Week at a Glance
Marian Central Catholic High School Faculty Newsletter
March 4, 2018
A Glimpse of this Past Week...
Although everyone has heard about March coming "In like a Lion and out like a Lamb," I am not quite sure whether this is actually the case this year! We have experienced an interesting mix of weather, much of which has been quite mild to begin March. Hopefully it will not be the opposite... "In like a Lamb and out like a Lion!"
This week brought many of our Staffulty to meetings and conferences, all focused on best practices and technology. In addition, when going into classrooms, although we are just coming off February, which is typically one of the hardest months to get through, it was clear that students were encouraged, engaged, and focused on their school work. With exams approaching, we just need to keep that motivation for both the staffulty and students so our students can again show what they know! Thank you for all your hard work!
The Guidance Department are just about done helping our freshmen, sophomores, and juniors select their course load for the 2018-19 school year. Again, thanks for being so flexible when students are being pulled from your classes.
The SIP Team met on Wednesday and covered quite a few topics as we plan for the 2018-19 school year. You will be working in your departments to update/clarify your department's weighting, determining what your department determines is formative or summative, as well as how to address students who do not reach the evaluative criteria that you set on your UBDs. In addition, it is clear that there is still quite a bit of uneasiness with regards to school safety. Our SIP Team had a good discussion about ways we can address these concerns. We will be addressing this a little more during our Late Start meeting this coming Tuesday.
Looking ahead...
There is a lot going on this coming week!
Foreign Language Week!
The Foreign Language Department has put together another wonderful line-up of speakers to celebrate the world's cultures. Listen for a trivia question each morning in the announcements too! If you have a few minutes on a planning period and would like to hear one of the speakers, check out the attached schedule!
Late Start Tuesday
Remember that this Tuesday, March 6 is Late Start. The agenda for our 7:30 am start is attached. Our meetings will again begin in the cafeteria. First, Ms. Novy & Mrs. Loy will have some information and brief discussion, after which Mrs. Varga will be sharing some great Library research resources that you and your students will be able to access. Please bring your laptop or IPAD.
All School Penance on Tuesday
During this season of Lent our school is offering our students a penance opportunity to continue to right themselves with God in preparation for Easter.
Penance will be conducted in the Auditorium as follows...
P7: All Juniors who wish to participate in Penance will be called down at 1:00 pm
P8: All Seniors who wish to participate in Penance will be called down at 1:30 pm
P9: All Freshman and Sophomores who wish to participate in Penance will be called down at 2:00 pm
Practice ACT Test in Library
March 7th & 8th is the students' last chance to take a practice ACT test in the library prior to the national test on April 14, held at Marian. Thanks to Mrs. Varga for offering this opportunity to our students throughout the school year, including providing students with data that will help students identify areas of strengths and growth.
Pep Assembly Wednesday!
We will be following Marian's Pep Assembly Schedule as we celebrate students' accomplishments from the winter season, as well as pumping up the student body and filling them with school pride! Please allow Band members to leave 9th period classes by 1:50 pm to get instruments and position in the gym.
Conversations that Matter: Social Media and Texting, March 8th, 7 pm
This is the third in our "Conversations that Matter" series as Marian works to strengthen and support the Marian community as we all face difficult subjects. This event is open to ANY student, parent, staffulty, and or community members (middle school and older) that want to know the consequences of poor choices and making better decisions when using social media. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE EVENT INVITE AND R.S.V.P!
Mr. Heiden reaches out to Deanery Elementary Science Teachers!
This Saturday Mr. Heiden will be conducting a "You Be A Chemist" workshop for many of the Deanery science teachers. This program, paid for through support from Mr. Roland Chidley co-owner of Chidley and Peto, a Chemical Distributor here in Chicago, is an interactive academic contest that encourages students in grades 5-8 to explore chemistry concepts and their real-world applications. A big thanks to Mr. Heiden as he makes that vertical connection with our McHenry Deanery schools!
The week will be wrapping up with our yearly Dinner Auction. This year's theme is the Roaring 20's! We are looking forward to seeing many of you there Saturday night in Lander's Pavilion. It's sure to be a blast!
Have a blessed weekend and week ahead!
Third Quarter Exams
It's here again! We are inching towards third quarter exams. Exams will be Wednesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 15, with a Teacher Inservice on Friday, March 16 from 8 to 11 am. Although the schedule is indicated in our 2018-19 Exam Procedures document, please know that at our Late Start meeting this Tuesday, we may, as a Staffulty, determine a slight change in the exam schedule. If a change is needed, an update will be sent out to verify.
In the meantime, this is the schedule:
Wednesday, March 14 – exams for periods 1, 3, 7, & 9 with regular classes during periods 2, 4/5/6, & 8.
Thursday, March 15 – exams for periods 2, 4/5/6, & 8 with early dismissal at 10:40 AM
- You can sign up for grade meetings here.
Only One Month Left to Complete your 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.
2018 Advanced Placement Summer Institute (APSI)
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
ISTE Conference June 24-27, 2018 in Chicago If interested, please contact Ms. Novy
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, March 5, 2018
Foreign Language Week
7:30 am ~ CIA, rm 229
Lunch ~ Confessions, Chapel
12:30 pm ~ Administration Meeting
2:30 pm ~ Math Club, rm 207
2:30 pm ~ Variety Show Emcee Auditions, Cafeteria
2:40 pm ~ Club Med, rm 123
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:45 pm ~ Black Box Rehearsal, Auditorium
3:00 pm - Ski Club
4:30 pm ~ Chess Team event, Cafeteria
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Foreign Language Week
Late Start, Schedule #8; Teachers meeting 7:30 am, Cafeteria
Classes begin 9:45 am
9:10 am - Rosary, Chapel
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
All-School Penance Services in Auditorium
- 1:00 pm: Juniors
- 1:30 pm: Seniors
- 2:00 pm: Freshman & Sophomores
2:30 pm ~ Ping Pong, Auditorium Commons
2:30 pm ~ Business Club, rm 219
2:30 pm ~ WYSE Team Competition
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 ~ Black Box Rehearsal, Auditorium
7:00 pm - Council of Administration, Cafeteria
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Novy & Baldwin OUT (Principal/Superintendent Meeting, Diocese)
Foreign Language Week
Pep Assembly Schedule #2
7:15 am - Campus Ministry, Cafeteria
7:30 am ~ Student Council, rm 127
7:50 am - Administrative Meeting
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
Lunch - Graduation Announcement Distribution
2:09 pm ~ Pep Assembly, Lander's Pavilion
2:30 pm - Key Club, Cafeteria
2:30 pm - Practice ACT, Library
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
2:40 pm ~ Art Club, rm 110
2:45 pm ~ Black Box Rehearsal, Auditorium
6:00 pm ~ Spanish NHS Inductions, Auditorium & Cafeteria
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Foreign Language Week
Lunch ~ Eucharistic Adoration
2:30 pm ~ Practice ACT, Library
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
2:45 pm ~ Black Box Rehearsal, Auditorium
3:30 pm - Campus Ministry, rm 231
7:00 pm ~ Conversations that Matter: Social Media & Texting, Cafeteria
Friday, March 9, 2018
Loy OUT
Foreign Language Week
Key Club Field Trip
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 ~ Black Box Rehearsal, Auditorium
3:00 pm - Ski Club
7:00 pm ~ Theater Showcase, Auditorium
Saturday, March 10, 2018
9:00 am ~ You Be A Chemist Workshop, Cafeteria
9:00 am ~ Black Box Paint Sets, Auditorium
6:00 pm ~ MCCHS Dinner Auction