April 2018
Family Newsletter
Stay current with Marist news and events
Letter from the Head of School 

Dear Marist Families:


I just returned from a fabulous weekend in upstate New York. I was one of a select group of lay people who were invited to attend the Chapter of the Marist Brothers of the USA. Working and interacting with them for four days reminded me of just how much I value what it means to be Marist. Belonging to such an outstanding network of dedicated people and wonderful schools is something I truly cherish.  

While there, I heard and saw the commitment of the Marist Brothers. They are totally supportive of Marist High School, having shown that by giving the "green light" to several initiatives that will ensure the future, namely College NOW and the exploration of Land Lease opportunities. They are also working toward establishing an endowment which will be used to support their ministries.

That being said, we still have work to do on our end to create a sustainable Marist! You are probably unaware that the cost of tuition at Marist covers only 58% of our operating budget. You must wonder why we set our tuition at the rate that we do! The answer is simple; it is the Marist mission "to make Jesus known and loved through the Christian education of youth, especially those who need it most." We want to make Marist affordable for all.
It is a privilege to work in a school such as ours, bringing this amazing Marist experience to your sons and daughters. Last March we learned how precious the gift of a Marist education is to each of us. Our efforts saved the school!! We need that same energy if we intend to meet this year's goals. Here's what you can do:
  1. Tidy up all past due balances. As I stated in my most recent phone blast, financial suspensions will begin on April 16th for those in serious arrears. Let's all be zeroed out by the end of April!
  2. Re-register for next year; send in the form and payment by May 15! This should have arrived in the mail. Contact Ms. DePoalo if it didn't.
  3. Sell more than your minimum of Super 50/50 Raffles. See Ms. Botti if you need more. Remember, last year's first prize winner won over $13,000! That should make these raffle tickets easy to sell. Deadline for student contest is April 27. Your son/daughter should have brought the raffles home.
  4. Join our Spring Campaign by going to https://www.marist.org/annualfund .
If your child receives an academic scholarship, pay it forward by sending in a donation. If your tax return was a little larger than usual, consider donating a portion of it! No donation is too small. Let's show our donor base how much our present families love the school!!
Spring is in the air! Let's capture the moment, the energy of rebirth! May the joy of our Risen Lord bless you and yours.


Sincerely,

 
  
Ms. Alice J. Miesnik
Head of School

Academic News

Reports Cards  will be mailed home on Monday, April 9. Remember that communication between home and school is essential for student success.  Please note: Report cards will not be mailed to anyone who has an outstanding tuition balances.
 
Scheduling  will be discussed with the juniors and sophomores when we return from break. School Counselors will be talking this month to each student individually to put a schedule together for all students. 
 
Remember: STUDENTS ARE SCHEDULED IN THE ORDER OF REGISTRATION.  So register early if your child expects a seat in a specific course.
 
Study Hall  begins on Wednesday, April 18 at 2:45.  Any student who failed two or more subjects in the third quarter is required to attend.  A letter will be sent describing the rules, purpose, and cost of this mandatory program. Encourage your son/daughter to do well so that summer school can be avoided. Remember, tutoring is available in the LMC Monday-Thursday from 2:40-3:40 PM.
 
Year-End Failures:  Students who fail three or more subjects at the end of the year cannot return to Marist High School for the next academic year. A student who fails one or two subjects for the year must attend Marist summer school. Please encourage your son/daughter to improve in a subject that he/she is currently failing.

Excessive Absence: Students with more than 18 unexcused absences will have to attend summer school to recover credit for the course in which he/she has earned the lowest grade, even if that would have otherwise been considered a passing grade. See the handbook for details.
 
Academic Awards Banquet:  Students who have excelled throughout the year will be invited to the Academic Awards Banquet, scheduled for Thursday, May 3 beginning promptly at 6:30. More information to come.
Campus Ministry News 

Retreats:  So many of our students have visited "Esopus" this year on retreat...and the enthusiasm for the Marist Brother Retreat Center continues. The kids call it "home" and it always gives them an opportunity to see God's generosity in nature, to have quiet moments of reflection and to learn communication skills. It helps that they like the food, and being deep in the woods is an adventure for them! In a few days we will be sending 10 more students to Kentucky for a service opportunity to help the local community in the area. We cannot wait to hear about their service trip! 

The response to the Junior Retreat was terrific:    Following their beautiful Leadership Ceremony, fifty-one students departed for Esopus and attended the program that night and during their day off! -- The theme was "Leadership", preparing our juniors to be next year's Senior Leaders. They reflected on the gifts and talents that God has given them and on how they have grown since freshman year. They also completed an obstacle course that tested their different qualities of leadership. They were, as usual, enthusiastic; it's truly a pleasure to take them out. We are very proud of our Juniors!!

More service to the Community:   Is your son our daughter interested in Marist Service Opportunities? If so, please contact Ms. Eisenmenger at Extension 301 for more details! We will be sending students to Mexico, Dominican Republic and other locations over the summer! If you are looking for local service opportunities, sign up today with JerseyCares or contact Mr. Power at ext. 220. 
Easter Mass:  When we return from break, we will celebrate the Easter season as a family at 9:45am on Thursday, April 25th. If you are available, feel free to stop by and join us in prayer! 



Thank you from Campus Ministry: Thank you to all those who have donated items of clothing/uniforms throughout the year. We are always collecting any items of clothing, or old school uniforms to help those in need. Contact Mr. Power if you want to drop anything off at school! Thank you for your continued support of our mission here at Marist!

Counseling News

Junior Parent Night:  We have rescheduled our Annual Junior Parents Night for Thursday, April 26th. It will be held at 6:30pm in the cafeteria. Once again, we have a wonderful panel of College Representatives joining us to share their wisdom and perspective on the college application process. Please continue talking with your son or daughter about what they're thinking for life after Marist. While this is a long, seemingly overwhelming process, we hope this info session will ease your anxiety.  We are, of course, always here to help make it more manageable. Simply ask!  
Sports Business Day: On Monday, April 16th, a few Juniors are taking advantage of an opportunity offered by the Jets, to attend a Sports Business Day at Metlife Stadium.  They will learn about the different business aspects that work together to make sports teams run smoothly.  
ACT Test Results: On March 20th, the Junior class took the ACT.  According to all documents that were provided to the school, paper results will be mailed home to the students 3-8 weeks after the tests were taken.  About a week after you receive the scores by mail, the results will be made available online for the students. So, please check your email for your results!!
Act Aspire: The Sophomore and Freshmen classes will be taking the ACT Aspire (precursor to the ACT) on May 2-3.  This helps them gain experience taking a standardized test, and helps you to keep track of their progress from year to year.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your School Counselor for more information. 
MAY SATs: The SATs will be given on Saturday, May 5th, NOT at Marist. If your son or daughter is interested in taking this sitting, they will need to apply by APRIL 6th.  The June SAT will occur on June 3rd HERE AT MARIST, and many Juniors have expressed interest in taking that sitting.  Reach out to your counselor if you need help or a Fee Waiver.
College VIsits: SENIORS, this is the time of year that you're asked to make the final decision on where you want to continue your education. If you have not yet visited a college that has accepted you, make it a priority to check out its campus and classes before you put down a deposit.  Take advantage of any accepted student days and open houses. Similarly, JUNIORS, now is the time to start getting familiar with schools you might be considering applying to in the fall.  The Spring Open House list has been distributed, so take advantage of that resource and plan a visit today!  
Summer Planning: Many students have already taken advantage of our resources concerning summer programs. If this interests your son or daughter, but you don't know how to begin the process, please reach out to your counselor today. Please, also consider setting up a volunteer project/program over the summer--as many local communities are looking for high school aged students to run a variety of programs.  Both colleges and scholarship programs look for consistency in volunteer activities and summer programs, and there are many studies out there that suggest that students who remain engaged over the summer have easier transitions back into the classroom in September.
COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES
 
Total Number in the Senior Class: 82
 
Number of Seniors who have been accepted to date: 54
 
Amount of scholarship/grant monies offered to date: $4,557,768
 
Please note:   These numbers are contingent upon students submitting their acceptance and reward letters to the Counseling Department. If your son or daughter has yet to turn in their information, please have them do so ASAP. We are aware that many schools do not send out their acceptance packets and award letters until April 1st, so be looking for those in the mail. This information can often be found through a student's admission portal, so encourage your son or daughter to sign-in and check out their status today!

Other News


15th Annual Marist Arts Festival  has been rescheduled for April 20, 6:30pm - 9:00pm, in the gymnasium. Tickets are only $5.00 at the door.

Spring Fund Raiser:   The spring raffle will be held in two stages:  the first being a student contest, March 26 - April 27.   Each student will be expected to sell a minimum of 2 booklets or $200.00 worth of raffle tickets. Booklets were distributed in homeroom on Monday, March 26, so ask your son/daughter for them.  The letter to parents contained in the packet explains what to do if you'd rather not sell raffles, which we completely understand.

Dress Down w ill be held on Wednesday, April 11. Students who choose to dress down will contribute $1.00 which will support our Performing Arts Program.

Spring Musical: Our Spring Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, is scheduled for Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14, at 7:00pm. It is a "musical within a comedy" for all to enjoy. Tickets are only $ 7.00.  

Easter Break:    Begins Thursday, March 29 with all returning refreshed and revitalized on Monday, April 9th. May you all have a blessed, happy and joyous time with family and friends.
Athletic News
 
Special congratulations to our two basketball coaches, Frank Burno and Reggie Quinn who were honored at the Boys' and Girls' Club of Jersey City Gala this year! Well deserved!!

With the Spring Season here both our student/athletes and coaches are gearing up for competition. To keep up with all of the Knight's spring sports schedules, please visit our website. There you will able to access all of the information you need to come out and support your teams.

Good Luck to all the coaches and players.




Marist Parents' Association News
 

Next Parents' Association Meeting:  Will be on Tuesday, April 10th at 6:30pm in the cafeteria.  
 
MPA Krispy Kreme Fund Raiser:   The Marist Parent Association is sponsoring a Krispy Kreme Fund Raiser until April 10, 2018. So there is still time to order your tasty treats and all for a good cause. Order forms are available through both the Academic and Main Office. You can bring your final orders to the MPA meeting on April 10 at 6:30!

Advancement

Marist Spring Campaign
 
 
Thank you to everyone that has donated to the Annual Fund. We know that we are stronger together! This Spring reminds us of the true opportunity we have to grow as a family. We still have more money to raise to meeting our Annual Fund Goal. Please donate today to help us reach this goal.
 
 
We are more than half way there!




Other Ways to help Marist!

  • It's Tax Season! File your taxes through H&R Block and say Marist High School referred you!
  • Do you shop at Stop N Shop? Link your card to Marist High School ( ID#: 405 8 3) t o support the  school!