Extracurriculars

Chess Club is open to experienced and beginning chess players in grades 4-8. Students meet once a week to develop and hone their strategic skills. They are coached by volunteers and encouraged to enter chess competitions.

Students work with the Minnesota Historical Society to identify a person who has impacted history in a significant way. Under the direction of an annually chosen theme, students prepare a presentation, either as an individual or a group, which illustrates the life story and contributions made by the person whom they selected. Presentations are shared with classmates and students may also select to enter a regional competition.

Lego Robotics is an outreach activity of IBM that invites students to become involved in the programming of Lego Robotics. Using “Mindstorms” software and kits, Lego Robotics helps to promote science, technology, engineering, team work, presentation skills and math education in our school. The Lego Robotics Club meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings before school and is open to students in grades 6-8.
 

Math Counts is a national program offering students challenging mathematical concepts and problems in an effort to develop students to be effective problem solvers in the areas of math, science, and engineering. High level competition is offered at the regional, state, and national levels. Math Counts is offered to students in grades 6-8.

Math League is designed as an enrichment program for students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Topics for the five competitions throughout the year are predetermined and offer students opportunities to compete both individually and/or as a team against other schools in the region and in the state.

Every year, St. Francis of Assisi School hosts an annual student Science Fair. Students in grades K-8 are invited to create a project and display it for viewing at our fair exhibit. The projects are then reviewed by volunteer judges and constructive feedback is given to the students. Students may have the option to enter their projects in more advanced competitions such as the Regional Science Fair or the GATEway Science Fair Competition which is sponsored by the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented and Mayo Clinic. (All students in grades 7 and 8 are required to complete a science project and enter into the school Science Fair.)

Students in grades 5-8 celebrate their spelling skills by participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This competition begins at the homeroom level. The winner of each homeroom competition then goes on to compete in a school-wide Spelling Bee. The top three spellers from St. Francis of Assisi School compete in the Rochester Catholic Schools Spelling Bee. Our RCS winners will then advance to the Regional Spelling Bee. Regional winners compete at the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.

Student Council at St. Francis of Assisi School serves the school and the community by organizing and participating in service projects, planning activities to cultivate school spirit, and modeling positive values-based behavior. Students elected to the Student Council practice leadership, responsibility, and cooperation as they work to create a healthy and vibrant school environment where the democratic process and a commitment to productive collaboration are evident. Council members seek to model Christ as they witness their faith to others through their words and actions.

President: Roberto Villasboas
Vice President: Roman Warmkagathje
Secretary: Nora Price
Treasurer: Bryn Poterucha
Publicity Director: Alison McKeon
Homeroom Representatives: Mary Rose Hyder & Gabriel Villasboas