CENTRAL CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS
I am Scott Vogel, Director of Admissions and Marketing at Central Catholic High School and I'm proud to welcome you to  Central Catholic Connections ! I hope you find this newsletter both informative and entertaining as I try to show you all aspects of life at our school.

We started this newsletter last year and sent it to all eighth grade families in our Partner Schools and any families who expressed interest in our school. Whether you have already decided that your child will attend Central Catholic High School, you are currently undecided about the high school your child will attend, or don't feel that Central Catholic is right or possible for your child, please read these newsletters. My goal is to provide you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision about our school. Whenever you have questions or need more information, feel free to call/text me at (309) 533-2200 any time - my phone is always on. If e-mail works better for you, send me your questions at svogel@blmcchs.org

Thank you in advance for your time and input and I look forward to seeing you soon!
What's New At Central Catholic?
We Are A 2017 National Blue Ribbon School!
OK, so, this logo has already appeared twice in this newsletter. Well, we're pretty proud of this accomplishment. No, we're VERY proud of this accomplishment. Being named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School is the highest academic recognition given by the United States government. We are the only high school in Bloomington-Normal to ever receive this recognition. In addition, the Washington Post ranked us in the Top 7% of the country in their index of "America's Most Challenging High Schools." We are the highest ranked school in our area in those rankings as well. Our students, faculty and staff work hard every day to achieve these standards and continue to raise the bar.
Would You Like To Know Everything That's Going On Here?
We send Central Catholic @ A Glance,  a weekly newsletter, to all of our current parents. It's designed to let them know what's ahead in the coming weeks. If you'd like to receive it directly, just reply to this e-mail and let me know OR you can read it online here .
Opportunities To Learn Even More
There are several ways to learn more about Central Catholic and to get to see our school:

Shadow Days
8th grades students are always welcome to join one of our Freshmen on a Shadow Day. It's a great opportunity to see what life is like as a Central Catholic student.

Parent Open Houses
Look for more information about these in the next edition. We've asked 8th grade parents who also have students at Central Catholic to host open houses in January for interested families. Our Principal, a faculty member, and me will join the parent hosts to help answer questions and give you an overview of our school.

Stop In For A Tour And Visit
Call/text me at 309-533-2200 or e-mail me to set up a time to check out the school and ask any questions you may have.

Tuesday, January 30 - Great to be a Saint Day
8th grade students will spend the morning with Central Catholic Ambassadors and participate in the morning class schedule. They will stay for lunch and return to their school by 1 p.m. 

Friday, February 2 - Pack the Place
All Partner School school students are invited to watch our Boys' Basketball team take on The High School of St. Thomas More. Activities are planned during the game for our Future Saints! 

Wednesday, February 7 - Showcase Central
Parents of 7th and 8th grade students and any interested families are invited to tour the school in a structured classroom setting to get an overview of the curriculum and meet the faculty and staff of Central Catholic. Students are welcome too! 

Thursday, February 8 - 8th Grade High School Placement Test (HSPT)
Students interested in coming to Central Catholic are invited to take the Placement Test to help counselors in finding an appropriate selection of classes. Students need to bring a calculator, two pencils, and a check made out to CCHS for the testing fee of $15. 

March 5 and 6 - New Student Registration 
You and your student register with our counselors. You'll discuss the classes your student will be taking and will officially become a Saint!

Saturday, May 5 - Junior High Dance: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
All Partner School 6th - 8th Grade Students & all members of the Central Catholic Class of 2021 will have a great time as our Student Ambassadors present this fun, nearly-end-of-the-school-year event!
Why Should Your Family Choose
Central Catholic?
This section will offer different reasons each time to help answer this question. We want students, parents, and siblings to feel welcomed and comfortable with our school. We are your student's last educational and spiritual stop before heading off to college. We teach the values you teach at home and you can feel comfortable that Central Catholic is an extension of your family. Every high school wants to prepare your student for college; at Central Catholic, we will prepare your student for college AND we will prepare your student for Heaven
How Does That Work?
I'm often asked, "Why does Central Catholic do that?" or "How does that work?" Think of this section as a way of getting you and your student a bit more ready for Central Catholic and our traditions. We'll cover different topics each week so stay tuned.
Finals Week
Finals Week is like no other at Central Catholic. Our semester exams are comprehensive and your student's schedule of exams will follow his or her schedule of classes and students take no more than three exams on any given day. Exam Days are open campus days. Students can leave for breaks or for lunch then come back for exams. The traditional schedule follows:

First Day
1st Hour on class schedule: 8:00 to 9:30
2nd Hour: 10:00 to 11:30
3rd Hour: 12:30 to 2:00

Second Day
4th Hour: 8:00 to 9:30
5th Hour: 10:00 to 11:30
8th Hour: 12:30 to 2:00

Third Day
9th Hour: 8:00 to 9:30
Band and Make-Up Finals: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Feedback, Please
This edition is more like an introduction to the Central Catholic Connections newsletter. I'll send a couple of these each month and we'll dive deeper into the Central Catholic experience each time. These can be even more helpful with your feedback. Let me know topics and questions that are important to you and we'll address them here. As I stated earlier, my phone is always on (309-533-2200) so call/text/ e-mail me with your thoughts, questions and concerns.