Quick Links
Skip to main contentSkip to navigation

St. Francis

  • State Assessments

    In the spring of 2025, Kansas students in grades 3–8 and 10 completed the required state
    assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, while grades 5, 8, and 11 also tested in
    Science. These assessments were redesigned this year, replacing the previous version first
    introduced in 2015.
    Because of the updates, statewide results could not be finalized until fall, as educators met this
    summer to establish new “cut scores”—the benchmarks that define performance levels and
    determine how student achievement is categorized. The Kansas State Board of Education also
    had to approve scores prior to being set.
    The assessments, which are taken primarily online, include 40–50 questions per subject and are
    typically completed in two 45-minute sessions. Test items are designed to measure a range of
    knowledge and skills, offering a clearer picture of student learning. Results include both
    individual scores and performance levels.
    The redesigned test addressed concerns that the prior test was misaligned with student success
    after high school. According to the Kansas State Board of Education, only about 25% of Kansas
    students previously scored at the top two levels, despite more than half going on to succeed in
    college or careers. The earlier cut scores also failed to align with national measures such as the
    ACT.
    Locally, students performed well compared to state averages.
     ELA: Eighth- and 10th-grade students scored 15 and 8 points higher, respectively, than
    the state average. All but two grade levels improved over last year’s results.
     Math: Grades 6, 8, and 10 scored above the state average, with fifth grade showing
    growth compared to the previous class.
     Science: Eighth grade outperformed the state average by 20 points. Fifth grade saw a
    slight decline. Although all juniors participated in science testing, the assessment did not
    show enough variation to be considered valid, so no 11th-grade results were reported.
     50% of last year's 10th, 7th, and 5th graders scored in the top two levels for at least one
    of their tested subjects.  58% of our 6th graders had at least one score of 3 or 4, while a
    whopping 61% of our 8th graders met this achievement.
    Individual student score reports will be distributed during Parent-Teacher Conferences on
    October 20. Families are encouraged to attend, review results, and discuss progress with
    teachers.
    The district congratulates all students who earned performance levels 3 or 4 on the state
    assessments, with special recognition to SammiJo Wiegers and Garrett Zimbelman, who each
    achieved a perfect score of 700 on the Math test.

    read more
  • Teacher In-Service

    Why Do We Have Teacher In-Service and Professional Development Days?
    We know parents often wonder: What happens on those days when students don’t have school?
    Great question! These days are not days off for teachers—they are valuable times for learning,
    planning, and working together so we can better support our students. With several new teachers
    in our district, it is imperative that we offer them guidance and support. Not only do we have a
    local mentor who helps support our new teachers, we also have hired an instructional coach to
    help our new teachers get a solid footing in their careers.
    On Professional Development days, the district invites an “expert” to work with staff on a
    specific topic. For example, in August we partnered with the Southwest Plains Educational
    Service Center to focus on curriculum and standards alignment—an area identified by our
    District Leadership Team as part of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA)
    process, the state’s K-12 accreditation model. Teachers spent time reviewing state standards in
    their subject areas and ensuring our curriculum aligns with what students are expected to learn.
    This is a complex, time-intensive task that cannot be accomplished in just one day, so PD days
    allow us the time needed to move this work forward.
    In-service days focus more on collaboration within our own staff. On September 8, all K-12
    teachers worked together to align curriculum vertically (K-4 and 5-12), making sure there were
    no gaps in instruction from one grade level to the next. Including 5th grade teachers with grades
    6–12 was intentional, as it helps identify what skills need strengthening at the elementary level to
    prepare students for middle and high school.
    That afternoon, teachers reviewed fall testing results. This helped us see where students are
    doing well and where they may need extra help. From there, we made plans on how we were
    going to support all learners.
    Why It Matters
    Both professional development and in-service days are critical to teaching and learning. While
    some may think these are “days off,” the reality is quite the opposite. These days provide
    valuable time for educators to collaborate, review progress, and strengthen instruction.
    Looking ahead, on October 13 our staff will travel to Colby with other NWKL schools. This
    regional collaboration allows our teachers to connect with colleagues at the same grade levels
    and subject areas, share strategies, and build a network with teachers who can offer them
    support. Our staff is eager for this opportunity to learn from others and bring new ideas back to our classrooms.

    read more
  • Parent Teacher Conferences - Monday, October 20th

    One of the most important ways we can support our students is by working together, and parent-
    teacher conferences give us a chance to do just that. These meetings are more than just scheduled
    appointments—they are opportunities to connect, share, and partner in helping our children
    succeed.
    When parents and teachers sit down together, it creates a team around each student. We talk
    about academic progress, strengths, and areas where extra support may be needed. But
    conferences also go deeper than grades—they give us the chance to understand each child’s
    learning style, social development, and the unique qualities that make them who they are.
    Why Conferences Matter
    For students, these conversations often lead to better grades, improved attitudes, and a stronger
    love of learning. For parents, conferences provide valuable insights and practical advice they can
    use at home. For teachers, they help us build stronger relationships and tailor instruction to meet
    each child’s needs.
    Our Goals
    Every conference has three main goals:
     Share important information about a child’s progress.
     Strengthen the partnership between school and home.
     Work together on strategies to support student learning both in the classroom and at
    home.
    At the heart of it all, parent-teacher conferences are about community. They remind us that when
    schools and families work together, students feel supported, valued, and ready to grow. I
    encourage you to come to your child’s conference with questions, ideas, and hopes you have for
    your child for the year. Together, we can make a real difference in your child’s success.

    read more
  • Student Handbook

    read more
  • Lady Indian Volleyball Off to a Great Start

    vs. Northern Valley and Cheylin

    What's the game plan?

    During the JV match against Northern Valley, from left to right, Henzley Matthies (FR), Naomi Straub-Marquez (SR), Reagan Milne (JR), Elsa Foreman (FR), and Madisyn Hays (SO) came together after completing a play. Photo by: Yearbook staff Madison Siegfried (SR)

    SEASON OPENER AT HOME

    The Lady Indians Volleyball teams split their games when hosting Northern Valley and Cheylin on Friday, August 29th, 2025. Both teams beat Northern Valley and then lost both matches with Cheylin. 

    In action against Northern Valley, JV won 25-17 and 25-16, while Varsity won 25-9 and 26-24. With county rival, Cheylin, JV lost 11-25 and 13-25, and Varsity lost 19-25 and 20-25. 

    read more
  • School Supply Lists 2025/2026

    read more
  • 2024-2025 FFA Banquet

    FFA had its annual banquet on April 28, 2025. Many awards and recognitions were given to high school students this year. The FFA announced its new officers for the coming year 2025-2026. The seniors also gave a “Thank you speech” regarding Mrs. Dietz as their FFA adviser.

    read more
  • Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge 2025

    During the 2024-2025 academic year, E-Communities (and other Kansas communities) have the opportunity to host local-level entrepreneurship competitions and submit their event to be part of the “Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Series”. Local entrepreneurship competitions must meet certain guidelines in order to qualify as part of the Series. The YEC series gives Kansas students hands-on experience thinking entrepreneurial. To learn more, watch this short video about YEC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUjsSbMt75k

    At this years YEC hosted by SFCHS we had great success having many of our own be recognized. 

    Henzley Matthies and Hayden Hignst - $50 "Emerging Business"

    Cristian Silvia - $100 "Perfect Pitch"

    Kira Sichler - $100 "Farm to Table Excellence"

    Kike Yanez - $150 "Innovating Marketing"

    Cristian Slivia - $500 "2nd Place Overall"

    These students put in countless hours into preparation and some of them will get a chance to compete at State as well. 

     

    read more
  • 2024-2025 Lady Indians Volleyball

    2024 Northwest Kansas All League Volleyball Team

    First Team

    Avery Jensen

    Second Team

    Matilynn Smull

    Delaney Myers

     

    KVA All-State 2024 - Class 1A Division 1

    Second Team

    Avery Jensen OH/MH

     

    2024 State All Tournament Team - Class 1A Division 1

    Avery Jensen OH


     

    read more
  • St. Francis Football Players Recognized and Awarded

    November 25- 2024 - Congratulations to the St. Francis Indians football team ending the season with a winning record of 5-4. Special congratulations to the following players on making "All League Football" for the NWKL this year; 

    1st Team 

     Split End/TE    Dayton Fromholtz 

    2nd Team 

    Quarterback    Lucas Raile

    Linebacker   Ethan Graham 

    Defensive Back    Layn Todd

    Honorable Mentions

    Running Back    Layn Todd

    Split End/TE    Wyatt Klinzmann

    Offensive Line    Joel Gilliland

    Linebacker    Joel Gilliland

    Defensive Back    Wyatt Klinzmann

     


    St. Francis Indian Football

    read more
Previous FeatureNext Feature