St. Francis Xavier High School

Do NOT let the class sizes or building appearance steer you away from this school! Unlike other private schools in Sumter, St. Francis Xavier is truly a family of students, parents, and teachers.This is our son's 8th school in 10 years of military moving. By far the smoothest transition EVER!!! He was embraced from day one and has had the opportunity to participate in Varsity cross country, basketball (amazing coaches!), student council, and various clubs-all as a new freshman. The students in his class, while all very different, have each others' backs, and respect for all is a given. St Francis, while small, is a very diverse group of students; surprisingly, many are not Catholic, and they all fit right in. The teachers have the time and resources to provide very individualized attention at a college prep level (or higher), and the principal is a gem! I am astounded at the amount of scholarships she helps her seniors obtain. In addition to all of this, our son is experiencing a faith-based education in a safe environment. This is the high school experience all students deserve!
—Submitted by a parent

Love St Francis for my son. We are not Catholic, but that is not a prerequisite for attending the school. It is a small school, which gives teachers plenty of time to focus on the individual. The classes are College Prep and challenge the students to expand their minds. The teachers are always ready to tutor by staying after school, during lunch, or coming in early to help. Their basketball team is awesome! The Coach is the best. The school doesn't offer all the niceties that other schools offer, but much of that is all fluff that most students don't utilize anyway. St Francis is a family led by the matriarch/principal (Susan Lavergne). Best choice we made for our kid was to take him out of Sumter School District!!
—Submitted by a parent

We currently have two children enrolled at St. Francis Xavier High School and are very pleased with the teachers and principle. We elected our children to attend SFXHS for many reasons. One being the size of the classes, if a student is in need of tutoring the teachers are always willing to take time to help them. Safety is another big reason we chose to send our children here. We know once we dropped them off they will be in a safe environment- unlike the many of the local schools in our area. This is a college prep school so expect your student to work and be prepared for college. Many scholarships are given to the students for their hard work. I love the fact the students volunteer their time to the community while enrolled at the school. This is the best gift we could give our kids, you should too.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have graduated from St. Francis Xavier and have gone on to college..well-prepared. I like the class size and the amount of attention each student receives. The faculty and administration caring and supportive of the students. I also liked their focus on integrity and responsibility. Students who graduate from here are well-rounded, well adjusted young adults. If I ever have grandchildren here....I'd sendthem too!
—Submitted by a parent

SFXHS is the most caring and supportive school with which I have ever been associated. The staff is excellent and dedicated. If a child is having problems, they are there to tutor or guide. Even the kids who are not the best at athletics play varsity sports. They religious - not just Catholic-values are encouraged and reinforced. Check it out!
—Submitted by a parent

The best thing about SFXHS is the warm and caring environment. My daughter actually wants to talk to the Principal when she has a problem - and she can! The staff is completely accessible to the students and the school is small enough for people to know each other on sight. SFXHS is not only a school that has received extremely high numbers of scholarships for their graduates but makes parents feel comfortable that their students are in a safe, academically oriented school that is the next best thing to home schooling your child yourself. Negativity, fighting, bullying and other behaviors are simply not tolerated. I know when I drop my daughter off at school that I can be comfortable that not only is she getting the best quality education possible but also she is learning in the best possible atmosphere. Give this gift to your child!
—Submitted by a parent

This school really is Sumter's best kept secret. The students have gotten great scholarships to schools like Marquette, Villanova, Notre Dame, Catholic University of America as well as USC, Clemson, The Citadel and COC. The teachers are very qualified and caring. The students get to participate in most sports and even won the state championship in basketball one year. Students participate in Mock trial(taking four firsts), quiz bowl and many community activities. You owe it to yourself and your student to check this great school out.
—Submitted by a parent

SFXHS is Sumter's best kept secret!! Caring and qualified staff. Small class size so students get more one on one attention. The kids are very involved in their community and give of their time and talent. It is college prep and the students are well prepared for college. 90% of students go on to college. Scholarships for students are out of thi

SFXHS is a great school. Yes, it is very small and no it is not cheap. However, it is a college prep school and it definitely does prepare it students for college. Because of it's small size the teachers are able to work closely with the students and the teachers and staff actually care about the kids and seem to enjoy their jobs--certainly not true in some schools. I encourage anyone looking for a high school in the Sumter area to check out SFX.
—Submitted by a parent