Reitz Memorial High School
Reitz Memorial High School is a Christ-centered Catholic community which educates all students to their highest potential by developing religious values, providing excellence in education, and fostering a commitment to service.
January 2017 Newsletter
Letter from the Principal:
We just celebrated the Williams family Christmas this past weekend, so I am finally going to take down my Christmas decorations.  I like to observe Advent as long as possible and for me the celebration of Christmas is too rushed.  Advent this year was very special because of our students.  The first months of the school year I was always so busy before school that I continued to miss the 7:00 a.m. Mass on Thursdays.  By the first week of Advent I knew that had to change.  Since then I have joined Fr. Tyler, Deacon Joe, a couple of teachers and many students on Thursday mornings.  I know that many people have important commitments early in the morning which makes it impossible for them to participate and I am sure there will be a few times I can’t possibly make it.  However, for me it has now become highest priority -- an experience I don’t want to miss.  

It is difficult to describe how the presence of our students has impacted me.  Surely they have touched my deepest understanding and experience of the Mass.  Christ is present in the Word, in His Body and Blood and in the Assembly.  Together we form his Mystical Body and there is no substitute for this celebration.  Fortunately, at some point in my life a conversion experience helped me to understand that Mass attendance is not just about me.  It is also important to the community.  

I was disappointed that we were not able to be together for all school Christmas Mass because of the snow day on January 5.  However, I am grateful to Fr. Tyler for posting his homily on Twitter.  He is also helping me appreciate social media – quite a challenge!

A few parents have asked me about attending school Mass.  You are always welcome.  Running out of seats would be a good problem to have.  I will just pass it off to our new President!

Blessings and peace,

-Marie Williams
Letter from the Campus Minister:
The family is thus, as the Synod Fathers recalled, the place of origin and the most effective means for humanizing and personalizing society: it makes an original contribution in depth to building up the world, by making possible a life that is properly speaking human, in particular by guarding and transmitting virtues and "values." As the Second Vatican Council states, in the family "the various generations come together and help one another to grow wiser and to harmonize personal rights with the other requirements of social living."          
(Familiaris Consortio) - St. Pope John Paul II


Hello Parents,

I hope all had a joyous Christmas and a blessed start to the New Year.  I am excited to let you know that Fr. Tyler and I introduced a new spiritual opportunity for the youth to participate in during their resource block.  It is called FORMED, Catholic Faith, Real Life. The idea is to help the students use their Catholic faith to engage real life situations.  Our first session was on lectio divina.  It is form of prayer with scripture which helps us focus on the voice of God and recognize what He might be asking us to do through the word.  It is our hope to better prepare our youth with the tools of our faith as they engage secular situations in the world.  Please find below a schedule of spiritual opportunities for the upcoming month.  

Jan. 17 - FORMED - 12:50 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. - Room 214
Jan.19 - Weekday Mass - 7:00 a.m. - Chapel
Feb. 1 - Catholic Schools Week Mass with the Bishop for Seniors - St. Benedict Cathedral
Feb.2 - Assembly Mass - 10:20 a.m. - Auditorium
Feb. 9 - Weekday Mass - 7:00 a.m. - Chapel
Feb. 16 - Weekday Mass - 7:00 a.m. - Chapel

May God bless with peace love and harmony.
-Deacon Joe Siewers
Weekly Schedule:
Wednesday, January 18 (BLUE)
Student Council - 7AM - Auditorium
Homeroom: Tiger Pride - Aux. Gym, Sophomore Service Sign-ups - Cafeteria
Department Chair
Girls Freshman Basketball vs. Tecumseh - 4:45PM
Boys JV Wrestling - Mater Dei - 5:30PM
Boys Freshman Basketball vs. Washington - 5:30PM
Girls JV Basketball - North Posey - 5:30PM
Girls Varsity Basketball - North Posey - 7PM

Thursday, January 19 (WHITE)
Morning Mass with Fr. Ambrose - Chapel - 7AM
Homeroom: Junior Service Sign-ups - Cafeteria
Tigerettes - Cafeteria
Varsity Swimming SIAC Prelims - Castle - 5:30PM
Boys Freshman Basketball - Castle - 6PM

Friday, January 20 (BLUE)
Thespian State Competition
Homeroom: Speech Team - Cafeteria, Senior Service Sign-ups - Room 301

Saturday, January 21 
Thespian State Competition
Archery Tournament - Aux. Gym - 7AM
Varsity Wrestling SIAC Tournament - Castle - 9AM
Varsity Swimming SIAC Finals - Castle - 1PM

Sunday, January 22
Intermural Basketball - 7PM
Upcoming Events:
Jan 23 - CloseUp Meeting - Mr. Schmitt's Room - 7PM
Jan 23 - Fine Arts Academic Superbowl Practice - 3PM
Jan 24 - Art Club Meeting - Room 131 - 3PM
Jan 24 - Tigerettes
Jan 25 - WIDA Testing - Room 242
Jan 25 - Faculty Advisory
Jan 25 - Junior Parent Meeting
Jan 26-29 - Pro Life Pigrimage to Washington D.C.
Jan 26 - Liturgy of the Hours - Chapel - 7AM
Jan 26 - Tigerettes
Jan 26 - Basketball Team Dinner
Jan 29 - Souper Supperat RMHS
Jan 30-Feb 1 - Catholic Schools Week
Jan 31 - Senior Shirts and Open Campus
Jan 31 - Afternoon Activity Schedule
Jan 31 - Tigerettes
Jan 31 - Class of 2020 Parent Meetings

Feb 1 - Senior Mass with Bishop Thompson - St. Benedict
Feb 1 - Morning Activity Schedule
Feb 1 - Sophomore Hearing Test
Feb 1 - No Open Campus
Feb 1 - Faculty Meeting
Feb 2 - All School Mass - 10:20AM 
Feb 2 - Tigerettes
Feb 3 - Speech Team at Jasper
Feb 7 - After-Baccalaureate Planning Meeting - 6PM
Feb 16 - Career Day
Mar 12 - Big Bingo and Big Auction - ONE Plaza
Virtual Snow Make-Up Days:
Memorial has been granted permission to use virtual days as snow make-up days, but we will not be using this method early in the season.  Teacher training will take place for this later this month in the case that we will need to make up days in this manner later in the year.   
Counseling  News:
FRESHMAN PARENT MEETING:
Tuesday, January 31 is the date for an important meeting for freshman parents.  You will have two opportunities to attend:  7:45 AM or 6:00 PM in the cafeteria.  We will be talking about CORE 40, Academic Honors and Technical Honors Diplomas, the 4-year plan, and course offerings at Memorial.  Freshmen will be completing their four-year plans just prior to and registering for sophomore classes shortly after this date.  Our goal is to give you all the information you need to help you guide your students through the next three years at MHS and put them on a track for success.  Please plan to attend one of these meetings.   (Snow Date for Freshman Parent Meeting: Feb. 7.)

COLLEGE INFORMATION NIGHT FOR JUNIOR PARENTS:
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 25 at 6 PM in the cafeteria.  Learn about the admissions process, including how to find the right school, getting in to the school of choice, and how to pay for it.  Information on when to take the SAT/ACT and what scores colleges are looking for will also be discussed.  Along with a presentation by Mrs. Bennett, Mark Rusk from the USI Office of Admissions and Heather Cook from the UE Office of Admissions will also take part in a Q&A session.  Junior students are welcome to attend as well.  (Snow Date for Junior Parent Meeting: TBD)

UPCOMING 2017-2018 REGISTRATION.  WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
  • The counselors will meet with all students during January to go over graduation requirements, diploma tracks, new course offerings, and the registration process.
  • All students will receive a manila folder containing a copy of graduation requirements for their class, their 4-Year-Plan to update and return to the counselor, and their 2-sided registration form.
  • Students and parents should look over the course description booklet (located at www.reitzmemorial.org), study graduation requirements, and plan out course selections for 2017-2018
  • Students should complete the registration form with 16 course selections, 3 alternate selections, and a student and parent signature.  This is required in order to register.
  • Page 33 of the agenda book contains the permission form for some classes.  This form must be signed by their current teachers and brought to registration.  Do not remove this form from the agenda book.
  • Juniors will register Feb 8, 9, or 10; Sophomores will register on Feb 13 or 14; and Freshmen will register Feb 15 or 21.  
  • What to bring to registration:  Sophomores and Juniors – Registration Form and Agenda Book; Freshmen- 4-Year-Plan, Registration Form, Agenda Book

    *Please refer to the schedule change policy.  It is in the course description booklet, and your student will be informed during class meetings.  Please read this with your student before selecting courses!**
FINANCIAL AID:
The U.S. Department of Education will no longer supply paper copies of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to the Counseling Offices.  The Federal Student Aid Center encourages students and parents to apply on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov   
To apply on-line, the student, as well as a parent, will need a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) when they apply.  If parents have more than one student in college, the parent can use the same FSA ID for all students.  However, each student must have his/her own FSA ID.  Parents and students can apply for FSA IDs now by going to http://fsaid.ed.gov
The FAFSA must be received by the government by March 10, 2017; however, some schools have an earlier deadline!  Kentucky residents:  Aid is given on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is important to complete your FAFSA as early as possible.
 
For parents who missed the opportunity to come to Memorial's Financial Aid Night, help is offered in filling out the FAFSA at Ivy Tech Community College on February 12th, at 2:00 p.m. CST.  More information can be found at www.CollegeGoalSunday.org   You can find additional Financial Aid resources at www.studentaid.gov/resources

USI SAT PREP COURSES:
Verbal Skills for the SAT
The course will provide skills, tips, and interactive practice in short answer selections, critical reading comprehension and essay pointers.
Dates & Time: 
Saturday, February 25, 2017 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 22, 2017 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $65—includes lunch

Math Skills for the SAT
Emphasis will be on test taking skills, rules pertaining to calculators and solving problems from algebra and geometry. Students should bring a calculator.
Dates & Time: 
Saturday, March 4, 2017 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 15, 2017 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Registration Fee: $65—includes lunch 


SAT DATES:
  • January 21, 2017 (Register by December 21, 2016)
  • March 11, 2017 (Register by February 10, 2017)
  • May 6, 2017 (Register by April 7, 2017)
  • June 3, 2017 (Register by May 9, 2017)
ACT DATES: 
Register at www.actstudent.org
  • February 11, 2017 (Register by January 13, 2017)
  • *April 8, 2017 (Register by March 3, 2017)
  • *June 10, 2017 (Register by May 5, 2017)

    *Test will be offered at Memorial
Memorial’s testing code is 150980.  Be sure and include this with your registration so that we receive your scores!   It is possible to obtain a waiver for the ACT and SAT to cover the cost of taking the test.  Contact the counseling office to see if your family meets the financial criteria set by the College Board and/or ACT.

PSAT TESTING:
Sophomores and Juniors took the PSAT on Wednesday, October 19th.  PSAT testing booklets, paper score reports, and an instructional sheet on how to read the score reports were sent home with your student in December.  To help your student improve their score you can log onto www.satpractice.org and link their PSAT scores to Khan Academy for free personalized instruction or download the Daily Practice SAT app to their phone and receive a daily SAT question to increase their learning over time.  If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Cullum at dorrindacullum@evdio.org or (812) 476-4973 Ext. 2231.

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES:
Check the RMHS website for "Summer Opportunities" which includes job opportunities, workshops, seminars and classes taken at colleges around the country.  

SCHOLARSHIPS:
Many scholarship opportunities are arriving in the Counseling Office each week.  A detailed description of each scholarship application currently in the Counseling Office can be found on the Memorial website www.reitzmemorial.org  Since it is not possible to get scholarship information in the newsletter due to space constraints, it is important that students pay close attention to daily announcements and the MHS website.  There is also a scholarship drawer located in the Counseling Office with further information.
PTO Update:
  • The 1st PTO meeting of this school year was on Jan 11. We had a nice turnout from parents and teachers.
  • The PTO will be purchasing Bibles for the incoming Freshman. The Catholic Youth Bible is required by the theology department and used throughout the four years at Memorial. The Bibles will be distributed at Freshman orientation.
  • The PTO is going to financially support Dr Williams’ request for SafeAssign technology to promote academic integrity. Information is being gathered.  SafeAssign is used by schools and universities throughout the US to prevent plagiarism.
  • The PTO plans to support teachers, staff, and students during Catholic Schools Week at the end of this month. Support will include gift card drawings and treats for teachers, staff and students during the week, and religious articles along with the Catholic Handbooks from our diocese for staff.
  • The PTO plans to have a “Trivia Night” for parents in late April as a spring fundraiser. This is an opportunity to meet other Memorial parents. Missy Neighbors will chair this event.  Volunteers can contact Missy to find out how to get involved (812-589-5715.)
  • The Cornerstone store is closing, all uniforms are now 50% off.
  • Prizes were won by Tonya Puckett, Jenny Nixon, Lucy Ashley, Mrs. Joan Miller, and Sandy Bitter
After-Baccalaureate Planning Meeting:
After-baccalaureate will be on  Friday, May 19th  in the main gym following the reception (which is held in the cafeteria).  The substance-free event will be from around  9:30-midnight . Games, snacks, prizes, and a senior slide show will be enjoyed by all!  All senior parents are encouraged to attend the next planning meeting  on Tuesday , Feb., 7th at  6:00 .
Attention Parents of the Class of 2018:
Plans are currently underway for the Senior Weekend that will take place Sat. July 29- Sun July 30. 
This weekend takes place at Camp Carson.  It is a great start to their senior year, as well as, a great bonding experience.   Students will come together as a class to play games, swim, create senior banners, and to have mass as a senior class.

Cost for  this weekend has yet to be determined, however, please do not let the price affect their attendance.  We encourage as many to come and experience this time together.   We will most certainly need help putting this event on, as well as, chaperones for the weekend.  Please contact us for any
questions and/or interest in helping.  

Thanks so much,
 
Lori Tenbarge                                   Karen Lively
812-455-4464                                   812-454-1976
ltenbarge1989@att.net                   Karen@nkacpa.com
2017 Reitz Memorial Dance Marathon:
Save the date for the 2017 Reitz Memorial Dance Marathon - May 5!

RMDM is hosting a Give Back Night at Papa Murphy's on Feb. 6, 2017.  A portion of sales that night go to RMDM, raising money for Riley Children's Hospital.  If you are interested in making a donation, serving as a sponsor, or helping with the event on May 5, please contact Kailyn Hudson (kailynhudson@evdio.org) or Kristi Wetzel (kristiwetzel@evdio.org).  Thank you.

For more information on RMDM, follow us on social media:
Twitter: @RMDM2016
Instagram: @RMDM_2015
Snapchat: rmdm_ftk
Facebook: Reitz Memorial Riley Dance Marathon (@RMDMFTK)    
Submissions for Outstanding Educator of the Year Award:
Do you have a favorite Memorial teacher that is deserving of recognition?  The University of Evansville and the Evansville Courier & Press will once again be sponsoring the Outstanding Educator of the Year Awards.  Nominees must be current full-time classroom teachers or building principals, who have completed at least three full years of service.  A selection Committee of educators and community leaders will review applications and and narrow the field for classroom observation and interviews.  Winners receive a cash reward of $1000 and recognition at the Awards Banquet held at U of E on April 28.  Complete an online nomination at www.courierpress.com/educators   All n ominations must be received by January 27, 2017.