Happy Summer 2025!

We hope everyone is having a great last week of summer. Happy Labor Day Weekend!

If this is your first year at St. Francis de Sales, welcome to our school. To our returning families, welcome home. It is the belief of the St. Francis community that establishing and maintaining open lines of communication between school and family strengthens the feeling of support all children need to be successful in school. We encourage parent communication and involvement; please feel free to contact us with any concerns or questions. We are excited to welcome our students to a school year that promises to be both challenging and rewarding.

Please look below for a few updates and reminders as we are now just a few days away from the 2025-2026 school year.

As we count down to the first day of school, please make sure the following items are completed:

• ✅ Uniforms – Please ensure your child’s uniforms meet the guidelines. Remember, both the polo and quarter-zip options may be worn year-round.

• ✅ School Supplies – Check your child’s supply list and bring all items on the first day of school.

• ✅ Medical & Emergency Forms – Submit any outstanding health forms, updated immunization records, and emergency contact information to the school office.

• ✅ Summer Assignments – All summer reading assignments are due by the first week of school. All I-Ready math lessons should be completed by 8/15.

• ✅ Stay Connected – Download the SFDS Mobile App and follow our school’s social media accounts for ongoing updates.

Please click the link below or take a look at the image below for the first week of school schedule. The main office of the school will be open Tuesday, September 2nd from 10:30am-2:00pm. As always if there are any questions before the school year begins please give us a call or send us an email.

We’re excited to continue to use our school management system – FACTS SIS (Student Information System). We are putting the finishing touches on this year's FACTS Family Portal – a private and secure online platform that will allow you to see academic information specific to your children while protecting their information from others. All you need is an internet-capable device to view information such as Attendance, Daily Grades, Transcripts, Discipline Issues, School calendar, and Tuition Accounts. You will find the Family Portal link on the school website under the STUDENT/FAMILY RESOURCES section or by following the steps below:

FACTS Family Portal Login Instructions

• Please go to the website https://www.factsmgt.com/

• Click on “Parent Log In” at the top, then “FACTS Family Portal.”

• Enter district code, username, and password and click Login. Returning families please use the same username and password that you used last school year. New families please use the username and password that you used when registering your child.

• Just a reminder that our District Code is SFDS-NY

Starting on Saturday August 30th you can find on the FACTS parent portal your child's teacher assignment for the 2025-26 school year. If for any reason you have trouble logging in please email admin@stfrancisschoolbh.net The FACTS Parent Portal will continue to provide access to your child’s classes, progress report cards, and attendance throughout the school year.

Since it is our goal to minimize and balance class size on all grade levels it is to be noted that class change requests will not be honored under any circumstances. The administration and faculty worked hard to ensure that all students were equitably placed into classes that were academically heterogeneous to ensure all levels of intellectual ability were represented in each class. Thank you in advance for your continued understanding and cooperation.

On our website there is a landing page for all information about the next school year (Calendar, tuition, yellow bus, uniform, etc.)

All supply lists and summer assignments are available and can be found by clicking here. Please note that all summer assignments and school supplies are expected to be brought to school on the first day unless otherwise noted.

The Academy has developed our attendance policy in accordance with New York State Education Law. It will help us uphold the philosophy and mission statement of our Academy. Should a child be absent from school on a given day, it is imperative that a parent/guardian either use the absence form on our website or call the school (718-634-2775) and notify us of the absence by 8:30 am on the absence date. Please note that a written absence note still needs to be sent in to your child’s homeroom teacher to record the absence correctly in FACTS and for our legal records.

All students in Grades K-8 are dismissed on Beach 129th Street. Students in Grades K-4 will be dismissed each day on the South side of our School Yard. Students in Grades 5-8 are able to walk home or are responsible to meet their guardians outside at a designated area. Our Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 2:25pm each day and Grades 1-8 will be dismissed at 2:30 pm each day. Our Nursery and Pre-K students will get more information about entrance and dismissal at their Back to School Night.

The New York City Department of Education provides transportation to all eligible New York City students in public, charter, and non-public schools. This includes the students of Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Academy. This year NYC Yellow bus service is scheduled to start on Monday, September 8th. On the first few days of school, information about routes will be sent home with those students who have signed up for bussing in the past and for those students who have signed up and qualified for bussing for the first time this school year.

All bussing families are asked to come on a quick 20 minute Zoom Call on Thursday September 4th at 5pm. Here we will be able to review some basic procedures about the bus and some troubleshooting in advance should there be any issues.

Saint Francis de Sales is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: NYC Yellow Bus Zoom Meeting

Time: Sep 4, 2025 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83965693662

Meeting ID: 839 6569 3662

There are a variety of ways in which we celebrate birthdays at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy. Celebrations are at the discretion of the teacher but may include handmade cards, storytelling, the sharing of a book, etc.

Please communicate with the homeroom teacher beforehand. Families/guardians may drop off party goods (cookies, cupcakes, munchkins.) with Security at the beginning of the school day.

The policy is that all food items shared be store-bought. The reason for this rule is strictly to serve as a safety precaution, allowing the school to know the ingredients of any item. We ask that no toys, lollipops, goody bags, frozen treats, or drinks be brought into school. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

At St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy, we seek to constantly evaluate our school from multiple perspectives, all in an effort to make this an even better place for your child and your family.

Because the parent perspective is so important to us, we've partnered with ParentPulse, a company that specializes in collecting feedback for Christian schools.

Each parent in our school will receive an invitation every few months to respond to a short survey. These surveys will be staggered – parents will receive the invitations via e-mail or text at different times.

We simply ask that you'd take five minutes to complete the survey. We have done longer surveys in the past, but we want to capture your thoughts and feelings in shorter surveys – and at multiple points over the year – so we can understand how things are evolving and how we can best adapt!

So, please be on the lookout for an e-mail or text from ParentPulse. The subject line will clearly identify St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy.

The information you provide is collected solely for our analysis, and your personal contact information will not be used or shared by ParentPulse. There is also an option at the end of the survey to submit your responses anonymously.

Thank you for partnering with us in Catholic education!

On Thursday, September 4th at 6pm all parents (Grades Nursery- Kindergarten), on Tuesday, September 9th at 6pm (Grades 1-4) and onWednesday September 10th at 6pm (Grades 5-8 all parents are invited to meet their child's teacher(s). We hope to have 100% attendance to this all-important night of the school year. Please note that Nursery A (Mrs. Bodnar’s) Back to School Night is on Tuesday September 2nd at 6pm.

We ask that parents of Nursery-Kindergarten students bring all supplies for their children to Back to School Night in a labeled bag. Students in Grades 1-8 should bring their supplies on the 1st day of school. If there are too many supplies to bring in one day, please feel free to have your child bring the supplies on the first few days of school.

We are happy to announce that starting September 15, 2025 the After School Program will begin. The goal of the After School Program is to provide a safe, nurturing, fun environment for children who need care after the regular school day. On most days the program will include time for play, snack, homework help, and an activity for the day (arts & crafts, board games, etc.).

The program will run Monday through Thursday on most days when school is in session and will be staffed by members of the faculty assisted by 7th & 8th Grade students and 6th graders (starting in January 2026). Children in Grades PreK-5 may attend. After school is not in session on 1/2 day dismissal days. For more information on our After School Program and our registration form for those that are interested in using the service please click the links below.

After School Handbook

After-School Registration Form

We’re excited to announce the return of two wonderful after-school opportunities for our students this fall!

Chess Nuts (Grades 1–8)
The fall session of Chess Nuts begins Monday, September 22 and will meet from 2:30–3:30 PM on the following dates: Sept. 22, 29; Oct. 6, 20, 27; Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24; Dec. 1.
Please register early as space is limited: Sign Up Here
On December 1, our final day, parents are invited to an awards ceremony to celebrate our players. More details will be shared closer to the date.

Paul Effman Band
Our Paul Effman Band program will once again be offering lessons on Tuesday afternoons this school year. Families who wish to register should do so by Tuesday, September 23 so we can plan accordingly. You can use the link or form below.

• Register Here

• Watch this short video about the instruments offered

We can’t wait to see our students sharpening their minds in Chess Nuts and making music in the Paul Effman Band! For questions about the band program, please contact Paul Effman Music at (800) 921-4543.

8th Grade Parents starting on Monday, August 25th, you can begin to register your child for the TACHS exam. If your child will take the TACHS exam (entrance exam for Catholic High Schools) please register as soon as possible. For more information including how to register please click here. Any questions please contact Mr. Scharbach at admin@stfrancisschoolbh.net.

We’re excited to share that all Special Lunch dates for the 2025–2026 school year have been added to the school calendar! Order forms will be sent home during the first week of school so families can sign up for their child(ren)’s lunches.

If you have any questions about Special Lunches, please contact Lisa Hayden at
📧 lhayden@stfrancisschoolbh.net

We’re looking forward to another great year of lunchtime favorites!

For the safety and well-being of every child in our school, all volunteers must go through the following process:

1) Read and sign a code of conduct

2) Have a background check

3) Take part in the VIRTUS program. (Register at virtusonline.org. Download the registration guide.)

Please note that St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy will be offering two sessions of the VIRTUS program on 9/29 and on 10/27.

After completing the VIRTUS Program we ask that you please bring to the office a copy of your certificate for us to keep track of in our database. We hope that this is not an inconvenience for anyone, but we need to be sure that all adults who interact with students are in compliance.

We are happy to announce that continuing on Monday, September 8th we will be offering an Early Morning Drop off program from 7:00 am-7:40 am each day. For more information about this program please click here.

There is a special 8th Grade Parent High School Meeting on Monday, September 8th via a Zoom Webinar. Please come to ask any last-minute questions on the high school admissions process (Catholic High Schools and Public High Schools). This meeting will be recorded in case any family cannot attend.

Topic: TACHS and High School Information (Zoom Meeting)

Time: Sep 8, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89891837394

Meeting ID: 898 9183 739

Catechetical Sunday is when those designated to serve as catechists are called forth to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in passing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. All are welcome to join the Saint Francis faculty and Saint Francis Religious Education faculty at this very special liturgy at 12pm on Sunday, September 21st.

7th and 8th Grade Students and Families are invited to St. Francis de Sales

Catholic Academy Annual Catholic High School Night on Monday 9/22 at 6pm.

Come and meet with representatives (Students and Faculty) from various High Schools such as Holy Cross, Sacred Heart (Hempstead), Xavier, St. Francis Prep, Notre Dame, Christ the King, Archbishop Molloy, The Mary Louis Academy, St. Saviour, St. Edmund Prep, Cathedral Prep, Chaminade, McClancy, Fontbonne Hall Academy, Xaverian, and more.

Tickets Now On Sale!

Join us as we proudly celebrate the Inaugural Hall of Fame Class at the 2025 St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy Alumni & Friends Dinner Dance!

El Caribe | Thursday, November 6, 2025

Cocktail Hour: 6:00 PM

Dinner, Awards & Dancing: 7:00–10:00 PM

Honoring:

Mr. Martin McManus – Class of 1958

Rev. Peter Purpura – Class of 1995

Mrs. Rita Hayden (Posthumously) – P’89, P’91, P’92, P’94, P’95

Tickets: $175 per person | $1,750 Table of Ten