Squire Wire - October 2, 2020

Volume 11 Number 6 October 2, 2020

General News

Talking With Mrs. Tompkins

Today is the final day of our Homecoming Spirit Week. The student and faculty participation has been nothing short of wonderful. Our days have been brightened with students' creative interpretation of each of our spirit-themed days. Congratulations to our Homecoming Court, who will be presented this evening prior to the football game at J.T. Flaherty stadium.

We released updated spectator policies this week for Varsity Football and Girls' Volleyball, which allow for more spectators to attend these sporting events. You can find the updates in this Squire Wire under Athletics or on the school website. We appreciate your support and patience as it relates to our extracurricular activities and athletics. We want to assure you that all of our decisions are thoroughly researched and made with the student and faculty's health and safety as our primary focus.

The Diocese of Harrisburg has updated Appendix A of the Health and Safety plan, which lists the symptoms which require a student or faculty member to stay home or go home. Please use the updated Appendix A when performing the daily COVID check on your student.

We will be conducting standardized testing on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Please note that there are specific directives regarding schedules and dismissal for this day. Those directives are detailed below and listed in our Guidance Highlights - Quarter 1.

Finally, as we complete our sixth week of school, we have created a survey for parents that will be sent to you today. Please take a few minutes to complete it. Your feedback is important and helpful to us.

Our faculty and staff teach our students to use their God-given gifts and talents to be "Doers of the Word." This short prayer below is a nice reminder to thank God for these gifts and to use them together to achieve the greatest good.

Creator God, we thank you for the creative skills of all human beings, made as we are in your image and likeness. Inspire us to use our skills for the benefit of all our brothers and sisters - working not in competition with others but as "fellow-travelers" who share the same journey. Amen.

Enjoy your weekend.

May God Bless You,

Donna Tompkins

Interim Principal

Test Day Directives for Wednesday, Oct. 14

STANDARDIZED TESTING: Important For All Grades

Delone Catholic will conduct standardized testing on Wednesday, Oct. 14. All juniors and sophomores will take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT). In addition to preparing students for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the PSAT results are used as a first step to identify National Merit Scholars and commended students from among high school juniors across the United States. Registration information was given to the students during the week of September 21. The students will do not have to pay this year for the test, so please have your student return the envelopes that were given to them.

Juniors and sophomores were acquainted with the format of the test and techniques used in taking the test successfully during their English classes by the Guidance Department. The test will be administered during the morning on October 14th. At the conclusion of testing, (approximately 12:30 pm) students will be dismissed for the day.

On Oct. 14, the day of the PSAT, any junior or sophomore who plans on riding the Pa. public school OR Md. buses may not leave the school campus until those buses arrive here at school. They will be able to eat lunch, but students will NEED TO BRING A LUNCH FROM HOME that day. These students must indicate that they will be taking the bus by signing a form that is available in the Guidance Center. Students are not required to stay in school if they can arrange alternate transportation.

Seniors will attend their class retreat on Oct. 14, and they will be dismissed upon its conclusion. The Freshmen will be engaged in the following sessions that morning: Freshmen Service Project, Health and Fitness, Naviance and the TASC program. They will be dismissed at approximately 12:30 p.m. Freshmen are permitted to wear their gym uniform on Oct. 14 for Testing Day. If students do not yet have their DCHS gym uniform, they may wear their eighth grade gym uniform.

Attention Seniors: It's Time to Order Your Cap and Gown

Senior students received a packet from Jostens in homeroom today that contains information and ordering instructions for graduation items. The cap, gown and basic tassel are required for graduation. You will need your student's height, weight and gender to place the order. The deadline is Friday, Oct. 9. A copy of the order form is included here with the area circled that needs to be completed for the cap, gown and tassel order. You may contact Mrs. Michele Noel in the Business Office with any questions.

Picture Retake Day - Thursday, Oct. 22

Picture Retake Day is Thursday, Oct 22. If your student was absent on picture day, he/she may get their picture taken on Oct. 22. If your student is in need of a re-take, he/she must return the full packet, from the first sitting, to the Main Office and sign up for retake day as soon as possible. New picture packets will be given out prior to picture retake day to those students scheduled for re-take.

Virtual PHEAA Financial Aid Seminar

On Nov. 11, 2020, Delone Catholic will be hosting a virtual financial aid seminar hosted by Diona Brown, Representative from PHEAA. This seminar will be of special interest to senior parents, especially those sending a student to college for the first time. Discussion topics will include: completion of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form needed to receive federal/state aid, filling out the CSS, the College Scholarship Search Profile, required by some colleges to qualify for scholarships at their school and how to access other scholarship opportunities. These topics are relevant for students attending any college. The meeting will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m. Ms. Brown will be available for questions at the conclusion of her presentation. All senior parents are encouraged to attend. Use THIS LINK to attend the meeting. Attendees will not be able to speak, but can type in questions in the Q & A feature.

SAT Sign Up Dates

Calling All Parent Photograpers

The Delone Catholic Yearbook, The Delonian, needs your help! After many years of service, our long-time school photographer David McFarland retired this spring. We have now hired a new photographer, but she will not be in the school, or at school events, as often as Mr. McFarland was.

We are asking parents who are at sporting events, extracurricular activities or any school-related functions to take photos, especially candid shots and send them to Delone Catholic Yearbook. ([email protected]).

All submissions are welcomed, but please know that not all submissions will be used. All photos will be reviewed by Delone Catholic staff for appropriateness and to confirm that all students in the photos have signed photo permission forms.

Photos may also be used on social media, in print publication and for other school purposes.

If you have any questions, you may contact Mrs. Lauren Gross, Director of Strategic Communications, at [email protected], or Mr. John Fournie, Publications teacher, at [email protected].

From the Alumni and Advancement Office

Alumni: Please Share Your News

You may have graduated or moved on from Delone Catholic High School, but we never stop caring about you or being interested in your life. Use this form to share news with your Delone Catholic family - or to brag about your classmates and friends.

From the Spiritual Life Office

Toys for Tommy

Delone Catholic's Peer Ministry is sponsoring the Toys for Tommy drive. Collection bins will be in the Main Office hallway between Sept. 28 and Oct. 9 or toy donations can be brought to the Spiritual Life Center. Here is a short video about Tommy Laudani '18.

Toys For Tommy Toy Drive!

Virtue=Strength

One pillar of the SportsLeader Virtue=Strength program is a weekly virtue that we incorporate into our athletic practices and throughout our school community. Every week, we will share them here to encourage the students to take the virtue into their homes as well!

This week we focus on the virtue of COMMUNICATION - the strength to convey and share one's ideas, feelings and concerns. Anything great that we want to achieve in life takes good communication. We cannot accomplish our goals as a school, a family, a business without excellent, honest, and constant communication. We are called to communicate with God every day through prayer, and we do this at Delone through our morning and afternoon prayers, prayers before classes, and the Angelus. Check out this video on why praying the Angelus is so awesome!

From the Athletics Department

Live Coverage of Away YAIAA Sporting Events

Please use THIS LINK from the YAIAA website to access live streaming for events at our opponents' schools this fall.

Enhanced Spectator Policies for Varsity Football and Girls' Volleyball

After extensive consultation with the Diocesan Superintendent of Schools, Diocesan Legal Counsel, Diocesan Health and Safety Advisory Committee, DCHS Health and Safety Committee, DCHS Executive Board of Directors and school administrative leadership the following modifications to the ticket availability policy has been approved to enhance access for spectators.

At this time, each student participant for varsity football (football, cheer and marching band) and girls volleyball will now be able to purchase TWO tickets for each home contest. Tickets will still be sold in the main office and will not be available for purchase at the event. Click HERE for a copy of the updated policies regarding home athletic events at Delone Catholic. Further, there are no changes in ticket amounts for other sports at this time. Just a reminder for all spectators that social distancing must be observed and face coverings must be worn on school property. Additionally, all spectators are asked to pre-screen for COVID-19 symptoms within two hours of attending any event and to stay home if they are not feeling well or showing symptoms. Finally, Delone Catholic remains committed to supporting mitigation efforts to support in person learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom and these numbers and policies are subject to change to comply with updates from the state of Pennsylvania, PDE, PIAA, and YAIAA.

From Partner Schools and Parishes

Conewago Christmas Bazaar