SFCS Weekly Howl - 3.18.24
SFCS celebrates 27 Years of Growing Together in Faith & Knowledge
Dear SFCS Parents & Friends,
Happy Monday!
I hope you enjoyed the wonderful weekend weather!
Thank you to those who attended the School Family Mass yesterday. It was a beautiful celebration supported by a choir of all ages of our students. Thank you to Mrs. Sweeney and Mrs. Wolf for their leadership with our choir at the School Family Mass. We enjoy having all ages participate and invite you to have your student(s) participate at our next School Family Mass in April.
We are preparing for our Grandparent's Day celebration coming up in a few weeks. The schedule for the day will be as follows:
8:30 a.m. Mass - Grandparents should go directly to St. Francis By the Sea Catholic Church
9:30 a.m. - Grandparent's Breakfast Reception
10:00 a.m. - Principal's Welcome
10:05 a.m. - Students' Americana Presentation
10:45 a.m. - Grandparents dismissed to classrooms
11:15 - noon - Grandparents in classrooms, campus tours, SFCS Spirit Store, photo opportunity, etc.
Noon - Students Dismissed
We are looking forward to welcoming you to this special day. For students whose grandparents are unable to participate, please invite a "Grandfriend" or a parent may come.
We will have our Q3 Academic Awards Presentation on Friday and look forward to celebrating our wonderful students' academic achievements. Parents, family, and friends are invited to attend the presentation in the gym at 2:00 p.m.
Wishing you a peace-filled week of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Blessings,
Andrea
Andrea Smith, M.Ed., LPC, NCC
Principal
**FOR INFORMATION ON ATHLETICS, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE ATHLETICS SECTION. Due to changes impacting practice or competitions that may occur, please be sure you follow the email communication you receive from the coaches. That information will be the most current. **
March 19 - Bake Club - 3:15 p.m.; Turtle Trackers Presentation - 1st Grade
March 20 - Turtle Trackers Presentation - 2nd Grade
March 21 - Schoolwide Rosary; 4th Grade field trip; Baseball - SFCS vs Bluffton Middle - 4:00 p.m. - Eagles Field
March 22 - Q3 Academic Assembly; Baseball - SFCS vs McCracken - 4:00 p.m. - River Ridge Field
March 25 - ARK Testing - grades 2nd - 8th
March 26 - Bake Club - 3:15 p.m.
March 27 - Grandparents' Day - noon dismissal
March 28 - Holy Thursday - No School
March 29 - Good Friday - No School
April 1 - 5 - Spring Break - No School
April 25 - International Day - 7th grade - Countries Around the World; PreK-8th Americana Celebration
GYM SOUND SYSTEM
The sound system in the gym has been repaired! We look forward to using the sound system in the upcoming weeks during our Rosary, Academic Awards Presentation, and Grandparent's Day!
MIDDLE SCHOOL TRIP TO DC
We are continuing to plan for this exciting trip! Stay tuned for one more parent meeting date to be announced.
ENROLLMENT for the 2024.25 Academic Year
Enrollment for 2024-25 school year is now open! Current families may continue to with their enrollment process for their student and siblings. We look forward to welcoming back each student in our Wolf family and welcoming new families! Please contact the school office for more information. (843) 681-6501.
SCHOOLWIDE ROSARY - March 21
The students, faculty and staff will participate in a schoolwide Rosary on March 21, praying for Seminarians and religious vocations. Please join us at 8:15 a.m. from your home as we pray together.
Rev. Monsignor Martin T. Laughlin Scholarship
The Women of St. Francis has announced application for the Rev. Monsignor Martin T. Laughlin Scholarship for 2024.25 is now open! Applications are available in the School Office and must be submitted no later than March 22, 2024. Recipients of this scholarship will receive $1000 and will be notified on or before April 22, 2024.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Tuition Assistance Grant
The Diocese of Charleston has announced the application process for the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Tuition Assistance Grant for 2024.25 is now open! Applications are available in the School Office and must be completed and returned no later than March 15 to Mrs. Smith as signatures from both the Principal and Pastor are required. The Diocese must receive all applications in Charleston no later than March 27, 2024.
WEEKLY SCHOOL MASS - SIGN UP FOR USHERS/GREETERS
We would love to have you serve as an usher/greeter at our Weekly School Mass,. We have two slots available each week. Please click on the link below to reserve your date/time for the remaining school year during January - May 2024. We are grateful for your gift of time.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084FA4AC2BA3FACE9-46679241-weekly
MONTHLY SCHOOL FAMILY MASS DATES
April 21, 2024
May 19, 2024
LENTEN FOOD DRIVE - Mercy Mission - March 4 - 22
SFCS will be collecting food donations for a Lenten Food Drive, serving the Mercy Mission. Food items are assigned by grade. Pre-K and 8th grade: cereal
Kindergarten - 1lb bag or boxes of white rice
2nd grade: dry black beans
3rd grade: non-refrigerated milk
4th grade: chicken noodle soup
5th grade: canned pork & beans
6th grade: oatmeal
7th grade: breakfast bars
As a reminder to our Middle School students, each item donated will be counted as one House point. The food drive collection will end on March 22.
Keep up the good work, Wolves!
POP TABS FOR RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
The 3rd Grade is leading a school-wide effort to collect Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House Charities, on behalf of our ministry partner, the Women of St. Francis. Join our efforts by bringing in pop tabs from soda cans this Lenten season! It takes approximately 1,128 pop tabs to equal one pound. The Ronald McDonald House Charities typically receive between $0.40 to $0.50 per pound of pop tabs. The program brings in an average of $6,000 each year. Last year over 13 million pop tabs were donated! Thank you for helping the 3rd grade make a difference for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The collection of the soda pop tabs will be ongoing through March 27.
PARENT VOLUNTEERS - TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Are you new to SFCS or have free time and are searching for ways to get involved at SFCS? There are many opportunities for parents to get involved at our school. Opportunities to consider are:
- FSA (meetings, committees, events, Spirit Store)
- In individual classrooms (reading, tutoring, etc.)
- During lunch
- Athletics and athletic events (Coaching, concessions, gate admissions, etc.)
- Weekly School Mass Greeter
- School events (i.e. Middle School Dance planning and decorating, Advent Concert, field trips, International Day - Salute to America Show, 8th Grade graduation)
- Fundraising efforts (Pottery Jam, FSA sponsored Gala, Athletics)
- Uniform Closet
- Summer - distribution of classroom materials and supplies
Contact Mrs. Smith for more information (andrea.smith@sfcshhi.com). All parents must go through a background clearance through the Diocese of Charleston. Please contact the School Office for information on the background screening process. Together we can make a difference!
SFCS SPIRIT SHOP
Come check out the merchandise in our SFCS Spirit Store!
Debit and credit cards are accepted as well as checks made out to SFCS.
Please let the School Office know if you'd like to stop by the Spirit Store to shop.
FSA ISLAND DISCOUNT CARDS!
The Island Discount Card provides discounts at a variety of businesses on the Island. Each card is $25 or buy four get one free. Cards may be purchased from the School Office by check made out to SFCS or online through Hometown Ticketing. To purchase online, please click here SFCS ISLAND DISCOUNT CARDS. There is a small surcharge for processing when purchasing online. Thank you for supporting SFCS through the purchase of an Island Discount Card!
PRE-K/KINDERGARTEN
The PreK and Kindergarten students enjoyed hands on learning through a presentation from The Center for Birds of Prey in Charleson. The students learned about the red hawk, the American kestrel, and the owl; how they are camouflaged, what they eat, their senses, and where they live. A few even flew over their heads!
PRE-K/KINDERGARTEN
Grandma Usher visited Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade to share a jelly bean prayer, Easter book, and for the students to make a craft to be shared with residents of assisted living facilities within our community.
KINDERGARTEN
Kindergarten used team work to set a Leprechaun trap! The classroom was divided into small groups and our very own Irish Mrs. Lewis gave each group a task to complete for the trap. At the end we brought all the pieces together for one big kindergarten leprechaun trap. We didn’t catch Leon this year, but he did leave us (chocolate) gold!
Kindergarten also spent time last week learning about St. Patrick, completing a STEM challenge and investigating Skittles (solids and liquids) with hands-on science!
1ST GRADE
The first graders participated in many new learning experiences this week. Grandma Usher came to visit. She read an Easter story to the class and the class worked on an Easter art project for the residents of the Pines. The students also celebrated Ms. Lesley's birthday this past week. Finally, the class learned about St. Patrick's Day and had fun creating leprechaun traps in hopes of catching one.
3RD GRADE
The 3rd grade class got into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day by joining together and wearing green!
4TH GRADE
Lots of smiles at The Pines and among the 4th grade students last week, as the students joined the residents to celebrate Dr. Seuss whose birthday is in March. The visit ended with reading a Dr. Seuss book to them.
5TH GRADE
The 5th Grade class journeyed to Jekyll Island last week. The students walked Wanderer's Trail, toured the Mosaic Museum and Faith Chapel, and took an educational trolley ride around the island. What a wonderful opportunity for out of the classroom learning!
HOUSES
St. Adjutor
St. Sebastian
St. Joan of Arc
St. Nicholas
RELIGION COMPETITION
This week the students in the MS Houses had their religion knowledge tested as they competed in another House competition. It was a close battle, but the House of St. Adjutor came in first place and the House of St. Sebastian came in second. All of the students did a great job! Students will compete in an athletic competition of kickball this week. Please remind students to wear their House shirt on Thursdays.
CLUBS
Thank you, Ron Agner, leader of the Robotics Club, who guided the students through building the hydraulic hand a week ago. This past week, Robotics Club members tried their "hand" using the robotic one to work a mouse.
The 8th Grade Crosses Are Up!
As you enter the school from the front doors this week, you will notice a new art installation of 8th grade crosses. This has been a vision for over a year now and Mrs. Smith was finally able to complete this labor of love but not without help. Thank you to Lisa Sweeney for guiding the students with the glass fusion process in making the crosses this fall. Thank you to Laura Wolf for working with Mrs. Smith and designing the space. Thank you to Dave Klub for drilling 24 screws into the cinder blocks so each cross is hanging securely. Over the weekend Mrs. Smith's family, in from out of town, helped to carefully hang the crosses. Each cross was blessed at the Feast Day Mass in October. We are awaiting the center sign which will showcase the class scripture verse and the Class of 2024's graduating year. At graduation, each 8th grade student will receive their cross. Next year we will have a new group of 8th graders, a new display of crosses, and a new sign for the Class of 2025 with their class scripture verse.
SFCS Students Sing for the Diocesan Principals' Retreat Mass
Students in grades Kindergarten through Middle School came together to serve at a special Mass for the Diocesan Principals during their retreat on Hilton Head Island. A big thank you to Father Mike for celebrating the Mass and to Mrs. Sweeney, for pulling together a choir of beautiful voices, which showcased our school so well! Thank you also to the students who served as altar servers. The principals were impressed, and Mrs. Smith was so very proud of the students who made this Mass celebration so special.
Rosie the Comfort Dog Visits SFCS
Students had the opportunity to visit with Rosie the comfort dog last week. Thank you, Mrs. Borgmeier, for sharing sweet Rosie with us!
Top O' the Morning! SFCS Celebrates St. Patrick's Day!🍀
The students at SFCS honored St. Patrick's Day last week by learning about Saint Patrick, Ireland, and its people, and celebrated one of the traditions associated with St. Patrick's Day - wearing green! The younger students tried to catch a leprechaun or two with their leprechaun traps. No Irish luck there.☘️
PRACTICE AND GAME SCHEDULES
Week of 3.18.24:
Monday – Girls’ soccer practice, 3:30-5 p.m.
Tuesday – Golf practice at Seas Pines Country Club, 3:30-5 p.m.
Girls’ soccer practice, 3:30-5 p.m.
Wednesday - Girls’ soccer practice, 3:30-5 p.m.
Thursday - Girls’ soccer practice, 3:30-5 p.m.
Golf match, opponents, TBA at Sea Pines Country Club
Baseball vs. Bluffton Middle School at Eagles Field, Bluffton, 4 p.m.
Friday – Baseball vs, McCracken School at River Ridge Field, 4 p.m.
🐴EQUESTRIAN - SFCS RIDING SHOW TEAM 🐴
⚾ BASEBALL⚾
The Wolves are on a hot streak, winning each game so far! Way to go Wolves!!
GIRLS SOCCER
The Lady Wolves came out howling for their first game of the season defeating the JP2 Golden Warriors 6-0! Our second game against HHCA was a bit more challenging and we lost by one goal. The final score was 4-3. SFCS Girls Soccer is off to a great start!
GOLF
We are looking forward to our growing golf team during SFCS' second season of golf. Thank you to Coaches Tylus and O'Rourke for their leadership during another exciting year on the links! Please be sure you are checking your email for the most up to date information from the coaches.
2023.2024 ATHLETIC SPONSORS
Thank you to our Athletic Sponsors for the 2023.24 academic year. We are grateful for your support!
Do you have any news about alumni from SFCS? If so, please contact Andrea Smith (andrea.smith@sfcshhi.com) with information to share. Please include the year of SFCS graduation.
St. Francis Catholic School, a ministry of St. Francis By the Sea Catholic Church, partners with several of the Parish ministries. Please refer to this section of the Weekly Howl for information and events of those ministries who have a partnership with our school.
St. Francis Thrift Shop - Volunteer Opportunities
The St. Francis Thrift Shop is looking for volunteers to work in the store. Any amount of time you can give the SF Thrift Shop will fit your availability into a schedule. Interested volunteers should contact Eleanor Bell, Embell31@outlook.com.
St. Francis Catholic School
Email: school@sfcshhi.com
Website: sfcshhi.com
Location: 45 Beach City Rd, HHI, SC 29926
Phone: 843-681-6501
Facebook: facebook.com/sfcshhi