Senior Saints

Due to the directives received May 8, 2020 from the Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota Department of Health, St. Francis High School has revised plans communicated earlier this month. The new guidelines specifically state that graduations held indoors or on a stadium field are not permitted. The guidelines also recommended to not delay ceremonies as a timeline cannot be established as to when it would be safe to hold large gatherings. 

With this information, the graduation committee met and decided to keep the original graduation date of Friday, June 5. A pre-taped broadcast of the graduation ceremony will air at 7:00 p.m. on June 5; we will provide details at a later date. Graduation information along with cap and distribution details are listed below. 

We know this is frustrating for our seniors and their families. We sincerely wish that we could provide a ceremony that is similar to previous graduations. Unfortunately, we also had to cancel the Senior Salute that was planned for June 5. 

—A message from Doug Austin, Principal, St. Francis High School

 

St. Francis High School Graduation Plan • Class of 2020

On Friday, May 22, seniors will have the opportunity to pick up their cap and gown at St. Francis High School. Students will receive a diploma cover at the same time. See the distribution details below. Diplomas will be mailed to graduating seniors on Friday, June 12. If a diploma is needed prior to receiving it in the mail, please contact Amanda Stene at Amanda.stene@isd15.org  for assistance.

A pre-taped broadcast of the graduation ceremony will air at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 5; we will provide details at a later date.  In the video, there will be student speeches, staff speeches and an acceptance speech from School Board Chair Jill Anderson. During the broadcast, each graduating senior’s name will be announced and a picture of each student will be shown. Here are the options for seniors to submit a graduation photo for the broadcast:

Option A: Seniors can take a picture in their cap and gown with their diploma cover. Students always have the option to not to wear a cap and gown. Email the photo with the student’s full name as the subject line and send it to Amanda Stene at Amanda.stene@isd15.org  by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29. This photo would be used in the graduation broadcast.  

Option B: Students, in cap and gown with their diploma cover, come to the high school main entrance at a designated time between May 26 and May 28. Students always have the option to not to wear a cap and gown. At their designated time, the graduating senior will walk across the outdoor ‘stage’ with limited staff present and following social distancing guidelines to pose for a picture. A photographer will take a picture to be used in the graduation broadcast. Parents/guardians would be allowed to watch from their vehicle(s). Each senior is allowed two vehicles to be present.

The following time slots are for students to get their picture taken in front of the high school. Sign-up will be sent to families on Tuesday, May 19:

• Tuesday, May 26, 3:00-7:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 27, 3:00-7:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 28, 3:00-7:00 p.m.
• Friday, May 29, if needed

Each household should be in a separate vehicle as carpooling does not comply with social distancing. People with COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, etc.) should not attend – no matter what.  Attendees should remain in their individual vehicles. 

• If attendees are in vehicles with windows closed for the entirety of the ceremony, they may park immediately adjacent to one another. 
• If attendees are in vehicles with windows open, they should park 6 feet apart. 
• Individuals may not walk to the ceremony or participate outside of vehicles. 

Cap and Gown Distribution

Students/families are to arrive during their designated time (on Friday, May 22) based on the first letter of the student’s last name. Once in line, we are asking that you open your trunk, hatch or tailgate and return to your vehicle. Please try to arrive during the early part of your pick-up window, which is by the first letter of the student's last name.

• A - F   9:00-10:30 a.m.
• G - K  10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
• L - Q  12:30-2:00 p.m.
• R - Z   2:00-3:30 p.m.

There will be four stops along the line:

• The first stop is name and payment verification. A staff member will verify who the student is and that payment has been made for cap and gown. A piece of paper will be filled out and placed in the open trunk, hatch or back of the vehicle. Information on the paper will have the student’s last name, first name and items that need to be added by staff members.
• At the second stop, a staff member will look at the paper and if there is a cap and gown package, place it in the vehicle.
• At the third stop, any additional items (special cords, tassels, stoles, diploma cover) will be added by a staff member. 
• The last stop will be unmanned, which will allow the driver to close the trunk, hatch or tailgate of the vehicle before leaving.

The goal is to have as little contact as possible while keeping the line moving. 

ABSOLUTELY NO PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON MAY 22. ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE BEFORE NOON ON THURSDAY, MAY 21 TO RECEIVE AN ORDER.
NO EXCEPTIONS. 

If your cap and gown package is not yet paid for, check the email that was used when signing up during the All Senior Meeting in November with Jostens. If you cannot find an invoice in your email, email randy.storts@jostens.com with the following information: School name, your full name and that you need to make payment.

Click here for Commencement Speaker Application

Applications are due Friday, May 22, 2020.
Email applications to: donnie.thompson@isd15.org

Follow this checklist for St. Francis High School seniors graduating May 2020

Senior Year - Timeline

August

• Set academic goals for Senior year
• Add more challenging courses to your senior schedule
• Retaking ACT? Register for Sept/Oct. ACT www.actstudent.org (SFHS CEEB Code 242190)
• Prep for ACT? Log in to MCIS (MN Career Info System) www.mncis.intocareers.org
• Review your transcript- all graduation requirements met and scheduled

September

• Finalize plans for after high school (Workforce, College, Military etc.)
• Retaking ACT? Log into MCIS to study and improve your ACT score www.mncis.intocareers.org
• Arrange College Visits (you have 2 excused days) and check College Rep Schedule with College & Career Center
• Attend SFHS College Fair
• Start College Applications
• Make spreadsheet to track colleges applied, deadlines, additional application requirements (Essay /Letters of Rec./ACT Scores)
• NCAA Athletes- check in with counselor to review requirements
• Ensure you’ve talked with Athletic Director/ coaches and register at www.eligibilitycenter.org
• Get involved in extracurricular activities; keep a list of these
• Start and keep a list of your high school involvement; activities, awards, volunteer work, organizations and offices held

October

• College Knowledge Month
• Talk to teachers, school counselors, parents about their college experience
• The Financial Aid website is open beginning October 1. Please refer to the Financial Aid page.
• Attend Senior Day (last week in October)
• Set goals towards post-secondary career path
• Complete College Applications (many are free this month) and request initial transcripts at www.isd15.org/transcript
• Request Letters of Recommendation now!
• Fill out Letter of Recommendation Request Form (give recommenders your resume and letter of recommendation form)
• Make sure to write a thank you note!
• ACT Scores- Log in to www.ACTstudent.org to ensure your official scores have been sent to the schools of your choice
• Start researching scholarships if you haven’t already. Suggestions:
• Set reminder for January- local scholarships will be in the Counseling Office
• Find local and national scholarships: www.isd15.org/scholarships
• National, individualized college search: www.fastweb.com

November

• Retaking ACT? Register for December. ACT www.actstudent.org (SFHS CEEB Code 242190)
• Be aware of College Application Deadlines
• Financial Aid Night/ Workshop - Gain information and utilize computers to start FAFSA form
• Bring your parents and family for tax returns from the appropriate year
• Finals! Study. Study. Study!

 December

• Many college application deadlines are coming up!
• U of M Twin Cities is December 15
• Stay focused! Senior grades can affect admittance into the college of your choice

St. Francis High School Scholarship Recipients

To view the 2020 scholarship presentation, click here.

To view the list of St. Francis High School 2020 scholarship recipients, click here (PDF).

The ceremony was cancelled due to the Corona pandemic (May 13, 2020 at 7:00 pm).

Applications are available in the Counseling Office at St. Francis High School.

All scholarship applications must be turned in to the Counseling Office by March 1, including completion of the electronic "local scholarship application"

Click here for scholarship information

If you still have not ordered a cap and gown set and would like to:

• Visit http://www.gradsmn.org/st-francis (you will receive an email with invoice). 

If you have not yet paid for your cap and gown package:

• Check your email that you used when you signed up during your All Senior Meeting, in November with Jostens
• If you cannot find an invoice in your email, please email randy.storts@jostens.com with the following information; school name, your full name and that you need to make a payment. 

ABSOLUTELY NO PAYMENT WILL BE ACCEPTED ON OR AFTER MAY 22. IF YOU HAVE NOT PAID BEFORE MAY 22 YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A CAP AND GOWN PACKAGE.

All students who choose to wear the traditional graduation attire wear a cap, gown, stole and tassel for the commencement ceremony. Students have the option of wearing a dress shirt and dress pants.

Honors students will wear either a gold or silver cord in addition to the cap and gown and will replace their standard tassel with either a gold or silver tassel for the ceremony.

Honors cords and tassels will be purchased for these students by the school

Honors qualification will be determined in late spring based on student cumulative GPA.

If students are using the cap and gown from an older sibling or friend, they will still need to purchase the correct stole and tassel for their graduation year. This cannot be done online and will need to be completed during one of our payment dates.

From the St. Francis High School Counseling Office

Congratulations and welcome to senior year! This is a big year with a lot going on. It is important that parents ensure their student is on track to graduate.

Letters were sent to parents to inform them about the credit status of your high school senior in relation to graduation.

The graduating class needs to earn a total of 57 credits in all required areas and meet the state graduation assessment requirements in order to participate in the graduation ceremony and receive their diploma.

To view graduation requirements, visit www.isd15.org/graduation.

Parents, please encourage your student to keep working hard and to remain focused toward the goal of graduating. Please call the high school counseling office at 763-213-1590 or visit www.isd15.org/hscounseling for assistance.

The deadline to order your 2020 yearbook expired January 31, 2020.

Question about the yearbook? Email yearbook adviser Joel Olson.

Attention Seniors: All colleges/universities will require your final transcript once grades have been posted for third trimester. You can make that request now in parchment.com and enter your request as "hold for grades."

Do not hold up your college registration process because your college/university does not have your final transcript. Check that off your list of things to do and order that now! 

Requesting final SFHS Transcripts

Final transcripts are REQUIRED by all colleges showing your third trimester grades. Your fall admissions will be delayed if not obtained by your college. Please go to parchment.com and order today. Your final transcript will be sent to your college once all grades have been posted.

Final transcripts MUST be requested through Parchment.

 

Cost per Transcript

Current Students: $5.00
(If there is some financial hardship, please see your counselor to discuss a fee waiver)

Alumni: $7.00

To graduate, seniors must have 57 credits total:

• 8 English credits
• 8 Social Studies credits
• 7 Science credits
• 5 Math credits (2 cr Geometry, 2 cr Alg 2, & Prob/Stats)
• 3 Physical Education credits
• 1 Futures Prep credit (unless you transferred here)
• 1 Health credit
• 2 Art

It is ultimately your responsibility to know that you received the appropriate credits for graduation. Your counselor is your facilitator.

If you are completing recovery credits at Saints Academy/Guided Studies, check in there to be sure you are on track there as well.

You WILL NOT participate in commencement if you have not completed all graduation requirements.

Requesting College in the Schools Transcripts

Sign in to your College Accounts using you Star ID to request

OR

Go to http://www.getmytranscript.com/ to order Official Transcripts from each school

St. Cloud State University
Southwest Minnesota State University

Prom 2020 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, prom was cancelled. The scheduled date for the St. Francis High School prom was Saturday, April 25, 2020.

The Senior All Night Party has been cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.