Volume 8 Number 17                                                December 15, 2017
General News
Now Accepting 2018-19 Admissions for Incoming Freshman and Transfer Students
Delone Catholic has much to offer high school students, and we are anxious to talk about it. As we begin accepting new student admissions for the 2018-19 school year, we would like to remind prospective students and their families that personal tours and shadow days are available. Please contact Mrs. Jennifer Hart, Director of Marketing and Admissions to schedule a tour, shadow day or to get more information on our curriculum, programs and services. The 2018-19 New Student Admissions Application is available  by clicking here. New students are eligible for a $25 discount off the registration fee when we receive your completed Admissions Application by Dec. 31. 
*Re-registration for current Delone Catholic HS students will be available at a later time.



Attention Incoming Freshman
This year, the High School Placement Test (HSPT) is being administered at Delone Catholic High School and not in the deanery elementary schools. The two test dates are as follows: Sat., Jan. 6 or Sat., Feb. 10. There is no fee to take the test. Click here for a copy of the registration form. For incoming freshman who take the placement test in Maryland, please forward us a copy of the results once you receive them. Contact Mrs. Jennifer Hart at [email protected] with any questions. 

Important Message from Principal La Rocca
Dear Delone Catholic Families,

I recently received information from our local public school administrators who are taking steps to educate their respective communities about a new trend among youth known as juuling, an activity that has been described as "a discreet form of vaping that is the most widespread phenomenon you've likely never heard of."  Although we have had no formal reports about juuling occurring at Delone Catholic, I thought it best to share this information with you so that you can have a frank discussion with your own children about this matter. 
       As always, the safety of our students is a primary concern and any form of vaping is potentially a serious health risk and a serious school offense.  Below you will find links to an informative article and news report.
 
Thank you for your support!
 
Sincerely,
 
Richard La Rocca

For an informative article on juuling, click here For a news report on juuling, click here .

Transportation Information for Fri., Dec. 22
On Fri., Dec. 22, students will be dismissed at 12 noon for the Christmas vacation. Please note the following bus schedules:

Morning and afternoon bus service  for students in Maryland and for students in the school districts of Conewago Valley, Hanover, Littlestown and Spring Grove

Bermudian School District and Southwestern  School District  will provide morning bus service only. 

Gettysburg School District will provide both morning and afternoon bus service, but the afternoon bus drop offs are to St. Francis Xavier school and Gettysburg Middle School only. 

Please contact the school at 717-637-5969 if you have any questions regarding bus transportation on Dec. 22.

Campus Life 101 - Dec. 22
For a printable version of this flyer, click here

Alumni are encouraged to visit on another day, if needed, but we ask that you call ahead and set up an appointment so that the person(s) you want to see are available.  Visiting alumni must always enter the building through the main entrance and sign in at the main office.  Preferred visiting times are during lunch or at the end of the school day when teachers are available to meet their guests.  Thank you for complying with this request.  Go, Squires!

Christmas Coffee Break - Dec. 18

Thank You for Supporting Our Hurricane Relief Efforts
Students from Delone Catholic High School, St. Teresa of Calcutta School, St. Francis Xavier School and St. Joseph School, along with generous donations from Neiderer's Sanitation, LLC and Conewago Contractors, Inc. and a matching donation from Conewago Enterprises, Inc., raised $21,366 to aid two Catholic schools in Texas that were devastated by hurricanes this year. Pictured here from left (bottom row) Ainsley Kidder, St. Teresa of Calcutta, JD Sieg, St. Francis Xavier and  Natalie Rizzuto, Associate Prinicipal, St. Teresa of Calcutta. (Top row) Terrance Golden, Principal, St. Joseph School, Daniel Sweeney and Madison Sieg, Delone Catholic High School, Patricia Foltz, Executive Principal, St. Teresa of Calcutta, Rebecca Sieg, Principal, St. Francis Xavier, Andy Brough, Executive Vice President, Conewago Enterprises, Inc. and Richard La Rocca, Principal, Delone Catholic High School.



Inclement Weather Reminders
For closures and delays: Delone Catholic parents are notified via One-Call of school closures and delays. This information, along with early dismissals, is posted on the  school web site, Facebook and  Twitter as soon as possible. You may also call the school at 717-637-5969 and the recording will notify you of a delay or closure. WGAL is notified immediately upon the decision to delay or close. In addition to the WGAL T.V. channel, closures and delays are posted on the WGAL website . 

For early dismissals: Early dismissals are posted immediately on the  websiteFacebook, and  Twitter as we receive the calls from each school district. WGAL also posts school district dismissals on their  website

Remember: Phone calls from parents will not be accepted for dismissal requests. The phone lines are needed to receive information from the school districts. We also encourage students to call parents from the office to inform them of the different drop off schedule for bus transportation so that an adult may be available for the transport from the bus stop to home.

Please be alert to those weather forecasts for incoming snow possibilities. If you wish your student to be dismissed at a different time, you must send in a note with your student for each dismissal. No emails and no phone calls will be accepted. Notes must be turned in before homeroom, on the day they are to be applied. You may not submit one note for the duration of the school year. A note must be delivered on each separate occasion.

For Maryland families who utilize the bus service, please refer to the chart below regarding different inclement weather closings and delays.

Our Inclement Weather Policy is available on our web site or by clicking here.

Midterm Exam Schedule and Dismissal
Please remember that mid-term examinations will be given on Jan. 10-12. Students should report to homeroom at 8 a.m. if they have an 8:15 a.m. exam. Students who do not have an exam until 9:45 a.m. should enter through the Main Entrance on S. Oxford Avenue and remain in the lobby until 9:30 a.m. 

Students are dismissed each day after their last exam. For most students, the second exam ends at  11 a.m., though Advanced Placement students, instructional support students and those students who have more than one class in the same department may be dismissed later. Please ask your child what time they will be finished testing each day.

The exam schedule is as follows:

Gettysburg School District has announced that it will bus students from Delone Catholic to St. Francis Xavier Catholic School and Gettysburg Middle School on exam days, leaving at 11:15 a.m. The Delone Catholic bus service to Maryland will ONLY RUN AT 2:45 p.m. on exam days. (This is a change from previous years when the service ran twice on exam days at 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.). Other Pennsylvania bus riders should check with their bus drivers and should make other transportation arrangements if necessary. 

For students who need to wait for a 2:45 p.m. bus pick-up, parents must complete this form. Once this form is submitted, students must stay on the indicated dates until 2:45 p.m. No changes are permitted. Please contact Mrs. Donna Tompkins with questions.


Christmas Card Contest Winners Announced - Congratulations Kristen Landsman '18
The Diocese of Harrisburg is happy to announce the winners of our 2017 Christmas Card contest along with the winning artwork. The contest was open to students in the 39 Catholic Schools in the Diocese representing over 11,000 students. The winning artwork, which was selected from 5 submissions, will be used to illustrate the Christmas Cards that Bishop Ronald Gainer will send out this year. Bishop Gainer will host a luncheon for the winners, their parents, teachers and principals on  Mon., Dec. 11 at noon  in the Cardinal Keeler Center,  4800 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg .  
 
The Winners are:

This is the second time Kristen has had her artwork chosen to be used on a Christmas card for Bishop Gainer. Her 2015 entry was also selected when she was in 10th grade.

The theme of the contest this year asked for the students' interpretation of the birth of Jesus Christ as seen through his or her eyes. Each school was allowed to submit one entry per grade category which were; Grades K - 2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. All mediums of art were allowed. 

The submissions were judged by Diocesan employees to the top three in each category.  A winner from those finalists was then selected by Bishop Ronald Gainer.

The winners' artwork can be viewed via the Diocesan website:  https://www.hbgdiocese.org/2017-christmas-card-contest-winners-announced/

Congratulations Mr. Brian Yealy '79
We are so very honored to be blessed with the time and talents of Mr. Brian Yealy '79, Music Teacher and Band and Chorus Director. He was recently chosen as one of the "50 Directors Who Make A Difference" by School Band and Orchestra Magazine. Dedicated faculty members like Mr. Yealy are the cornerstone of our inspired Delone Catholic community. Please take a moment to read his interview on pages 36-37 of the magazine. And he is on the cover too!

Thank You from the Laudani Family
Tommy Laudani and family wish to THANK YOU all so much for generosity and support throughout the past year. We are amazed at his perseverance against this aggressive cancer.  He continues to fight with another round of chemo directly to his liver mid December and after Christmas daily radiation at John Hopkins for 4-6 weeks to treat tumors in chest, abdomen and some bones.
We could not get through each day without such support in so many countless ways!
God bless you all this holiday season!!

The Laudani Family

Free Online SAT and ACT Resources
There are free, online resources available to students to help them to prepare for the SAT and ACT. College Board has partnered with Khan Academy to provide preparation videos, instruction, problems and sample tests for the SAT. To access these materials, visit  www.khanacademy.org.  In addition, the free OpenEd Smart Library provides resources for preparing for the ACT. To access these materials, visit www.opened.com.

Catholic Diocese Night with the Hershey Bears - Feb. 3
Celebrate Catholic Schools' Week with the Hershey Bears Hockey team vs. Charlotte Checkers at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa. for the Annual Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg Night on Sat., Feb. 3, 2018 at 7 p.m. Tickets are discounted to $15 each for all ages from the regular admission price of $23. For tickets, click here or contact Janet Dise - [email protected] .   The deadline for ticket orders is  Mon., Jan. 29, 2018 .

From the Spiritual Life Office
Interact Club Makes Donation
The Delone Catholic Interact Club presented the Hanover Council of Churches with a check for $1,000. This money was raised at their Pit Beef Sale. The money will help support the Provide-A-Lunch program. What a welcome gift during the holiday season.


Peer Ministries Interactive Advent Calendar
Our Interactive Advent Calendar features a reflection, picture or video from our Spiritual Life Director, Mrs. Kate Phenicie or from one of our Peer Ministers. The reflection is based on the Mass readings of the day. It is our hope that this Advent Calendar will help everyone prepare spiritually for Christmas. 

From the Office of Development and Alumni Relations
Consider a Donation to The Delone Catholic Fund

To make your tax deductible donation, click here.

Giant A+ Rewards Program
Delone Catholic is participating in the Giant A+ School Rewards Program, a great school fundraising program that runs from October 6, 2017 through March 15, 2018. This is an easy way for you to help our school earn CASH each time family members and friends shop at any Giant Store. Please help our school and register your BonusCard® to our SCHOOL ID #20406.

From the Athletics Department
Spectator Guidelines
As the days are getting shorter and the weather is beginning to chill, we are looking forward to moving indoors to watch the hard work of Delone Catholic's student-athletes, visiting teams, coaches and officials.

Please take a moment to review the PIAA and Delone Catholic's expectations and guidelines for all spectators attending athletic events this season. 
 

Winter Baseball Clinics
Our Delone Catholic Baseball team is hosting Winter clinics for boys in grades K-3 and 4-8. Beat the winter blues and brush up on your baseball skills with Coach Neumayer and members of our coaching staff and team. For registration information, click on one of the links below. 

 

Baseball Weight Lifting
Starting  Tues. Nov, 14 , the weight room at Delone Catholic will be open for baseball players. The lifting sessions will be supervised by the baseball coaches on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from  3:15-4:45 p.m.   The coaches will have a specific baseball lifting program/routine for the players.  It is encouraged that any interested baseball player who does not play a winter sport, try to attend as many sessions as possible. For more information, please contact Mr. Dave Neumayer at [email protected].
 

Athletic Schedules Online
A complete schedule of sporting events, times and locations can be found at ArbiterLive.com or under the Athletics tab on  www.DeloneCatholic.org. 

From Our Schools and Parishes
5th Annual Noreen Neitz Memorial Run - Dec. 16
























For a copy of the registration form, click here.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School will be holding its Fifth Annual Noreen Neitz Memorial 10K and 5K Run and Sufficiently Radical 1 mile walk on Saturday, December 16, 2017. We are pleased to announce the addition of a 10K route! The 10K and 5K race will begin at 10 am and the 1-mile walk will begin at 10:15 am. Same day registration will be accepted beginning at 8 am on Saturday, December 16th. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and t-shirts are guaranteed for all runners and walkers registered by Friday, December 1, 2017.  Pre-registration information can be found on the school development website. The race and walk will begin and end at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, Xavier Center at 465 Table Rock Road, Gettysburg. 

Noreen Neitz was the spiritual leader of the St. Francis Xavier youth group and a strong advocate for service to others when she lost her battled with cancer on July 10, 2013.  During her last months, Noreen spent much of her time writing on her blog titled Sufficiently Radical and continued to stay active by walking wherever she could within a mile of her house.  With Noreen's tenacious spirit in mind, a scholarship fund was developed in her name, encouraging youth to dedicate their time and service and be active members of the church and community.  

Proceeds from this event will be divided equally between the St. Francis Xavier School Development fund and the Noreen Neitz Scholarship Fund. The Noreen Neitz Scholarship Fund will award a portion of their funds to 8th grade students attending St. Francis Xavier Catholic School who show service to the community and are active members of the parish and its youth group. The remainder of the proceeds will be used to provide assistance to St. Francis Xavier Catholic School families in need with tuition cost. Those interested in more information or sponsorship opportunities should call St. Francis Xavier Catholic School at 717.334.4221, visit the school website or email [email protected]
 
All 10K finishers will receive a medal. This year's 5k race will again award pies to the three top winners in each age category. The overall top finishers (male and female) of the 10K and 5K will receive pies and cash prizes. The awards will be distributed at approximately 11:15 am.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Jim Biesecker at 717-334-4221 St. Francis Xavier School, Gettysburg PA or email [email protected]

Mission Statement
Delone Catholic High School exists to educate and challenge students 
spiritually, academically, physically, socially and aesthetically, 
within the traditions and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. 
This challenge will inspire students to experience Jesus Christ personally and 
to "Be Doers of the Word."

Delone Catholic High School
140 South Oxford Avenue
McSherrystown, Pa. 17344
www.DeloneCatholic.org
717-637-5969
 

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