Dear St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy Families,

As we approach Holy Week, a time of profound significance in our Catholic faith, I am filled with deep gratitude for the journey we continue to share as a school community. This sacred week invites us to pause, reflect, and renew our spirits as we draw closer to God and to one another.

Holy Week calls us to walk alongside Jesus as He enters Jerusalem, shares the Last Supper, carries the cross, and ultimately triumphs over death through His Resurrection. It is a time marked by sorrow and hope, sacrifice and love, and, most importantly, the promise of new life.

As a community rooted in faith, this week offers a powerful opportunity for families to engage in practices that not only strengthen our individual relationships with Christ but also deepen the bonds that unite us as a Catholic school family. I invite you to reflect on the following:

Prayer
In the midst of our busy lives, let us make time for prayer. Whether through quiet moments at home, attending Mass, or praying the Rosary together, may we invite God into our hearts and homes to guide us through this holy season.

Reflection
This week provides a moment to contemplate the Gospel story in a personal way. Imagine yourself in the crowds on Palm Sunday, at the Last Supper, at the foot of the cross on Good Friday, and rejoicing at the empty tomb on Easter morning. Let these sacred images draw you closer to the mystery of Christ’s love.

Service
Holy Week is a call to love others as Christ loved us. Look for simple and meaningful ways to serve—whether within your family, parish, or broader community. In giving of ourselves, we reflect the compassion and humility of Jesus.

Reconciliation
As we prepare for Easter, the Sacrament of Reconciliation offers a beautiful way to open our hearts to God’s mercy. Let this be a time to forgive, be forgiven, and begin again—renewed in faith and peace.

Celebration
When Easter morning arrives, let us greet it with joy and gratitude. Christ’s Resurrection is our greatest hope. May your family find time to come together, rejoice, and celebrate the promise of new life that Easter brings.

As we journey through this Holy Week as a school family, may God’s grace fill our hearts, guide our actions, and strengthen our faith. Let us walk together in the light of Christ, renewed by His love and ready to rise with Him in joy.

I wish you and your loved ones a blessed Holy Week and a joyful Easter!

Please see below for the Holy Week service dates and times at Blessed Trinity and St. Francis de Sales Parishes.

Dr. Scharbach

Principal

PS: This year St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy breaks for Easter Recess starting on Wednesday, April 16th and returns from break on Monday, April 28th. Our next weekly update will be the weekend of April 26th.

We are looking forward to our Passion Play on Tuesday, April 15th at 1:30pm where many of our 7th grade students reenact the solemn events that occurred through Jesus’s journey towards death and resurrection. All parents of the 7th graders who are in this year’s Passion Play are invited to join us and watch their child’s performance.

When we return from Easter Recess, students in Grades 4, 6, and 7 will take the New York State English Language Arts (ELA) Tests on April 30th and May 1st, and the Mathematics Tests on May 7th and 8th. Students in Grades 5 and 8 will take the New York State Science Test on May 12th.

These assessments will be administered on Chromebooks using the computer-based format. Please note that the content of the computer-based tests is identical to the paper version.

Below is a brief overview of recent changes to the New York State ELA and Math Tests:

• The tests remain untimed, allowing students to continue working at their own pace within the school day schedule.

• Test content is developed by New York State educators. Hundreds of teachers from across the state have contributed to the creation, review, and selection of test questions for the 2025 assessments.

If you have any questions about the upcoming state assessments, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

It is with great joy that we share the upcoming celebrations of First Holy Communion for our 2nd-grade students. This special milestone in their faith journey will take place on both May 3rd and May 10th at St. Francis de Sales Parish and at Blessed Trinity Parish.

We are so proud of our students as they prepare to receive the Body of Christ for the very first time. This sacred sacrament marks a deepening of their relationship with Jesus and a fuller participation in the life of the Church. As Jesus reminds us in the Gospel of John, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35).

Families are reminded to refer to the directives and schedules provided by your parish’s Director of Religious Education regarding practice dates, attire, and other important details related to the liturgy.

We ask our entire school community to keep these young communicants in your prayers as they prepare for this holy and joyful day. May this be a moment of grace not only for the children, but for their families and all who gather to celebrate with them.

The Graduating Class of 2025 will be organizing a fun night for our Kindergarten through 3rd-grade students. This SFDSCA 8th Grade Babysitting Night allows you to enjoy two hours and 15 minutes kid-free on Thursday May 1st 2024 from 5:45 pm-8pm. Open to kids Kindergarten- 3rd grade. This opportunity is open to SFDSCA families ONLY. This will only be open to the first 150 students.

Your kids will be supervised by school staff, 8th-grade students, and 8th-grade parent volunteers (VIRTUS trained). Children will be treated to a movie, games, crafts, and organized sports and activities. We will provide the children with a snack (drinks and chips, etc.). Please be sure your child has dinner prior to coming.

The fee is $20 for the first child and for each additional child is $5. Please submit the form below and send in payment separately to the main office. in an envelope marked “8th Grade Babysitting Night”.

Please RSVP BY April 18th. We cannot accept registration after the 8th for planning reasons. You will NOT be able to register the night of the event.

Students are invited to dress down in Red, White, and Blue on Monday 4/28 for just $1!
All proceeds will go to support the Timmy Klein Foundation 💙❤️🤍

🚫 Please note: NO SHORTS are permitted.

Thank you for helping us support this important cause while showing your patriotic spirit! 🇺🇸

YEEHAW, SFDSCA!

Get ready to sparkle at our "Boots & Bling" Sweetheart Dance

Friday, May 16, 2025

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

SFDSCA

All girls from Nursery to Grade 8 are invited to bring their sweetheart (dad, uncle, grandpa, or special role model!) for a magical night of dinner, dancing, a DJ, and lots of bling!

$50 per sweetheart pair

$10 for each additional girl

Get your tickets now:

https://ticketstripe.com/events/4722107039754562

Let’s dance the night away in true country style!

Please save the date of Friday, May 30th for our annual Msgr. Geraghty Golf and Tennis outing. This is a great day to get out on the course and courts to support our great Academy. Tickets and Sponsorships are on sale now by clicking on the link below.

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:

• 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 NYC Department of Education (DOE) has released the Parent Letter of Intent (Found below) for the 2025–2026 school year. You may have already received this letter via email from the DOE. This document is critical to ensure that your child receives the necessary services without delay. We are urging all parents to submit this letter as soon as possible to avoid any interruptions in services.

This year PNIs will only be accepted from parents or attorneys with a signed confidentiality release. PNIs submitted by schools or other entities will not be accepted.

What You Need to Do:

• Submit the signed PNI before June 1, 2025.

• Parents are asked to CC the school at mbuckley@stfrancisschoolbh.net for help in tracking to make sure all families are in compliance. If you have already submitted the PNI please the school at mbuckley@stfrancisschoolbh.net.

How to Submit:

• Email the signed PNI to your CSE Office at CSE4PNI@schools.nyc.gov

or

• Mail/Drop Off the signed PNI to your CSE Office at 82‐01 Rockaway Boulevard. 2nd Floor Ozone Park, New York 11416

CSE Confirmation:

You will receive written confirmation once your PNI is received.

Important Deadlines:

• The DOE has established a strict deadline of June 1, 2025. Letters submitted after this date will result in your child being ineligible for services until the following school year.

• Eighth-grade families: Please ensure you indicate the high school your child will attend. Even if your child is considering public school, submitting the Letter of Intent will preserve options for private or Catholic high schools.

• Pre-K families: If your child is entering kindergarten, you must also submit this letter.

We have seen the significant impact of delayed submissions this past year, and it is imperative that we meet this deadline to ensure there is no disruption in services for our students.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at mbuckley@stfrancisschoolbh.net

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.

Pease note the DOE Caregiver App is part of the OPT Modernization efforts that will provide families, schools, and administrators with the real-time location of the child’s school bus. New York City Student App (NYCSA) access will allow parents to see their child's transportation services and access the new NYCPS Caregiver App (Available in the Apple or Google Play store). Eligible parents/guardians must create or update their NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) https://www.schoolsaccount.nyc/ to access the Caregiver App, the NYCSA username and password will be used for both applications. Please note you must use the email address that is linked to OPT. If this email needs to be changed please let the main office know. Please note it will take 2-3 business days for the change to go in effect.

Any questions or issues please email Mrs. Kenny at ckenny@stfrancisschoolbh.net

Join Council Member Joann Ariola and the Queens Culture & Arts Network for a magical evening of music and fun!

📅 Friday, May 2nd at 7:00 PM
📍 St. Francis DeSales School Yard, Belle Harbor, NY

Get ready to sing along to your favorite Disney hits with The Little Mermen, NYC’s premier Disney cover band!

✨ Bring a chair and enjoy the show outdoors. In case of rain, the concert will be held indoors in the school auditorium.

Don’t miss this fun-filled, family-friendly community event!

Please note this event is not school or parish sponsored and is open to the entire community.

Starting on Monday, May 12th students can begin to wear their summer uniforms. This is just a reminder if anyone needs to purchase summer uniforms you should think of ordering them soon.

The Second Grade Class is excited to be celebrating the Annual Academy May Crowning on Tuesday, May 20th at 11 a.m. in St. Francis de Sales Church. The children must come to school wearing their Communion dresses and suits. Of course, parents are encouraged and invited to attend this annual tradition. Please note that there will be limited seating in the choir loft, as our 1st—8th graders attend this event each year.

🎉⚾️ SAVE THE DATE: SFDSCA School Spirit Night at the Brooklyn Cyclones! ⚾️🎉

On Wednesday, June 25th, 2025, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy is hosting a SCHOOL SPIRIT EVENT at Maimonides Park during the Brooklyn Cyclones game! The Cyclones will be taking on the Jersey Shore Blue Claws, with first pitch at 6:40 PM and gates opening at 5:30 PM.

👕🎓 Students, faculty, staff, families, and friends of SFDSCA are all invited to join us for a night of baseball, fun, and school spirit!

🎟️ Tickets are only $20 EACH!
➡️ For every ticket purchased, $2 goes back to support St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy!

💥 Want to upgrade your experience? Choose the $25 ticket option, which includes a Dr. Chris Scharbach and Mr. John O'Brien Bobblehead—part of the Brooklyn Cyclones Catholic Schools Night celebration!

🧢 PLUS: Everyone in attendance will receive a FREE Brooklyn Cyclones hat!

If you have any questions about the event, feel free to reach out to Helen Endall at (718) 634-2775 or via email at hendall@stfrancisschoolbh.net.

🎟️ To purchase tickets, please click the link below:
👉 https://www.gofevo.com/event/Stfranciscsn

Let’s pack the park with SFDS blue and gold spirit! 💙💛

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