St. Francis High School | College Preparatory

I am pleased to announce that Len Vokaty will be joining St. Francis High School effective July 1, 2009 as Director of Finance and Operations. Len reports directly to the President and will be a member of the St. Francis leadership team.

The Director of Finance and Operations is responsible for all aspects regarding financial management of the school and the operations/maintenance of the related buildings and grounds.

Len graduated from John Carroll University , University Heights , Ohio with both a B.S.B.A. in accounting and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

Len, his wife Karen, along with their 4 children (SFHS - Kristen, ’02; Lauren, ’04; Patrick, ’08; and, Kaitlyn, ’11) relocated from Cleveland , OH to Chicago in 1999.

Len's most recent position was the Commercial Manager for the Atlantic Richfield Company, a BP affiliated company. He began his career with BP in 1979 in Cleveland , Ohio , working in both The Kennecott Corporation and Standard Oil of Ohio before they were subsequently acquired by BP. He has held multiple financial control positions within BP – Western Hemisphere Regional Controller, Controller at BP’s Chemicals' Lima , Ohio facility, and Controller for BP’s U.S. Acetyls’ business.

Len has served on the Board of Directors for St. Francis and has been a member of the Finance Committee since 2002. He enjoys golf, landscaping and home maintenance projects.

Wheaton, IL -

Matt and Mike Novack often have been inseparable.

The twin brothers were born together, have played in bands together and will be roommates next year on a full scholarship at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where they will both major in math.

What’s unique about this set of identical twins is Matt Novack was this year’s St. Francis High School valedictorian, while Mike was the salutatorian.

“Our (calculus) teacher always said you should do your homework with other people,” Matt said. “That was easy for me.”

The Novacks, who reside in Wheaton, graduated from St. Francis in Wheaton on May 17. Each brother gave a speech after the hour-long mass.

Mike said as salutatorian, he talked about certain teachers and events that had an influence on the student body, while Matt said his was more of a look into the future, talking about things he hoped the graduating class would do to serve the community.

“It was fine, I wasn’t emotional,” said Debbie Novack, their mother, about watching them graduate.

“You just take it in stride and say ‘God bless.’ It’s a double blessing.”

Differences between the twins draw them even closer to each other, such as Matt’s love of playing guitar and Mike’s love of the drums.

“Once you get to be around us, it’s pretty obvious (who we are),” Mike said. “I have a friend who could tell us apart from one sentence on the phone, so it gets a lot easier as it goes along.”

Matt remembes a time when he brought his brother to his guitar lesson in an attempt to trick his guitar teacher.

“He wasn’t fooled at all,” Matt said. “He said Mike had a different vibe.”

“I don’t know what it is,” Mike said.

Both of the twins said they would like to keep up with their musical side in Champaign.

“I know I’ll take lessons, and I want to play in a jazz ensemble or something,” Matt said. “But however it works out, I just want to keep playing.”

Debbie Novack said she looks forward to driving with her husband and daughter to watch Matt and Mike play in jazz concerts and pep band performances.

Mike said the move to Champaign will be a big change from attending St. Francis, but neither is too worried about finding a place.

“People say you find your niche in college,” Mike said. “It’s not like you’re ever going to sit in a room with all 40,000 students. Unless it’s orientation.”

While the thought of living in a dorm room 5 feet from a sibling isn’t music to the ears of most, Mike said it’ll help the twins have a smooth transition.

“Maybe we won’t have to adjust as much,” Mike said

May 7, 2009 - St. Francis High School Announces Finalists in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program

Raeann Huhn, principal of St. Francis High School in Wheaton announced the names of the three students who have been recognized as Finalists in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program. The academically talented students include, Katherine Jensen of Wheaton , Matthew Novack of Wheaton and Michael Novack of Wheaton.

May 3-Chicago Tribune - Matt Novack: St. Francis High School in Wheaton
- Steve Schmadeke, Tribune reporter

Whether it's the nimble fretwork of guitarist Joe Satriani or the "fascinating" logic of calculus, Matt Novack, 17, has spent much of his youth delving into the twin worlds of mathematics and music.

The Wheaton resident with a perfect ACT score and plus-size GPA has played piano and guitar since he was a child. Novack performs in a high school music ensemble, plays on Sundays during mass at two Catholic churches in Glen Ellyn and enjoys jamming with his twin, Mike, a high-achieving senior who plays drums.

"It's just fun," said Novack, wearing a Trans-Siberian Orchestra T-shirt. "I'll play everything from Bach, Beethoven to rock stuff. [With math] partly it's the intellectual challenge. Maybe some people don't like calculus but I think it's cool."

At St. Francis High School in Wheaton, where Novack is valedictorian and his brother Mike finished second of 189, some people have so much trouble telling them apart -- the brothers even shared the role of stage pianist in a production of "42nd Street" -- that they use their last name.

"It's not a big deal," he said of being called Novack. "It's really hard to tell us apart, so I can hardly blame them."

The brothers are headed on full scholarship to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where they plan to room together.

"He certainly has a phenomenal mind," said St. Francis Principal Raeann Huhn of Matt. "But he's very humble. He shares his gifts in the classroom, but also shares his musical gifts."

In his application essay, Novack wrote about rehearsing and performing the Rush song " Tom Sawyer" with his brother.

Music is his first love and he hopes to continue playing.

"It has always come natural to me," he said. "I've been playing for as long as I can remember."

sschmadeke@tribune.com

The One-Acts Festival, held April 24 and 25 at St. Francis High School, provided students the opportunity to write, direct and perform in their own one-act play. English teacher and Drama Club moderator Jim Wall, a playwright and director himself, brought the One-Acts Festival to St. Francis when he arrived seven years ago. Mr. Wall commented, “ This year's One-Acts featured eight one act premieres written by eight St. Francis students, seven current and one alumni guest playwright. The plays were mostly comical and dealt with dating, family tension, writer's block, computer viruses, and even a mad mixture of Shakespeare's characters all stuck in the same play, trying to determine in which play they belonged.” The audiences found the plays very funny and thought provoking.

One-Acts is a unique creative experience for students since they write and direct their own performances. Hannah Filipski (‘09), who plans to pursue screenwriting in college and as a profession said, “Seeing my play up there being performed was just amazing, and words can’t really describe the experience of directing a play. I’m so glad I ended my senior year this way!”

Many St. Francis students go on to major in theater in college and pursue careers in the field.

St. Francis student One-Acts performances included The Write Stuff, written by Hannah Filipski (‘09) and directed by Meghan Shearer (‘09); Inspector Spectre, written by Calvin King (‘10) and directed by Becky Solomon (‘10); Get Me Out of Here, written by Dave Spahn (’10) and directed by Mary-Kate Lusk (‘09); Much Ado About Everything, written by Tommy Malouf (’09) and directed by Erin Moffitt (‘09); Lord of the Game, written by Meghan Shearer (‘09) and directed by Hannah Filipski (‘09); Not Knowing Equadorian History, written by Leo Simmons (‘10) and directed by Grace Neigel (‘09); and The Burners, written by Conrad Buranicz (’09) and directed by Al Polkow (‘09).

On Thursday, April 23rd, Mr. Jim Wall and the St. Francis Library sponsored a "poetry slam" for students. This event was hosted by renowned Poetry Slam Artist George Miller, a professor of English at Lewis University in Romeoville . Mr. Miller performed some of his poetry and invited students to share their own efforts. Traditionally, a poetry slam is an event at which poets read or recite original work and are then judged by members of the audience. Students from Creative Writing and several English classes attended and experienced the fun of sharing and creating poetry.

Wheaton, IL – April 24, 2009 – Raeann Huhn, principal of St. Francis High School in Wheaton, is pleased to announce the names of fifty-one students who have been recognized as 2009 Illinois State Scholars.

The prestigious award is given annually by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission ( ISAC ) which is recognizing 19,331 high school students from across the state as this year’s State Scholars. Illinois State Scholars rank in the top ten percent of the state’s high school seniors from 798 high schools across the state.

“It is with genuine pleasure that we honor these students,” said Huhn. “They represent 27% of the St. Francis Class of 2009.”

St. Francis High School scholars include Wheaton residents Stanley Bobowski, Maria Diamond, Ryan Ferguson, Katherine Jensen, James Keegan, Matthew Novack, Michael Novack, Thomas Pilewicz, Meghan Shearer, Maureen Slavin, David Sufranski, Erica Vitale and Elizabeth Vonderhaar.

Naperville winners include Stephanie Berger, Madeline Blecha, Benjamin Lewis, Alexis Lozinak, Michael Segneri and Lauren Szalach.

Those named from Winfield include Colin Brown, Allison Duncan, Shannon Hollenbeck, John Kraft, Kevin Lopatka, Collin Moat, Alexandra Morris, Nathan Olver and Meghan Pirics.

Glen Ellyn residents include Jennifer Eldridge,Maura Lenahan, Erin Moffitt, Patrick Reinke, and Courtney Trunk.

Residing in Lisle are Monica Bhatia, Matthew DeAngelo, Matthew DuBois and Joseph Ledvora. Derek Bishe, Mitchell Liepins, Kimberly Neary and Francis Santos are from Carol Stream. Also included are Wayne residents Michaelangelo Consiglio, Jennifer Golnick and Matthew Sarna. Illinois State Scholars Grant Conner and Morgan Walsh are from St. Charles.

Additional St. Francis High School students include Siobhan Culhane (Bloomingdale), Kyle Healy (Bartlett), Samantha Laycock (West Chicago), Matthew McShane (Roselle) and Rachel O’Connell (Geneva).

With a cast and chorus of over 100 students, the March 19-22 production of Thoroughly Modern Millie had audiences tapping along to the jazzy dance tunes and laughing at the farcical situations.

Director Carolyn Brady-Riley, an accomplished director, actress, and singer, has led the theater program to string of recent hit productions. Seussical (2004) and Into the Woods (2006) both earned the honor of being performed at the prestigious Illinois Theater Festival. On this year’s performance of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Brady-Riley said, “The cast and crew came together as a family. Within this high-energy show, the scene changes of the crew were as exciting to watch as the dance numbers!”

Senior Tommy Malouf has been a star of the St. Francis theater program since his freshman year. Acting in his seventh performance, in Thoroughly Modern Millie Tommy shared the lead role of Jimmy Smith with junior Mike Ferraro. In January, Tommy was also honored by being selected to perform at the Illinois Theater Festival performance of Hairspray. Tommy said, “The St. Francis theater program is a great community because everyone is so loving and supportive of one another. We all work very hard to give our best for the goal of putting on a great performance. Our director, Mrs. Brady-Riley, really brings out the best in us!”

The rest of the principal roles were led by an incredibly talented group of young actors, actresses, singers and dancers including: senior Grace Neigel and junior Jackie Saland as Millie; freshman Allison Slattery and junior Katie French as Miss Dorothy Brown; senior Maggie Kilrea and junior Becky Solomon as Muzzy von Hossmere; sophomore Kevin Lusk as Ching Ho; junior Calvin King as Bun Foo; senior Alex Polkow as Trevor Graydon; and senior Erin Moffit as Mrs. Meers.

The St. Francis High School Dance Team recently finished their most successful season in school history. The Spartans finished 3 rd in Open Dance and 4 th in Lyrical Dance at the Team Dance Illinois ( TDI ) Class A State Championships held on Sunday, March 8 at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois . St. Francis competed against the very best varsity dance, drill and pom teams in the state.

Both results were the best in school history, and it was the first time a St. Francis Dance Team ever brought home a trophy from the state championships. "I told this team at the beginning of the season that they had the most potential of any team I’ve ever coached. I'm so proud of them for using and reaching their potential," said Mary Pratscher, the Dance Team coach and an English teacher at St. Francis.

Senior Katrina Clark added, “As team captains, Jess Defino, Meghan McLaughlin, Lauren Philiotas and I are really proud of our team because this year was the hardest choreography our team ever danced. It was a total team effort—not just one person can take credit. It was really exciting to see the team grow into such beautiful dancers!” As an extension of the classroom, the St. Francis Dance Team teaches lessons for life through commitment, dedication, tremendous hard work and teamwork.

St. Francis High School all-state running back Mark Kachmer was awarded a Scholar-Athlete award from the National Football Foundation on February 28. Mark received a beautiful Bronze Action Trophy and a $4000 scholarship to the college of his choice. This award is given annually to five seniors in the State of Illinois who excel in Leadership, Academics and Athletic performance.

Mark led the Spartans to the IHSA 5A Championship by scoring 33 touchdowns and running for 1,988 yards and 9.7 yards/carry. In addition to his excellence on the field, Mark carries a 4.1 GPA at St. Francis, earned Suburban Catholic Conference All-Academic honors and is involved in several co-curricular activities such as Students Against Destructive Decisions and Campus Ministry. He also volunteers his time at PADS Homeless Shelter, Feed My Starving Children, and works as a summer football camp counselor. Head Coach Greg Purnell commented, “Mark is one of the most dynamic leaders that I have been around in 40 years of coaching football. He really cares about his teammates, classmates, and everyone else in his life.” Mark plans to attend Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island in the fall.

On March 4, 18 0 Catholic schools sent over 3600 people from around Illinois to Springfield for the Catholics @ the Capitol rally and lobbying day. St. Francis High School students joined with students from Montini, Driscoll and Immaculate Conception to participate. Organized by the Catholic Conference of Illinois, the main policy goal was to persuade the General Assembly to pass SB 183 or HB 643 to expand the Education Expense Tax Credit for private school parents from $500 to $1000.

Students took part in a rally in the capitol building rotunda, spoke with Wheaton State Representative Mike Fortner, and observed sessions of the legislature. St. Francis senior Liz Vonderhaar commented, “It was great to see so many students come together to impact legislation. Being able to voice our opinions directly to our state legislators made us feel like we were making a real difference in the world.”

The Catholic Conference, which represents the Catholic bishops of Illinois, has worked diligently to reform education policy affecting all private schools. Their successes include: State recognition for private schools; the Tuition Tax Credit for parents; the Textbook Loan Program; Travel Reimbursements for Families; and School Safety Block Grant reimbursements. All these policies help to make private school education a more affordable choice for the families of Illinois.

WHERE: Kuhn Cultural Arts Center
St. Francis High School – 2130 W. Roosevelt Road - Wheaton

Mary Jane Feltes, a teacher at Wheaton St. Francis High School for 24 years, passed away on Feb 21st, at the age of 64 due to heart failure. Mary was born in Madison, WI and attended The University of Wisconsin at River Falls, receiving a BS in Biology in 1966, and became a teacher upon graduation. Mary taught biology and anatomy in Nebraska, Wisconsin, Germany, and finally at SFHS in Wheaton, where she became Chair of the Science Department and founder of the student environmental group Evergreen Club. A lifelong fan of all animals and the Green Bay Packers, when not in class she could be found at the family farm Sonny Acres, usually cooking, gardening or sharing a story with family and friends.

St. Francis cancelled classes on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 to celebrate a funeral mass for Mary in the school’s Slant Dome gym. The gym was overflowing with students, faculty, alumni, friends and family who had come to celebrate this exceptional woman’s life. She was known for her great sense of humor and generosity, and inspired countless students. An alumni who became a science teacher because of Mary Feltes expressed what many are feeling about her loss, “ I learned from her because she was brilliant; I remembered her because she was unique; and, I loved her because of everything she was.”

Mary is survived by her husband of 42 years, Lt. Col. Lorentz Feltes, USAF, Ret. and their three children, David (Louisa), Daniel (Sarah) and Rebecca (David), as well as her beloved grandchildren, Charlie and Matthew, and her best friend and partner in crime, Sue Kolasinski.

2009 marks the first year St. Francis High School will join other Chicago-area schools as a J Kyle Braid school. Sophomore student-athletes Lauren Duncan, Lauren Gorski, Steven Alcantara and Nicholas Pfeiffer were selected as the first J Kyle Braid Award winners at St. Francis. Theresa Katarzynski, Lauren Pisarski, Kyle Bhatia and Michael Stolte were selected as alternates.

These sophomore student-athletes will spend a week this summer at the J Kyle Braid Ranch in Colorado learning leadership skills with other Chicago-area student-athlete leaders. The students also make a two-year commitment to develop leadership and service programs to improve St. Francis and our local communities after they return.

The J Kyle Braid Leadership Foundation was started in 1994 by Ken and Colleen Braid in memory of their only son, J Kyle. A 16 year-old high school football player, J Kyle committed suicide after using steroids. Since their tragic loss the Braids have devoted their lives to providing high school student-athletes with the leadership skills needed to help their classmates and teammates make good decisions, and make their schools and communities better places. Visit their website at http://www.jkbranch.org/ .

From “Hey Baby” to the Rocky theme music, the St. Francis High School Pep Band knows how to get a crowd on their feet. Under the direction of Bob Mamminga, the Pep Band has grown significantly in recent years and has had an exciting 2008-2009 school-year. In addition to the usual performances at home basketball, football and volleyball games, the band performed at the 5A Football Championship won by St. Francis and was awarded the opportunity to perform at this year’s 3A/4A IHSA State Volleyball Tournament at Illinois State in Bloomington in November.

The St. Francis Director of Instrumental Music, Bob Mamminga (Mr. M to students) recently stated: “It has been exciting to watch the growth in student participation and progress of St. Francis musicians. Currently, we have a very talented group with great enthusiasm and commitment.” Mr. M recalled his first Homecoming Week Pep Rally 5 years ago when 10-12 students played. This year the Pep Band had 71 students and a repertoire of music that includes over 20 titles. They play a wide array of current sports arena favorites, and also include electric guitars, keyboards and singers to complement the traditional percussion and woodwind brass sections.

The Pep Band creates a great atmosphere for St. Francis home football, basketball and volleyball games. Music is part of the curriculum at St. Francis, so students are able rehearse during class in order to lead the crowd during the games. It is also great social experience for students and an opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime. Senior Matt Novack commented: “I have met most of my best friends in the band and I feel that St. Francis’ band program is one of the best around. Mr. M is a great teacher and director.” At St. Francis, the Pep Band is one area where education extends well beyond the classroom.

Catholic Schools Week is celebrated throughout the United States each year during the last week of January. St. Francis High School in Wheaton participated in this annual celebration of the good done by Catholic education with a full slate of activities. This year’s theme was Celebrate Service.

The highlights of the week included student-led service projects to help those in need. Students and teachers worked with kids from St. Francis’ neighbor, Marion Park, to prepare baked goods for a bake sale at school. The proceeds went to support Share our Strength, an organization working to end hunger in the United States. The idea for the bake sale came from sophomore Alexendra Moresco. Alex said, “My parents were involved in this organization for a long time and it was a wake-up call for me to learn how many children experience hunger here in the United States. As Catholics I think we should help other people.” Other service projects included students and teachers making blankets for hospice, a trip to the People’s Resource Center, visiting disabled kids at Marklund Homes and a cell phone drive for Lazarus House.

In addition to service, the St. Francis community took time for prayer. Bishop Peter Sartain of the Diocese of Joliet came to St. Francis for an All-School Mass. There was also time for fun and community-building. On Friday, the annual Spartan Olympics took place where students and faculty competed for bragging rights for the next year. Events included a Tug-of-War, Dodgeball, Musical Chairs and a Dance-Off. Recognizing the importance of families as the foundation for Catholic education, the week’s activities came to an end with the Daddy-Daughter Dance and the Mother-Son Brunch.

Wheaton, IL – January 28, 2008 - The St. Francis Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Thomas V. Bednar as President of St. Francis High School.

Tom Bednar brings a wealth of educational leadership and management experience to St. Francis High School . In his 20-year educational career, Bednar has managed organizational operations including, human resources, budget preparation and execution, board relations, media and community relations, marketing and fundraising. School Board Chair, Carl Segneri says, "His priorities and beliefs align with St. Francis' mission to provide a challenging and rewarding curricular and co-curricular high school experience in a nurturing and caring Catholic environment. We are thrilled to welcome Tom to St. Francis."

Tom Bednar began his career as a member of the faculty at Notre Dame High School , Niles , IL , where he also held positions in Campus Ministry, Admissions and Coaching. From there, he moved to Santiago , Chile , where he taught and directed Campus Ministry at Our Lady of Andacollo School before becoming that school’s President. While President, Bednar initiated the renewal of the academic programs and a capital campaign for the reconstruction of the school. While in Chile , he published and implemented an environmental education and recreational program for elementary students, “The Creation of the Lord is in Your Hands.” After returning from Chile , Tom served as Director of Cross Cultural Ministries at the University of Notre Dame.

As President of Holy Trinity High School, Chicago , IL , Bednar led a successful $2 million dollar capital campaign and organized the subsequent physical renovations in the school. During that period, enrollment increased by nearly 20 percent. Tom returns to education after working as a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services Inc.

Mr. Bednar is well positioned to lead St. Francis and will help drive the present campaign to build a new science wing and learning center at the 52 year old school. He is a University of Notre Dame alumnus, with a B.A. in Economics and a Master’s in Divinity.

Tom, his wife, Lucy, who is also an educator, and their two sons reside in Villa Park and are members of St. Alexander Parish.

Mr. Bednar succeeds Sister Sheila Megley who resigned from the position in order to fill a leadership role with the Sisters of Mercy in Nebraska.

ST. FRANCIS PARENTS PLAN CASINO NIGHT FUNDRAISER
Wheaton, IL – January 15, 2008

It will be a bright night and a brighter future when the St. Francis Parents’ Organization presents “Taking Chances for St. Francis” Casino Night and Auction. This dazzling event will be held at 6:00 p.m. on February 7^th, 2009 at the Westin Hotel in Yorktown Center in Lombard.

Try your luck in the Las Vegas-style gaming room! The evening promises something for everyone with entertainment provided by the St. Francis Jazz Ensemble and a buffet dinner with open bar. Throughout the night, there will also be a silent auction and raffle prizes which include a grand prize of $10,000.

Providing young people with a premier high school Catholic education is the St. Francis Parents’ Organization’s primary goal. This community-wide fundraiser helps supplement the cost of this education. The chairperson for this event is Rita Lusk who commented “This is an electrifying event which allows the St. Francis community a chance to have fun while supporting our students.”

Tickets are $75.00 per person and may be purchased by calling 630-668-5800 Ext. 143 or visit the website at www.sfhsnet.org . To purchase raffle tickets and support St. Francis High School, please call Yvonne Scholl at 630-848-0343.

Wheaton, IL – 15 December 2008 – The St. Francis High School Library has announced the winner of its yearly Senior Bookplate Design Competition. The Competition invites all seniors to design an original bookplate which incorporates the current year’s theme into a design that typifies and identifies the unique qualities and characteristics of the senior class and the spirit of St. Francis. The theme for this year’s competition was St. Francis High School: Where Everybody Knows Your Name.

The annual contest was judged by a panel of representatives from our school, business and civic communities who judged each of the 31 entries and selected the top three designs. Members of the judging panel included Mr. Joe Zahour, Assistant Vice-President and Branch Manager for Suburban Bank and Trust of Wheaton and Mr. Joe Buchholz, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Buck Services, Inc. located in West Chicago. The panel also included Mrs. Lynn Ellis, Mr. Michael Page and Mrs. Joan Kustak members of the St. Francis staff.

The 2008-09 first place winner is Carissa Saia of Bloomingdale who will receive a $100.00 savings bond and have her original design framed and hung in the library. A copy of Carissa’s design will also be placed in each book donated during the 2008-2009 school year as part of our Annual Book Donation Program.

Senior students Adriana Saia of Bloomingdale and Meghan McKenna of Geneva were also awarded second and third place recognition.

Librarian Judi Rath congratulates all the winners and thanks all those who participated stating, “Each entry was unique and the judges had a difficult job.”

The annual book drive and student-designed bookplates offer donors the opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of anyone in the St. Francis High School Community, including students, educators, alumni and friends.

To participate in the book drive, contact Judi Rath 630-668-5800 x111 or jrath@sfhsnet.org. To view the library’s wish list of books, visit www.sfhsnet.org.

Caption: Seniors Meghan McKenna of Geneva, Carissa & Adriana Saia of Bloomingdale with winning bookplate design.

ST. FRANICS ANNOUNCES HUGH O’BRIEN YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND NORTHERN ILLINOIS LEADERSHIP SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS

Wheaton – 05 December – St. Francis High School is pleased to announce that sophomores Kyle Bhatia (Lisle), Grace Hitzeman (Winfield), and Michael Scholl (Naperville) will represent St. Francis High School at the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership (HOBY) Seminar in June, 2009. Kristin Barth (Wheaton) will represent St. Francis at the Northern Illinois Leadership Seminar (NILS) in June, 2009. James Shields (Winfield) and Amanda Cady (Wheaton) were also selected as alternates. All of the students were recognized by their teachers and administration as leaders among their peers. At the leadership conferences they will learn to develop their leadership skills in order to make their schools, communities and world a better place. The St. Francis community congratulates these students for their accomplishment!

St. Francis High School, 2130 West Roosevelt Road, Wheaton is administering the annual Entrance Exam for all 8th graders on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. The test fee is $35. Registration is due by Monday, January 5, 2009. Forms are available online at www.sfhsnet.org. For more information please contact Meg Olsen at (630) 668-5800 ext. 120.

NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION PROGRAM SCHOLAR

Wheaton, IL – 12 November 2008 – St. Francis High School is pleased to announce that Maria Diamond, daughter of Brian and Lourdes Diamond, has been selected as a 2008-09 National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) Scholar. Students recognized by the NHRP are at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino and have achieved a minimum PSAT/NMSQT/PAA score for their region. Students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are designated as Scholars, and those with GPAs of 3.0 to 3.40 as Honorable Mentions.

Wheaton, IL – 05 November 2008 - Twenty students at St. Francis High School in Wheaton have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program ® (AP ®) provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the 1.6 millionstudents worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams.

Seven students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are Jami Jurich of Wayne, Thomas Kenealy of Warrenville, Eric McKee of Naperville, Lindsay Pyrcik of Lisle, Alexander Seraphin of Bloomingdale and Daniel Sufranski and Caitlin Hamrin of Wheaton.

Two students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken,and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Amy Feehan of Wheaton and Arianna Rubio of Carol Stream.

Eleven students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Patrick Buranicz of Roselle, Peter Byrnes of St. Charles, Matthew DeAngelo of Lisle, Mary Kate Murray, Matthew and Michael Novack, Nathan Olver and Brian Scanlan of Wheaton, Joseph Rysavy of North Aurora, Drew Vachon of Geneva and Colleen White of Glen Ellyn.

Through 37 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placement and stand out in the college admissions process. AP is accepted by more than 3,600 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of successful AP Exam grades. This includes more than 90 percent of four-year institutions in the United States. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and higher graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Among its best-known programs are the SAT ®, the PSAT/NMSQT ®, and the Advanced Placement Program ® (AP ®).

Wheaton , IL – 04 November 2008 – On November 13 th, we will again encourage our students to join hundreds of thousands of students around the country to join the national MIX IT UP at LUNCH event and stir things up in the school cafeteria. The event is being held in over 3000 high schools across the country to encourage students to identify, challenge and cross the various social boundaries that divide schools and communities.

As at many schools, the cafeteria at lunchtime is a social map of our whole school, a map criss-crossed with boundaries. These social boundaries can create divisions and misunderstanding in schools and can even lead to bullying, harassment and violence. By working to cross the barriers students can help create an environment that is characterized by less conflict and instead by more tolerance.

On November 13 th we will encourage our students to see what happens if they mix it up at lunch and will encourage them to swap seats in the cafeteria, step out of their comfort zones and sit somewhere new, with someone new. By joining the Mix It Up event our students will contribute to crossing existing social boundaries and to increasing acceptance and mutual understanding.

Wheaton, IL – 23 October 2008 - Prospective students and their families are invited to experience St. Francis High School on Wednesday, November 19. The Open House program will kick-off with a presentation at 6:00 p.m. in the Kuhn Cultural Arts Center. Tour the facilities; meet our teachers, coaches, administrators and students. Find out what St. Francis can offer you!

St. Francis is located at 2130 West Roosevelt Road in Wheaton. For more Open House information, call Meg Olsen at 630-668-5800 ext 120 or visit online at www.sfhsnet.org.

Wheaton, IL – 23 October 2008 – Parlor Games, a two act comedic farce will be presented in the Kuhn Cultural Arts Center at St. Francis High School in Wheaton. Performances will run Friday through Sunday, November 7-9.

Written eight years ago by St. Francis faculty member, James C. Wall, Parlor Games is the story of Mort McNulty, a practical joker who decides to host his own wake and his wife Tricia who turns his joke inside out.

Calvin King of Hanover Park has been cast as Mort and Becky Solomon of Naperville will perform as his wife, Tricia. Other cast members include Mary Kate and Kevin Lusk of Naperville and Bill Quinn and Jackie Saland of Wheaton. Erin Moffitt of Glen Ellyn, Alex Polkow of Warrenville and Mike Ferraro of Lisle will also perform.

James C. Wall, teacher and playwright, directs the St. Francis production which is one of eight productions around the country this fall. The play is published by Dramatic Publishing of Woodstock, IL. To date, there have been 90 productions in the USA, Canada and Japan. Mr. Wall lives in Villa Park, IL with his wife, Jeanne and teaches English at St. Francis High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Loyola University and has a master's degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago. Besides his comic farce, Parlor Games, Wall's Auschwitz Lullaby, is inspired by true events.

Three performances will be presented on Friday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m.; and, Sunday, November 9 at 1:30 p.m. Ticket costs are $8 for Students/Seniors and $10 for Adults. To order tickets, call St. Francis at 668-5800 x 130 or purchase tickets online at http://www.sfhsonline.org/parlor_games.html. Online ticket orders will stop on Wednesday, November 5 at 3:00 p.m.

Wheaton, IL – 16 October 2008 - On Monday, October 20 th, St. Francis High School will be participating in the IHSA’s Volley for the Cure (http://www.ihsa.org/activity/vbg/index.htm). The evening’s varsity contest will feature Wheaton St. Francis vs. Elmhurst Immaculate Conception at 6:15pm. A crowd of over 700 is anticipated for this girls’ volleyball contest. A press conference discussing this first year event will occur immediately following the contest featuring:

Linda Erchinger (Director - Diagnostic Imaging, Central DuPage Hospital) Kathleen Farley-Omerod (Advanced Practice Nurse from the Breast Health Center, Central DuPage Hospital).

Everyday millions of children throughout the world live without shoes. As their feet blister and the skin cracks they become ravaged by disease. They are also unable to go to school because they are without shoes.

With our help some of these kids will be spared by disease and will be able to go to school where they can have a chance to reach their full potential.

Please support the cause and bring in a pair of new athletic shoes. Bring in boys’ sizes 3-7 to the cafeteria during the lunch periods.

Fall Fashion Show, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” Wheaton, IL – October 14, 2008

The leaves are changing, there’s a chill in the air, and it’s time to mark your calendars for the St. Francis Fall Fashion Show, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”. The annual fashion show and luncheon will take place at the Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace on Sunday, November 23, 2008 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a social hour beginning at 11:30 a.m.

This fun and electrifying event is filled with an afternoon of fashion, food, and festivities which includes an exciting purse raffle and other grand prizes such as a shopping spree and a hotel gift certificate.

You won’t want to miss this fashion event that showcases students and professional models wearing Spartan wear, formal wear, and the latest fall apparel trends from local boutiques. In addition, the senior dance team members and cheerleaders will be performing.

Chairperson Carrie Howe commented, “This is a fabulous event that draws the St. Francis community together for a fun filled day. In addition to professional models, there will be approximately 70 of our own sophomore, junior and senior students modeling.” This event is sponsored by the St. Francis Parents’ Organization which helps fund many student activities.

Tickets are $40.00 per person. For more information or to buy tickets, please call Gayann Pfeiffer at (630)469-4748 or visit our website at www.sfhsnet.org . Tickets will also be available in the school office.

Wheaton , IL – 7 October 2008 – Prospective students and their families are invited to experience St. Francis High School on Sunday, October 19. The Open House program will kick-off with a presentation at 11:00 a.m. in the Spyglass Athletic Center .

Throughout the afternoon, attendees can tour the facilities and find out what St. Francis can offer them. Teachers, coaches, administrators, school parents and student ambassadors will be on hand to share their high school insights.

A second Open House event is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19. The evening program will begin at 6:00 p.m.

St. Francis is located at 2130 West Roosevelt Road in Wheaton . For more Open House information, call Meg Olsen at 630-668-5800 ext 120 or visit online at www.sfhsnet.org.

St. Francis High School Football Coach named “ Chicago Bears Coach of the Week”

Wheaton, IL – 19 September 2008 – Greg Purnell of St. Francis High School in Wheaton was named the Chicago Bears High School “Coach of the Week”. In the two years that Coach Purnell has headed the football program he has instilled confidence in his players and an intensity that is needed in a successful program. During his coaching career, Purnell has achieved three state titles, two runner-up finishes, 150 career wins and was inducted into the Iowa Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Coach Purnell stresses leadership, dedication and hard work both on and off the field. He has infused a philosophy of service in his players. Senior Jason Lombardi says, “Coach Purnell has showed us through the ‘Feed My Starving Children’ charity organization that there is more to a football team that just practicing and games. It is about coming together as a team on and off the field and making a difference in people’s lives.” When asked about the award Greg said, “This nice honor represents a great community, and hard working kids and assistant coaches. It is truly an honor to receive this award on behalf of the St. Francis family.”

The Chicago Bears will make a $1500.00 contribution to the St. Francis football program and in return, the football program will donate $750.00 to the ‘Feed My Starving Children’ charity. Coach Purnell will be invited to the Bears-Jaguar game on Sunday, December 7, and will be recognized in an on-field ceremony that day. He will also receive a framed certificate and will have the opportunity to attend a Bears practice and “chalk-talk” with Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith and other 2008 “Coach of the Week” honorees.

The Chicago Bears “Coach of the Week” program enters its 13 th season. The program honors outstanding Illinois high school coaches who develop players’ football skills and knowledge, character, leadership, discipline, and teamwork abilities.

Wheaton , IL – 19 September 2008 – St. Francis High School announces the addition of four new faculty members for the 2008-2009 school year.

Patty Dahle, Wheaton , will teach AP Biology and Biology. She graduated from Benedictine University with the following degrees; B.S. in Health Science/Biology, Master in Public Health with a concentration in Anatomy & Physiology and a Master in Management and Organizational Behavior with a concentration in Administration. Mrs. Dahl comes to St. Francis with fourteen years of Catholic education teaching experience from IHM/St. Joseph High School in Westchester , IL . She will be a Co-Moderator of the National Honor Society.

Kim Edwards, Naperville , a ’99 alumna, returns to St. Francis High School as a Spanish teacher and will head coach the Cheerleading program. Kim graduated from Eastern Illinois University where she earned a B.A. in education and Spanish with a minor in French. She has taught for five years including teaching and coaching at Plainfield High School .

Ryan Moorehouse, Lisle, will teach health and physical education. He earned his degree from Hendrix College . Ryan’s previous career as a professional baseball player with the Springfield Capitals will be a benefit for his new baseball and football coaching responsibilities at St. Francis.

Matt Walsh, Bartlett , earned a B.A. in history from Illinois State University . He will teach Psychology, Sociology and U.S. History at St. Francis and coach the girl’s golf and freshman boy’s basketball. Matt student taught at St. Francis and spent the last year teaching at St. Joseph High School . He is thrilled to be back where he began his career as educator and coach

Caption: (left to right) New faculty members at St. Francis include Matt Walsh, Kim Edwards, Patty Dahle and Ryan Moorehouse

St. Francis High School Announces Commended Students in the 2009 National Merit® Scholarship Program

Wheaton, IL – 18 September 2008 – Raeann Huhn, principal of St. Francis High School in Wheaton, today announced the names of four students who have been recognized as Commended Students in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program.

The academically talented seniors are Derek Bishe of Carol Stream, Matthew DeAngelo of Lisle, Samantha Laycock of West Chicago, and Matthew Sarna of Wayne.

“It is with genuine pleasure that we honor these students,” said Huhn. “Our school’s mission is to provide a strong foundation to prepare young people like them to become critical thinkers and faith-filled, responsible adults.”

The St. Francis students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2009 competition by taking the 2007 Preliminary SAT /National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being presented letters of commendation from their schools and from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program.

“Recognition of academically talented students and the key role played by schools in their development is essential to the pursuit of educational excellence in our nation”, commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “The young people named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding academic potential by their strong performance in this highly competitive program. We hope that this recognition will enhance their educational opportunities and that they will continue to diligently pursue their professional goals.”

Matthew Novack, son of Paul & Debra Novack of Wheaton and a senior at St. Francis High School, was one of only 14 college-bound students in Illinois and one of 162 in the U. S. and abroad to achieve a 36, the highest possible score, on the June 2008 national test administration of the ACT. About 20,000 Illinois students and more than 410,000 from across the nation completed the ACT college admissions exam on June 14, 2008.

The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science. Each test is scored on a scale of 1-36, and a student’s composite score is the average of the four test scores. For purposes of comparison, the average composite score for the national high school graduating class of 2007 was 21.2.

In a letter recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT chief executive officer Richard L. Ferguson pointed out that Matthew Novack should have a choice of the widest possible range of future educational options.

WHAT: “VOLLEY for the CURE,” the Suburban Catholic Conference vs. Breast Cancer.

WHY: A night designed to raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer. St. Francis and Immaculate Conception teams along with the referees will be sporting pink and white uniforms to show support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The gymnasium will be “painted pink” by the many spectators expected to purchase and wear the $5 pink t-shirts proclaiming the theme “Volley for the Cure.” The spirit of unity is expected to be as dynamic as the monetary success of this competitive volleyball evening. A raffle, auctioned gift baskets, and certificates for free mammograms are planned to help put the “fun” in fund raising. This event will be similarly played out at every school in the Suburban Catholic Conference during the 2008 volleyball season.

St. Francis alumni are invited to help paint the stands pink and show support for this cause. Alumni survivors of breast cancer are especially invited to attend and will be honored before the pre-game warm-ups. Interested donors can make a tax-deductible donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and mail it coach, Peg Kopec, at St. Francis. All alumni who have been affected by breast cancer or who have friends and family afflicted with this disease should look forward to attending this benefit. Admission to the “Volley for the Cure” volleyball benefit is $5 per person. There will be free admission to all breast cancer survivors. Please come out to enjoy a great game and support a worthy cause.

The St. Francis girls’ volleyball team promises the crowd will be tickled “Pink.”

WHEN: Sunday, September 28, 2008 8:45am – Youth Mile 9:00am – 5K Run/Walk

WHERE: Danada Forest Preserve – 3S580 Naperville Road, Wheaton, IL Located on the grounds of the beautiful Danada Equestrian Center. This fast and flat USATF Certified course offers runners the opportunity to run on crushed stone within the natural surrounding environment of trees, bushes, animals and horses.

WHY: Our goal is to build community spirit while raising funds to support St. Francis Athletic programs. ALL are welcome to this family event! There will be refreshments and awards.
Each runner will receive a T-Shirt while supplies last.
5K RUNNERS – all ages
YOUTH MILE – ages 12 years and under
WALKERS – all ages
LIMIT 400 PARTICIPANTSDiscount for CARA/FRTR members.

HOW: Register on-line at: www.sfhsnet.org through 9-24-08 at 3PM Or request registration form from the school at 630-668-5800 x 134 Or register day of the event from 7:30am – 8:30am

The St. Francis Varsity Dance Team attended the Universal Dance Association Camp at Northern Illinois University from July 27- July 30. The camp was attended by many other high schools from the northern region of Illinois.

Throughout the week the girls learned routines in jazz, hip hop, pom, kick and lyrical dances. All of the team members received blue ribbons during the week, for their hard work, spirit and dedication during their four days at camp. The team also had two sessions of personal technique class that focused on skills, dance techniques and choreography.

The team also received various awards on the final day of camp. The following awards were won: the Full-Out Award, an outstanding achievement for choreography and formations. The Superior Award received and has qualified them to go to Nationals at Disney World, in Orlando, Florida. The Rock Star Award, and several Spirit Sticks for their spirit and positive attitude. There were also two very special individual awards received by junior, Madi Matichak, and senior, Katrina Clark. They were awarded the UDA All Star Award, for their choreography and dance performances in the All Star competition. They are eligible to perform in the 2009 New Year’s Day Parade in Paris, France.

The 2008-2009 St. Francis Varsity Dance Team includes: Captains: Katrina Clark, Jessica Defino, Meghan McLaughlin, Lauren Philiotis. Other team members include: Velarie Belovsky, Emily Carew, Nicolette Fiordirosa, Madi Matichak, Julia Murphy, Emily Parenti, Amanda Peplow, Kylee Read, Charissa Valdez, Emily Whisler, and Courtney Windisch. The dance team is coached by Ms. Mary Pratscher.