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Saint Francis High School is a Catholic, private college preparatory high school for young men that operates under the administration of Our Lady of the Angels Province of the
Order of Friars Minor Conventual The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) is a male religious fraternity in the Roman Catholic Church that is a branch of the Franciscans. The friars in OFM CONV are also known as Conventual Franciscans, or Minorites. Dating back to ...
in
Athol Springs, New York Athol Springs is a hamlet in the town of Hamburg in Erie County, New York, United States. Notable people The family of feminist activist Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn owned property in Athol Springs. Athol Springs is the birthplace of retire ...
within the
Diocese of Buffalo The Diocese of Buffalo is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church headquartered in Buffalo, New York, United States. It is a suffragan diocese within the metropolitan province of the Archdiocese of New York. The Diocese of Buffalo includ ...
. The school was founded in 1927 by Fr. Justin Figas, OFM Conv. The school is accredited by the
New York State Board of Regents The Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York is responsible for the general supervision of all educational activities within New York State, presiding over University of the State of New York and the New York State Education Depa ...
and the
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (Middle States Association or MSA) was a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association that performed peer evaluation and regional educational accreditation, accreditation of public and priva ...
.


Founding and development

The school's founder, Fr. Justin Figas, OFM Conv., wished to establish a secondary school for young men of the Polish-American immigrant community in the Niagara Frontier area in Western New York. The Conventual Franciscans of the Saint Anthony of Padua Province already owned a parcel of land on the shore of
Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...
in Athol Springs just outside Buffalo. The site was purchased in 1916 by Father Hyacinth Fudzinski. The land had previously been the estate of one "Dr. Pierce," who developed pharmaceuticals around the start of the 20th century. In December 1924 Father Justin assembled a group of Polish-American businessmen and professionals from Buffalo, New York to help raise funds and support for the construction of the school. This group became known as the "Father Justin Drivers," or the "Justin Drivers." The group was successful and in 1925 ground was broken for the new school in a ceremony held on 12 July 1925. Construction took sixteen months and Saint Francis High School was dedicated on 25 November 1926. In 1927 the first class was enrolled. The original structure built on campus is now called Friar's Hall. In May 1937 the school was found to meet all requirements of the Board of Regents of the State of New York. In the fall 1943 the school became affiliated with the
Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by U.S. ...
in Washington, DC. In the 1940s there was a great increase in student enrollment, and Father Justin again saw the need to build. This time he planned to build a dormitory/gymnasium building with a tunnel linking to the original building. In 1946 Father Justin again assembled a group of "drivers" and four years later, in 1950, ground was broken on the new complex. The gymnasium was completed first on 2 September 1951, but the dormitories were not completed for another six years. The building is now known as Justin Hall. Renovations were done to the chapel, science labs, student dining room, residence facilities, offices, and gymnasium in the 1960s and 70s. The school was able to offer a full college preparatory curriculum for students who lived on campus, and for students who commuted daily. Enrollment again increased and increased classroom space was needed. Classrooms were made in Justin Hall where resident living was once planned. At the same time, in the late 1970s and continuing into the 1980s, the number of resident students steadily decreased. By the late 1980s, only the top floor of Justin Hall was used for residence life. At the end of the 1988 school year, the Board of Directors terminated the residency program. In 1985 fundraising began for the construction an auditorium complex. In May 1987 ground was broken and on 29 October 1988 the John Ormsby Alumni Auditorium opened. The building was constructed adjacent to Justin Hall and includes a thrust stage with an orchestra pit in an 800-seat auditorium, a campus book store, a fitness center, and a boardroom. In 1995 the complex was completed with the construction of a band room, practice rooms, dressing rooms, offices, and storage space. In 1999, a parcel of land behind the school's football field on Big Tree Road was acquired. Practice fields and additional playing fields were constructed in that space.History of Saint Francis High School
Retrieved March 10, 2018.
The science labs in Friar's Hall were overhauled and modernized in 2003. In November 2004 an expansion of Justin Hall and the gymnasium began. In late 2005 construction was completed and the new facility included additional classrooms; separate locker-rooms for gym classes, home teams, opposing teams, and referees; an additional gym floor, and an athletic trainer's room. At the time of construction the campus traffic pattern was also changed. Previously traffic blowed between the two major complexes on campus, essentially forming a sea of parking and traffic. The update saw the addition of a 52-space parking lot on the
Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...
side of Friar's Hall and the creation of a traditional grass quadrangle with walkways between Friar's and Justin Halls. In 2007, construction began on the new Mary Schneider Visual Arts Center located in the lower floor of Friar's Hall. It features of floor space and includes space for art classes and storage. Also included are a new classroom and a teachers' dining room. 2010 saw an update of the school's athletic facilities with the addition of new bleachers as well as a new press box on the football field. In 2010-2011 construction took place for new resident rooms. There are dorms for 26 residents along with an activities rooms. The dormatories opened in the 2011–2012 school year. From 2015 to 2017, the outdoor athletic facilities were expanded and renovated. In 2015 a multi-sport synthetic turf playing surface (Polian Family Field) was installed along with a new eight lane track. 2016 saw the Gacioch Family Athletic Center completed featuring on-site home an away locker rooms, an athletic training room, an officials room, a coaches room, a viewing suite overlooking Polian Family Failed, a filming tower, a permanent home for the Fr. Rufinus Niedzwiecki OFM Conv. Sports Hall of Fame, and a concessions stand. On March 18, 2017, the varsity baseball field was dedicated as Jeff Sgroi Memorial Field in memory of long time assistant coach Jeffrey Michael Sgroi. Improvements include the addition of dugouts, a new playing surface, fencing, bullpens, storage and a scoreboard.


Notable alumni

*
Brian Daboll Brian Michael Daboll (; born April 14, 1975) is a Canadian-born American football coach who is the head coach of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Brown ...
, head coach for the
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*
Elliot Jacobson Elliot Benjamin Jacobson is an American drummer, songwriter and producer. He was the producer and cowriter of Vérité for her first EP, Echo and the majority of her second EP, Sentiment. He plays drums for the New York-based singer/songwriter In ...
, drummer for singer/songwriter
Ingrid Michaelson Ingrid Ellen Michaelson (born December 8, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Her first album, '' Slow the Rain,'' was released in 2005, and she has since released eight more albums: '' Girls and Boys,'' '' Be OK'', '' Everybody' ...
and other artists *
Patrick Kaleta Patrick Kaleta (born June 8, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres from 2006 until 2015. He was drafted by the Sabres in the sixth round, 176th overal ...
, right wing for NHL's
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from 2007 to 2013 (attended) *
Kevin Kobel Kevin Richard Kobel (born October 2, 1953) is a former professional baseball pitcher. Having made his major league debut with the Milwaukee Brewers a month shy of his twentieth birthday on September 8, , he is the only pitcher in franchise history ...
, former
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pitcher for
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and
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*
Todd Krygier Todd Andrew Krygier (born October 12, 1965) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim between 1989 and 1997. Inter ...
, player for NHL's
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, 1989–1991;
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, 1991–1994, 1995–1998; and
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, 1994-1996 *
Jim Kubiak James Kubiak (born May 12, 1972) is a former professional football player and coach. He is currently the director of the WNY Quarterback Academy, and he was most recently the head football coach at Hilbert College for their first season in 2022. ...
, quarterback who broke 22 passing records at
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; was on NFL's
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roster for one season *
Akeel Lynch Akeel Joh-Vonnie Lynch (born May 14, 1994) is a retired American football running back who last played for the Nevada Wolf Pack football team. He grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with divorced parents, but at age seven, his father was murder ...
, '11, running back for
Penn State Nittany Lions The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, except for the women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions. The school colors are navy blue and white. The school mascot is the Nittany Lion. The interco ...
and
Nevada Wolfpack football The Nevada Wolf Pack football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno (commonly referred to as "Nevada" in athletics) in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Mountain West Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of ...
* Aaron Miller, NHL defensemen, won
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with
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in 1996; played on USA Olympic Hockey Team in 1998, 2002, and 2006 * Jim Negrych, baseball player for
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, AAA affiliate of
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*
Brian Polian Brian Stewart Polian (born December 22, 1974) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the special teams coordinator for LSU. He is the former head coach of the Nevada Wolf Pack football team. He is the son of former Nationa ...
'93, head football coach at
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2013–16; assistant coach at
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*
Jack Quinn III John Francis "Jack" Quinn III is a former Republican New York State Assembly Member, representing Erie County.New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...
man representing 146th District; son of former U.S. Congressman Jack Quinn * Kyle Smith, American football executive for the
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*
Lee Stempniak Lee Edward Stempniak (born February 4, 1983) is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Pe ...
'01, right wing for NHL's
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*
Luke Tasker Lucas Steele Tasker (born January 18, 1991) is a former Canadian football wide receiver and sports broadcaster. He spent the entirety of his seven-season Canadian Football League career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Tasker played college football ...
, wide receiver in NFL and
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*
Tom Telesco Tom Telesco (born December 12, 1972) is a professional American football executive. He is the general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). Telesco was the Vice President of Football Operations with the India ...
'91, general manager of NFL's
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*
Doug Worthington Doug Worthington, Jr. (born August 10, 1987) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 242nd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio ...
'05, NFL defensive lineman


References


External links


St. Francis High School Website
{{authority control Catholic secondary schools in New York (state) Educational institutions established in 1927 Boys' schools in New York (state) Schools in Erie County, New York 1927 establishments in New York (state)