HSA: Supporting St. Francis de Sales Catholic School
Bringing Parents, Teachers, and Students Together
At St. Francis de Sales Catholic School, our Home and School Association (HSA) is a formal body staffed by SFdS parents, and it plays a vital role in supporting our teachers and staff. The overwhelming support of our parents and the SFdS community is integral to the success of the HSA and the school. The HSA creates a dynamic, supportive community of parents, teachers, and students by:
- Hosting free events for the entire school community
- Organizing teacher and volunteer appreciation events
- Bringing together volunteers
See the HSA’s guiding principles in the HSA Constitution.
HSA Events
The HSA organizes several major fundraisers throughout the school year that help to:
- Fund important school projects
- Support the athletic program at St. Francis
- Provide funding for field trips and other free family/student events
To see current HSA events, follow us on the SFdS HSA Penguin Pride Facebook Page. For the security of our students, this is a closed Facebook page; all requests to follow this page will be verified with the school.
HSA Dues
HSA dues are $15 per child, but dues are capped at $30 per family. If you have more than 2 children at the school, you will pay only $30. You can send your payment to school with your child in an envelope labeled “HSA.” Cash or check (payable to SFdS HSA) is accepted. We also accept credit card payments at the Open House and Back to School Night in the beginning of the year.
HSA Officers and Communications
The HSA Officers for the 2023-2024 school year are:
- President: Susan Goebel-Nolan, hsapresident@sfdscs.org
- Vice President: Jennifer Rebok, hsavp@sfdscs.org
- Secretary: Jennifer Turnbull, hsasecretary@sfdscs.org
- Treasurer: Elizabeth White, hsatreasurer@sfdscs.org
- Volunteer Coordinator: Cate Trego-Cordrey, volunteerco@sfdscs.org
HSA communications are sent out in the weekly SFdS school newsletter, through the the SFdS HSA Penguin Pride Facebook Page, and on SchoolStatus (formerly ClassTag).
HSA Open Meetings
The HSA holds three open meetings during the school year. Parents are encouraged to attend to hear about what the HSA is doing and to share valuable feedback. This year’s meeting schedule is listed below:
- October 17, 2023 at 6:30pm – Parish Center
- January 11, 2024 at 6:30pm – Parish Center
- April 11, 2024 at 6:30pm – Parish Center
Volunteering at SFdS
Every family is required to volunteer at least 30 hours each year. Volunteer opportunities are available:
- At all HSA fundraising events
- During lunch and recess periods
- As needed throughout the year to support faculty and staff
Families can also get tuition credits and volunteer hours (5 volunteer hours for every $2,000 spent) by purchasing SCRIP gift cards. Learn more about our SCRIP card program on our Fundraising page.
Families must report their volunteer hours in PowerSchool by May 30, 2024. After this date, the value of any remaining hours will automatically be deducted from the family’s FACTS account on June 30, 2024. The HSA Volunteer Coordinator periodically sends home letters with current volunteer hour totals.
Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator with any questions you have about volunteering.
The Sunshine Fund
While we encourage everyone to get involved, we recognize that for some families, meeting the required volunteer hours can be a challenge. The Sunshine Fund is a pool of hours donated by SFdS families for those in need.
- Families that are unable to meet the minimum requirement may apply for consideration by submitting a Sunshine Fund Application.
- Families who have over 30 volunteer hours are encouraged to donate their extra hours to the Sunshine Fund by submitting a SFdS Sunshine Fund Donation Form.
