Dear Mercy Families,

Welcome to second semester where the activity and energy continues throughout Mercy! Students are meeting new teachers, challenging themselves with new course experiences or delving deeper into content areas. Winter sports and clubs are in full swing, and teachers and staff are busy preparing for our upcoming AdvancED accreditation site visit. I am pleased to share with you the many reasons we have to be proud of our school.

 

Academics

 

Site Study and Survey Says : This past fall, Mercy commissioned a site study from the CLC Network to obtain an independent evaluation of our academic support structures for the diverse learning profiles and experiences of all students. The resulting CLC report attests to the strength of our community in providing a learning environment that is caring and committed to helping students maximize their academic potential.

 

The CLC report details our strengths and also provides recommendations for helping to alleviate some of the stress factors associated with high performing schools. Guidance is given on expanding support strategies for students with unique learning styles, and suggested techniques are presented for enhancing classroom engagement.

 

Thank you to our community members who also participated in the recent AdvancED survey process. Invitations were sent to all current Mercy parents, students, faculty and staff. Survey results overwhelmingly indicate that Mercy is a safe and supportive school where teachers and staff go above and beyond to support student success. Analysis of the stakeholder surveys also support the independent findings of the CLC site study for consistency of engagement in classroom experiences, as well as further development of support structures to address student social/emotional needs.

 

We look forward to prioritizing, implementing and monitoring these findings into our school strategic plan. We continually assess our curriculum and program offerings, and value the opportunities this report provides.

 

Health/Safety Update

 

Healthy Relationships : Positive and healthy teen relationships have many benefits for youth in developing self-esteem, better interpersonal skills, and improved school performance. As teens develop emotionally, they are heavily influenced by experiences in personal relationships. Unfortunately, statistics indicate that 1 in 3 women will be in an abusive relationship and that females ages 16 through 24 are at three times greater risk than the rest of the population. Unhealthy, abusive, or violent relationships have many short and long term lasting negative effects on a developing teen.

 

In March, our Mercy senior students will participate in an informational workshop focusing on identifying and reacting to potentially negative relationship characteristics that either they personally, or a peer could experience. Our intent is to engage in this important conversation to support students as they prepare to transition to college.

 

Inclement Weather Reminder : As we are now in the midst of winter weather, please know that Mercy follows the direction of Farmington Public Schools in determining school closure. Our student body is drawn from over 70 different communities, making it difficult to define a closure policy that always supports each region. We respect that you best know the limitations and comfort level of your student driver in the event of winter road conditions, specifically in your area.

 

Grants

 

MESC : Mercy is committed to educating the "whole young woman" in an environment that is inclusive, equitable and representative of our student diversity. We are pleased to share that Mercy was awarded a $5,000 grant from the MESC (Michigan Equitable Services Collaborative) to be used as an opportunity to enhance our racial equity inclusion, conflict resolution, skills for reflection and introspection, and programming in order to fully support our entire student population in maximizing the potential of all to be the leaders our society needs. This grant is possible through a partnership between the Michigan Department of Education and non - public schools in the state.

 

First Robotics: Mercy was also awarded $2,500 f rom the Michigan Department of Education FIRST Robotics Grant! This grant supports the efforts of our outstanding robotics program in providing STEM experiences. Over 87% of students involved in First Robotics competitions report being more likely to take challenging science and math courses due to their involvement in this program. Females involved in FIRST have a dramatically increased understanding of STEM compared to their counterparts not involved in the robotics competition.  We are proud to support the First Robotics program for our Mercy Riveters!

 

Catholic Happenings

 

Called to Serve Workshops: Called to Serve is a required interactive safe environment training program for teens attending area Catholic schools and parishes who wish to volunteer with children. All tenth graders complete the program through their religious studies class in the spring each year. Our ninth graders are informed of this program, yet sometimes are in need of fulfilling this volunteer requirement for select service opportunities prior than it being introduced. Multiple group workshop sessions are hosted

throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit which students may attend at their convenience. Students are also able to complete this program online through Mercy. Please contact Associate Principal Ms. Colleen McMaster at cmcmaster@mhsmi.org for registration or a completion certificate for your service organization.

 

Lunch and Learn : Our Campus Ministry team continues the Baggott Street Lunch and Learn series with featured speakers centered around the Mercy Critical Concerns. February's guests include a journalist and Carmen and Cesar, asylum seekers from El Salvador who will share their personal experiences.

 

Mark Your Calendar : Catholic Schools Week kicks of on January 27th to celebrate the many ways Catholic education develops students to learn, lead, serve and succeed. Did you know that with a 99.2% high school graduation rate, Catholic school graduates make 14% more over their lifetime than public school graduates? We celebrate Catholic schools because they truly provide positive impact in the lives of our students!

 

We are grateful that you are in partnership with us us to support your daughter as she becomes a woman who makes a difference!

 

May God's Grace and Blessings be in your path,

Patricia Sattler

Principal

Save the Date for the Dads Club Mercy Family Mass & Breakfast on Sunday, March 24. More details coming soon.

CONGRATS MDC RAFFLE WINNERS!

Regional Scholastic Art Awards 2019

Several Mercy students won gold keys (first place) and their pieces will compete in New York for national awards in March. These students are: Avalon Barr (one gold key in drawing), Sophia Bellisario (one gold key in photography), Lili Omilian (one gold key in photography), Sojourner Posch (one gold key in mixed media), Aja Underwood (one gold key in digital art), and Katie Wildern (two gold keys in digital art and one gold key in drawing).

Quiz Bowl concluded its division season schedule with a home meet at Mercy on Thursday, January 10th.  At the end of the division season, our Varsity team finished in 7th place--our highest ranking in several years. Our two JV teams placed well, with JV Gold finishing 3rd and JV Maroon finishing 7th.  Our Novice teams put up an excellent showing, with Novice Gold in 2nd, Novice White in 4th, and Novice Maroon in 8th. All teams qualified to compete at the Inter-County League finals from 4-6 pm on Tuesday, February 12 at Novi HS. Please come and support the students in this exciting academic competition!  

Varsity (7th in division)

*Grace Kruse '20

*Lili Omilian '20

*Colleen Thomson '19

*Rachel Vinarcik '20

Junior Varsity Gold (3rd in division)

*Caitlyn Begosa '22

Olivia Milosevich '21

Juliana Santillan '22

Raquel Segars '21

*Sophia Tesic '21

Novice Gold (2nd in division)

Emma Dismondy '21

Lauren Fowler '21

Skylar Fusco '21

Chari Gibert '21

Aisling Heaphy '21

Novice White (4th in division)

Lily Fromm '22

Sophia Gabbei '22

Meghana Govindaraj '22

Briana Lapuz '22

Carly Madden '22

Abby Worley '22

* indicates earned Varsity letter

1st Place Legal Office Procedures: Charlotte Bridges

1st Place Prepared Speech: Aubrey Etue

1st Place Digital Media Production: Erin Mahoney

2nd Place Legal Office Procedures: Peyton Black

4th Place Prepared Speech: Riley Condon

5th Place Legal Office Procedures: Libby Chevalier

5th Place Medical Office Procedures: Gabby Price

6th Place Prepared Speech: Helena Kucera

9th Place Medical Office Procedures: Juliana Petrucci

Bridges, Etue, Mahoney, Black and Condon will compete at the State Leadership Conference which will be held  March 14-17, 2019, at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids.

Bunco Ladies Night Out TONIGHT!

 

The Alumnae Association invites all Mercy moms to Bunco!
TONIGHT, Friday, January 25, 2019

7:00-9:30pm

Mercy High School

If you can throw dice, you know how to play Bunco!

 

Sandwiches & snacks

Wine, beer & pop

PRIZES and a whole lot of FUN!

$15 per person. Proceeds support the Senior Class-Alumnae Luncheon.

Next week is Catholic Schools Week, an annual nationwide celebration of Catholic education in the United States. The theme is "Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed." Each day of the week celebrates various aspects of our Catholic school community. Here are some of the special highlights of activities at Mercy.

Honor an Educator
Help us recognize an outstanding educator during Catholic Schools Week! Express your appreciation for those at Mercy who have made a difference in your life! Visit mhsmi.org/donate to make a gift and leave a message of gratitude to the teacher you wish to honor in the comment section. During Catholic Schools Week 2019, we will surprise them with your words of appreciation. Your Tribute Gift will help our Annual Fund which supports campus operating costs, tuition assistance, scholarships, specialized academic programs and highly trained faculty and teaching staff.
 
Senior Class-Alumnae Luncheon

Tuesday, January 29, 2019
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Glen Oaks
30500 W 13 Mile Rd
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Register Here

Please consider attending this luncheon to answer questions about life after high school in relation to college, careers, and more. Alumnae truly enjoyed meeting students and other graduates at last year's event! ( Note: If you are the mother of a senior, you will not necessarily be seated with your daughter, because one of the goals of the event is to encourage networking.)

We Are Mercy! 

The Annual Father Daughter Dance is a time honored Mercy tradition. All Mercy students, alumnae and fathers/father figures are invited to attend this historic event hosted by the Junior Class. 

Saturday, February 2, 2019

8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Mercy High School

 $40 per father and daughter(s)

*Includes one father, all daughters attending and processing fee. 

PURCHASE YOUR TICKET ONLINE HERE 

 

 

 

The theme for this year's dance is Game Night, so in addition to dancing, come ready to play fun and familiar games and so much more. 

 

We hope to see you Saturday, February 2nd ready to boogie! 

Mercy students and staff members joined with hundreds of thousands of others in Washington, D.C. January 18, 2018, for the 46th Annual March for Life.  Marchers walked from the National Mall to the Supreme Court to peacefully  protest the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in  all  50 states, for any reason. Watch a timelapse video of the March here.

 

Prior to the March, students attended the Youth Rally and Mass at the Capital One Center and the rally at the National Mall, which featured a number of speakers including Vice President Mike Pence and  Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr .  Mercy students and staff joined hundreds of other students from the Archdiocese of Detroit,  proudly  carrying the banner with Fr. Stephen Pullis. After the March, Mercy students were photographed and interviewed in the  Detroit Catholic  newspaper. Read the article here.

A special thank you to Mrs. Lauren Marquard and Mrs. Hallie Smith for organizing the trip and serving as bus captains, along with parent volunteers Mrs. Marge Burns, Mrs. Jodi Fadool, and Mrs. Heather Krill.  Students in attendance were: Mary Katherine Acho Tartoni, Bella Aprilliano, Madelyn Bahoora, Taylor Bahoora, Alaina Beshi, Laura Boesch, Anna Burns, Caroline Carlson, Libby Chevalier, Samantha Dompierre, Maggie Dwyer, Mallory Evatz, Grace Fadool, Michaela Fitzsimons, Silvia Gonzalez, Ceara Guerin, Lourdes Haddad, Kaity Hamzey, Lily Hargrave-Thomas, Olivia Lafrate, Madeline Kenney, Chloe Kilano, Lauren Krill, Helena Kucera, Keni Lavigne, Sofia Mansoor, Bianca Marcon, Mary Katherine McGreevy, Francesca Petrucci, Juliana Petrucci, Daniela Piccirilli, Lauren Piziali, Mary Katherine Powers, Morgan Rood, Reagan Rose, Aly Rybicki, Grace Shalall, Abby Shaw, Makenna Smith, Emma Snead, and Haley Williams.

Class of 2019

Please note the following important information for all seniors regarding College Applications, Admissions Decisions and Scholarship Reporting. All seniors received this information via email.

COLLEGE ADMISSION DECISIONS: By now, many seniors have been receiving admissions decisions from the college(s) applied to, and some may even begin to receive scholarship notifications as well. As your daughter receives decisions, please encourage her to update the status of her applications in Naviance.

SCHOLARSHIPS RECEIVED: If your daughter receives any type of scholarship, YOU MUST PROVIDE A COPY of the notification(s) to the counseling office as soon as you receive them. Please provide this information whether you plan on attending that particular institution or not. The deadline for submitting this info is April 30th. Hard copies of scholarships are also due then. Scholarships are announced at Honors Convocation, so be sure to submit this info.

AP Exams

Check out the latest good news from the Counseling Office! Features include: New Year Resolutions; Gap Year; College Deferrals; and Mindful Mondays.

Mercy Counseling Department Staff 

Trish Brown (9th grade; Department Chairperson)  

Holly Markiecki-Bennetts (10th - 12th grade; A-G *Please note correct email is hbennetts@mhsmi.org.) 

Arpna Hessler (10th - 12th grade; H-O)

Kristen Casey (10th - 12th grade; P-Z)

Jennifer Burek (Support Specialist)

Attend Auction 2019
Purchase your Auction tickets today here. Take advantage of special early bird pricing of $100 per person until January 31st. Kindly RSVP by February 4, 2019.

 

Thank you for supporting the  Mercy High School 40th Annual Auction!

The Mercy High School Financial Aid program consists of tuition assistance and named scholarships. Financial aid is awarded annually by the Mercy High School Financial Aid Committee on the basis of financial need as determined by FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment (FACTS). Families must apply for Financial Aid each new school year.

Mercy High School is grateful for the donors who have generously created a legacy that will enable us to continue to offer learning opportunities to students who are in need of financial help through the Circle of Mercy Named Scholarship and Tuition Assistance programs.

LORE Yearbook

If you haven't yet reserved what is sure to be another prize-winning yearbook, do it today. We have less than 100 copies left to sell so make sure your daughter is guaranteed one. Not sure you've purchased  a copy? Check the list here. Yearbooks are $70 and available online at yearbookordercenter.com . Type in code 13826 to be directed to Mercy's page. Yearbooks can also be purchased through Mrs. Hallie Smith.

NHS Tutor Request

The National Honor Society is available and willing to help tutor in many subject areas. All requests are made by filling out an online form available here. It is also accessible for students on the NHS tutoring page in Schoology. Each time a form is submitted, it is for one tutoring session for one subject. If additional help is needed or another tutor request for a different subject, simply submit another form. There is no limit.