspiration to us. Field Day activities, the Fun Run, and Spring Concert are enjoyed by all of us! The May Crowning is a joyous way to honor our Blessed Mother.
In The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium, we learned about Holy Week, Easter, parables, the Paschal candle, and Pentecost. Our Life Skill and Ethics lessons remind us of the examples that Jesus taught. Conflict Resolution and Social Justice lessons continue to assist us in reviewing appropriate, kind behavior and following The Golden Rule.
Scripture and literature stories are help us make connections to our Life Skills. Favorite books that make life skills real to us are: The Last One In is a Rotten Egg! (Patience), Thunder Cakes (Courage), Stephanie’s Ponytail and Tops and Bottoms (Sense of Humor and Common Sense), Helen Keller (Perseverance), The Name Jars (Social Justice).
Thank you for your donations to our Mission Project. We collected $1075.00 for Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation thanks to your generosity. What a wonderful way for us to live the Gospel message (Matthew 25) and our School wide Learning Expectations (demonstrating a spirit of service)! Thank you for your generous support of the FUN RUN! First Grade won first place in the most classroom donations and Nora won first place in having the most donations schoolwide.
We enjoyed exploring IPad activities! We love Freckle, IXL, and Seesaw! Our Math skills are expanding our knowledge of 2-digit addition and subtraction, geometry, fractions, money, and time. Social Studies lessons taught us about cultures, traditions, and maps. We learned about weather, seasons, and creation in Science. Our class loves our exploration with Generation Genius.
As we continue to practice the writing process with the Jane Schaffer method, our skills continue to increase. We worked hard on our PBS stories. Congratulations to our First-Grade finalist, Amara.
The Accelerated Reading Program helped us improve comprehension! During the spring AR points continue to soar as we work toward meeting our new reading goals. Our class has taken over 1450 AR quizzes with an average reading level of 2.0 (Second Grade). Congratulations! Keep reading. Since the last newsletter, the following students have earned awards:
Independent Reader (10 points) or more: Anya Mack
Super Reader (15 points) or more – Leomar Ramirez, Jordan Delgado, Madeline O’Donnell, Francesco Abboud, Cairo Ramos, Anahlyn Rosas-Sanchez, and Amara Cano
Advanced Reader (20 points) or more – Max Ibarra, Olivia Groves, Rylee Porucznik, Ashley St. James, and Julie Vasquez-Castillo
Above 25 points: Kate Blackwood, Layla Cabanillas, Nora Caruolo, David Feesago, Max Ibarra
Above 30 points: Brennen Soriano, Antonio Martinez, Anahi Margarito, Gia Medallo, Aspen Pascual, Belen Salgado, Zoey Lacson-Dizon
Above 40 points: Princeton Marstellar
Students of the Month
Amara Cano and Olivia Groves
Scrip Purchases
Classroom and art supplies, new dry erase slates and markers, caterpillars, treats and Multi-cultural week and Mother’s Day.
It is a blessing teaching every one of my students. I am proud of you all. Many thanks to our spectacular room parents, Mrs. Cano and Mr. Marstellar. Additionally, we appreciate all the dedicated First Grade parents for helping us make this a terrific year!
Have a wonderful summer! Please remember to practice those math facts and read this summer.
💕Mrs. Kelly Thomas
Second Grade
The end of the year is here, and I cannot believe how fast the time flew! From Meet Your Teacher and Terra Nova Testing in the beginning of the year to First Communion and Field Day, we have had the best year! This year has been filled with so much learning, wonderful memories to cherish, and friendships that will continue to blossom. Each child in my classroom has worked hard and I could not be any prouder of them. Their independence in learning has grown so much. They have transitioned from learning to read to reading to learn. Here we come, Third Grade!
Here is what we have been working on and learning in the last two months of school!
In Math, we just finished our chapter on counting money! We enjoyed relating this to our classroom store. Also, telling time was the best! We liked to “Hip Hop Around the Clock”! Currently, we are learning about 2D and 3D polygons. We are also trying our best in learning Multiplication facts in preparation for Third Grade. We enjoy seeing the facts on Freckle as practice!
In Reading, we finished Unit 16 of Superkids. Currently, the Superkids are getting ready for the parade float from the contest they had won, with a special visit from Golly! We knew he couldn’t be lost forever! We are very sad to know that this is our last year having the Superkids series. But, we know that we are ready for the challenging yet enriching texts in Third Grade! We enjoyed singing the ‘Superkids Song’ from our readers, over and over and over again! We felt SUPER special because we received a Superkids Certificate “graduating” from Superkids! In Writing, we have been busy Decoding the Prompt in our Jane Schaffer Writing Program. We know and understand that the prompt is the direction for the paragraph. We’ve explored different writing genres like Response to Literature, Expository, and Persuasive. Our current writing prompt is explaining how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Maybe we’ll eat sandwiches!
In Science, we just finished our chapter on plants and plant parts. We are currently learning about the many habitats around the world and how diverse a habitat is. We loved taking a nature walk around our school field with a checklist to see a closer look at a natural habitat, here! We also have been loving our new additions to the class, our caterpillars! It’s been so fun watching them grow, eat, and change each day. We can’t wait to see them transform! In Social Studies, we just finished our unit on community leaders and their importance. We learned about what a government looks like and that it is crucial to follow laws. We learned about the different types of community workers and designed a poster to show which ones we think are the most important and ones that we’d want to become. We also had a wonderful time during Multicultural Week learning about Italy and touring the other countries throughout the school.
We have finally received the Sacrament of Communion! We have been preparing our hearts, soul, mind, and body for this blessed day. We know that Jesus is with us now and will continue to be with us forever. We are feeling beyond excited because we get to join our school family in receiving the Body of Jesus. Our lights are glowing brightly and our hearts are lifted high! Our favorite song is a tie between “Behold” and “The Butterfly Song” because we know that each song talks about how much Jesus is with us.
With our final month of 2nd Grade, we have experienced so many wonderful things. We enjoyed seeing all the Earth Day Projects being created from recycled items. We loved singing at the Spring Concert in front of our friends and family. May Crowning was beautiful and it was a joy to sing our communion songs again to honor Mary. Field Day was so much fun and such a fantastic way to end a week. Water activities are always our favorite. Seeing 8th Grade and Kindergarten graduates is always a great way to see such hard work come to fruition. All in all, May was truly spectacular.
The Accelerated Reading program in my class this year has truly been a wonder to see. The students are avid readers and have a passion for reading! I have seen many students from the beginning of the year go from picture books to chapter books with ease. It’s so nice to see so many independent readers for 3rd Grade! To date, we have taken and passed 1,298 AR quizzes and gained a classroom total of 889.90 AR points! Amazing!! Below are the students who have earned their award:
Super Readers: (15+ Points) Astrid Gonzalez
Advanced Readers: (20 points +) Noah Cantiberos, James Chaidez, Paul Garcia, Eli Gougeon, Winry Isanan, Sebastian Joubert, Dahlia Loya, Sebastian Lucero, Sailor Marquez, Liam Ramirez, and Juliet Uribe
Star Readers: (50 points +) Alina Davey, Scarlett Edwards, Jacob Garcia, John Hernandez, Kasen Hernandez, Camilla Pham, Anthony Serrano, Miranda Sotuyo, and Ella Tobin
Classic Readers: (100 points +) Miles Mariani
Students of the Month
Winry Isanan and Ella Tobin
Scrip Purchases
Classroom supplies
I have enjoyed each and every one of my students. They each hold a special place in my heart. I appreciate all of your continued support throughout the year and wish that you and your families have a wonderful summer break. Thank you to Mrs. Uribe for leading our class this year in 2nd Grade Room Mom activities. It was a pleasure working with you! And, to the many parents who graciously helped throughout the year, I thank you as well, because without you all, this year would not have been such a success.
Have a wonderful, safe, and blessed summer break. Enjoy every minute and I will see you all in August!
Always with lots of love,
Mrs. Banks
❤️
Third Grade
Happy May! Third Grade has been busy this spring and we are excited to share all the wonderful things that have been happening in our classroom.
Thank you to students who participated in our Earth Day Projects this year! Creativity shined bright with submitted projects. Congratulations to all winners. Remember to do your part in protecting our Earth.
We recently finished our biography reports. It was a great experience and a wonderful way to learn about many influential figures in history.
We are excited to come together in the beautiful May Crowning ceremony in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a very special way to show our love for Mary during this special month dedicated to her. We also have been joining our SFDS family in the mornings to pray the Rosary. We continue to grow in reverence. Praying the Rosary has been a peaceful and faith-filled moment of each morning.
We are excited for summer break. We are almost Fourth Graders and can hardly wait. We had such an exciting year learning our multiplication facts, how to divide, and taking a big step in fractions. We learned how to write in cursive. Very importantly, we learned two new prayers. We loved learning about inherited traits and climate as well. We will miss third grade and are excited to welcome our next step.
We wish the graduating 8th grade class a wonderful future full of love and opportunities. We wish them the very best as they move up to high school. We pray that God blesses them in all they do! We also want to congratulate our Kindergarten class on completing their first year of school!
Please be sure to check the school website for reading logs and summer ideas!
Accelerated Reader Updates:
Advanced Reader (20+ points): Eve-Marie Cretin, Ellie Freeman, Sarah Garcia, Atlas Pascual, Kaliope Rosales, Liberty Springer
Star Reader (50+ points): Olivia Byrd, Angel-Lynn Cantiberos, Vey Cohen, Violet Denton, Zoe Espinosa, Brayden Eugarrio, Brian-Feesago Torres, Giorgio Jarrous, Liam Miles, Reese Porucznik, Reina Ruvalcaba, Daniel Stephensen, Adan Wandling
Classic Reader (100+ points): Makayla Bass, Olivia Hernandez, Calvin Marshall, Bella Romero
Students of the Month
Vey Cohen and Sarah Garcia
Scrip Purchases
Classroom supplies
We pray that everyone has a safe and Blessed Summer break full of fun and life lasting memories!
Mrs. Hernandez
Fourth Grade
What a wonderful year we have had! As the summer approaches we are looking back over the year and remembering all the great lessons we have shared across all the disciplines.
Our faith has grown as we learned more about Jesus and the traditions of the Catholic Church. We continue to celebrate Easter joy as we await the celebration of Pentecost. We are learning to recognize the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our lives and we shall continue to focus on our gifts as the church moves into the season of Ordinary Time this summer. We especially enjoyed presenting the Drama Ministry skit. Mr. Blaskey brings the Bible stories to life for us with his great plays. Lifeskills are easy to recognize in the characters from the dramas. In addition, lifeskills always come up in the many stories we read, as well as in the everyday events in our lives. We are learning to be more patient and compassionate and joyful through the examples all around us.
In Math we just finished up working with a challenging unit on decimals. We will continue to add, subtract, multiply, and divide these numbers and explore the many types of figures in geometry before the end of the year. Please remember to practice these math skills over the summer!
In Science we are learning about the plant and animal structures and functions that make all creations so varied and interesting. In Social Studies we have learned all our fifty states and can identify them on a blank map.
In Reading we recently finished Unit 5 with stories of unique individuals making a difference in our world. Hopefully everyone will enroll in the Summer Reading Program offered at all the local libraries. Barnes and Nobel and Pizza Hut both offer reading rewards as well! There are so many wonderful stories to read over the summer and you can be rewarded for enjoying a good book so keep reading!
Field day, the Seventh Grade Barbecue, the May Crowning, were all events that we enjoyed very much. It is such a blessing to be a part of a school that celebrates family, community, and excellence together with such joy. The children love having their parents participate in school traditions and these special days enrich our lives by making us proud of each other and St. Francis de Sales School.
Students of the Month
Brayden Sarmiento and Arianna Valencia
Scrip Purchases
Classroom supplies
It has been my pleasure to get to know each of you this year and I look forward to seeing you all next year to hear about the adventures you have over the break. Thank you for all the support you have given me this year. I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable summer.
Love,
Mrs. Tully
Fifth Grade
The beautiful and often blustery month of May finds the 5th Grade busier than ever. April flew by. We congratulated our Second grade on making their First Holy Communion and remembered the songs like it was yesterday for us! We enjoyed making our moms their Mother’s Day gifts, Field Day, May Crowning, and crying at the graduations. As we look forward to our summer vacation, we are also very excited and a wee bit nervous to become official Middle School students.
In Religion, we learned that after Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, he instructed his Apostles to continue his work through the church he founded. Jesus gave his Apostles the Holy Spirit and instituted the Sacrament of Penance before his Ascension into Heaven. We were amazed to learn that after receiving the Holy Spirit, the Apostles spoke in tongues to a crowd of three thousand people. They were so moved by Peter’s words, that they were all Baptized that same day. We love it when Mrs. Wilson comes in and teaches us during religion. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and love of our faith!
In Reading, we completed all the stories in the Journeys hardcover book, and are excited to read the fun stories from the Journeys magazine. We love taking spelling tests and can’t wait to see how much easier these review tests will be. At least, we hope they will be easier.
In Math, we completed all the chapters on fractions and Geometry. Many of us found Geometry fun, and loved learning about the Fibonacci Sequence. Every morning, there are a few new math examples on the board that aren’t in the book. They are helping us be ready for 6th Grade Math. We love enriching our Math skills using IXL as a fun supplement.
After completing the unit on the Colonial Times, we played Hangman as a review game. It is one of our favorite ways to review for tests. We are very excited to begin the unit on the American Revolution. Learning about our forefathers and mothers will be so interesting. Also, there is a fun interactive review game when we complete it. Hope we all “survive” During the last week, we will be playing “Who Kidnapped the Principal?”
Now in Science, we just completed a unit on the Earth’s Systems. We learned about the hydrosphere, geosphere,biosphere, atmosphere and how they interact. We also made slime that showed how matter changes. Just before Easter, we made parachutes using peeps as the “guinea pig”. Most of them landed beautifully. The best part though was eating the leftover peeps. We will end the year with a lesson on sound and light energy. The fact that grasshoppers have their “ears” on their stomach was astonishing! We watched a video on the loudest sound believed to be in human history. The volcano eruption on the island of Krakatoa in 1883 that was felt over 2000 miles away, and changed the weather around the world for more than a year. Nature is awesome, and scary at the same time. We loved all the STREAM labs we did in class. Our yummiest was seeing how matter (Oreos) changes in different liquids. Don’t worry, we ate the leftovers.
The Following Students have Advanced in A/R:
Advanced: Ivan Garcia, Kinley Ferreira, Nathan Miles
Star: Cash Delgado, Jagger Morales, Gracie McCaleb
Classic: Luke Perez
Wall of Fame: Lady Arabella Santos, Rebecca Rickert
We continue practicing our Life Skills everyday, especially Patience, Common Sense, and Initiative.
Students of the Month
Saraiah Carambas and Lara Santos
Scrip Purchases
Bus for Field Trip
We hope everyone has a safe and happy Summer. Keep Reading and practicing Math facts everyday. See you in August!
Mrs. Taubert
Sixth Grade
Happy Summer, Families!
We made it to the finish line, and what an absolutely incredible school year it has been! Our 6th graders put in the work and finished the year incredibly strong, wrapping up a phenomenal final stretch where history and faith truly came alive in the classroom. In our final weeks of social studies, we took a fascinating journey to the East to explore the rich culture, geography, and traditions of Ancient Japan, which the students absolutely loved. At the same time, everything clicked beautifully in our religion studies as we connected world history to the Old Testament. It was amazing to witness those "lightbulb moments" as students explored the roots of Judaism, realized how cool it was to trace the actual footsteps of Abraham and Moses, and finally brought our biblical timeline together by concluding with the powerful stories of the Prophet Elijah!
Watching their curiosity grow as they saw how all of these ancient civilizations and faith stories interconnect has been the perfect finale to our academic year. Now that the books are officially closed, the desks are cleared, and school is out for the season, we want to say a massive thank you to all of our amazing families for your unwavering support, encouragement, and partnership this year. We are so incredibly proud of the growth, maturity, and kindness these students have shown. Enjoy the well deserved sunshine, soak up every minute of vacation, and have a safe, blessed, and wonderful summer break!
Regarding AR goals: Students, let’s keep the momentum going in maintaining your goals and end the year strong!
Advanced: Tomas Cardona, Caleb Reyes, Benjamin Saba
Star: Lesly Abarca, Joshua Baylon, Gunner Ellis, Emma Godwin, Leah Murguia, Matthew Neal,
Josiah Ramos, Michael Springer, Kruz Uribe
Classic: Montserrat Carrillo-Fierro, Rene Duarte, Amy Estrada, Kaydence Lauria, Charles
Mariani, Emma Nunez, Zachary Osotio, Anna Rosenberg, Audrey Shevorski, Calie Taylor, Chloe
Taylor
Students of the Month
Matthew Neal and Anna Rosenberg
Scrip Purchases
Classroom Supplies
Best wishes for a relaxing, fun, and family filled summer!!
Blessings,
Mrs. Tupuola
Seventh Grade
So, another year has come and gone; the past month for the seventh grade has been very exciting. We appreciate all your support. We enjoyed a wonderful field day, thank you, Mrs. V for setting up an exciting Field Day for us this year.
In Reading we just finished our story on the “Triangle Factory Fire” which was a devastating tragedy in the history of New York City, but as a result laws were formed and the foundation of New York State’s Industrial Code, is the finest in the nation. Soon other states enacted protective labor laws as well.
In English we finished learning about the principal parts of Pronouns. Some of the areas were Personal and possessive pronouns along with possessive adjectives. We are currently wrapping up our argumentative essay on Technology devices using the Jayne Schafer Writing program.
Our Life Skills have helped the class to grow into more informed and thoughtful students this year. Being challenged to display traits such as tolerance, and initiative, among many others, can be difficult. Through many of our discussions, the students were provoked into thinking about how using those skills can help them daily.
AR
Advanced: Joseph Garcia
Star: Sango Akoh, Carson Bass, Chrystina Cantiberos, Melody Chavez, Julian Diaz, Gavina
Diaz-Carpenter, Eloy Espejo Dominguez, Colton Gardiner, Esmeralda Luna, Marlee Marquez,
Stella Morales, Sophia Ramirez, Chase Reyes, Miguel Villegas
Classic: Charlz Abboud, Brielle Angeles, Henrik Banyai, Ava Cosino, Aurora Ellis, Natalie
Guerrero, Dean Ingram, Van Kirk, Avalon Lambert, Frances Leveck, Ian Lopez, Roosevelt Mee,
Averyana Nunez, Terrance O’Donnell, Rafael Ruvalcaba, Mateo Tapia-Zamora, Isabel Zepeda
Students of the Month
Julian Diaz and Isabel Zepeda
Scrip Purchases
Classroom Supplies
We are all looking forward to summer vacation and returning as Eighth Graders. As the Seventh Graders travels onto the final stage of their journey here at St. Francis de Sales, they will become the leaders of SFDS! I wish each of you a wonderful and safe summer!
God Bless,
-Mrs. Antos
Eighth Grade
It is hard to believe that the year is quickly drawing to a close. And we have so much more to learn! In less than a month, our years at St. Francis de Sales will be over. Thankfully, our memories of our years will always be in our hearts and minds.
Eighth grade had a wonderful year with numerous performances throughout the year. We started with the Nativity Scene in December, followed by our class’s presentation of highlights of Brazil for multicultural week, and then The Last Supper and Living Passion on Holy Thursday. Our last two events were May Crowning on May 7th and our Final Prayer and Flag Ceremony on May 13th.
As our time draws to a close here at St. Francis de Sales, we are all very thankful for the life skills we have been taught throughout the years. The SLEs for St. Francis de Sales are our gateway to successful high school years as well as many years into our adulthood.
Thank you to all the Eighth-Grade students who committed themselves to patrol duty this past year. Enjoy your bowling trip to the Santa Fe lanes on May 13th.
In religion, we are currently studying the history of the Church. We must also never forget that God is a part of our life every minute.
In science, we are studying hydrocarbons, and then we will be studying the different types of waves to include seismic, radio, microwaves, and infrared waves.
In reading, we read the book To Kill A Mockingbird.
Both classes in math are studying polynomials to include factoring and operation with polynomials.
Star: Riley Holdsambeck, Alejandro Mora, Fallyn Napolitano, Aaliyah Vigil
Classic: Anthony Alatorre, Blair Angeles, Alissa Balsicas, Daniel Batara, Kennedy Byrd, Alana
Cano, Samuel Cantiberos, Isaiah Carambas, Jayden Carias, Presley Chirpac, Chloe
Cullum,Olivia Delgado, Christian Duarte, Sebastian Garcia, Blake Hazard, Josephine Ibarra,
Natalya Jarrous, Anthony Khayat, Josslyn Kimenker, Jacoby Laranio, Lea Lopez, Layla Mariani,
Gianela Martinez, Reagan Medford, Julius nasiak, Jayleen Orduna, Dresden Reyes,
Juliette Rosales, Gabriel Ruvalcaba, Sophie Simon, Isabella Toledo, Tyson Valdez,
Eliana Valencia, Piper Wells
Students of the Month
Blair Angeles and Fallyn Napolitano
Scrip Purchases
Classroom supplies
– Ms. Studdard and The Eighth Grade Class of 2026
Middle School Science
It has been an exciting year in our 6th Grade Living Science class! Students spent weeks exploring plant and animal cells under microscopes, dissecting animal gelatin models to learn about various organ systems, and getting up close with prehistoric life through the study of fossils. We were also fortunate to welcome our annual guest speaker, Freddy from Freddy’s Reptiles, Inc., who brought a fascinating collection of reptiles and insects for a hands-on learning experience. As we wrap up the school year, students are exploring the human skeletal and digestive systems. We can’t wait to see where their scientific curiosity takes them next year!
Our 7th Grade Earth Science students have enjoyed a year full of hands-on discovery. From cracking open geodes and mining for gemstones to examining rocks and learning about the rock cycle, students have experienced science in action. They explored the powerful forces behind earthquakes and volcanoes and recently dove into the fascinating field of oceanography. To finish the year, students are traveling through the solar system as they study astronomy and the wonders of space. These budding geologists and astronomers are excited for the adventures that await them next year!
The 8th Grade Physical Science class has had an electrifying year studying electricity, atomic structure, thermal and kinetic energy, magnetism, chemistry, hydrocarbons, and even orienteering. As the year comes to a close, students are learning about different types of waves, including seismic, ocean, microwave, and radio waves. It has been a pleasure watching these students grow as scientists, and they will be greatly missed. We wish them continued success and curiosity as they begin the next chapter of their educational journey.
-Ms. Cogan
Music
As we come to the close of the school year, we can look back with gratitude on all that our students have learned and accomplished.
During the month of May, we celebrate Mary in a special way through May Crowning. Students learn and sing hymns dedicated to the Blessed Mother while continuing to practice Easter season music through Pentecost. Throughout the year, students have strengthened their understanding of musical concepts and can now recognize and interpret many of the musical markings found in their music. We have also enjoyed exploring the lives and works of famous composers, including Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, and many others.
One of the highlights of the spring was our Kindergarten through Grade 5 Spring Concert. The students worked very hard preparing for their performances, and it was a joy to see them share their talents with our school community.
As the school year draws to a close, our Kindergarten and Grade 8 students are preparing for two very special milestones—graduation and the Grade 8 Last Prayer and Flag Ceremony. These meaningful celebrations mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Thank you to all of our students, families, and staff for a fantastic year filled with learning, growth, and music. Congratulations on a successful school year, and best wishes for a happy, restful, and enjoyable summer!
Mr. Davis
PE
The month of May is finally here. We have had a great year. I am so proud of all our students and how they have performed. We continue to learn how to stay active. Students have been working hard in all areas.
In PE we continued to do cardio and endurance. We worked on different stations, jumping rope, playing various games, and learning new games. We continue to do workouts, which involve some challenges.
We also had Field Day this month. Students always look forward to all the games and really enjoy themselves with the many games that are planned. We had water games again this year. It was a great time for all.
Stay active and stay safe!!
Mrs. Villanueva
National Junior Honor Society
National Junior Honor Society would like to thank everyone who supported our ice cream, pop tart, and pie fundraising sales. We truly appreciate your support. Next year will bring some different but yummy desserts and snacks to be served! Best wishes to our graduating 8th grade members! Wishing everyone a very fun-filled and safe summer.
From the Desk of the Principal
Dear Parents,
I hope you have enjoyed reading this month’s issue of The Knight Light! As this month comes to an end, it is hard to believe that another school year is almost over. Yet here we are once again - wondering where the time has gone! The month of May has been filled with so many special events: Teacher Appreciation Week, 2nd and 8th Grade Retreats, First Holy Communion, Spring Concert, Patrols Bowling Field Trip, Field Day, May Crowning, our Final Prayer and Flag Ceremony, and our upcoming 8th Grade and Kindergarten Graduations.
This week, we say good-bye to the Class of 2026 at our Eighth Grade Graduation Mass which will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 20th. We are extremely proud of our Graduates. They have worked very hard this year and we wish them much happiness and success! We will also look forward to our Kindergarten Graduation on Thursday, May 21st, where our Kindergarteners will cross the bridge and become “Big First Graders!”
As we come to the end of this school year, I wish to extend my appreciation to all of our St. Francis families for the support, cooperation, kindness, and friendship that you have graciously shared with our school community. Your generosity in helping in whatever way you could to make things better for our students is greatly appreciated. You are valued in ways that can never be diminished.
In addition, I would especially like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to our WONDERFUL teachers and staff. They are truly dedicated professionals who are an endless source of inspiration! I am extremely grateful for their selfless service on behalf of the children of St. Francis.
At this time, plans for the next school year are in process. We are working on a variety of projects as we look forward to the 2025-2026 school year. Please note in the coming weeks we will be adding the 2025-2026 School Calendar, Student Supply Lists, and Reading Logs to our home page. All families who registered for the 2025-2026 school year will receive information in July. This will contain back to school information as well as various school forms for the new school year.
Please remember, our School Year will end on Friday, May 29th. The Trimester Awards Ceremony will take place immediately following Mass. All students will be dismissed at 10:30 AM.
Wishing you all a safe and fun-filled summer!
Respectfully,
Carol Wilson
Principal