Week at a Glance
Marian Central Catholic High School Faculty Newsletter
November 11, 2017
Happy Veteran's Day!
We are so thankful for all those who have served or are currently serving. Our country is what it is today because of those men and women. God Bless America!
Well, we can all express a sign of relief, as conferences are officially over! Thank you to the office for assisting in keeping things running smoothly and helping with the food. Thanks especially to all the teachers who had put in many hours of meeting with parents, sharing their students' strengths and opportunities, and helping parents to set goals with their students. The communication and opening of one-to-one dialogue that comes from conference time makes a huge difference in our students and their progress.
Another outstanding accomplishment that came out of this past week was our Open House! Administration received a host of compliments about Sunday afternoon, including how friendly and inviting the staff was, to how efficiently the event was run, to raving about our student tour guides! It also seemed that the rearrangement of the clubs and organizations display in Lander's Pavilion proved to be well received! Thanks to all who participated in our first of the two open houses this year. On top of all the compliments, we got over 35 students to pre-register for the Freshmen Placement test, and one happy young lady (and her mom) even received a certificate for free registration! Now let's hope that our December 5th open house is as well attended!
Please know that Administration realizes that we cannot provide all of these opportunities without you, our Staffulty... you are greatly appreciated.
Late Start this past Tuesday was solely department focused, as we did not have Tech Tidbit time. Hopefully that time was productive for your team and you got a lot accomplished with a solid two hours. Ms. Novy and Mrs. Loy are hoping to step into one or two each month to see how your department has been progressing on your goals and what supports you need. Don't forget to utilize the Department Google Folder to drop all the department and PLC minutes, any goal work/progress, etc. into for easy access. If there is anything that you need us to help you with, please feel free to reach out and we would be happy to assist!
Looking ahead...
Retreat Season is Upon us!
As usual, we have another busy and short week ahead! You know it's retreat season when your class is half full! Please note the following schedule for this week's retreats...
Mon., Nov. 13
Sophomore Girls Day Retreat
Mon. Nov. 13 through Tues., Nov. 14
Senior Overnight Retreat
Tues., Nov. 14
Sophomore Boys Day Retreat
Wed., Nov. 15 through Fri., Nov. 17
Junior Kairos Retreat
Please click here for a full listing of students who will be gone at any given day. If you have a student who is absent in your class due to attending a retreat, please make sure that you give them the appropriate time to get work in and/or make up work. We want our students to be in full retreat mode to deeper their faith... and not have them worrying about their school work while at their retreat.
** Also, due to so many teachers being out as chaperones for our students at their retreats, please do your best to avoid having to take off during this week. Thank you for understanding.
Academic Breakfast
Our quarterly Academic Breakfast will be held Tuesday morning, Nov. 14 at 7:15 am. We will be recognizing all those students that you recommended for Academic Excellence and Academic Improvement. Parents and students will be attending, and Haley Stiscak and Ky Peronne will be providing some musical ambiance. Please consider coming and helping us celebrate these students' successes. The students love seeing their teachers supporting them!
8th Grade Visit Day & Teacher Inservice Day
8th Grade Visit Day is on Friday, Nov. 17 from 9:45am to 12:15pm
Here are some basic pieces of information...
- The schedule is linked here
- Please work with your department to determine what you will be sharing, presenting, and/or facilitating to best showcase your department
- Social Sciences will be articulating with 8th grade teachers... please let Ms. Novy know which room the teachers will be meeting in
The Teacher Inservice, immediately following the 8th grade visit day includes the following information:
- 12 - 12:15pm Teachers come to cafeteria to pick up box lunch and find a seat
- 12:15 - 3pm Inservice with Dr. Lee from Loyola (continuation from August)
>>>Please come to meeting with access to your UBDs and supplemental material as well as your laptops.
Can you believe there is less than 2 weeks until Thanksgiving already! We certainly have much to be thankful for here at Marian!
Blessings for a wonderful week!
Congratulations!
Marian is extremely proud of Mrs. Cetera on this amazing recognition!
Come see your students perform in the Fall Play, November 17-19, 2017
Key Club Toy Drive Coming!
November 6: Toy Drive Information will be to Period 1 classes
The Key Club is encouraging each 1st period class to "Be Santa" for children participating in the Chicago Area Spina Bifida Association's annual Christmas party. Whatever toys we cannot collect at MC, we are requesting our two local Kiwanis clubs to help us with. Each class will be asked to donate two $10 toys and 4 $1 toys. All the toys must be latex free, as many spina bifida patients have latex allergies.
Information will be dropped off to all first period teachers the morning of November 6th, and then our announcements will explain the process.
November 15: Toy Drive concludes: pick up all toys from classrooms
Key Club students will pick up all donations from classes after school on November 15.
Then, on December 2nd, 20-25 Key Club students will attend the Chicago Area Spina Bifida Association's annual Christmas Party and help Santa pass out the Christmas gifts.
Teachers... please encourage all students to spread a little cheer to other children through this wonderful organization!
The 2017-18 Tri-M Members
New Inductees
Recognizing Mr. Rome for his long-standing Tri-M Leadership
Illinois Tax Credit for Teacher Spending
The following information was provided by the Illinois State Board of Education:
There is a new statute that provides for an Illinois tax credit for teachers who personally buy supplies for their classrooms that has come to my attention. Here’s the text of the statute with some added highlight:
35 ILCS 5/225. Credit for Instructional Materials and Supplies.
For taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2017, a taxpayer shall be allowed a credit in the amount paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year for instructional materials and supplies with respect to classroom based instruction in a qualified school, or $250, whichever is less, provided that the taxpayer is a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in a qualified school for at least 900 hours during a school year.
The credit may not be carried back and may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero. If the amount of the credit exceeds the tax liability for the year, the excess may be carried forward and applied to the tax liability of the 5 taxable years following the excess credit year. The tax credit shall be applied to the earliest year for which there is a tax liability. If there are credits for more than one year that are available to offset a liability, the earlier credit shall be applied first.
For purposes of this Section, the term "materials and supplies" means amounts paid for instructional materials or supplies that are designated for classroom use in any qualified school. For purposes of this Section, the term "qualified school" means a public school or non-public school located in Illinois.
This Section is exempt from the provisions of Section 250.
(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 7-6-17.)
This credit is in addition to a comparable federal tax credit discussed at https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc450/tc458. If you have any additional questions, please ask your qualified tax professional.
Professional Development Opportunities
If you are interested in attending one of these PD opportunities, please contact Ms. Novy. For more information, please click on the links provided.
Grading Smarter, Not Harder Online PD
Questioning for Classroom Discussion Online PD
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
If you are wondering how to integrate technology into your specific subject area, check out the BestPrep - Technology Integration" Resource Library. Click on your subject area and find a multitude of ideas on how to bring your content to life with technology. The lessons are also already in UBD format!
If you are interested in one of these, or other technology conferences or workshops, contact Ms. Novy!
Upcoming events:
Google Sheets and Forms Workshop Tues., Nov. 7 4-6 pm in Harvard. If interested, you can register on your own at this link for FREE!
IETC Conference Nov. 15-17, 2017 in Springfield If interested, please contact Ms. Novy no later than Nov. 3
ICE Conference Feb. 26-28, 2018 If Interested, please contact Ms. Novy no later than Dec. 11
ILfabCon (Illinois Flipped and Blended Learning Conference June 21 & 22, 2018 at Huntley High School If interested, please contact Ms. Novy by Feb. 9
ISTE Conference June 24-27, 2018 in Chicago If interested, please contact Ms. Novy by Feb. 15
This Week's Schedule
As you work through your plans this week, please note these events. For a more detailed list, check out our school calendar, 8to18 Athletics Calendar or Clubs/Organizations Page
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017
Happy Veteran's Day!
1:00 pm ~ 5A Quarter-Final Football Playoffs vs Sterling, Lander's Pavilion
Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017
Monday, Nov. 13 , 2017
Senior Overnight Retreat, Bishop Lane
Sophomore Girls Day Retreat, Holy Apostles
7:30 am ~ CIA, rm 229
Lunch ~ Confessions, Chapel
2:30 pm ~ Math Club, rm 207
2:40 pm ~ Club Med, rm 123
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
3:15 pm ~ Fall Play Rehearsal, Auditorium
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017
Senior Overnight Retreat, Bishop Lane
Sophomore Boys Day Retreat, Holy Apostles
Novy Out after 8:15am
7:15 am ~ Academic Breakfast, Cafeteria
7:30 am ~ Spanish Honor Society, rm 208
7:40 am ~ Rosary, Chapel
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
2:30 pm ~ Ping Pong, Auditorium Commons
2:30 pm ~ Business Club, rm 219
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:40 pm ~ Gavel, rm 218
2:40 pm ~ Chess Club, rm 129
2:40 pm ~ Scholastic Bowl, rm 219
2:45 pm ~ Smart-Fit Club, rm 147
3:00 pm ~ Fall Play Rehearsal
6:00 pm ~ Girl's Golf Team Event
7:00 pm ~ Council of Administration Meeting, Cafeteria
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017
Junior Kairos Retreat, Bishop Lane
Key Club Classroom Cleanup
7:30 am ~ Sophomore & Freshmen/Principal Forum, Auditorium
7:30 am ~ Student Council, rm 127
8:05 am ~ French Class event, Cafeteria
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
2:30 pm ~ Key Club
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:40 pm ~ Art Club, rm 110
3:00 pm ~ Fall Play Rehearsal
Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017
Junior Kairos Retreat, Bishop Lane
Spirit Dress Down Day
7:00 am ~ Tech Committee Meeting, Cafeteria
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
2:30 pm ~ Writer's Society, rm 130
2:35 pm ~ Detentions, Rm 130
2:35 pm ~ Journalism Club, rm 128
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:40 pm ~ FOR Club, rm 134
2:40 pm ~ Scholastic Bowl, rm 219
2:40 pm ~ MUN, rm 219
3:00 pm ~ Fall Play Crew Dinner, Cafeteria
3:30 pm ~ Fall Play Rehearsal
Friday, Nov. 17, 2017
Junior Kairos Retreat, Bishop Lane
No School ~ 8th Grade Visit Day
9:00 am - 12:00 pm ~ 8th Grade Visit Day
12:00 pm - Faculty Lunch, Cafeteria
12:15 - 3:00 pm ~ Teacher Inservice, Cafeteria
7:00 pm ~ Fall Play
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017
7:00 pm ~ Fall Play
Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017
2:00 pm ~ Fall Play
Happy Birthday To....
11-13 Andrea Radcliffe
11-19 Kelly Hilton