Dear Academy Families,

As we approach the end of the third week of school, I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting updates and reflections with you.

Our students have settled into their routines beautifully, and it’s heartening to see their enthusiasm and commitment to their studies. Our teachers are hard at work, ensuring that each child is supported and challenged in their learning journey. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in this important endeavor.

As we move forward, please remember the following days off. In two weeks we have a short week with a day off for students on Friday, October 4th, for a Faculty Professional Day. Our teachers will be hard at work learning about Tier 2 Strategies for Inclusive Excellence and learning about implementing the new Diocesan Catholic Identity Assessment for Grades 3-8. Our second day off this school year is Monday, October 14th, 2024, for Columbus Day.

We encourage you to stay engaged and involved in our school community. Your participation enriches the experiences we can offer our students and helps to strengthen the sense of community that makes our school such a special place. Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication. Let’s continue to work together to make this a successful and fulfilling school year for all our students.

Have a great weekend. We hope to see you at mass this weekend!

Dr. Scharbach

As many people know September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. On Friday 9/20 all students may dress down for $1 and Go Gold for Childhood Cancer. Students are asked to wear Gold or yellow shirts on this dress down day. All proceeds from the dress down day are going to annual Catch a Cure 5K Race. Catch a Cure is a community non-profit charitable organization that benefits local families dealing with cancer.

That information helps determine how to best support their learning. Watch the video below to learn more.

How can I access my student’s results?

1. ­­­Log in to your student’s i-Ready Dashboard using their portal credentials by visiting i-ReadyConnect.com and log in using the credentials they were given this year.

2. Click on the For Fami­lies dropdown and select the For Families report.

3. Enter the following code: V49818

For more information and support, visit the i-Ready Family Center: Understanding Diagnostic Results.

Thank you again for your continued partnership and support of your student’s learning. Of course, if you have any questions please be in touch with your child’s teacher and/or the administration. Our Kindergarten students will take their diagnostic test during the week of October 7th.

For all special lunch forms please fill out a separate order form for each child. You will be billed via FACTS two times a year for the lunches.

Due Friday 9/20/24 at 2pm

Chicken Finger Day Form (Grades 1-8)

Baya Bar/Panino Rustico Special Lunch Form (Grades 1-8)

Any questions please contact Lisa Hayden at lhayden@stfrancisschoolbh.net

In the FACTS Family Portal please make sure that you fill out (new families) or update (returning families) the Demographic, Medical, Custodial, Emergency Contact, and Transportation Forms ASAP.

We have assembled some websites, information, and digital forms for starting a new school year. These links, along with the Family-Student Handbook and our Acceptable Use Policy, keep everyone “in the loop.”

Please note that some forms are optional, and others must be filled out. They are stated next to the name of the form. If you have any questions, please call the main office. We encourage parent communication and involvement; please feel free to contact us with any concerns or questions.

• Handbook Agreement Form (Mandatory Form)- Due 9/13/24- Please note this form will be sent home to each family on Friday 9/6/24. Please be sure to read through the handbook before signing. If you need another copy, please print from the link.

• Parish Affiliation Form (Mandatory Form to qualify for affiliated tuition rate) – Due 9/20/24

• Class Captain Volunteer Form (Optional Form)- Due 9/20/24

• Absence Note Form (Please note that a written absent note still needs to be sent into your child’s homeroom teacher to record the absence correctly in FACTS and for our legal records).

We are happy to announce that we will be partnering with Visconti Garden Center in Brooklyn again this year for our Fall Flower Sale.

All forms are due by Monday, September 23rd.

We anticipate delivery of all products the first days of October. An email will go out to all families that place an order with details regarding when they can pick their items up from school.

All orders will be billed through your FACTS account.

https://forms.gle/646pRaumATv7EqQ5A

We are excited to announce details for our Franny Walk-a-Thon (formerly known as the Franny Fun Run) scheduled for Friday, October 18, 2024.

This will be the first major Academy fundraising event of the 2024/2025 Academic Year. Due to the generosity of our Academy families, friends, and sponsors, last year's fun run raised over $60,000 for our Academy. Proceeds from this year will go towards purchasing new window shades for classrooms, upgrading classroom Smartboards, and upgrading student devices.

This year we have set the family goals as follows:

Families with one child in the Academy: $60 per family

Families with two children in the Academy: $120 per family

Families with three or more children in the Academy: $150 per family

All families that meet their family fundraising goal will get a Franny Walk-a-Thon t-shirt for each child in their family.

In addition to the Walk-a-Thon t-shirt, all students who meet their family goal will enjoy a fun post walk celebration featuring a special lunch, cotton candy/or Italian ices and the chance to win one of 10 great raffle prizes!

WEEKLY CONTEST #1 (Week of 9/20-9/27)

The family with the highest dollar amount of pledges will receive a $50 Callie’s gift card

Here’s how your family can support this fundraiser:

Step 1 – on Friday, September 20th, each family will receive an email providing a link to your family’s web-based donation page.

Step 2 – Share your donation page via your social media channels. Also, use the email and text link on the invite and reach out to your family and friends requesting their support. Donations are made via a secure credit card site. We will continue to accept cash or checks, send them to school in an envelope, Attn: Franny Walk-a-Thon. Please include the family’s name along with the donor’s name.

Step 3 – Check-in often and follow SFDS and your child’s progress as we strive to reach and surpass our $65,000 goal!

For sponsorship opportunities please click here.

As the school year moves forward many times a child may be absent from school for various reasons. Please remember that when a child has been absent, a written excuse is required from his or her parents/legal guardians. Without this written notice please note that your child will be recorded absent without a note on our attendance record.

For the safety and well being of each and 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)

Please note that St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy will be offering two sessions of the VIRTUS program on 9/30 and a second date TBD.

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.

Also a reminder that VIRTUS now requires anyone working with children to complete “re-certification” training every seven years.

If your VIRTUS certification was more than seven years ago (before December 2016), please log on to www.virtusonline.org and complete the self-paced module, Protecting God’s Children On-Line Awareness Session 4.0_Brooklyn and also complete an updated background check if indicated for your account.

If you need assistance with your account, such as user name and/or password, please contact the VIRTUS Help Desk at 1-888-847-8870. For further information or assistance, or if you are unsure if you were trained before 2016, please email Lisa Hayden at lhayden@stfrancisschoolbh.net.

St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy is excited to host an Open Gym Night for our 8th grade students.

https://forms.gle/12tWert7PgpyZ2j98

This will take place on Friday, September 27th from 7-9 pm in the Gym. Games, crafts, music, basketballs/volleyballs, snacks & pizza will be provided.
Pre-registration is required and forms are due by Wednesday, September 25th. Please remember to include your child's name and class.
Please note, there will be no charge for this Open Gym Night. Many thanks to The Owens Family for generously bidding on this silent auction prize at the Card Party. What a great way to start off the year for our 8th graders!

Looking forward to a fun night and hoping everyone can make it.
*Please note, Open Gym night is for students of St.Francis de Sales Catholic Academy only.*
*If your child is absent from school on the day of Open Gym, they are not permitted to attend that night. Thank you for your understanding.*

The 2024 Parish Fall Fest is less than two weeks away! The event will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024.

We are excited to let you know that students within our Academy are entitled to purchase discounted Kiddie Band tickets for $20. The bands will gain entry to a half dozen rides and activities including some that are geared for our younger children such as a trackless train and other activities that are geared for more of our older children such as a rock climbing wall and a basketball “pop-a-shot” game. Families interested in the discounted bands, MUST purchase them prior to NEXT WEDNESDAY, September 25th. There will be no exceptions to this deadline.

Click this link to purchase your discounted Kiddie Bands: https://ticketstripe.com/SFDS_Fall_Fest_Kiddie_Bands

Pre-Purchased Kiddie Bands can be picked-up at the Will Call Table at the event. Families that miss the discounted ticket window deadline will still be able to purchase kiddie bands on-site for $25.

In addition to the kiddie rides, there will be vendors, raffles, a pumpkin patch and pumpkin painting station. Following the family festival, we’re adding an outdoor Mass this year at 4:30PM that will bring our entire parish community together. At the Mass we will honor three outstanding parishioners who have given many years of their time and their talent to the Parish of St. Francis de Sales. Congratulations to Moira & Pete Mullen and Kristin Franchock.

As the sun sets, the parking lot will transform into our Oktoberfest event, where adults (21+) can indulge in German food, enjoy drinks and music by The Russo Brothers. Tickets for the evening Oktoberfest are $100 each or $75 for seniors (65 & Older) and include entertainment, food , beer, wine and soda. Evening Oktoberfest tickets can be purchased online via THIS LINK or you can purchase them at the parish rectory or before/after Sunday masses.

October 4th is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. Saint Francis is remembered as the patron saint of animals and the environment. Saint Francis of Assisi chose a life of poverty, prayer and peacemaking. He cared for the poor, the sick and all creation, and founded the Franciscan order. It is customary on the feast day of Saint Francis to bless the animals, in remembrance of his love for all creatures, great and small. All are welcome to join Saint Francis de Sales Parish or Blessed Trinity Parish for the blessing of the animals on Friday, October 4th. More information to follow.

As mentioned at Back to School Night and many times this year our school will be going through Cognia Accreditation this year. (similar to Middle States Accreditation) The Accreditation Process helps institutions make the most of their talents and resources. On November 12th and 13th, a team of evaluators will be visiting our school to work through the Accreditation process. They will be interviewing various students, teachers, Board members, administrators, etc. as well as visiting classrooms for observations. We will be preparing extensively for their visit and look forward to a successful few days.

On Thursday, October 17th, don't forget to bring in $1 and wear CRAZY socks as we celebrate the last day of summer uniform.

Just a reminder that Thursday October 17th is the last day that students are allowed to wear their summer uniforms. Starting on Monday, October 21st students need to be in complete winter uniform. For the full uniform policy please click here. Please email Mrs. Hayes at mhayes@stfrancisschoolbh.net with any questions.

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