News

List of 20 news stories.

  • Alumni Spotlight: Meghan Shearer '09

    Meghan Shearer ‘09 first fell in love with the art of film making during Mr. John Schuller’s class and the “UFO Club” he moderated after school.

    “He would show us a film, and we’d talk extensively about the symbolism and the story, and it opened up my mind,” she said. “It made me realize there’s so much more to movies behind the scenes and helped develop my passion for it.”

    Her passion has since blossomed into a successful career in Los Angeles. After two years at a new media startup, she began working at DreamWorks Animation, where she most recently served as the Production Supervisor on the Oscar-nominated DreamWorks film “The Wild Robot.” Her impressive resume continues with contributions to “Boss Baby 2” and “Kung Fu Panda 4” and internships at “Saturday Night Live” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” 
  • The SFHS Music Department continued its tradition of top honors at the State level in 2025

    SFHS Music Continues Tradition of Top Honors at State

     
    The SFHS Music Department (choir, band, and orchestra combined) placed first overall at the IHSA Solo and Ensemble State Class A Competition on Saturday, March 8! This is the second year in a row the Music Department has taken the top honor in its division.
     
    In the individual competitions, the SFHS Choir placed 1st for the sixth year in a row, band placed 2nd for the second year in a row, and orchestra placed 4th. Congratulations to all!

  • Faculty & Staff Milestone Anniversaries

    We celebrated our Faculty & Staff milestone anniversaries at our All-School Liturgy on Thursday, January 30! Congratulations to: Jay Olaszek '91 & Kate Michel '92 Kowalski (25 years); James Quinn & Lisa Ston (15 years); Mary McCarthy, Jillian O'Connor, & Beth Erazmus '89 Wiborg (10 years); Danielle Costello, Ron Darin, & Tim Martens (5 years). Thank you for your commitment to SFHS!

  • Peter S. Awarded Chick Evans Scholarship

    Congratulations to Peter S. ’25, who was awarded the Chick Evans Scholarship for golf caddies! Peter will receive full college tuition and housing for four years, which is valued at $125,000, according to the Western Golf Association (WGA), which oversees the scholarship.

  • 32 Students Named Illinois State Scholars

    Congratulations to the 32 St. Francis High School students from the Class of 2025 who earned the recognition of Illinois State Scholar! This is a prestigious recognition of academic achievement presented by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

    This outstanding representation accounts for 19% of the senior class. Each State Scholar will receive a congratulatory letter and a Certificate of Achievement from ISAC.

  • Fall 2024 Recap: Athletics & PVA

    The SFHS Spartans are annual contenders for both Conference and State titles, thanks to our legendary coaches, talented athletes, and dedicated fans who make up a winning team. Our inclusive program offers both cut and non-cut teams, providing numerous opportunities for athletes to compete. Our coaches are deeply committed to helping each athlete reach their full potential.
     
    Congratulations to our teams for their exceptional achievements during the fall 2024 season!

  • SFHS Offers Free YH4L Heart Screening

    SFHS has again partnered with Young Hearts for Life® (YH4L) to provide an opportunity for our students to receive a free heart screening known as an electrocardiogram (ECG) at school on Tuesday, January 28. Parent/Guardian pre-authorization is necessary for a student to be screened.
  • The SFHS Robotics Team competes in its first meet at the Universal Technological Institute in Lisle.

    Robotics Team Competes in Inaugural Meet

    The first-ever SFHS Robotics Team competed in its first meet at the Universal Technological Institute in Lisle on Saturday, November 2! The team is moderated by SFHS Physics Teacher Kim Fermoyle and SFHS parent Kurt Reidenbach.
     

  • Scott Nelson Named to ITCCCA Hall of Fame

    Scott Nelson, who coached Cross Country and Track at St. Francis High School for 35 years, has been voted into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (ITCCCA) Hall of Fame!

    Nelson, along with seven other Illinois coaches, will be inducted at the annual ITCCCA Hall of Fame Banquet on January 11, 2025.

  • SFHS Ranks in Top Spots on Niche

    The 2024-25 Niche school ratings once again placed St. Francis High School in the top echelon of Catholic high schools both locally and statewide.

  • Mariola H. Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

    St. Francis High School is proud to announce Mariola H. '25 is National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist! Fewer than 1 percent of high school seniors in the nation are selected as semifinalists in this program each year.

    Semifinalists are academically talented high school seniors who have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million offered next spring.

    To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level. About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.
  • St. Francis High School is a Microsoft Showcase School for the eighth consecutive year!

    SFHS Celebrates 8th Showcase School Designation, 11 MIEEs

    St. Francis High School is a Microsoft Showcase School for the eighth consecutive year! Selected by Microsoft, Showcase Schools are an elite group that exemplifies the best of teaching and learning in the world today. 
    Additionally, we have 11 faculty and staff (a new record for our school!) who earned the designation of Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE):
    • Vicki Beelow
    • Sada Boden
    • Beth Brand
    • Kim Fermoyle
    • Katie Lembas
    • Tim Martens
    • Mary McCarthy
    • Jess Nicolella
    • Amy Stumpf
    • Maddie Wall
    • Shuilan Wen
  • Tim Reist, recently retired social studies teacher at St. Francis High School.

    Remembering SFHS Teacher Tim Reist

    Tim Reist, recently retired social studies teacher at St. Francis High School, passed away on Monday, August 19. Tim was a member of the SFHS community for 21 years and impacted countless students with his dynamic teaching style, positive attitude, and faith.
     
     
  • Anthony Holter will serve as our school’s Vice President of Advancement beginning Monday, August 5.

    Anthony Holter Hired as VP of Advancement

    St. Francis High School is pleased to announce that Anthony Holter will serve as our school’s Vice President of Advancement beginning Monday, August 5.
  • Three SFHS alums are competing in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics - Jeff Jendryk '14, Kelsey Robinson ‘10 Cook, and Erin Virtue '01 .

    Celebrating our Spartan Olympians

    We are so proud of our three alums competing in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics - Jeff Jendryk '14 (Men's Volleyball, Middle Blocker); Kelsey Robinson ‘10 Cook (Women’s Volleyball, Outside Hitter); and Erin Virtue '01 (Women's Volleyball, Coach).

  • Alumni Feature: Stephanie McCleary '13

    Stephanie McCleary ‘13 has wanted to be a teacher since she was young. She’s now living her dream as a kindergarten teacher at Briar Glen School in Community Consolidated District 89, where she recently received the District's “Empowers 89” Award. The award recognizes “those who do quiet, generous, and extraordinary work.”

  • Summer Letter from President Phil Kerr

    Happy summer to our entire school community!

    The 2024-25 school year is upon us in four short weeks.
     
    As we just recently completed our fiscal year on June 30, I would like to reflect on one of the most incredible years in St. Francis High School history.
     
    From academics to co-curriculars and athletics to performing and visual arts, as well as campus safety and security to school leadership, SFHS reached amazing and critical new heights as a premier high school in the United States.

    The year started out with a bang as the school received the highest academic award of achievement issued by the United States Department of Education in September, the National Blue Ribbon School Award. Only the top 1% of high schools in the U.S. have an active Blue Ribbon award, and SFHS was the only Catholic or private high school in the State of Illinois awarded this year. This happened at nearly the same time the school received its 7th straight year of designation as a Microsoft Showcase School, one of only 37 schools nationwide.

    Our class of 2024 graduated 48 Illinois State Scholars out of 164 students (29%), that's nearly one out of every three seniors. We had two perfect ACT scores, two National Merit Scholar Finalists, and four National Merit Recommended Scholars. 100% of our graduates were accepted into college, earning an average of $160,000 in scholarships.

    Before the fall was over, Girls Volleyball earned its 2nd straight State Championship and 14th overall. Football was a state semifinalist for the 2nd straight time. Boys Golf placed 5th in state as a team and sophomore Beckett Jones earned 3rd place individually in the state tournament. Girls Golf was led by Emmy Hollarbush who finished 13th in the state.

    A very young Girls Cross Country team finished 6th in state while featuring three freshmen and one sophomore. Boys Cross Country qualified one runner for state, Charlie Coyle. Girls Tennis won its sectional tournament for the second time in school history and five girls qualified for state - the most in school history. Girls Swimming qualified freshman Lilly Janoviak for the state swim meet in two events, the first instance since 1980.
     
    Winter was exciting for athletics as well with sophomore wrestler Jaylen Torres placing 2nd in state, Cheer placing 10th in state, and Dance placing 13th in state. Girls Basketball was crowned Conference Champions.


    Along the way, Math Team placed 9th in state and reached the Top 10 in state for the 26th time in 29 years!
     
    Our Choir achieved a fifth consecutive State Championship and our Music Department overall (band, choir, and orchestra combined) also placed first.
     
    Additionally, Band placed second and Orchestra placed third individually.

    Moving along to spring, Boys Volleyball made it to the State Quarterfinals for the first time and Girls Track captured 9th in state, not to mention the State Champion 4 x 800-meter relay team of Elena Mamminga, Margaret Andrzejewski, Allie Sheldon, and Erin Hinsdale. Erin Hinsdale also placed 2nd in the 800 meter and Abbie Sheldon placed 6th in discus.


    In Boys Track, Gavin Mueller finished 8th in state in Shot Put. In Boys Tennis, Umar Bajwa received All State first team status after finishing 6th in state in singles. Girls Soccer and Softball each won a Regional Championship and Girls Lacrosse won their first playoff game ever.

    As a result of the astonishing accomplishments in athletics, The Daily Herald announced SFHS as the winner of its first annual Herald Cup, an award honoring athletic excellence. We are thrilled our post-season performances qualified us as the #1 Overall Athletic Program amongst smaller-sized schools in the Daily Herald coverage area for the 2023-24 school year.
     
    The celebrations continue...
     
    From a leadership standpoint:
    • Our faculty was rated the 6th Best Teachers of Catholic High Schools in the state by the Niche Illinois High School Rankings.
    • In February, our Principal Raeann Huhn won the National Catholic Educational Association's Lead.Learn.Proclaim Award. She was one of only 11 Catholic leaders in education in the United States awarded. According to NCEA President Lincoln Snyder, those awarded are “honorees that carry out the mission of faith formation, deeply invested in the students, the schools and their ministry."
    • Father Bob Barko was added as our first full-time priest since the 1970s.
    • Three of our athletic coaches, Bob McMillen (football), Jim Winslow (soccer) and Tom Castronovo (tennis), were each named Conference Coach of the Year for their respective sports.
    In terms of campus safety and security, the first phases of our Capital Campaign are being completed as we speak and will be ready for the start of school in August. While we don't publicly publish all of the enhancements (for security reasons), a few of the improvements include shatterproof windows and additional security doors and alarms.
     
    After a 27-year wait, a four-way traffic safety signal was approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation and the City of Wheaton for construction at the east exit of the school property and is estimated for completion in 2026. Approximately 50% of the necessary funds are raised to complete this improvement, which will provide a critically necessary safety measure to protect our students and visitors crossing Roosevelt Road.
     
    At the start of the next school year, the following projects will be complete:
    • A new boiler system for the North and South Hallway classrooms
    • Three new rooftop units for the Spyglass Athletic Center and Kuhn Cultural Arts Center
    • A new mock classroom in the South Hallway. This classroom is the model for the 18 classrooms we hope to complete next summer (2025) pending the funding we receive by August 31, 2024.
    • A new coffee and smoothie bar in the Student Union
     
    The next phase includes the final classroom safety enhancements and other improvements, and construction of the Student Services Counseling Expansion.

    We need your help to raise the next $4 million to achieve the same results next summer as we did this summer. The permitting and design work timelines require us to raise the funds by August 31, 2024, to not interrupt the momentum of advancement of St. Francis High School and the Progress Can’t Wait - Secure our Future Today safety and building capital campaign.
     
    We want to make the school as safe as we can, as quickly as we can! Please schedule an appointment today and see how you can help by calling Phil Kerr at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1102 or Todd Shaw at (630) 668-5800 ext. 1143.
     
    None of this could have been accomplished without our incredibly talented faculty and staff, students, athletes and coaches, committed parents, donors, and alumni. I sincerely thank all of you.
     
    We look forward to another outstanding year of achievements for the 2024-25 school year! Go Spartans!
    Phil Kerr, President of St. Francis High School
  • Justine Izewski ’13

    Alumni Feature: Justine Izewski '13

    Justine Izewski ’13 is more than a triple-threat: she’s a singer, actor, model – and a teacher.
  • Maureen Isphording (left) and Patrick Jacobsen (right)

    Welcome Patrick and Congratulations Maureen!

    St. Francis High School is thrilled to share the following administrative staffing updates, effective July 1, 2024.
     
    Maureen Isphording, who has served as our Director of Admissions for the past 8 years, will now serve SFHS as Assistant Principal of Student Life. In partnership with the principal, this role focuses on the management of the school’s co-curricular programs and the overall student experience outside of the classroom. We are deeply grateful for Maureen’s gifts and look forward to seeing her continue to excel at SFHS!
     
    Joining the SFHS family as our new Director of Admissions is Patrick Jacobsen. Patrick is a motivational leader who enjoys cultivating long-lasting relationships with students and staff. He comes to us from Fenwick High School in Oak Park where he was Director of Admissions (since June 2021) and school counselor (since July 2017). He previously served in admissions and was a baseball coach at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Saint Mary's is also where he earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education and master’s degree in educational leadership. Welcome to SFHS, Patrick!

  • Spartan Athletics Named #1 in Daily Herald Cup

    The Daily Herald devised a points system based on team state finishes to measure which of the 85 high schools from the Daily Herald circulation area had the best athletic year in 2023-24. St. Francis High School was named number one in the small school division!
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St. Francis High School

2130 W. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone (630) 668-5800
Fax (630) 668-5893