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MERCY MEMO PARENT E-NEWSLETTER -
May 5, 2017
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Wit's End...notes from the principal
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Wonder
. That word is in my head and on my lips quite a bit of late. I am not completely surprised because of the time of year, the excitement that surrounds any high school in May, but especially a school such as Mercy.
This particular year, however, the
wonder
is magnified due to some recent events and one specific person. His name is Sean English and he is a junior at University of Detroit Jesuit High School. Most people have read or heard about this young man's story. Last month, Sean was seriously injured when he stopped on the highway to offer assistance to others who had been in an accident. His life is forever changed. His attitude is not. He remains unfailingly positive. His sights are set on what lies ahead. He is not looking back.
Wonder
. I am in awe. I truly believe there are angels among us. I know that I don't always recognize them, but I have lived long enough not to doubt their existence. Sean is one. He would likely deny the reference but I repeat, Sean is one. He became known to thousands upon thousands of people due to a tragic accident. Since that time, people continue to follow his progress. He has been talked about, written about, and interviewed.
There has been an outpouring of concern and support. It has come from his classmates, our students here at Mercy, friends and family, and countless strangers who have been touched by his story.
Wonder
. Sean and his parents have expressed numerous times that they are overwhelmed by the outreach. They likely
wonder
why have they received such attention? A short answer - people don't know what to do when they witness raw courage as displayed by another human being. They are all the more flummoxed when the courage comes from a child. My apologies to Sean, but at 16, he is still a child.
Sean is a runner. The loss of a leg has not changed that. He already has his sights set on a marathon in the not too distant future. Significant rehabilitation remains on the horizon, but that's where Sean is focused . . . on the horizon. His humor, determination, concern for others are all unchanged. The very elements that defined Sean before the accident are what define him now.
I wish him every blessing. Though I may never be in his presence, I admire him. I am humbled by his bravery, and he makes me want to be a better person. I hope I can hold onto
that wonder
for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carolyn Witte, Principal
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 Our May Mothers Club Meeting was held May 1st. We were honored to have Mrs. Witte as our guest speaker and were able to express our deepest gratitude to her for her dedication to all Mercy moms and daughters. We also said Farewell to almost 75 moms of Mercy girls! We were able to recognize each of the moms who attended and presented them with a small gift and a letter written by their daughter. Quite emotional for most of us. We wish all the Mercy moms and their graduating daughters the very best of luck. Remember Once a Mercy Mom, Always a Mercy Mom.
USED UNIFORMS
We are accepting used uniforms in great condition, from the sophomore and senior classes (freshman and junior uniforms are welcome, but remember your daughter will wear the same uniform for another year).
Be sure to check out the Mothers Club home page and calendar for more information about upcoming events and important notes.
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Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
The Mercy Dads Club invites families to Comerica Park for the Detroit Tigers vs Texas Rangers on Friday, May 19 at 7:10pm. Tickets are $25 per person.This annual Mercy night at Comerica Park will sell out quickly! Send your ticket request to Mike McSweeney at myklmac@hotmail.com or call/text 248-345-5445.
Dads & Daughters Golf Outing
Come join Mercy dads and daughters for an afternoon of golf and fun at the Strategic Fox Par 3 Golf Course in Plymouth on Sunday, May 21st at 1:00pm. Event will be a 9-hole scramble and promises to be a wonderful afternoon. Cost $10 per person walking and $15 per person riding cart team. Any questions, please contact Tom Pegler at tpegler@sbcglobal.net or call/text 248-207-1225.
Stay in touch with Dads Club happenings at mhsmi.org/mercy-life/mercy-dads.
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New Principal Announcement
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 Mrs. Patricia Sattler, Dean of Students at Gabriel Richard Catholic High School in Riverview, will be the next Principal of Mercy High School beginning July 1, 2017. Mrs. Sattler has served as a team chair for the AdvancED accreditation process, has elementary through high school experience, and expertise in instructional improvement and technology. She is a dedicated Catholic, family member, lifetime learner, and Catholic educator who embraces the Mercy charism.
The search process that led to Mrs. Sattler was comprehensive. A survey was sent to the Mercy community and information compiled concerning what qualifications, qualities and experience the candidates should possess. A Search Committee of 22 stakeholders conducted an evaluation of candidates based on strategies and values gleaned from the surveys, the Mercy Values, Vision and Strategic Plan.
The Search Committee sought a seasoned, spiritual, highly capable leader, a person with the ability to promote and embrace the mission of Mercy High School. Candidates had phone and in-person interviews, performed writing exercises and gave a presentation. Finalists participated in a question and answer forum with all staff and a group of students. Welcome, Mrs. Sattler!
Read more here.
Message from Mrs. Patricia Sattler
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Thank You for Visiting, Archbishop Vigneron!
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Mercy was honored and blessed to welcome Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron and Fr. Stephen Pullis, Priest Secretary to the Archbishop, celebrate Mass with our school community on March 30th. Archbishop Vigneron spoke to the senior class, visited classrooms and enjoyed a reception with staff and Youth Mercy Associates.
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As we continue to execute on our 5-year Strategic Plan, we recently focused on one of its stated priorities: "Create an environment that nurtures the whole young woman beyond the classroom through social, emotional, spiritual, and physical development." A Mercy Girl also values human dignity, justice, and mercy. The strategic plan and the Mercy values are why we provided diversity and inclusion education for staff and students.
The student workshops were incredibly well received! 82% of Mercy Girls said the diversity sessions made them look deeper into their biases.
The sessions were jam packed with activities and opportunities for sharing and learning about one another; we built community.
In addition to having a diverse student body, we also provide opportunities to learn about diversity. This is just another way we "Educate women who make a difference."
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 We are proud to announce Spanish & French Teacher Mrs. Carol Shea has been named the 2017 Mercy Teacher of the Year! Congratulations and thank you, Mrs. Shea!
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Student Successes...Applause! Applause!
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 2017 Valedictorian & Salutatorians - Congratulations to Sarah Kurpiers who was named Class of 2017 Valedictorian and Chiaka Ibe and Jordyn Kreucher who were named Class of 2017 Salutatorians. We look forward to you taking the stage to speak at graduation!
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Student Government - The ballots have been counted and your new Student Council Officers for the 2017-18 school year are:
Vice President - April Seilo
Treasurer - Grace Canty
Secretary - Sophie Lamphier
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Here are your new 2017-18 Link Leaders - Congratulations to the following girls who were named Link Leaders next school year!
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Annie Acho-Tartoni
Kennedy Griest
Sophie Lamphier
Abby Cataldi
Emma Horvath
Emma Tomsich
IsabellaJablonski
Sophie Sawicki
Christina Thomas
Katie Bullock
BrookeO'Brien
Avery Ellis
Anna Wiseley
Francesca Schena
Lauren Isaacson
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Marisa Kaddis
Sydney Puda
Kylie Scott
Sabrina Yono
Alexa Morello
April Seilo
Luma Qashou
Morgan Abb
Skyler Black
Olivia Fras
Caroline Weaver
Livvy Wiegel
Madeleine Cachat
Sophia Bellisario
Maddie McSweeney
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Laurie Clayton
Abby Schaefer
ShaynaJankowski
Celia McGrath
Eli Lyons
Nina Alami
Abby Gowen
Emma Finelli
Emma Pickett
Hannah Juday
Marshele Parker
Amaka Ezuruonye
Kauai Johnson
Isabelle Miner
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 College Bound Athletes! Congratulations to these Mercy High School senior athletes who committed to play a sport in college. Hannah Roegner, Lacrosse Adrian College; Grace Rogers, Equestrian University of Tennesee Martin; Amelia Bartels, Ice Hockey & Lacrosse Aquinas College; Maggie Shrader, Soccer Albion College; Talene Nercesian, Soccer Northwood University. Go Marlins!
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FHS Induction - The French Honor Society of Mercy High School welcomed 13 new members at the Annual Induction ceremony and Awards reception held in the Media Center on April 26th. The induction was highlighted by a beautiful candle lighting ceremony, in which the current members welcomed the new members by sharing the flame and reciting the pledge of induction. During the induction, La Marseillaise played as the French flag "Le Tricolore" was raised by the members. Madame Witte, who has attended every induction and awards ceremony since being Principal of Mercy High School, was inducted as an Honorary Member of the National French Honor Society. The following 2nd and 3rd year French students were proudly inducted after a year of candidacy and participation. We congratulate these new members and wish them success in their continued studies of the French language and culture:
Avalon Barr
Katie Bullock
Abigail Cataldi
Lauren Chalker
Isabella Dugas
Maggie Dwyer
Nathaie Gijsbers
Emily Marzolino
Danielle McDonald
Alexandra Neary
Alison Rybicki
Shannon Seabolt
The induction was followed by the Awards Ceremony in which the following seniors were honored with National and State Awards:
AATF Outstanding Senior in French Award and Medal of Excellence: Sarah Kurpiers
AATF Senior Excellence in French Award and Medal of Excellence: Jordyn Kreucher
Northeast Conference Certificate of Excellence in French Award: Claire Frankowski
Michigan World Language Association Outstanding Student in French Award: Alissa Sweeney
Alliance Française Certificate of Merit in French Award: Catherine Sawicky
The following seniors received certificates of Merit for 4.0 in 7 semesters of French:
Claire Frankowski
Jordyn Kreucher
Sarah Kurpiers
Alissa Sweeney
Catherine Sawicky
The following 3rd and 4th year members received Certificates for Outstanding Service:
Grace Denomme
Mackenzie Farrow
Cinya Hou
Jordyn Kreucher
Allison Lapinski
Karina Lloyd
Danielle McDonald
Kathryn Wolf
The 2017 Mercy French Honor Society Member of the Year was awarded to Mackenzie Farrow.
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Mercy Latin students took home top honors in the National Latin Exam! This is the most outstanding performance Mercy has ever had on the NLE, and we would like to congratulate the following students on their stellar accomplishments!
Gold Medal Summa Cum Laude
Grace Salzeider '17
Elyse Zurawski '20
Silver Medal Maxima Cum Laude
Joanna Bird '17
Sarah Hogg '20
Hannah Juday '19
Marissa Lobbia '17
Meg Rotole '19
Elisa Sikora '20
Magna Cum Laude
Bri Buchanan '18
Hallie Buckner '19
Elinor Harrison '20
Rachel Glowzinski '20
Ellie Janitz '17
Priyanka John '19
Isabelle Miner '19
Cum Laude
Bella Aprilliano '20
Sydney Atkins '20
Katherine Colleran '17
Kyana Donaldson '18
Edie Jones '17
Sofia Mansoor '19
Grace Salzeider '17 was awarded the prestigious National Latin Exam Scholarship, which is given to students who earn the Gold Medal Summa Cum Laude award for 4 consecutive years. This is a 4-year scholarship valued at $8,000 and awarded to only 20 students in the United States. Grace plans to attend Bryn Mawr College in the fall and study Classics.
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JCL Conference - On April 29, Mercy Latin students attended the 67th annual Junior Classical League Spring Conference. Students participated in and took home a plethora of state awards in academics (derivatives, vocabulary, Roman life, mythology, and grammar), athletics, costuming, and creative arts. Students will be recognized at Honors Convocation.
Very special congratulations go to
Maria Cafeo '19, who was elected Michigan JCL President, and
Hannah Juday '19, who was elected JCL Parliamentarian. Mercy is proud to have such outstanding representatives from our school overseeing MJCL.
Gratulamur celebramusque vos, Maria et Hannah!
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Newsprint is proud to announce editors for 2017-18:
Editor-in-Chief: Emma Tomsich
Associate Editor-in-Chief: Shannon Seabolt
Design Editor: Clarisa Russenberger
Photography and Video Editor: Livvy Hintz
Copy Editor: Megan Hutter
Web Editor: Libby Miodonski
New Media and Promotions Editor: Caitlin Jefferson
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Fabulous Forensics - On
April 1, the Mercy forensics team competed at the National Qualifier Tournament. The 1
st, 2
nd, and 3
rd place winners at this tournament will advance on to the Grand National Tournament in Louisville, KY over the memorial day weekend.
Congratulations to the following national competitors:
In Declamation-1
st place, Ghable Bell & 2
nd place Abby Cataldi
In Oral Interpretation-1
st place Olivia Fras & 3
rd place Madison Leake
In Dramatic Performance -1
st place Cara Forfinski, 2
nd place Kylie Kreucher, and 3
rd place Maggie Ewald
In Original Oratory- in 3
rd place Abbey Hembree
In Extemporaneous Speaking- in 2
nd place Dani McClain
And finally, in dramatic duo- in 3
rd place Avalon Barr and Nathalie Gisjbers, in 2
nd place, the team of Regan Castle and Edie Jones, and in 1
st place Ryann Rapson and Amelia Carlson
We are incredibly excited to be able to send 15 mercy girls to perform on the national level and compete against thousands of other students from across the nation.
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 Farmington/Farmington Hills Optimist Award -
Kennedy Griest '17 received the Farmington/Farmington Hills Optimist Leadership Award for demonstrating outstanding leadership skills and receiving a monetary award. Congrats, Kennedy!
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 Timothy Award Honorees - Congratulations to these lovely ladies who received a Timothy Youth Appreciation Award on April 30th: Lilian Lebednick, Lily Hargraves-Thomas, Evie Dahmer, Sophie Sawicki, Emma Tomsich, and Katherine Colleran (not pictured). The Timothy Youth Appreciation Awards are celebrated every year, recognizing Catholic high school teens who display great leadership, Christian service, and/or a commitment in the areas of parish, family, civic community, and/or school community.
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The Riveters robotics team competed at the FIRST World Championship this past weekend in St. Louis, MO. Qualifying as the 38thbest robot in the State of Michigan out of 450 teams, team 1481 easily met the district point requirement to qualify for the World Championship. The competition featured 6 divisions with the Riveters competing on the Daly field named after Marie Maynard Daly, the first black woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. In Chemistry. This connection to our mostly girls team resonated and the Riveters ended up in 13th position out of 68 robots on the field. This is the furthest the team has ever advanced in post season play and the resume of the Riveters keeps getting better. With the number of teams selected for eliminations this places the Riveters as a top 400 robot in the world out of nearly 4,000 teams. This is exceptional performance for a third year FIRST Robotics team. You can see the team in action again this summer at the Big Bang Competition in Taylor on July 7-8.
Read full article of highlights here.
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 We made a difference! Mercy High School and Global Health Charities joined hands to help families on Good Deeds Day 2017 held Sunday, April 2nd. Students teamed up to assemble over 600 Clean Birth Kits to be distributed to mothers and infants in under resourced countries that lack the most basic necessities for a safe, healthy birth. Kit materials were donated by Mercy High School students, Our Lady of Sorrows Christian Service Commission, Nurses Choice, and other donors.
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On
Monday, May 15th, all students will attend an informative and inspiring, in-school assembly addressing body image. Two guest speakers will be providing both personal and professional insight into topics such as: society/media influence on body image; battling negative self-talk; healthy versus unhealthy or disordered eating habits; the dangers of dietary fads; and some common nutritional myths. Their bios are listed below. The assembly will close with an opportunity for students to submit questions via text message to a panel including our two guest speakers, a representative from Timberline Knolls, and a current Mercy student. If you have questions or concerns regarding this upcoming assembly, please contact Counselor,
Mrs. Trish Brown or Dean of Student Affairs,
Mrs. Eleasha Tarplin.
Read more here.
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Pool Update - Thanks for your support!
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We did it! Thanks to the support of swim families, parents, alumnae and friends we have met our fundraising goal to repair the Mercy pool. Stay tuned for information on the pool re-opening this summer. We will also be promoting and selling S'well Mercy water bottles to support the purchase of new pool flags. Go Marlins!
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Alternative Spring Break was an incredible experience! 14 seniors and chaperones worked over Easter break in Kentucky with Habitat for Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties. They were involved in building a new home for a single Mom "Kathy" and her 4 kids as well as helping on a home rehabilitation for a single mom "Samantha" and her 2 small children.
During the week, not only did everyone learn new skills, but they grew as individuals and as a Mercy community. Thank you to the Dads Club, Mothers Club and parents for financial generosity. Thank you to Campus Minister/Service Learning Coodinator Mrs. Judi Griggs-Dennis and parent chaperones who gave a week of their time, Mrs. Joanie "Mom" Forfinski and Mr. Tom "Coach" McCarren.
Thank you alternative spring break seniors:
Claire Alafita, Carly Demkowicz, Summit Ellens, Claire Johnston, Jessica Kayden, Charlotte Keais, Abigail Kozaczynski, Lilian Lebednick, Megan McCarren, Ann Nelson, Alaina Skellett, Jenia Thompson, Helena Tomkiw, Jeanna Washington.
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The Mercy High School Performing Arts Department is proud to present the Spring Concert, "And wherever You Go" featuring Mercyaires, Advanced Glee and Mercy Orchestra Tuesday, May 16th at 7PM in the Mercy Auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the door. Contact rferguson@mhsmi.org for additional information.
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MERCYx - Learning Worth Teaching
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MERCYx Learning Worth Teaching
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
6:30pm-8:30pm
Join our students as they celebrate a year of learning ideas worth teaching others.
30 future leaders will present their work in the form of short, powerful talks (12 minutes or less). Inspired by their study of English and American literature, race relations in America, and each other, they hope to engage you with their ideas and spark conversation. Presentations will begin at 6:30PM in the Mercy Media Center, classroom N13, and the small Drama Studio.
Please enter Mercy High School through the main lobby on the west side of the building and follow the signs. Each room will host one-third of the presenters. There will be opportunities to move between rooms and sessions.
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THANK YOU for supporting the Mercy High School Sweepstakes Drive and raising over $160,000! Congrats to all our top school sellers!
Top Staff Seller: Ms. Hanna - 145 tickets
2nd Top Staff Seller: Ms. Marquard - 115 Tickets
3rd Top Staff Seller: Mrs. Harris-Schultheis - 114 Tickets
TOP SCHOOL SELLERS:
Top School Seller: Allison Lobbia - 840 Tickets
2nd Top School Seller: Emily Casalou - 260 Tickets
TOP SELLERS BY GRADE ARE:
12th Grade: Morgan Brietzke - 175 tickets
11th Grade: Cara Hodgins - 115 tickets
10th Grade: Angelina Rinaldi - 130 Tickets
9th Grade: Mary Grace Piotrowski - 200 Tickets
TOP SELLING ADVISEE GROUP:
Mrs. Richter - 1,350 total tickets
TOP SELLING CLASS AND SPIRIT POINTS COMBINED IS:
4TH PLACE: Sophomores
3RD PLACE: Juniors
2ND PLACE: Freshwomen
1ST PLACE: Seniors
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Four beloved staff members are retiring from Mercy High School. Thank you,
Sr. Marianne Bennett; Mr. Mike Gruber; Mrs. Sherri Howard and Mrs. Georganne Salvia for your dedication. You have been such influential members of the Mercy family making a difference for thousands of students! May God bless you in your future adventures. Please read notes linked below from Sr. Marianne, Mr. Gruber, Mrs. Howard and Mrs. Salvia. If you'd like to share stories or send along your well wishes, please email
alumnaeoffice@mhsmi.org.
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Attention Class of 2017 Parents!
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Mercy seniors are busy and plenty of exciting events are coming up. God bless the Class of 2017!
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Take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a part of the Mercy legacy by adopting a seat in our Rosemary Clooney Auditorium. You can take pride in knowing that your gift will benefit many future generations of Mercy girls.
Each seat requires a minimum $200 donation and may be purchased in honor of or in memory of any loved one. Your desired inscription will be permanently affixed to the available seat of your choice. This is a great graduation gift for your Mercy Senior!
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Sports Physicals at Mercy & New Privit System
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Physicals Offered at Mercy
Henry Ford Health System MHSAA physicals are offered to current and incoming Mercy High School athletes. They will be held in the gymnasium at Mercy on May 24th from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Please sign up with student's name for one time slot. Students may be seen without a parent provided that the MHSAA form is completed and signed by both student and parent prior to arriving. ECGs are only offered to those 14 years and older at the time of the exam. Please type in YES or NO for ECGs and enter athlete's age as of May 24th, 2017.
The cost for each physical is $20 or $25 with ECG, payable by cash or check made out to "Henry Ford Health System" at time of service. The MHSAA physical form can be
downloaded and printed here.
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MNotes...Miscellaneous Info You Need to Know
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MERCY POMPON TRYOUTS - Try-outs for the 2017-18 Mercy Pom Team will be Monday, May 8; Tuesday, May 9; and Friday, May 12. The sessions will run from 6-8:30pm each day. Participation all three days is expected.
Check out the flyer for more information. If you are interested in trying out, please email Ms. Kate Scalzi at
kmscalzi@mhsmi.org.
DAYS OFF May 19 & 26 - Please be advised that no school will be held on
Friday, May 19 and Friday, May 26 as an incentive from reaching Sweepstakes Drive goals.
Performing Arts Productions - The Mercy Performing Arts Department is proud to announce the 2017-18 theater season. In the fall, "Anne of Green Gables" and taking flight in the spring with "Mary Poppins."
Yearbook - The countdown is on for the yearbook to arrive at Mercy. There is a limited supply of extra copies, so consider purchasing one of them now to guarantee it won't be your daughter with a sad face on distribution day. Cost is $70 now and will be $75 when they're delivered. Not sure if you've ordered one?
Check this list. New this year - purchase of a yearbook also includes a digital version of the yearbook you can carry with you anywhere!
Symposium - Catholic organizations have been asked to share the following event information: There will be a Human Trafficking Symposium by Pearls of Great Price Coalition held on
Friday, May 12 from 8am-4pm at St. Thomas a'Becket Catholic Church, 555 S. Lilley Rd in Canton.
Click here for more information and tickets.
Future School Year Dates -
Click here for an outline of upcoming school year dates
that was sent to all parents via email for your reference. A more detailed calendar for next school year 2017-18 will be available later this semester.
NEW BOOK ORDERING FROM MBS DIRECT FOR 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR - Please be advised that Mercy has now partnered with MBS Direct for ordering your daughter's books for the 2017-2018 school year. MBS will provide a customized online bookstore which will be built around a course-driven system that ensures your daughter receives the right books. There are also guaranteed buyback titles for used books through our MBS Virtual Bookstore. We're confident MBS will provide a more streamlined book ordering experience at a very competitive price.
Click here for MBS Direct info and more details will be posted in the summer at mhsmi.org/curriculum/book-purchasing.
Make a Difference for Mercy GOLF OUTING - Save the date to join us for golf and fun on Monday, September 25, 2017 at Fox Hills Classic Course. Sponsor! Donate! Golf! Click here for more info.
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Check out the newly renovated language lab! Many thanks to all of our generous donors!
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