Mission & Values

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Our Mission

To provide a Christ-centered academic environment that empowers students to serve God and others.

St. Francis Solanus School · Established 1862 · Quincy, Illinois

Our Vision

For every child to reach their full spiritual, social, and academic potential so that they may become faithful servant-leaders in the world.

Two words in that sentence do the work. Every child, not the easy ones or the gifted ones. And servant-leaders — because we're not trying to raise children who end up in charge. We're trying to raise children who, wherever they end up, are useful to the people around them.

Our Values

Faith, Knowledge, Service

Three words that are easy to put on a wall. Here's what they look like in a school week.

Faith

Love for God and His Church

We pray several times a day and go to Mass together every week. Our students prepare for the sacraments here, learn the prayers by heart, and are taught by priests and deacons who are in the building regularly.

Faith isn't a subject we cover. It's the reason the school exists.

Knowledge

Thoroughness and excellence in all things

We expect students to read fluently, write clearly, reason mathematically, and think carefully. We rebuilt how we teach reading because the old way wasn't good enough for every child. Our students regularly score above the national average on standardized tests.

Hard work is treated here as a virtue, not an inconvenience.

Service

A warm heart and a helping hand

Our students serve the parish and the city of Quincy every year, and service is built into the religion curriculum rather than added on. Older students are paired with younger ones. Eighth graders take on responsibility for the students coming behind them.

Kindness, honesty, and good manners are taught, expected, and noticed.

Quincy Catholic Schools

One of four, and our own

St. Francis Solanus is one of four Quincy Catholic elementary schools, and we share a mission with the others: to form the next generation of Catholic disciples of Christ, in communion with families and parishes, through spiritual growth and academic excellence.

What we don't share is a parish. St. Francis Solanus School exists because St. Francis Solanus Parish built it in 1862 and has sustained it since. The church is next door. Our pastor teaches in our classrooms. Families who choose this school are usually choosing this parish community, and that's as it should be.

Words are easy. Come see it.

A mission statement tells you what a school is aiming at. An ordinary Tuesday tells you whether they're hitting it.