Academics: Be Challenged

Saint Francis students enjoy a rich and challenging college preparatory curriculum. Our passionate faculty inspires students to reach their highest potential through the instruction of critical reading and writing as well as analytical thinking and problem solving. We offer a variety of curricular paths to enable every one of our students to achieve their educational goals and prepare for a successful college career. With assistance from nine guidance counselors, students are regularly admitted to the college of their choice, including many highly selective campuses such as Dartmouth, Georgetown, Harvard, Notre Dame, Princeton, Santa Clara, Stanford and UCLA. Each year, 99+ percent of our graduates matriculate to college.

Passionate Faculty

The quality of our faculty makes Saint Francis the ideal setting for students to learn and grow. Every faculty member is charged to be a Holy Cross educator, responsible for nurturing the development of the hearts and minds of our students so that they are prepared to face the challenges of college and global citizenship. To that end, our faculty is comprised of passionate experts in their fields, who are inspiring role models for our students. Their dedication to teaching and their desire to help all students find success encourages the development of independent, enthusiastic learners.

Innovative College Preparatory Curriculum

Our highly respected college preparatory curriculum ensures all Saint Francis graduates are exceedingly qualified and prepared for the academic rigors of college. With high academic expectations for all students, our graduation requirements are aligned with the admissions standards of public and private universities across the country and provide a comprehensive educational foundation in the liberal arts and sciences. Most students are motivated to exceed these requirements and go on to upper-level math, science and foreign language courses in addition to enrolling in academic electives in English, history, mathematics and the arts.

With the intent to offer inspiring and engaging courses that adhere to our rigorous standards, we annually enhance our curriculum with innovative courses that reflect teacher expertise and student interest. Over the past five years, we have added such courses as AP Environmental Science, Case Studies in Human Rights, Digital Photography, History and Politics of the Olympics, Mandarin, Marine Biology, Steel Drums, among others. By offering interesting courses taught by passionate faculty, every student is encouraged to be creative, think critically and love learning.

Honors and AP Curriculum

For those students seeking even greater academic challenges, Saint Francis offers a four-year honors and Advanced Placement program in English, social studies, mathematics, science, foreign language and computer programming. Freshman and sophomore students are placed in honors courses according to grades, test scores and recommendation. In the upper-level honors and advanced placement courses, students elect their own placement according to their academic performance and college goals. There are 33 different honors and advanced placement courses available to Saint Francis students.