St. Francis School (Goshen, Kentucky)
Encyclopedia
St. Francis School is a progressive independent dayschool serving 340 children, preschool through grade 8, from the greater Louisville area. Founded in 1965 as an Episcopal
day school, today St. Francis is officially non-sectarian and ecumenical. The school retains its original name in recognition of the patron saint of the environment, an advocate of respect for all living creatures, and an early champion of the equality of women.
Serving students of average to gifted ability, St. Francis School is housed on two campuses: the Preschool in Harrods Creek
and the JK-8 program on 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) wooded in neighboring Oldham County
. The Goshen campus's unique open-classroom building was executed in 1970 by innovative architect Jasper Ward.
As a progressive school, St. Francis promotes a respectful learning environment attuned to the diverse strengths, interests, and choices of each child. Instruction in the core subjects is hands-on and differentiated to challenge each child individually whenever appropriate. St. Francis values healthy physical activity and artistic creativity, along with personal qualities such as honesty and curiosity, on a par with academic success. Foreign Language features prominently in the curriculum beginning at the Preschool level.
While deemphasizing grades and standardized tests as adequate measures of student achievement and potential, St. Francis does assign grades, in addition to narrative assessments, beginning in middle school. The school also administers the Stanford 10 test at two strategic levels with consistently excellent results.
St. Francis students of all ages are engaged in the school's environmental curriculum and each grade participates in the cultivation of an organic children's garden. The curriculum features several outdoor programs culminating in a week-long wilderness camping trip to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation area]] for 8th graders. The school serves only healthy food, providing organic and locally-grown products whenever possible. The St. Francis Board of Trustees has identified the pursuit of sustainable institutional practices as a core value.
After graduation, St. Francis students continue their academic careers at many different private and public high schools, boarding schools, colleges and universities. The school's website (www.stfrancisschool.org) provides the school choices of recent graduates, along with a list of distinguished alumni. The St. Francis School graduating class of 2006 produced five high school valedictorians in 2010, including those from Kentucky Country Day School, Ballard High School, and Dupont Manual High School.
In 2005, John Delautre became the tenth Head of St. Francis School. A Louisville
native and 27-year veteran of independent education, he served previously at The Town School
(New York
, NY), Kent Place School
(Summit, New Jersey
), The Marymount School of Paris (France
), Miami Country Day School
(FL), and The American Boychoir School (Princeton, New Jersey
).
St. Francis School is fully accredited by the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS), and is a member of the following organizations: the National Association of Independent Schools
, the North American Association of Environmental Education, the Kentucky Association of Independent Schools, the National Association for the Education of Young Children
, the Elementary Schools Heads Association, the National Middle School Association
, and the National Association for Gifted Children
.
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
day school, today St. Francis is officially non-sectarian and ecumenical. The school retains its original name in recognition of the patron saint of the environment, an advocate of respect for all living creatures, and an early champion of the equality of women.
Serving students of average to gifted ability, St. Francis School is housed on two campuses: the Preschool in Harrods Creek
Harrods Creek, Kentucky
Harrods Creek is a neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky centered near Harrods Creek at the intersection of River Road and Wolf Pen Branch Road. It is roughly bordered by the Ohio River to the west and US 42 to the east. Its Zip Code is 40027...
and the JK-8 program on 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) wooded in neighboring Oldham County
Oldham County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,178 people, 14,856 households, and 12,196 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 15,541 housing units at an average density of...
. The Goshen campus's unique open-classroom building was executed in 1970 by innovative architect Jasper Ward.
As a progressive school, St. Francis promotes a respectful learning environment attuned to the diverse strengths, interests, and choices of each child. Instruction in the core subjects is hands-on and differentiated to challenge each child individually whenever appropriate. St. Francis values healthy physical activity and artistic creativity, along with personal qualities such as honesty and curiosity, on a par with academic success. Foreign Language features prominently in the curriculum beginning at the Preschool level.
While deemphasizing grades and standardized tests as adequate measures of student achievement and potential, St. Francis does assign grades, in addition to narrative assessments, beginning in middle school. The school also administers the Stanford 10 test at two strategic levels with consistently excellent results.
St. Francis students of all ages are engaged in the school's environmental curriculum and each grade participates in the cultivation of an organic children's garden. The curriculum features several outdoor programs culminating in a week-long wilderness camping trip to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation area]] for 8th graders. The school serves only healthy food, providing organic and locally-grown products whenever possible. The St. Francis Board of Trustees has identified the pursuit of sustainable institutional practices as a core value.
After graduation, St. Francis students continue their academic careers at many different private and public high schools, boarding schools, colleges and universities. The school's website (www.stfrancisschool.org) provides the school choices of recent graduates, along with a list of distinguished alumni. The St. Francis School graduating class of 2006 produced five high school valedictorians in 2010, including those from Kentucky Country Day School, Ballard High School, and Dupont Manual High School.
In 2005, John Delautre became the tenth Head of St. Francis School. A Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
native and 27-year veteran of independent education, he served previously at The Town School
The Town School
The Town School is an independent, nonsectarian, coeducational elementary school located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City....
(New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, NY), Kent Place School
Kent Place School
The Kent Place School is an all-girls kindergarten through 12 independent college-preparatory day school in Summit, Union County, New Jersey, United States...
(Summit, New Jersey
Summit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
), The Marymount School of Paris (France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), Miami Country Day School
Miami Country Day School
Miami Country Day School is a private, non-denominational, co-ed Preschool–12 college preparatory school near Miami Shores, just north of the city of Miami, Florida. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.- History :...
(FL), and The American Boychoir School (Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
).
St. Francis School is fully accredited by the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS), and is a member of the following organizations: the National Association of Independent Schools
National Association of Independent Schools
The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...
, the North American Association of Environmental Education, the Kentucky Association of Independent Schools, the National Association for the Education of Young Children
National Association for the Education of Young Children
The National Association for the Education of Young Children is the largest nonprofit association in the United States representing early childhood education teachers, paraeducators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, policy makers, and advocates...
, the Elementary Schools Heads Association, the National Middle School Association
National Middle School Association
National Middle School Association is an international education association dedicated exclusively to the middle level grades.With more than 30,000 members in the United States, Canada, and 46 other countries, NMSA represents principals, teachers, central office personnel, professors, college...
, and the National Association for Gifted Children
National Association for Gifted Children
The National Association for Gifted Children is an association in the United Kingdom for gifted and talented children, and their parents. It is a registered charity under English law.-Function:...
.
Mission statement
St. Francis School cultivates joyful, compassionate, confident learners who act with integrity and social responsibility.Core values
As a school in the progressive tradition:- We believe that children are natural learners who thrive best in an atmosphere attuned to their individual interests, strengths, and needs.
- We seek and welcome ethnic, racial, economic, and religious diversity.
- We believe that personal qualities such as honesty, curiosity, independent thinking, and respect are as important as academic achievement.
- We celebrate nature and promote environmental responsibility.
- We believe that healthy physical activity and a meaningful experience of the arts are essential to personal growth.