MCCHS FRIDAY FOCUS
142nd EDITION: January 24, 2020
From the Desk of Mr. Vito C. DeFrisco
Dear Parents,
At Marian Central Catholic High School, we are lucky to learn, pray, and grow in a special environment, an environment that is filled with faith and hope. This would not be possible without the generous support of our parents, the local Catholic parishes, and our dedicated faculty and staff. Together, we are investing in the future of our students and the Catholic Church. Not only are we teaching students to become future servant leaders, faith-filled disciples, and enriched citizens in our communities, educators are growing with them.
January 26th marks the start of Catholic Schools Week which is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. For 46 years the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) has led the charge in celebrating all of our wonderful Catholic schools throughout the nation. Marian Central is a proud member of the NCEA. At Marian, we are all learners, servants, and leaders. These shared qualities are what helps to make Marian work. They are what make Catholic schools succeed.
This year’s NCEA theme is Learn, Serve, Lead, and Succeed. This theme focuses on faith development, academic excellence, and dedication to service. These are the elements that set Marian apart from other educational options. They are why families make sacrifices to provide their child with a Catholic education – a Marian education.
I am grateful every day for the teachers, staff, pastors, Marian’s Board of Consultors, parents, and volunteers that help make our school a success. National Catholic Educational Week is a good time for all of us to thank them for their dedication and service. Thank you all for your dedication and service!
Sincerely in Christ,
Vito C. DeFrisco
Interim Superintendent
Uniform Supplier Change
A number of families have experienced difficulty with ordering uniforms through Lands’ End, including issues related to customer service and the lack of available stock. Also, since Lands’ End does not offer a location or event to try on and purchase items, parents are forced to order online, pay shipping fees and then restocking fees for items returned because they did not fit. Lands’ End only offered free shipping to our families during special sales. We have reviewed these concerns and decided that Lands’ End is not the best choice as the uniform supplier for Marian at this time. Therefore, we will be changing back to our former uniform supplier, Dennis Uniform, as the authorized uniform provider for the next school year.
Dennis Uniform will provide a size range of Marian’s uniforms available at Marian through the school year for our families to try on to assure parents of a better fit for their children. Dennis will offer free shipping on all orders over $25 all the time. No special sale will be needed. Representatives will be on site at Marian hosting special events where our students can try on and purchase uniforms. As we were comparing these two companies, we found that Dennis uniforms were similar in cost or in some cases less expensive.
For next year, we would also like to add a red fleece quarter zip to our uniform policy. The current black fleece quarter zip will be phased out by the end of the 2020-21 school year. The red fleece quarter zip can be worn by the students instead of our red or blue V-neck sweaters. The red quarter zip fleece tops are less expensive and much lighter in weight than the V-neck sweaters. This is just an addition or an option for our students and our families for better savings and comfort.
We hope this change will benefit our families, and we look forward to working with Dennis again.
Catholic Schools' Week Mass
All are invited to attend this special annual Mass at 10:00 am in Landers' Pavilion. Please join us as we continue the tradition of celebrating our Catholic schools.
Tuition
Reminder: If you handle your tuition on a monthly basis, your payment is due February 1st. If you are on a quarterly plan and have not yet paid, please send payment as soon as possible. Quarterly payments were due January 1st.
Payment can be made in the Marian Central office or by clicking here. Thank you.
Parent Association Happenings
We need your help with Teacher Appreciation Week and Winter Formal! The Parent Association is looking for food and beverage donations for the two upcoming events, as well as volunteers to help. To see a list of items needed and sign up to help, click here.
The next meeting is on Tuesday, February 4 at 6:30 pm in the Annex.
Winter Turnabout Dance
College Corner
CollegeStock Update
COLLEGESTOCK 2020 LINEUP
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH: Butler University, Carthage College, Cornell College, Ferris State University, Grand Canyon University, Illinois College, Johnson & Wales University, Kent State University, Northern Illinois University, St. Anthony College of Nursing, Texas Christian University, University of Dayton, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Wabash College
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH: Beloit College, Central College, Central Michigan University, Colorado State University, Dominican University, Drake University, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, George Williams College of Aurora University, Iowa State University, Lawrence Technological University, Loyola University-Chicago, Northern Michigan University, University of Denver, University of Louisville, University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Oregon
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH: Aquinas College (Michigan), Cardinal Stritch University, Creighton University, Holy Cross College, Loras College, Marian University (Indiana), Marian University (Wisconsin), Marquette University, Mount Mercy University, Providence College, Quincy University, Regis University, Saint Mary's College (Indiana), St. Mary's University (Minnesota), St. Ambrose University, St. Norbert College, Viterbo University, Xavier University
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH: Arizona State University, College of St. Benedict & St. John's University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Indiana State University, Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis, Lake Forest College, Michigan Technological University, Rockford University, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, University of Arizona, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of South Alabama, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
CollegeStock - What is that?
50 years ago, a four-day music festival that took place in Bethel, New York etched its place in history as a pivotal moment in popular music history and a defining event for the counterculture generation.
In February 2020, a small, Catholic high school located in a town that shares a name with that iconic festival will hold its own four-day celebration. But instead of bringing in musicians like Joan Baez, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, and James Marshall Hendrix that school will bring in representatives from nearly 60 colleges and universities to promote their schools to Marian Central Catholic’s entire student body.
Marian Central Catholic High School celebrates our first annual COLLEGESTOCK from Monday, February 10 through Thursday, February 13th! 14 college admission counselors will visit Marian each day that week and be in the Cafeteria during the lunch periods to meet Marian students and answer questions about their respective colleges.
A full listing of colleges visiting each day will be posted in the Friday Focus and on the Guidance Department’s website soon, so stand by for more information!
A special “Thank You” goes out to Marian Central Catholic’s own Aila Reuter (Class of 2022) and Isabel Odahowski (Class of 2022) for designing the official CollegeStock logo!
College Information Night
WHEN: Wednesday, February 26th from 6:30-9:00 PM (Check in begins at 6:00 PM, Program begins at 6:30 PM)
WHERE: Marian Central Catholic Theatre
WHAT: An opportunity to learn about starting a college search, financial aid, the differences between the ACT and the SAT, and to attend a mock college application review. Students and families will also attend a question and answer session about the college admission process with a panel of college admission officers.
Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors and their parents/guardians are invited to attend this program. We strongly encourage juniors and their parents/guardians to attend College Information Night. We’ve put together a comprehensive program that’ll be slightly different than last year’s program. We’re confident students and their families will leave with insight into some of the most complicated and confusing parts of the college search.
We ask that those planning to attend this program please register online at: https://forms.gle/LFhoogdgc5aJcPYn6
Fr. Twenty will also be providing an Ashes Service from 5:30-6:00 PM for any families that wish to observe Ash Wednesday before the evening’s program.
Please direct any questions about College Information Night to Mr. Stamatakos (jstamatakos@marian.com) or Mrs. Diamond (guidance@marian.com). We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, February 26th!
Support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
My name is Bella Antonetti, and I am a junior at Marian Central. I have been chosen to take part in a program called Students of the Year. Students of the Year is a seven-week initiative in which select high school students from around the country participate in a fundraising competition to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am honored to be given the opportunity to raise money and make a difference in the lives of those that have been diagnosed with Leukemia. All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. Your generous donations will support LLS-funded research, help provide critical information and support for patients, and support advocacy for laws to ensure patients can access the care and treatments they need.
Community Event
As a school community, we try to share resources that assist our families in helping students as they face increased exposure to addictive substances. We have worked closely with the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition in the past, as they have presented to our parents and provided valuable information that we can pass on to you. Ms. Crain, their Drug-Free Program Coordinator, has provided us with the following updated information...
Currently, the county is seeing lower numbers of death by overdose but that does not mean the number of people with substance use disorders has decreased. There are opioid-related overdoses that are being saved with Narcan/naloxone and other substances like stimulants and benzodiazepines have become a larger concern. With cannabis available as a recreational option in Illinois it is important to understand its relationship to substance use disorder. The increase of vaping in county youth has caused a rise in nicotine use and the long-term impacts for health are just beginning to be researched.
It is for this reason that we are sharing an upcoming event sponsored by the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition. Please consider attending this event, as awareness is the first step to combating these issues.