St. Francis de Sales High School
Encyclopedia
St. Francis de Sales High School or SFS is a private, all-male
, college-preparatory high school in Toledo, Ohio
. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
. The school was named as one of the top 20 Catholic high schools in the nation for academics by Catholic High School Honor Roll for the second time in 2005 and 2006.
, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church.
The School opened on September 14, 1955 as the greater Toledo area’s second college-preparatory high school. The school's athletic teams have won 25 official and unofficial state championships in; football, basketball, tennis, wrestling, swimming
and diving
, and water polo
, as well as numerous State Runners-Up, Regional Titles, District Titles and City League Titles. The AquaKnight swim team's 42-year district title streak is the 2nd longest winning streak in any high school sport in the nation behind Cedar Rapids Washington boys swim team's 46 consecutive district titles. Named after Saint Francis de Sales, the gentleman saint, the community has been described as a family-like group and has a very active alumni base both in the city of Toledo and throughout the country. The school awards a great deal of aid in order to offer an opportunity to students, regardless of socioeconomic background. The mascot is the Knight.
(plans for a new pool a few years ago gave way to a new Football field/track), an eight-lane track, baseball field (with new press box), football fields and a soccer field. In 2005, the school introduced a $14 million dollar renovation/addition. In the renovation/addition, St. Francis built a new chapel, arts wing, fitness/weight room and new locker rooms. The school is located in a historic area of Toledo, on Bancroft Street, just one-half mile from the University of Toledo
. The location for the school was previously owned by rival St. John's Jesuit. The schools now share a healthy rivalry.
Tuition and fees for 2010-2011 is around $9,400. Scholarships awarded include: Academic Scholarships for superior performance on the entrance examination; Merit Scholarships based on academic performance and need; St. Francis Scholarships awarded through parish schools; and Brisson Work Scholarships based on need.
Recently, St. Francis invested in a new chapel facing the front of the school, where throughout the school year, all students are encouraged to participate in mass. These include opening school, Thanksgiving, and holy day liturgies; days of recollection; reconciliation services; etc.
In addition to academic requirements, all students are encouraged to participate in service projects. Formal projects, approved by the Christian Service Department, are a requirement for the sophomore, junior, and senior classes.
before joining the Three Rivers Athletic Conference
in 2011. Particularly, Knight football, baseball, hockey,lacrosse, and water polo stand out in the athletic venue. The school colors are blue and red. Their biggest rivalries include the fellow all boys school St. John's Jesuit and Co-Ed Central Catholic
. St. Francis also has football rivalries with Whitmer
and Start
. The AquaKnights and Knight Icers have rivalries with St. Johns Jesuit and Sylvania Northview. The swim team has a particularly strong history; winning 42 straight Northwest Ohio District Championships beginning in 1966 spanning until their defeat by rival St. John's in February 2008, a national record.
CCHS currently holds the Irish Knight, however, SFS leads 28-24-1 in Irish Knight games. There has only been one overtime game, which occurred in 2003.
Single-sex education
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and...
, college-preparatory high school in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo is a Roman Catholic diocese covering nineteen counties in Ohio. It was established April 15, 1910. Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral is the mother church of the diocese.-Bishops:...
. The school was named as one of the top 20 Catholic high schools in the nation for academics by Catholic High School Honor Roll for the second time in 2005 and 2006.
About the school
St. Francis de Sales High School is a college preparatory school run by the Oblates of St. Francis de SalesOblates of St. Francis de Sales
The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales are a congregation of Roman Catholic priests and brothers who base their spirituality on the teachings of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal. The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales (Latin: Oblati Sancti Francisci Salesii, O.S.F.S.) are a congregation of...
, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church.
The School opened on September 14, 1955 as the greater Toledo area’s second college-preparatory high school. The school's athletic teams have won 25 official and unofficial state championships in; football, basketball, tennis, wrestling, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
, as well as numerous State Runners-Up, Regional Titles, District Titles and City League Titles. The AquaKnight swim team's 42-year district title streak is the 2nd longest winning streak in any high school sport in the nation behind Cedar Rapids Washington boys swim team's 46 consecutive district titles. Named after Saint Francis de Sales, the gentleman saint, the community has been described as a family-like group and has a very active alumni base both in the city of Toledo and throughout the country. The school awards a great deal of aid in order to offer an opportunity to students, regardless of socioeconomic background. The mascot is the Knight.
Campus
The campus of St. Francis is located on twenty-five acres. The campus includes an eight-lane swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
(plans for a new pool a few years ago gave way to a new Football field/track), an eight-lane track, baseball field (with new press box), football fields and a soccer field. In 2005, the school introduced a $14 million dollar renovation/addition. In the renovation/addition, St. Francis built a new chapel, arts wing, fitness/weight room and new locker rooms. The school is located in a historic area of Toledo, on Bancroft Street, just one-half mile from the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
. The location for the school was previously owned by rival St. John's Jesuit. The schools now share a healthy rivalry.
School body
There are around 600 students. There are 56 faculty members, which results with a student-teacher ratio of 13:1. Six teachers have their Ph.D., and 28 have their master’s degree. St. Francis draws students from all around Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Most of the students attended Catholic grade schools, although 30% come from public schools.Admission and tuition
Freshmen are accepted on the basis of a placement examination with regard to the recommendation of their grade school. Transfer students are accepted on an individual basis after consideration of their high school transcripts.Tuition and fees for 2010-2011 is around $9,400. Scholarships awarded include: Academic Scholarships for superior performance on the entrance examination; Merit Scholarships based on academic performance and need; St. Francis Scholarships awarded through parish schools; and Brisson Work Scholarships based on need.
Spirituality
St. Francis offers various levels of retreat programs for its students. All freshmen and sophomores participate in daylong retreats which are carefully structured and planned for their age-level interests and concerns. Juniors and seniors are required to participate in at least one approved retreat experience during the 11th or 12th grade year. In addition, students are required to take eight semesters of Theology, and at least 30 service hours both Junior and Senior year are required for graduation.Recently, St. Francis invested in a new chapel facing the front of the school, where throughout the school year, all students are encouraged to participate in mass. These include opening school, Thanksgiving, and holy day liturgies; days of recollection; reconciliation services; etc.
Academics
There are eight academic departments: Theology, English, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Applied and Fine Arts, and Health & Physical Education. Every student at St. Francis is required to take a core program of 4 years of English, religion, math, and science (including 2 basic lab sciences from biology, chemistry, physics); 2.5 years of physical education and health; 3 years of social studies; 2 years of a foreign language (3 years highly recommended); 1 year of basic art; and 0.5 year of computer science.In addition to academic requirements, all students are encouraged to participate in service projects. Formal projects, approved by the Christian Service Department, are a requirement for the sophomore, junior, and senior classes.
Athletics
In athletics, the Knights had been long members of the Toledo City LeagueToledo City League
The Toledo City League is an Ohio High School Athletic Association high school athletic conference that was formed in 1926 and comprises the six high schools in Toledo that are from Toledo Public Schools.- Membership :...
before joining the Three Rivers Athletic Conference
Three Rivers Athletic Conference
The Three Rivers Athletic Conference is an Ohio High School Athletic Association high school athletic conference that will begin athletic competition in 2011 and is currently slotted to have 10 high schools from Northwest Ohio, seven of which are from the Toledo metropolitan area, and one each...
in 2011. Particularly, Knight football, baseball, hockey,lacrosse, and water polo stand out in the athletic venue. The school colors are blue and red. Their biggest rivalries include the fellow all boys school St. John's Jesuit and Co-Ed Central Catholic
Central Catholic High School (Toledo, Ohio)
Central Catholic High School , is a Catholic, co-educational, college prep secondary school in Toledo, Ohio. It is operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo and is the largest Catholic high school in the area. CCHS was founded as Cathedral High School in 1919, with its name change in 1920...
. St. Francis also has football rivalries with Whitmer
Whitmer High School (Toledo, Ohio)
Whitmer High School is a public high school in Toledo, Ohio, USA. It is the only high school in the Washington Local School District in Lucas County, Ohio, serving the northwest section of Toledo up to the Michigan state line. It is the largest high school in the Toledo area...
and Start
Start High School (Toledo, Ohio)
Roy C. Start High School is a public high school in West Toledo, Ohio, United States. The school opened in 1962 and is part of the Toledo Public Schools. It was named after Roy C. Start, two-time mayor of Toledo and founder of the West Toledo YMCA. The school building was recently demolished and a...
. The AquaKnights and Knight Icers have rivalries with St. Johns Jesuit and Sylvania Northview. The swim team has a particularly strong history; winning 42 straight Northwest Ohio District Championships beginning in 1966 spanning until their defeat by rival St. John's in February 2008, a national record.
Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships
The St. Francis Knights hold more state titles than any other Catholic school in the Diocese of Toledo, and any other high school in the greater Toledo area.- FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- 1984, 2001 - WrestlingScholastic wrestlingScholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
- 1964,1970 - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
– 1983 - SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
– 1967,1968,1996,1998 - Ice HockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
– 2011
Other State Championships
- Water PoloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
- 1973, 1974, 1975, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- 2001, 2002
The Irish Knight
The Irish Knight is awarded to the winner of the Central Catholic High School and St. Francis de Sales High School football game. The winning school receives and hosts the Irish Knight in their school, along with bragging rights.CCHS currently holds the Irish Knight, however, SFS leads 28-24-1 in Irish Knight games. There has only been one overtime game, which occurred in 2003.
All-Sports Trophy
Since 1974, when the All-Sports Trophy was introduced, the Knights of St. Francis de Sales High School have held or shared the trophy ten times. They held the trophy in 1975, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1992, 1994, 2001, and 2005, and they shared with St. John's Jesuit in 2000 and 2002.Notable alumni
- Gerry BammanGerry BammanGerry Bamman is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Uncle Frank McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.-Biography:...
- Starred with Macaulay CulkinMacaulay CulkinMacaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster...
as Uncle Frank in the ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
movie, Home AloneHome AloneHome Alone is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy, who is mistakenly left behind when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation...
. - Keith DresselKeith DresselKeith Dressel was a detective of the Toledo Police Department who was killed in the line of duty. He was the father of two and attended St. Francis de Sales High School in Toledo, Ohio. Keith Dressel grew up in Ottawa Lake, Michigan just north of the Ohio-Michigan line...
- First Toledo Police officer killed in the line of duty in over three decades. Worked on the vice squad. Class of 1989. - Dr. Kevin GranataKevin GranataKevin P. Granata was an American professor in multiple departments including the Departments of Engineering, Science and Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , Blacksburg, Virginia, United States...
- Noted Virginia Tech professor in biomedics field; killed in Virginia Tech massacreVirginia Tech massacreThe Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
in April 2007 - Joe Iorio - First walk-on starter for Joe PaternoJoe PaternoJoseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
at Penn State, also played for the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Indianapolis Colts National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
teams. - Chet JastremskiChet JastremskiChester Andrew Jastremski is a former American Olympic swimmer who won the bronze medal in the 200 meter Breaststroke at the 1964 Tokyo Games. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1977. He also swam with the Indiana Hoosiers swim team...
- Knight alumnus who smashed two world records in the breaststrokeBreaststrokeThe breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
while swimming at Indiana UniversityIndiana UniversityIndiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
. He was featured on the cover of Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
in February 1962. - Michael S. Witherell - particle physicist, president of FermilabFermilabFermi National Accelerator Laboratory , located just outside Batavia, Illinois, near Chicago, is a US Department of Energy national laboratory specializing in high-energy particle physics...
- Zach McClellanZach McClellanZachary Daniel McClellan is a professional baseball pitcher. He has played part of one season in Major League Baseball with the Colorado Rockies in 2007, and is retired from professional baseball....
- pitcher for the Colorado Rockies - Marty HuffMarty HuffRalph Martin Huff is a former American football linebacker. He played for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970. As a senior, he was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association...
- linebacker for the Michigan WolverinesMichigan WolverinesThe Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
, San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...