Saint Francis High School (Louisville)
(Also see listing for St. Francis School (Goshen, KY)
Saint Francis High School (also spelled St. Francis School), is an Independent, non-denominational, progressive, co-ed, Preschool – 12th grade school located on two campuses: Goshen (Preschool-8) and Downtown (9-12) with approximately 500 students. The origin of St. Francis School traces back to a Preschool established in 1948 by members of St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church. In 1965, the Rev. Stephen R. Davenport, along with supportive parents and friends, opened St. Francis School at the church in Harrods Creek, with the Rev. Frank Q. Cayce serving as Headmaster from 1965 to 1975. Their goal was to fulfill a community need for an integrated, co-educational school that provided an innovative learning environment. St. Francis School is characterized by personal attention, small class sizes, diversity, dedication to student voice, commitment to community service, student-centric extracurriculars, and outstanding teachers who are dedicated to their subject areas and to students. Inside and outside the classroom, the atmosphere at St. Francis School is one of joy that also prepares students successfully for college and for life. The school philosophy is based on the Progressive school movement founded by John Dewey and Francis Parker in the early 1900s as a response to the assembly line, “one-size-fits-all” school model. Progressive schools, on the other hand, believe that students achieve milestones at different rates and therefore that education should be customized for individual students as much as possible. Like St. Francis, Progressive schools are student-centered, community service-minded, diverse, experiential, and participatory; they require students to be fully engaged participants in the learning process.
St. Francis School is fully accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), certified by the Kentucky Department of Education, and is a member of the following organizations: National Association of Independent Schools, Kentucky Association of Independent Schools,[1] Kentucky Non-Public Schools Commission, Elementary Schools Heads Association, National Middle School Association, Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education, and the National Association for Gifted Children. St. Francis is also one of 100 schools in the U.S. named as a Confucius Classroom for its Chinese language program, and its middle school drama program is nationally recognized by the National Youth Arts Awards. The Preschool received a superior rating in the Kentucky STARS program and is recognized as an exemplary program by the Kentucky Department of Education.
History
In the mid-1970s, a St. Francis School mathematics teacher, Thomas H. Pike III, and a group of parents decided to found a new high school as a continuation of the lower School. They chose to locate the new school in downtown Louisville, to take advantage of the resources available there and, in part, to set the school apart from the other independent schools in the city. Serendipitously, a Louisville real estate developer, William Receveur, had recently purchased the former headquarters of the Louisville YMCA at 233 W. Broadway and was in the process of renovating the building, erected in 1913, for office and commercial space. The fledgling high school rented the third floor of the old "Y" and opened its doors with a small class of ninth graders, adding grades 10-12 in subsequent years. The school gradually rented out more space in the seven-story building, as other tenants moved out, occupying parts of the ground floor, first floor, second floor and fourth floor by the close of the 2000-2001 school year.
As the school approached its 25th year, Pike, who had been serving as head of school since its founding, and the school's directors sought to expand and revitalize St. Francis High School. Following a $6 million fundraising campaign, St. Francis High School and a private partner undertook a major redesign and renovation of the entire building, with the school occupying the northern half and apartments and commercial spaces the southern half.
Pike stepped down as head after the 2002-03 school year. Alexandra Schreiber Thurstone G'80, '84 is the current head of school.
In 2012, St. Francis High School merged with sister school, St. Francis School, to form the current Preschool-12th grade St. Francis School.[2] Although the merger had been discussed over the past several decades, the boards of both sister schools agreed the schools were ready to consolidate all three campuses, which share similar educational philosophies, into the St. Francis School: "the regional center of progressive learning where students grow into mindful, informed young adults."[3]
Even after the merger, Alexandra Schrieber Thurstone G'80, '84 remains the head of school.
Educational philosophy and program
By design, the school has had one of the smallest 9-12 student enrollments in the country, typically no more than 160 students. The founders of the school wanted to maintain the low student-to-teacher ratio of the lower school and facilitate a more collegial atmosphere between teachers and students. Accordingly, the new facilities are designed for a maximum student body of 180.
True to its developmental learning background, St. Francis has few rules, no dress code, and a refreshing lack of formality. The school does not track its students by ability, believing all learners can benefit from interacting with each other as well as with the teacher. Nevertheless, the curriculum is academically rigorous, with emphasis on written and spoken expression in all classes. College Board Advanced Placement courses are available in many subjects in the upper grades.
With a student teacher ratio of 8:1, maximum class size of 18 and an average size in 2006-2007 of 11. The mission is to prepare students academically and personally for college and life in a rigorous educational environment that challenges them to think independently, respect individuality, and act with integrity.
Students taking AP tests score 3 or higher over 80% of the time and gain college credit and/or advanced placement in college courses. They do not publish their standardized test scores. Currently the school offers over 14 AP classes.
St. Francis has nine core values. We are diverse, participatory, academically challenging, egalitarian, cooperative, risk-taking, personalized, spiritual/ethical, and innovative.
Part of how the school lives out their mission and core values is the extending of privileges to the students,coupled with the added responsibility expected from them. Students are allowed to sign out of the building during lunch and free periods. Because this is a privilege, they are expected to be responsible and manage their time appropriately. When a problem occurs, with the sign out system or any other disciplinary matter, students are referred to the Disciplinary Review Board, the student-run discipline system.
Extracurricular activities
The school colors are red and blue. The mascot of the school is a red Wyvern rampant.
Athletic teams include soccer, field hockey, basketball, tennis, track, lacrosse and many more. Currently the school offers eleven varsity sports and the opportunity for students to excel in multiple sports. St. Francis has a no-cut policy, so all students are invited to participate and play.
Academic teams include Quick Recall (a quiz bowl competition), chess, Science Olympiad, Math League and Destination ImagiNation.
Other groups include the school committee, guideverns, yearbook, literary magazine, knitting club, yoga, ultimate frisbee and drama club.
Students are given the ability to spearhead their own clubs and organizations once they have the approval of the head of school and a faculty representative.
The art program at St. Francis is truly unique, with two or more artists-in-residence a year teaching the students of their profession.
Associations
The school is an accredited member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS), and belongs to the Kentucky Association of Independent Schools (KAIS) and the Louisville Independent Schools Coalition (LISC).
References
- ↑ rucker, siofra (2016-05-05). "school's website".
- ↑ Overview & History - St. Francis School. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://stfrancisschool.org/the-basics/overview/
- ↑ St. Francis School | louisvilleindependentschools.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://louisvilleindependentschools.org/node/3