Week at a Glance
Marian Central Catholic High School Faculty Newsletter
January 20, 2018
A Glimpse of this Past Week...
Sure has felt like the type of weather where you just want to snuggle up by a warm fire, on a comfy chair with your favorite book, hasn't it? Looks like we are getting a little reprieve over this weekend though... try to enjoy it!
Believe it or not, we still have a few students that need to make up exams. All of them seem to be due to some extended absence prior to exams... most of which are overseen by Guidance at this point. Thank you for your patience and cooperation. We will get these completed!
The SIP Team met on Tuesday afternoon and made some decisions regarding next year's calendar, curricular offers including summer school, professional development, meeting students' needs, and more. A tentative calendar is being developed for 2018-19 and will be available soon.
As of the end of this week, the Guidance office has sent the Department Recommendation Google Sheets to the department heads to prepare for our upcoming current course selection meetings for students returning for 2018-19. The Guidance Department asks that these recommendation Google spreadsheets be completed by next Friday, January 26. Thank you ahead of time for completing these.
So many wonderful things for the Family of Marian to be proud of, including...
- Thanks to the English teachers who allowed the collection of books in their rooms for the Writing Lab's Book Drive for Ronald McDonald House Charities
- Boys Basketball recognized the Military
- Senior night for Wrestling
- Thanks to the Theology classes who recognized the March for Life both in Chicago Jan. 14 and in Washington DC (45th year) Jan. 19
- Marian's Pro Life Club pondering on lost lives through abortion with their "Wall of Remembrance"
- Mrs. Varga for hosting another practice ACT this week
Administration is very aware of all of the hard work and dedication you put towards our dear Marian Central, and want you to know how much we appreciate you
- for the work you do planning and preparing for your classes to ensure that our students receive the highest level of academics
- for the additional hours you put in sponsoring clubs, coaching sports, assisting struggling students, and mentoring them
- for the numerous emails and phone calls internally or with parents
- for the many other things you do that may have gone unnoticed or unrecognized but reflect the integrity that you have
and most of all, for the grace, compassion, and mercy that you show to the entire Marian community on a daily basis. This school could not exist without you. Thank you.
Looking ahead...
As you know, this year our school had implemented a new "Senior Second Semester Final Exam Exemption" program. Please review the criteria and be aware of the expectations. Please also make sure that grades are continually updated and academic and disciplinary expectations are adhered to. Thank you for providing this opportunity for our seniors... and maybe this will keep that senioritis from creeping in so early!
Our second quarter Academic Breakfast is already upon us again! If you are able to, please come on Tuesday, January 23 at 7:00 am in the cafeteria. Meet up with the students that you have selected to be recognized for their academic excellence or improvement. Have coffee with the parents of those students, and let them know why you chose them. A little one-to-one goes a long way!
As you all know, during the past year, Marian has had an ad-hoc Leadership Advisory Team (LAC) to assist the Council of Administration and our school administration in focused efforts to grow and improve our school. The LAC has since dissolved and out of it have developed three smaller, more focused advisory teams. They are the Spiritual, Academic, and Athletic Advisory Teams. These groups will have some committee members including Pastors and parents, as well as some staff membership on them. We are starting with the Spiritual Advisory Team, who will be meeting this week Tuesday evening. If, while these teams are forming, you are asked to be on one of them, please prayerfully consider it. Please also know that it will be with the combined efforts of all Marian stakeholders that our dear school will become all that God wants it to become.
Our new Campus Ministry is continuing this week. As you recall, last week was the kick-off. There were 5 students who attended last Friday... and we are hoping for the program to grow! Please talk it up with your students. The next meeting will be Wednesday morning at 7:15 am in the cafeteria.
Wednesday afternoon we will be cheering Hannah Paulsen out as she leaves to participate in the ILMEA State Concert in Peoria next weekend. Please anticipate an announcement towards the end of 9th period Jan. 24 on the first floor to wish her good luck!
Have you gotten your discounted ticket yet? Chris Stefanick is coming to Marian Wednesday night, Jan. 24 at 7:00 pm. Come and "Reboot" your faith! Check out the video link below. A reminder... Lander's Pavilion will not be available for use from Tuesday through Thursday due to this event.
The Technology Committee is cancelled for this coming Thursday, as Ms. Novy will be at a Deanery Principal's retreat all day. A note about technology... administration is sorry for the delay in making a final decision about the device Marian will be rolling out in 2018-19. Please know that we are still anticipating this occurring. At this point we anticipate a decision to be made by the second week in February. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
This week will end with the Winter Formal, sponsored by the Sophomore class on Saturday night in the Aux Gym. If you signed up to work this even, please check in with Mr. Pipitone in order to be informed about the time you will need to arrive and what your duties may be.
HELP NEEDED! We need a male chaperone for Key Club's field trip to the state convention March 9-11 in Springfield, IL. We continue to do our best to adhere to the Diocesan expectations of needing a chaperone for each gender. Please see Mrs. Kelly as soon as possible if you are able to help out and attend.
One last thing... As you know, the Flu Season is upon us, and bearing down hard at Marian! Because of that, here are a few reminders about substitutes and subbing.
- If you have a planned absence, you have been doing a great job preparing for and leaving all of the necessary items for the sub. Thank you.
- If it is an unplanned absence due to illness, we understand that you cannot always get what you need ready. In this case, please either communicate with your department head or another reliable colleague to assist you in preparing for the sub by sending him/her the lesson plans, templates, etc. for the day. They can do whatever copying you may need done before the sub comes in. Unfortunately, with so many people calling in, Mrs. DiSilvio (office) is overwhelmed with just organizing the sub files, keys, schedules, etc, that she really doesn't have enough time to also run copies.
- If you are asked to do internal subbing for one of your colleagues, remember, they may be the one called to sub for you one time. With that in mind, please honor not only their lesson plan but staying in the room in which the class is expected to be taught. This allows the least amount of disruption to the students' routine and will provide more consistency in the lessons, availability of the necessary supplies, etc.
Thank you for stepping up when asked, and being a team player.
Have a blessed weekend and week ahead!
Happening right now! Saturday, January 20
Lady Canes Dance Team performing at Sectionals in Sycamore
Hurricane Fencing Team hosts tournament...
Touche!
Chris Stefanick..." REBOOT" here at Marian!
Retirements and Transfers
Retiring at the end of the school year:
Mr. Tom Rome
Mr. Jim Behymer
Mrs. Rebecca Reed
Moving at the end of the school year:
Amy Beattie
We have been truly blessed to have these people working side by side with us and as they close one chapter of life and begin another, please keep them in your prayers...
Military Appreciation Night at Wednesday's Boys Basketball... and an Exciting Win!
Senior Night at Boys Wrestling Friday
Marian's Pro-Life Club and their "Wall of Remembrance"
Reminder about GCN Training!
Back in August, you should have received an email from support@gcntraining.com titled GCN Mandated Trainings 2017-18. In that email you will find a note describing the way to log in to the GCN online training website. Once in, you will notice that you have a personalized list of trainings that are to be completed by April 2, 2018. These are videos that are required either yearly or periodically (please reference Appendix B in your Faculty Handbook) by staff based on your position here at Marian. This is part of your professional responsibility and important for you to be knowledgeable about, so if you have yet to attend to this, please make this a priority. Suggested times to complete would be during plan periods, over a weekend, in the evenings, or over school breaks. You can do them one at a time... you do not have to take all at once. If you experience trouble logging in, please contact the GCN Tech Team (listed on email) or Ms. Novy.
Once you have completed all of your trainings, please print out your certificate (tab found on your GCN Dashboard), and give Ms. Novy a copy.
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.
Designing Assessments for Higher-Order Thinking Online PD
Formative Assessment: Deepening Understanding Online PD
Formative Assessment: The Basics Online PD
Grading Smarter, Not Harder Online PD
Questioning for Classroom Discussion: Grades 6-12 Online PD
STEM for All 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:
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
Technology in Schools: A Balanced Perspective, 2nd Edition Online PD
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
Monday, January 22, 2018
7:30 am ~ CIA, rm 229
Lunch ~ Confessions, Chapel
All Lunch Periods: Winter Dance tickets on sale in office
2:30 pm ~ Math Club, rm 207
2:40 pm ~ Club Med, rm 123
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:45 pm - Musical Run Act I & II, Auditorium
3:00 pm - Ski Club,
5:30 pm - Key Club Event , Holy Apostles
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Lander's Pavilion - No Access
7:00 am - Academic Breakfast, Cafeteria
9:10 am - Rosary, Chapel
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
All Lunch Periods: Winter Dance tickets on sale in office
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
2:45 pm - Musical Run Act I & II, Auditorium
6:30 pm - Spiritual Advisory Committee, Annex
7:00 pm - Parent Association, Annex
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Lander's Pavilion - No Access
7:15 am - Campus Ministry, Cafeteria
7:30 am ~ Student Council, rm 127
7:50 am - Administrative Meeting
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
All Lunch Periods: Winter Dance tickets on sale in office
2:30 pm - Key Club, Cafeteria
2:30 pm - Practice ACT, Library
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:40 pm ~ Art Club, rm 110
2:40 pm - Key Club, cafeteria
2:45 pm - Musical Run Act II & III, Auditorium
3:00 pm - Office Meeting
7:00 pm - Chris Stefanick REBOOT, Lander's Pavilion (tickets available in office)
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Lander's Pavilion - No Access
Novy out: Deanery Principal's Retreat
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
All Lunch Periods: Winter Dance tickets on sale in office Final Day
2:30 pm ~ Writer's Society, 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
2:45 pm - Musical Run Act II & III, Auditorium
Friday, January 26, 2018
**Dept. Student Course Recommendations due to Guidance
7:30 am ~ NHS Meeting, Auditorium
7:30 am ~ All Council Student Council Meeting
Lunch ~ Confessions, Chapel
2:30 pm ~ Ping Pong, Auditorium Commons
2:35 pm ~ Journalism Club, rm 128
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:45 pm - Musical Run Full Show
3:00 pm - Ski Club
Boys Basketball - Coaches vs Cancer Night
Saturday, January 27, 2018
ILMEA State Concert, Peoria
9:00 am - Musical Set Building, costumes, & dance
7:30 pm - Winter Dance, Aux Gym
Next week is Catholic Schools Week, 6th Grade Visit Day & the All County Mass... with Bishop Malloy!
Happy Birthday To....
1-24 Mike Maloney
1-25 Christi DeWispeleare
Happy belated birthday to Karen Streelman... 1-16!