The newly chartered St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy (SFACA), located in the vibrant and culturally diverse neighborhood of Astoria, is proud to be opening its doors to learn, serve, lead and succeed in the 2017-18 academic year.
SFACA is deeply motivated to exist in a caring community that is firmly committed to its mission of developing a way of life rooted in Christ. This desire has led the academy partners to choose and embrace the chosen theme, “Put on the New Self, which is being Renewed for Knowledge in the Image of its Creator,” which represents the resolve to move forward in a new academy with a strong sense of purpose of what this academy can be – Catholic educators who look toward a future filled with optimism and hope. SFACA will strive to be an academy of avid learners and socially conscious individuals who have a personal commitment to serve others through programs that will encourage visible faith in action.
The academy goal of Success For All inspires the community to develop a curriculum that will support students’
strengths to maximize their full potential. Through progressive instructional practices, the academy will support Carol Dweck’s idea of a growth mindset that suggests children’s basic intellectual abilities can be developed through hard work. The rapidly changing world requires students to be creative, inventive, artistic, tech-savvy and resourceful; therefore, academy pro- grams will be designed to educate the whole child in academia, STEM and the arts. The academy knows the spiritual, emotional and social well-being of each child in its care is essential to their growth and will be reflected in every aspect of each child’s educational journey at SFACA.
In “Affair of the Heart” by Patricia Jordan, it is written that “St. Francis of Assisi heard the words of the Gospel not only with his ears, but with his heart, and it changed his life forever.” It is the mission of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy to model its patron saint as the academy forms, informs and transforms students in the Image of the Creator, to reach their hearts, so that their lives and the lives of all those they touch will be better.
