St. Francis de Sales School (Grades PK4-8)
SCA Associate Member
The mission of St. Francis de Sales School is to educate each student in a spirit of faith and academic excellence according to Roman Catholic principles. As part of a caring, disciplined community, our school, in partnership with parents, nurtures and challenges each student to develop to his or her fullest potential. St. Francis de Sales School has continued to provide excellence in education since its establishment in 1964.
Nina Edwards, Principal
8100 Roos, 77036
(713) 774-4447
Hours: 7:55 AM – 3:15 PM (Extended day 7:00 – 6:30)
Uniforms: Available through Parker School Uniforms
School Mascot: The Valiant
School Publication: The Valiant Voice
School Colors: Blue/gold
Beginning September 2010, St. Francis will offer all day PreK3 and all day PreK4 in addition to K-8.
From the February 2007 SCAN:
SPOTLIGHT ON: ST. FRANCIS de SALES SCHOOL
Recently, your editor was privileged to sit down with principal Sandra Mendez and teacher Diane Wooten to learn about this mainstay in the Sharpstown community.
The school was founded in 1964 and serves students from PK-4 through 8th grade. They are not a “private” school where tuition is paid and that’s it. St. Francis de Sales School seeks to cultivate the community and make it available to those who need and want it. Mrs. Mendez believes it is their mission to do that. And the community is cultivated: children who were students there are now sending their own children and grandchildren to the school because they have realized the value of the education they received.
The school’s motto is “Praying, Learning and Living Together,” and they take these very seriously.
Praying: St. Francis de Sales is a Roman Catholic church and school. Their mission is to “educate each student in a spirit of faith and academic excellence according to Roman Catholic principles. They work to educate the mind, heart and spirit. They value everyone, regardless of background or religion.
Learning: The faculty believes that teaching is a vocation. All teachers are degreed, and many have Masters Degrees. The school is accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department. They offer not only basic studies but art, music, Spanish, PE, computer and speech. They are child centered in that they teach the child the subject, not the subject to the child. Discipline is with Purpose. Middle school students can also participate in soccer, basketball, volleyball and track.
They are very proud of their K-8 extended day program, hours: 7:00 AM-6:30 PM. This is an enriched program – not a daycare – and features activities and crafts (needlepoint, cooking classes, etc.), homework supervision, free play, and plentiful nutritious snacks. This program is also extremely popular with middle school students – they want to stay and ask to go! That in itself is an impressive recommendation.
Living Together: I was impressed with the school and its programs, but even more impressed by – well, the best way to put this is: This is not just a school, this is a family. Faculty members have been at the school for an average of 15 years. Mrs. Wooten has 31 years at the school, and their longest serving teacher has been teaching for 45 years, 36 of those at the school. They are not just colleagues but friends, having events, going to the theater, and even going on vacation together. They take care of each other.
Believing that it is never too early for children to learn to be of service to others, middle school students are required to participate in service work. Each grade level (6-7-8) has a service project that students are responsible for creating and implementing a service project. Students have collected toiletries for homeless shelters, collected food for food pantries, teddy bears for shelters, games for patients at the VA Hospital and send cards to shut-ins. Each year, the 8th grade hosts a Christmas Party for underprivileged children; students do all the work including collect money, purchase gifts, do party setup and provide entertainment.
It’s clear that St. Francis de Sales School is a special place. The school is not separate from the community but an important and consistent part of the Sharpstown. Learning and serving with and in spirit. Visit them on the web at www.st-francis-de-sales.org.