St. Francis High School

St. Francis High School is a Catholic, college preparatory school for boys in grades 9-12. Since its founding by the Capuchin Franciscan friars in 1946, St. Francis has remained committed to enriching the mind and heart, strengthening respect through service and humility, creating a brotherhood, and envisioning men of virtue and peace. It offers a challenging academic curriculum, a competitive athletic program, and a wide variety of opportunities for extracurricular involvement. St. Francis is fully accredited by WASC and the WCEA.

St. Francis High School provides a Catholic college preparatory education in the Capuchin Franciscan tradition of love and discipline.

• We enrich the mind and the heart through the teachings of Jesus Christ and Francis of Assisi.
• We strengthen the Franciscan values of respect for others and self through humility and service to the poor.
• We create a brotherhood for young men of diverse backgrounds.
• We envision a Franciscan education not as an end in itself, but as a means of forging men of virtue.

We seek to develop in our students the qualities of mind and heart necessary for mature living in the spiritual and temporal world. In addition to preparing students for the rigors of university life, our curriculum and community life cultivate intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth, responsible citizenship, social awareness, and aesthetic appreciation.

Inspired by the humility and love of Jesus Christ, Francis cherished and promoted a deep appreciation of being "lesser." True followers of Christ are always to be distinguished by their humility and service, especially to the poor and marginalized. We too cherish and foster these essential qualities by encouraging students, faculty, and staff to develop the deep, mutual respect that precludes divisiveness and elitism. We seek to expand our affinity for our own community to embrace a richer, more meaningful affinity with the love of Christ for all humankind.

The hallmark of the Franciscan tradition is love - particularly, God's love as reflected in all creation. Thus, the Franciscan charism includes promoting harmony, unity, and love in every human institution, the most fundamental of which is the family. The St. Francis "family spirit" embraces not only individual students' families, but also faculty, staff, administration, and alumni, as well as the Christian community at large. Our school family develops its sense of interconnectedness by participation in the activities of Church life - daily prayer, special liturgical celebration, the sacraments, retreats, and our four-year religion curriculum.

St. Francis High School works to realize the Church's vision of God's kingdom on Earth by participating in the teaching mission of the Roman Catholic Church through the lens of the Franciscan virtues. St. Francis students are also encouraged to become good stewards to all of God's creation and to appreciate their education not only as a means to college and career, but also as training for a life of service. As instruments of peace, they will build God's kingdom through example.

St. Francis High School is a member of the International Boys School Coalition (IBSC), a not-for-profit organization of schools dedicated to the education and development of boys worldwide, the professional growth of those who work with them, and the advocacy and advancement of institutions - primarily schools for boys - that serve them. The goal of the IBSC is to support, advance and celebrate boys' schools as learning environments uniquely focused on the achievement, engagement and well-being of boys in their care. Our schools are devoted to the mission of supporting boys in all facets of their growth and education. As such, the IBSC is a truly global "learning community" for educators in boys' schools, and for those committed to the education of boys everywhere.

A commitment to integrity and a strong ethical foundation are a school’s first priorities, and educating students about how to become a good man informs every aspect of the day. Some schools do this teaching with an official code of conduct; others have developed a formal character education curriculum; a great many teach critical values through their faith-based affiliations. Often it is the experience of performing with the orchestra or playing on the soccer team that affords a lesson in courage, perseverance, or teamwork.

Each initiative is strengthened by outstanding faculty who model ethical behavior daily, and also by student leaders, peer counselors, and other mentors. Boys learn that there are clear expectations to do what is right. They also learn that there are many routes to becoming a good man. Most schools have a program of service learning that encourages students to work within the greater community to help others. At some schools, those programs are conducted with area girls’ schools, giving boys the opportunity to interact in a respectful and supportive way with their female peers.