MCCHS FRIDAY FOCUS
132nd EDITION: October 25, 2019
From the Desk of Mr. Vito C. DeFrisco
Dear Parents,
Whether we are ready for it or not, fall is in the air! This continues to be a busy period for staff and students here at school between athletic events and the Fall Production. Our roofers are also busy as they continue to repair the roof damage from the lightning strike. I am happy to report that we will be ready for colder temperatures now that our chimney has been completely replaced. These repairs have been a slow process, but I am confident it will all be completed very soon.
I am also pleased to report that we have contracted with an outside landscaper to maintain our campus grounds. Maintaining the grounds is a full-time job and we think it would be best to have a professional provide that level of ongoing support needed throughout the year.
We have a number of other projects that need our attention including improvements to our athletic fields, replacing the lighting in the theater, and eventually, the required maintenance to the Marian Annex building, to name just a few. Some of these projects will be part of our next strategic plan. We are committed to making these improvements/upgrades and we are asking for your patience as we determine the cost, develop a workable timeline, and identify the best way to accomplish these goals.
Soon, we will be celebrating the Thanksgiving Holiday and my next Friday Focus message will not be published until December 6, so please allow me to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support of Marian Central. I would also like to thank the faculty and staff for their dedication to our students. Please know I think a great deal of Marian’s success is a result of the positive relationships between home and school and the cooperative attitude of our Marian community as a whole.
Here is a short prayer that I feel sums it all up for me personally.
Thank you, God, for all your blessings to me and my family. For the strength, you give me each day. And thank you for allowing me to be part of the Marian community once again. Please continue to bless our parents, students, faculty, and staff. Amen
Once again, thank you for your continued support of Marian Central Catholic High School. I realize it is a little early but - Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely in Christ,
Vito C. DeFrisco
Make Up/E-Learning Days
Marian Administration and the Diocese of Rockford have come to a decision with regards to addressing the missed instructional time due to the lightning strike in mid-September. As you recall, due to the immediate assessment of damage to our school and safety concerns, Marian was closed from September 10-13. Since this incident, all Marian staff has been trained in how to implement E-Learning Days, a way to conduct school through the use of technology when school cannot be in session due to inclement weather (think of snow days). With this new procedure in place we have decided to use November 15, 2019 (Marian’s annual 8th Grade Visit Day, a day of non-attendance for Marian students) as an E-Learning Day to make up some lost time from the lightning strike. If you have not had a chance, please check out our new E-Learning protocols found on pages 20-21 in the 2019-20 Student Handbook.
What does this mean for your students? As the handbook indicates, all classes are required to post assignments. In addition:
- Students are responsible to check each course’s webpage by 9:00 am, complete an assignment and submit online as per the teacher’s instruction, including but not limited to Google Classroom, OneNote, or Teams.
- All work is to be submitted no later than 4:00 pm of the same day. The submission of the assignment serves as evidence of student attendance.
- Teachers will also provide designated “office hours” in which students will be able to obtain help, answer questions, etc. during the E-Learning Day.
We do understand that some students from theater, band, department helpers, and student mentors will be “working” on the 8th grade visit day. All of those students will be marked “FT” which indicates field trip, so it will not affect the student’s attendance record, and they will have an additional day to make up assignments.
As for any additional instructional time missed due to the lightning, the Diocese has evaluated and counted all of our instructional time/contact hours with the students and has determined that we do not need to make up any more time. Please note, however, that we still may need to make-up up to 4 additional days if/when Marian closes for winter weather or other emergencies.
Birth Certificates and Immunization Records - Due Now
If you have not submitted your student's immunization records and/or Birth Certificates, please do so now. All freshmen must provide a copy of his/her Birth Certificate and up-to-date immunization records, and all seniors must provide proof of meningitis vaccination. These MUST be provided no later than October 31, 2019 in order for the student to remain in school after November 1st. Per the State of Illinois, this is a MANDATORY requirement. If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Johnson at 815-338-4220.
Kairos - Parent Meeting
To all parents of students attending Kairos in December: There will be a parent meeting to discuss very important details of the retreat. Please plan to attend either Monday, November 4th or Tuesday, November 5th at 7:00 pm in the Marian Central Chapel. Thank you.
March for Life - Parent & Student Meeting
Just a friendly reminder...
Family Directory
- Log onto your student's portal.
- You should see your name on the top right - choose "Directory Listing" from the drop-down menu.
- If you would like to restrict viewing completely, uncheck the top box. If you would like to allow viewing, leave the check, then check only the information you would like to share.
- Click on "Save Directory Settings".
It's that easy! Then beginning Monday, November 3rd, you can view the Directory by clicking "Directory" on the left side above your student's photo. Please note that all families are automatically entered into the directory, and if you do not wish to share your information, you must follow the directions to restrict viewing.
Please remember that this Directory is not intended to be used for solicitation of any kind. If you have any questions, please contact the office at 815-338-4220.
Picture Day - November 5th
8th Grade Visit Day
Principal's Coffee Feedback
From the Bottom of our Hearts
Calling all St. Thomas School Alumni:
St. Thomas will be hosting a Homecoming event on Saturday November 2nd in the school gym, located off Lake Street from 6:00-8:00 pm. Bring the family for bags, volleyball, snacks and beverages!