Week at a Glance
Marian Central Catholic High School Faculty Newsletter
May 19, 2018
A Glimpse of this Past Week...
This week was full of pride and celebration. Check out the pictures of the IDEA Pitch Night, the Choral and Band concerts, and Girls Track as we cheered them out! The Fine Arts Awards were also held this past week!
Thanks to all who provided the second semester exams and study guides to your department heads and administration as well as providing Mr. Taylor with student copies for those who have accommodations. As you know, even at the end of the year there are some students who have extenuating circumstances or medical issues that cause them to miss one or more exams.
Additionally, a BIG thank you to Mrs. Loy for combing through the senior exemption requests to determine if students qualified. This took a lot of time, as she needed to confirm not only the grades, but also discipline and attendance records. On top of that, she went through a huge stack of appeals to determine, in all fairness and compassion, which student appeals were accepted. Administration thanks you for supporting the final decisions made in this process. We all know that we as a Staffulty stand on firm ground when we are supporting each other ... administration and faculty together.
Another BIG thanks goes out to Mrs. Hilton for arranging for all of the proctoring of the AP exams these past two weeks. This was no minor task, as now she still has to manage the last few make-up tests. Thanks also to Mr. Kruse, Mrs. Varga, and Mrs. Noe who also proctored exams. Our students and faculty thank you!
Finally, Friday's Honors Day seemed to go off without a hitch. There were many wonderful awards and recognition to not only our seniors, but some of the underclassmen as well. It certainly is a strong reminder that what we do here is important. Without all of your hard work and dedication to the curriculum you teach and especially to our students, they would not be able to have achieved so many scholarship opportunities. We are so proud of our students! Thank you, also, for your flexibility with the schedule, as we went just a bit over our scheduled time. :)
Looking ahead...
This Monday our Seniors will be enjoying their special Senior Breakfast put on by their dedicated parents. Afterwards, they will be reminiscing about their four year journey through Marian, watching their class video in the auditorium. Tuesday through Thursday we will see a "skeleton crew" of seniors who are taking their semester 2 exams. Thursday evening is the Baccalaureate Mass. This is a wonderful time to share with the graduates' families. Finally, Friday is graduation. Please make sure you are here no later than 6:15 pm so you can assist in getting the students lined up and ready for the processional.
Welcome to finals week! I am confident that all of you have amply prepared your students for your second semester exam. There are a few senior students that I have been watching very closely in order to ensure that they are doing all they need to to pass the class. If you have a few senior students in particular that you are worried about, please make sure that these students' exams are graded quickly and you notify me as to whether they passed the class or not. Otherwise, I will be looking forward to meeting each of you on Thursday and Friday as you submit your final grades. Please make sure you are prepared to explain any concerning student grades and any background information I may need to know about.
A reminder as we enter final exam week, please make sure that you are following the students' ISPs with regards to extended time, alternate location, and/or special test formatting. We are committed to providing these students with appropriate accommodations based on their disability. If you are unsure, please contact Mr. Taylor prior to exams.
In addition to bringing me your final grades, please make sure that you are preparing for your final check out for the school year. Please use this check-out form to prepare yourself for a seamless check-out. I should be your last step in the process, and will be collecting the check-out sheets from you.
This is certainly a very busy week for all... with exams, Baccalaureate Mass on Thursday evening, and graduation on Friday evening. Please remember that we are not the only ones who are experiencing stress and pressure. Our students do truly realize the importance of their semester exams and desire to do well. They will be overwhelmed, anxious, and a little panicked. Please remember this when you encounter your students. Give them a positive well wishes and encouragement. When they know that their teachers are in their corner, believing in them and their capabilities, the level of stress and anxiety typically lessens. A prayer before each exam may give additional peace and confidence. Thank you for supporting our students.
Finally, I hope that you realize how much you influence each and every students you encounter. Thank you for all you do for our students, their families, and each other.
Have a blessed weekend and week ahead!
IDEA Pitch Night!
Tri-Groom Receives Second Place
Outstanding Job by All Teams!
Dorm Drop Places First
Semester 2 is Quickly Coming to an End!
When preparing for Grade Meetings:
- If students are absent for the exam, put an "I" in BOTH the exam and semester 2 grades
- Make sure you hit "submit" in the gradebook for every individual course you teach
- Make sure the red "slash" is not showing when in the RC View for both the S2 EX and the Sem 2 grade columns
- If a student is absent for exams, make sure a copy of the exam with the student's name on it is left with Guidance AND if the exam can be graded by Guidance leave the key or if not provide information as to when you can come in to grade the exam(s)
If all of these simple things are taken care of, we will have a very easy and quick grade meeting!
End of Year Choral and Band Concerts
Catechist Certification Opportunities
St. Anthony Church, Rockford Summer opportunities for Prerequisite, Level I, & Level II classes
Girls Track goes to State
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
A little update on the Faculty Computers...
As of the end of this week, Microsoft has informed us that the faculty computers are still being "built." This means that most likely we will not be receiving them in time for us to distribute them to you and provide you with the initial training this last week of school. It is certainly unfortunate and the administrative team is very disappointed, but we all know that sometimes things are not in our control.
That being said, we will be in contact with you when they are available. At that point, knowing that all of you will be on your summer break, we will most likely be offering several options for you to come in, receive your device, and get that initial training. We want you to have the devices as soon as possible so that you will be able to familiarize yourselves with them over the summer and before the start of the new year.
We want to thank you first for your patience int his process, and second for your openness to trying something a bit out of some of your comfort zones. We are certain that this step into embedding technology into our curriculum will ultimately benefit both the students and you.
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, May 19, 2018
2:00 pm ~ Mr. Rome Open House
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Monday, May 21, 2018
8:15 am ~ Senior Breakfast, Cafeteria and Senior Video viewing, Auditorium
Lunch ~ Confessions, Chapel
2:20 pm ~ Cheer Out for Boys Track (tentative)
2:40 pm ~ Mass, Chapel
5:00 pm ~ Retiree Open House, Cafeteria
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Semester Exam Schedule #7
7:40 am - Rosary, Chapel
Exams Periods 1 & 2 only; Dismissal 10:45 am
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Semester Exam Schedule #7
Lander's Pavilion NO Access
Exams Periods 3, 4/5/6, & 7 only; Dismissal 12:05 pm
12:20 pm ~ Staff Recognition Luncheon, Cafeteria
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Semester Exam Schedule #7
Lander's Pavilion NO Access
Exams Periods 8 & 9 only; Dismissal 10:45 am
11:10 am - 4:30 pm ~ Teacher Grade Meetings
7:00 pm ~ Baccalaureate Mass, Lander's Pavilion
Friday, May 25, 2018
Lander's Pavilion NO Access
9:00 am - 11:00 am ~ Teacher Grade Meetings
6:15 pm - Faculty arrival in preparation for graduation, Aux Gym
7:00 pm ~ Graduation, Lander's Pavillion
Monday, May 28, 2018
Memorial Day
Thursday, May 31, 2018
5:00 pm ~ Used Book Sale & Used Uniform Endowment
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Marian Golf Outing, Crystal Woods Golf Club
Saturday, July 14, 2018
11:30 am ~ Alumni Food Fight at Feed My Starving Children
Friday, July 27, 2018
As Our Seniors Step Out Into The World Beyond Marian...
Happy Birthday To....
Summer Birthdays:
May 29 Amy Kelly
June 7 Steve Liggett
June 8 Benji Winkelman
June 9 Patty Healy
June 25 Julie Diamond & Kiki Furrow
June 27 Erin Carver
July 8 Glenn Pinnau
July 16 Joe Wyckoff
July 18 Tony Powe
July 28 Tom Sutter
August 2 Julia Lambert
August 3 Olga Coffee
August 6 Jim Sarther
August 12 Tom Kruse
Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) Renewal Information from ISBE
Please read the information below on PEL renewal from ISBE if your license is up for renewal in 2018. Remember that the Diocese expects that all faculty have a current Illinois PEL in order to receive/renew their contract.
Professional development for this renewal cycle must be completed by Aug. 31, 2018, and all licenses eligible for renewal must be renewed by Aug. 31, 2018. A short video is also available. Please contact licensure@isbe.net with any questions."