Web Address:
http://www.stfrancisschool.org/
Name & Address:
St. Francis School
11000 U.S. 42
Goshen, KY 40026
(502) 228-1197
Head of School:
John DeLautre
Director of Admissions:
Chris Bird
K-8: (502) 228-1197
Diane Deitel or Shannon Delahanty
preschool: (502) 228-0165
Type of School:
Preschool - Grade 8
Size of school:
425 students
Mission Statement:
A pursuit of excellence and a love of learning.
St. Francis School is an independent, coeducational, day school that long have excelled in developmental education for children ages 2 through eighth grade.
We inspire enthusiasm for education. We foster self-motivation, self-confidence and self-discipline. Our small class sizees allow for critical teacher-student interaction and individual attention. Our schools recognize what is special in each child; and we're committed to providing each with the nurturing that gives a sense of self-worth, so important for academic achievement.
As our students mature into young scholars, they're challenged to pursue academic excellence. And they do. Our graduates become our finest ambassadors!
An integral part of the entire St. Francis program is an emphasis on music, fine arts, drama and physical education. Each school's curriculum allows the flexibility needed to develop the potential of each child.
We also value and actively seek a diverse student body. And because we're affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky, we guide children in developing personal values rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Children develop in a caring community where people strive to interact with responsibility, honesty and compassion, developing an awareness of the needs and rights of others.
St. Francis School stimulates intellectual curiosity, inspires academic progress and values effort and social responsibility. Analytical and creative problem solving, as well as foundational skills, are emphasized so that students are prepared to succeed in throughout their educational lives and to live successfully in a rapidly changing society.
General Information:
The St. Francis School story began back in 1948, when a preschool was organized
by members of St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church. But it was two
decades later when the school of today really began to take shape.
In 1965, the church's rector, the Rev. Stephen R. Davenport, along with supportive parents and friends, opened St. Francis School in Harrods Creek. The goal was to fulfill a community need for an integrated, coeducational school.
The Rev. Frank Q. Cayce was the first headmaster of this coeducational elementary and middle school. J. Roberton MacColl IV was headmaster from 1980-1991. In 1991, Elizabeth A. Archibald served as acting head. Phil Demartini Jr. was named head of school in 1992, and he served until the end of the 2000-01 school year. While the board searched for Phil's permanent successor, Susan Thompson was hired to serve a year as interim head of school.
The school expresses its relation to the Episcopal church informally, chiefly through the quality of its concern for individuals. In the finest Judeo-Christian tradition, St. Francis strives to be an example of a school where people interact responsibly with honesty and sensitivity.
In 1970, the school moved to its present site on 49 acres in Goshen, Ky., 22 miles northeast of downtown Louisville. A second building, completed in 1974, added a gymnasium, science labs, instrumental music room and an art room for students. In the fall of 1982, a new library, computer center and language laboratory were added to the existing facility.
In 1997, the school added a new math/science/art wing, and extensive renovation was done to the main building. During the 1996-1997 school year, an additional 27.5 acres was purchased adjacent to the main campus.
In 1995, the school returned to its roots -- opening St. Francis Preschool on the grounds of St. Francis in the Fields Church in Harrods Creek. Diane Deitel has been the director since the start.
Special Characteristics and programs:
OUR EXTRACURRICULAR OFFERINGS provide wonderful opportunities, and we hope
you take advantage of them. We also hope this list helps you understand all
the choices and possibilities that exist. Please use it to plan a productive,
exciting year of enriching activities.
At the same time, we hope this guide also will help you to pare your choices to those that fit your child's main interests and abilities -- without overwhelming them or you!
In recent years, teachers have grown concerned that many of our children are attempting to do too many things and, consequently, are overextending themselves and their families! This leads to a conflict of interests, to obligations not being kept and ultimately to frustrated children, parents, teachers and coaches!
To quote from The Hurried Child by David Elkind: "Most of us think of stress as an adult phenomenon. But today's pressures to cope, to succeed and to win are every bit as taxing - indeed, as dangerous - for children as they are for adults."
Please take note of overlapping seasons, overlapping days during the same seasons and the commitment expected from different teams and coaches. We all bemoan the frantic pace of today's world; this is an attempt to do something about it -- together.
Two other things need to be kept in mind when making your plans:
Most after-school activities end at 5 p.m. If you can't easily pick up your
child at the appointed time, we typically have an activities van or bus available
(depending on numbers). However, riding the activities bus requires a $4 ticket,
and students must sign up and pay each day in the school office. (Or buy a
packet of 10 tickets for $35.) See the St. Francis handbook for route drop-offs
and times.
If you are picking up your child after an extracurricular activity, please
be punctual. Supervising teachers must wait with any children whose parents
are late, and staying into overtime is a hardship. As one result, we're instituting
a Late Pick-Up Penalty this year: If you are 5 minutes to 15 minutes late,
you must pay $10 to the teacher in charge.
So much for the caveats and concerns. Our extracurricular activities add a
lot to our children's educations and growth, and we hope lots of families take
advantage of the opportunity.
See the column on the right for links to our after-school details and a calendar overview of the year's events.