The school opened in 1962 with an enrollment of 466 students in three grades and offered academic, commercial and technical programs. By 1965 enrollment doubled and the vocational wings were constructed including shop areas for automotive, carpentry, electronics & electricity, drafting, commercial art, beauty culture, hot metals and lithograph. Two science labs, one multi-activity area and eight classrooms completed the addition. In 1983, two of the areas were renovated to house the Home Economics facilities and in 2000, a new library and music room were added along with new computer and science labs and numerous classrooms. Starting in July 2017 modernization construction began on the school which continues as of May 2019. The school's patron saint is Saint Francis of Assisi.
Athletics
Saint Francis competes and participates as a Division I member school in the Calgary Senior High School Athletic Association and the Alberta Schools Athletic Association. Its acclaimed sports programs have amassed several city and provincial championships. Its renowned football program, has won thirty eight city titles, and seven Alberta Schools Athletic Association Senior Varsity Tier I Provincial titles. In addition, the school hosts two mid-winter basketball tournaments. The St Francis Invitational is an eight team tournament that invites several senior boys varsity teams from rival city & provincial high schools, as well as schools from Western Canada and occasionally from the United States to compete in a two-day tourney. The Browns' Invitational Tournament is an eight team tournament that hosts feeder schools from the Calgary Catholic junior high school system which is held weeks after the SFI.
Academics
Incentive Program
Saint Francis High School initiated an Attendance Incentive program for students in 1991. The program allows students with outstanding attendance and who are passing their courses to option out of a final examination. Students with less than three lates/absences per class and T.A., may choose to not write one final exam or drop their lowest mark. If a student qualifies for incentive, has raised their overall report card average 5% from the previous report card and/or make the honor roll, the student may request a second incentive opportunity for the same semester. Additional benefits include priority registration day in August and many other "front of the line" opportunities such as parking passes. 2018 was the final year of the incentive program at Francis.
St. Francis High School has one of the largest High School band programs in the City of Calgary. It comprises over 100 students in the various grades of 10,11,12. The grade 10s have their own individual class and the grade 11s and 12s are combined together in one class. They practice together for morning rehearsals every Wednesday morning and participate in the Alberta International Band Festival every year. The band has played complex pieces like "Holst Suite in Eb" and sections of Holst's "Planets Suite." Every other year the band goes on a big trip to compete in a band competition. In the past they have gone to such places as Halifax, N.S., San Diego, California, and Maui, Hawaii.
Extracurricular activities
Newspaper Club
St. Francis High School has a Newspaper Club, which publishes the school newspaper, the Omnia, seasonally. Any student or staff can submit pieces, which members and supervising faculty edit. The club was founded during the 1996–97 school year.
