MCCHS FRIDAY FOCUS
130th EDITION: October 11, 2019
Pilgrims on the Way of Truth
From the Desk of Mr. Joe Price
Balance and Rest:
Here we are, nearly one half of the way through our first semester. From the week of the lightning strike to the hustle and bustle of Homecoming week, there are periods of time that just seem like a blur. In reflecting on this, I recall a great lesson learned from my father as it relates to life and the passage of time. He was a police officer and would often remind me of the importance of driving safely - especially on our long journeys to the U.P. where we own property, and he now currently resides. “When the road becomes a blur and you have no recollection of the last fifty miles or so - pull over, step out, and take in the fresh air, the scenery and re-orient yourself before moving on.”
It is not about how much time we have, it is about how wisely we spend the time that we have. In the coming days and weeks, our students will be taking ACT’s, PSAT’s, SAT’s, etc. which can be very stressful and taxing and it is important to remember that there is so much more to life. It is not to say that these are not important, but rather to take a moment to put things into perspective. When we are busy, loaded with work with seemingly no time to complete it, and life starts to become a blur - pull over, take a moment, and embrace the many blessings we have in life.
One of my favorite passages from scripture comes to mind when reflecting on this.
Luke 10:38-42:
As they continued their journey, he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
In the life patterns laid out by St. Benedict, we are called to prayer, work, study, and rest in equal proportions. Each is important, but to overindulge in any one of them is unhealthy. With the extended weekend upon us, I encourage you to spend your time wisely and seek a moment to just be present. The future will come as surely as the sun will rise, and things will work out accordingly. Use your time to be present with family, friends, neighbors, and most importantly with yourself.
Testing Details - October 16th
Please be sure that your freshmen, sophomore and junior students bring two, sharpened #2 pencils (NO mechanical pencils), calculators and student ID's for PreACT and PSAT testing on Wednesday, October 16th. The school day will begin as usual at 8:05, and students are required to be in uniform.
Posters listing student room assignments will be posted in the Gym commons, outside the Cafeteria and in the Auditorium commons upon students' arrival on the morning of testing.
PreACT tests for freshmen and sophomores will be completed at approximately 11:45 a.m. and the PSAT test for juniors will be completed at approximately noon. Freshmen and sophomores will not be allowed to access the second floor until the PSAT test is finished at about noon, so underclassmen should make sure to have everything needed from their lockers before testing begins.
Durham buses will be at Marian at noon and the PACE bus will be on its regular schedule.
Freshmen/8th Grade Activity Night
Freshmen/8th Grade Activity Night
Calling all Freshmen and 8th graders! Come join the fun on Saturday, October 19 from 6:30-9 pm for the Freshmen/8th Grade Activity Night. Enjoy games, pedestal jousting, volleyball, basketball, DJ, and refreshments! Freshmen will receive extra credit in Theology for attending. We can't wait to see you there!
Principal's Coffee
Friday, October 18th
8:00 am
Marian Central Cafeteria
Semester 1 Midterm ~ October 17, 2019
Semester 1 Midterm is fast approaching. Now is a great time to get together with your students and review his/her progress in each of the classes. Look for patterns including whether there is missing or late work, consistently low assessment scores, or work that has not yet been made up that will directly affect the student’s scores. Teachers should also be communicating with you if your student is earning a D or F in their class, along with some suggestions for improvement or assistance.
Reviewing portal information will also help you better prepare for parent/teacher conferences. Although not mandatory, encourage your student to join you at the conferences… because whose grades are they anyway? Having conferences with the student present with help focus the conversation on celebrating successes as well as identifying where and how improvement can be made that will enhance student performance.
Ultimately, we want to be sure that our students have the assistance and resources necessary to grow, progress, and succeed. We are thankful for our partnership with all of the Marian families.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Conferences will be
Thursday, Oct. 24th from 5pm to 8pm
AND
Friday, Oct. 25th from 8am to 2pm
You can access the parent portal to schedule your conferences beginning at 8:00 am on Monday, October 14th through 3:00 pm on Friday, October 18th by following the link below. Scheduling directions were mailed to each home and directions can also be found on this link.
Chapel Schedule
There have been a few slight changes to our Chapel schedule. Below is the new schedule.
Confessions: 2:35 - 2:45 pm every day (except early dismissal days) and during all lunch periods on Fridays
Adoration: All lunch periods on Thursdays
Bus Passes
Winter Sports Registration & Parent Meeting
2019- 2020 Winter Sport Registration is now open. Please register online at https://mariancc.8to18.com
MARIAN CENTRAL CATHOLIC ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB
The athletic booster club is looking for involvement from parents of all sports. We need your support. Please come join us at the next meeting on Thursday, October 17 at 7:30 pm in Marian's cafeteria. The booster club is looking for people to volunteer in the Social Media, Marketing/Communications/Webmaster areas.
Did You Know?
McHenry County College Events
On October 16th, MCC will have one-hour sessions that include tours and information planned for seniors who are looking for post secondary information. MCC would welcome the opportunity to share their facilities and answer questions. Here is a link to this event: https://www.mchenry.edu/dayoff/
November 13th is MCC Night from 5:30-7:30, where seniors can go in and apply to MCC with no application fee. They will also be giving financial aid, activities and athletics presentations.