St. Francis De Sales School
St. Francis de Sales is a Catholic elementary school located in the East Walnut Hills area of Cincinnati, Ohio. We serve over 200 students in grades Pre-K – 8th grade each school year.
School Profile / OCSAA
St. Francis de Sales is located in the Historic East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. We serve over 200 students in grades Pre-K through 8th grade each school year. We have one class per grade level.
St. Francis de Sales School was founded in 1877 as the school for St. Francis de Sales Parish. It is supervised by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and is Chartered by the State of Ohio.
De Sales is a member of the Catholic Inner-city Schools Education Fund (CISE); is accredited by the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association (OCSAA); is a member of the Eastern Catholic Association of Schools for Excellence (E-CASE); and a member of the DeSales Crossings Community.
Total Co-ed Enrollment: 230 students
Grades: Pre-K to 8th Grade
School Hours: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic, all students welcome
Tuition: $6,500 per year
Students that receive Financial Aid: 100%
Average Class Size: 23 students per class
School Mascot: Dragon
School Colors: Navy Blue and Gold
School Motto: “We are…Rooted in Faith. Achieving Excellence. Serving Others. We are…SFDS!”
After School Programs: Tutoring, Athletics, Mentoring and Latchkey
Transportation: Yellow Bus Service provided through Cincinnati Public Schools (some areas not serviced)
• Supervised by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
• Chartered by the State of Ohio
• Accredited by the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Associations (OCSAA)
St. Francis de Sales is a member of the following organizations:
• Catholic Inner-city Schools Education Fund (CISE)
• DeSales Crossings Community
A thorough background check is required for all those employed or volunteering to work with youth or vulnerable adults as a cleric, at a parish or school, as an Archdiocesan employee or at an Archdiocesan institution. All volunteers and employees are required to complete the electronic/online background check through SELECTION.com prior to beginning their volunteer activity or employment. In addition to the electronic/online background check, employees are required to complete manual fingerprinting and submit a B4 form before beginning their employment at an Archdiocesan parish, school, or institution.
OCSAA Accreditation Standards
Our school is fully accredited by the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association from 2016-2023.
The most recent review and evaluation was completed in May 2016.
“The purpose of the OCSAA is to strengthen Catholic school identity and mission and to engage Catholic schools in the ongoing improvement of student performance.
OCSAA accreditation requires schools to prove that they are implementing OCSAA Standards. The State Board of Education has approved these Standards as comparable to the ODE’s Operating Standards for Ohio’s Schools. Through the OCSAA accreditation process, Catholic schools can maintain their state charters.
In keeping with the mission of the OCSAA, this process has as its hallmark a commitment to continuous improvement. As each school engages in strategic planning, it moves toward the vision of a high performing school in which students are grounded in their faith life and achieve at high levels.”
