St. Francis de Sales School (Toledo, Ohio)

St. Francis de Sales School is a college preparatory school run by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, a religious congregation of the Roman Catholic Church. The school opened on September 14, 1955 as the greater Toledo area’s second college-preparatory high school, and, as of August 2015, added grades seven and eight. The school's athletic teams have won 27 official and unofficial state championships in football, basketball, tennis, wrestling, swimming and diving, water polo, and hockey, as well as numerous State Runners-Up, Regional Titles, District Titles and City League Titles. The AquaKnight swim team's 42-year district title streak (53 titles, total) is the 2nd longest winning streak in any high school sport in the nation behind Cedar Rapids Washington boys swim team's 46 consecutive district titles. Named after Saint Francis de Sales, the community has been described as a family-like group and has an active alumni base both in the city of Toledo and throughout the country. The mascot is the Knight.

Admission and tuition

Freshmen are accepted on the basis of a placement examination with regard to the recommendation of their grade school. Transfer students are accepted on an individual basis after consideration of their high school transcripts.

Tuition and fees for 2018-2019 vary based on student's grade; $9,900 for grades 7-8 and $12,400 for grades 9-12, with an added $250 fee for grade 12.[3]

St. Francis de Sales, the gentleman saint and patron of St. Francis de Sales School

St. Francis offers various levels of retreat programs for its students. All freshmen and sophomores participate in daylong retreats which are carefully structured and planned for their age-level interests and concerns. Juniors and seniors are required to participate in at least one approved retreat experience during the 11th or 12th grade year. In addition, students are required to take eight semesters of Theology, and at least 30 service hours both Junior and Senior year are required for graduation.

In 2005, St. Francis invested in a new chapel facing the front of the school, where throughout the school year, all students are encouraged to participate in mass. These include opening school, Thanksgiving, and holy day liturgies; days of recollection; reconciliation services; etc.

There are eight academic departments: Theology, English, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Applied and Fine Arts, and Health & Physical Education. Every student at St. Francis is required to take a core program of 4 years of english, religion, math, and science (including 2 basic lab sciences from biology, chemistry, physics); 2.5 years of physical education and health; 3 years of social studies; 2 years of a foreign language (3 years highly recommended); 1 year of basic art; and 0.5 year of computer science.

In addition to academic requirements, all students are encouraged to participate in service projects. Formal projects, approved by the Christian Service Department, are a requirement for the sophomore, junior, and senior classes.

In athletics, the Knights had been long members of the Toledo City League before joining the Three Rivers Athletic Conference in 2011. The school's colors are red and blue. Their athletic rivals include the neighboring all-boys school St. John's Jesuit and area Co-Ed Central Catholic.

Knight Swimming and Diving, as well as Water Polo, stand out in the athletic venue. Known locally as the "AquaKnights," the swim team has placed second in the state three out of the last five years (2010,2011,2014). The swim team has a particularly strong history; winning 42 straight Northwest Ohio District Championships beginning in 1966 spanning until their defeat by rival St. John's in February 2008, a national record.[4] The AquaKnights have a well-known rivalry with Cincinnati St. Xaiver. The Water Polo team has consistently placed in the top four teams in the state for the last eight years, but hasn't secured a Water Polo title since 2001.

(Sung to the tune of the Finlandia hymn)

All hail to thee, our alma mater

We pledge to thee our faithful loyalty

In battle fierce

When foes hostile surround thee,

We will be there to guard thy honor

Knights of de Sales

Arise and battle bravely

Victory is ours

St. Francis de Sales

• Gerry Bamman, actor; known for playing Uncle Frank in the Christmas movie, Home Alone
• Sean B. Carroll, evolutionary developmental biologist, author, educator, and executive producer
• Dr. Kevin Granata, Virginia Tech professor in biomedics field; killed in Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007
• Marty Huff, American football player, linebacker for the Michigan Wolverines and San Francisco 49ers
• Chet Jastremski, competition swimmer and Olympian; broke two world records in the breaststroke while swimming at Indiana University; featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in February 1962
• Zach McClellan, pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
• Michael S. Witherell, particle physicist and president of Fermilab