Principal Newsletter Archives
Principal’s Newsletter 11/27/20
Dear St. Francis Families,
I hope you had a bountiful Thanksgiving Day, and that you enjoyed the time spent with family and friends. May God continue to bless you all and be ever-present in your lives during times of joy and especially during challenging moments.
Thank you, God, for all your blessings to our extended St. Francis family, for the strength you give us each day, and for all the people around us who make life more meaningful.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
In the spirit of Pax et Bonum (peace and goodness),
Elias Mendoza
Principal
Principal’s Newsletter 11/20/20
Dear St. Francis Families,
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday next week, it’s important to pause and reflect on the many blessings we have in our lives, amidst the many challenges we’ve faced over the past 8 months. Now more than ever, I ask that you reflect on those things you cherish the most and ask that you thank God for those blessings.
Additionally, our gratitude should be expressed in more than just words, it should be demonstrated by the actions and the lives we live. Let’s continue to focus on being servant leaders, and instill that calling in our children.
As an acknowledgment of our patron saint and the life of humility and service he led, I invite you to read and reflect on the Prayer of St. Francis.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
In the spirit of Pax et Bonum (peace and goodness),
Elias Mendoza
Principal
Principal’s Newsletter 11/13/20
Dear St. Francis Families,
I thank you all for your patience and flexibility as we continue to navigate the challenges imposed upon us all by the COVID pandemic. I know many of you have been looking forward to a return to in-person instruction. While we saw a decrease in COVID infection rates in Sacramento County not too long ago, we now find ourselves rebounding back to the Purple Tier. Some of you may be wondering what this means for SFHS? Since we’ve been open for in-person instruction, this new tier downgrade does not mean we’ll have to close again. It does mean we have to remain vigilant in following preventive measures and maintaining a tight COVID bubble.
There are some important changes you need to be aware of as we approach the last few weeks of the 1st Semester. With just a few short weeks of instruction post the Thanksgiving holiday and our modified plans for final exams this year, we are modifying our hybrid learning plan through the start of the new year. Please take note of the following important dates:
- The week of November 16th – 20th will be our last week of in-person instruction before the Thanksgiving holiday.
- The Gold Cohort will be screened on Monday, November 16th form 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.
- There will be no COVID screening for the Red Cohort on Thursday, November 19th.
- November 23rd and 24th will be distance learning days, as we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Campus will be closed at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25th.
- November 30th – December 11th will be distance learning weeks, as students prepare for final exams.
- December 14th – December 18th is final exams week and the end of the fall semester.
- December 21st – January 1st campus will be closed for Christmas Break.
- The week of January 4th – 8th will be distance learning so we can resume our COVID screening protocols.
- Monday, January 4th, Gold Cohort will be screened from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.
- Thursday, January 7th, Red Cohort will be screened from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.
- Monday, January 11th, Red Cohort returns to in-person instruction.
- Thursday, January 14th, Gold Cohort returns to in-person instruction.
In order to ensure your daughter can resume in-person instruction with her assigned cohort, don’t forget to schedule your daughter’s COVID screening appointment at Urgent Care Now’s SFHS dedicated webpage HERE.
As we continue to move into the holiday season, let’s continue to be vigilant and maintain appropriate precautions on and off-campus and at home. Your off-campus behavior is directly connected to our ability to safely offer on-campus instruction. We want nothing more than to remain open long-term and ask for your cooperation in ensuring that you (and your daughters) observe a strict “COVID bubble” that prevents others from entering and possibly exposing you to the virus. By doing so, you are not only protecting your family but our larger school community.
Please be mindful of where your travels may take you and your family over the holidays. By working together, we can overcome this terrible pandemic and ensure we’re able to provide your daughter/s with a sense of normalcy during these challenging times.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
In the spirit of Pax et Bonum (peace and goodness),
Elias Mendoza
Principal
Principal’s Newsletter 11/06/20
Dear St. Francis Families,
This week was a joyous reminder of what it was like to have our Troubies on campus before the COVID pandemic. It was also a reminder that we are not fully out of the woods and need to remain vigilant against the infectiousness of this terrible virus.
I thank you all for your patience as we navigated challenges over the past few months. I know that many of you have been looking forward to a return to in-person instruction. While we’ve seen a decrease in COVID infection rates in Sacramento County, we still remain in the Red Tier, and there’s a possibility we may rebound back to the Purple Tier.
In order for us to move in a downward trend in COVID cases and to remain open, we must be vigilant in following the preventive measures put in place by Sacramento County Public Health (SCPH). Face coverings, physical distancing, good personal hygiene, and weekly RT-PCR testing. By doing so, we are decreasing the denominator of possible COVID exposure.
Obviously, we cannot do this without your assistance. We are partners in educating your daughter; we are also partners in keeping a small, tight-knit community committed to protecting the health and safety of all students. With the recent positive COVID cases shared with you this week, it has become apparent that small social gatherings, carpools, running groups, and even birthday celebrations can inadvertently expose students to the novel Coronavirus. Please be aware that exposure to one COVID-19 positive person will result in a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.
In addition, any student that is not testing weekly, and unable to show a green Immunify shield upon entry to campus, will not be able to participate in our Hybrid learning model. Similarly, any student with a yellow or red shield will not be allowed to remain on campus until their shield reverts back to green. The COVID self-screening questions must be answered daily on the Immunify app before students arrive on campus. We need truthful responses but be aware that any “yes” responses may trigger a yellow or red shield, which can prevent a student from being allowed on campus.
Revised Testing Times
In order to streamline the COVID screening process and ensure more predictable testing results, we will be adjusting the testing days/times next week and beyond.
- The Red Cohort will test on Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m.
- The Gold Cohort will test on Mondays from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Your daughter can make her future appointment now at Urgent Care Now’s SFHS dedicated webpage HERE.
Let’s continue to be vigilant and maintain our precautions on and off-campus and at home. Your off-campus behavior is directly connected to our ability to safely offer on-campus instruction. We want nothing more than to remain open long-term and ask for your cooperation in ensuring that you (and your daughters) observe a strict “COVID bubble” that prevents others from entering and possibly exposing you to the virus. By doing so, you are not only protecting your family but our larger school community.
I believe that, by working together, we can overcome this terrible pandemic and ensure we’re able to provide your daughter/s with a sense of normalcy during these challenging times.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
In the spirit of Pax et Bonum (peace and goodness),
Elias Mendoza
Principal
Principal’s Newsletter 10/30/20
Dear St. Francis Families,
I am excited to welcome our Troubies back on campus next week as we begin our Hybrid Learning Model. I know many of you have been patiently waiting for this day.
Parents – please share this message with your daughter:
As we prepare for our return to in-person instruction next week, please remember to bring a face covering, complete the self-screening questions on the Immunify app, and double-check to make sure your most recent COVID test is uploaded and displaying a green shield. When you arrive on campus, it is important that you practice physical distancing. Follow the directional arrows and signs prominently displayed across our facilities.
In order for us to remain open and continue to provide in-person instruction, it is important that we follow all of the Sacramento County health guidelines and participate in weekly COVID screening. By following these procedures and protocols, we are doing our best to reduce the possibility of exposure to other students, faculty/staff, and loved ones. If you don’t feel well, please stay home and continue with distance learning for the day or until you’ve had a chance to see or speak with a physician about your symptoms.
If you were not able to read the FAQ communication that was sent yesterday to all parents, please follow this link HERE.
I look forward to seeing our Troubies on Monday, and I pray that God will continue to bless us and keep us safe.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
In the spirit of Pax et Bonum (peace and goodness),
Elias Mendoza
Principal
Principal’s Newsletter 10/23/20
Dear St. Francis Families,
Yesterday we celebrated our 9th Annual Day of Giving – Thankful Thursday. The donations collected directly provide tuition assistance to the more than 30% of our students who rely on financial support in order to attend St. Francis Catholic High School.
I am overjoyed with the positive support we have received in the last 24 hours, and all the days leading up to Thankful Thursday. We could not provide tuition assistance to the number of Troubies that we do without your continued support. We have not yet reached our goal of $200,000 and are working hard to get there! If you haven’t had the opportunity to donate yet, there’s still time! Please support our Troubies with your donation today.
We are excited for the student competition next week! Student donations will be collected on the day that they are on campus:
- Monday – Sophomores
- Tuesday – Freshmen
- Thursday – Juniors
- Friday – Seniors
The class with the highest percentage participation will win Yo Yo Yogurt, free choice shoes and the class trophy (new this year)!
Thank you. As always, it is great to be an SF Troubadour!
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
In the spirit of Pax et Bonum (peace and goodness),
Elias Mendoza
Principal