Wit's End . . . notes from the principal

As we are now in our eighth week of the school year, one can no longer speak of it as “new." Countless meetings have been held, sporting events attended, and phone calls and e-mails shared; spirit week has come and gone but many more special events will soon be celebrated.

By now, you have become proficient not only in navigating Mercy’s website but also, and more importantly connecting to your daughter’s learning experience through PowerSchool. I hope you have taken a moment with your daughter and introduced yourself as her learning ally. If there are questions regarding any coursework, it is critical that you contact the teacher. In many cases, a brief phone conversation can clarify the concern. If your daughter is struggling, specific suggestions from the teacher can ease the confusion for your daughter and put her on a path to improvement.

The high school experience is far more demanding and complex than it was in past years. Your daughter is juggling an academic load, extra curricular activities, possible outside employment, family responsibilities – all the while mining her way through physical space and cyberspace. It is so important that you have regular face to face conversation with her. Don’t hope to fit those moments into your schedule, but instead, schedule those moments the same way you would schedule any other important appointment. Tell her you just want some uninterrupted time with her. In a previous year’s Memo, I suggested to parents that they “Take a drive with your daughter.” I make the same offer today. The opportunities for us as human beings to be further and further disconnected and isolated are increasing at an alarming rate. At the same time, the culture would have us accept that, to the contrary, we are now so much better in touch with one another – via e-mails, cell phones, and text messaging. Resist the urge to accept that myth. Contact does not equal connection. Your daughter, (and your son as well) needs face time – regular attention – with you. The time together needn’t be lengthy. Don’t ask for it. Require it. And when you are together with her, listen. Don’t grill her with a barrage of questions. Ask her what fun she’s had, how she’s coping with a really difficult work load, what favorite food she’d like to share in the next day or two. Open the door and then listen. You might hear things that are a bit troubling. You might get an insight that cries out for assistance from you. You might just be amazed by how well she’s managing her life. Let her know how proud you are of that, and then schedule your next face to face. It s hould become something that both of you genuinely and lovingly anticipate.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Carolyn Witte, Principal

Mercy MOMENT of the Month

WE'VE GOT SPIRIT, YES WE DO, WE'VE GOT SPIRIT, HOW 'BOUT YOU?

Mercy showed some major spirit during Spirit Week last month! The Class of 2012 is proud to rant and rave, "You wish you were a Freshman," to the rest of the school considering they cheered, dressed, raced, and worked their way to a Spirit Week Championship. Sophomores were runners-up, Juniors came in third, and believe it or not - - the Seniors came in fourth. Way to work out that spirit, Marlins!

Mothers Club

NEW MOMS received a warm Mercy welcome at the first annual New Moms Welcome Dinner last month. Approximately 100 mothers enjoyed good food, good conversation, and a glowing reception. Thank you to all who joined us and we look forward to next year! 

FIVE DAYS TO FASHION! - Mothers Club Annual Fall Boutique and Fashion Show will be this Sunday, October 26th at the Shenandoah Conference Center. Clothes, jewelry, handbags, cosmetics, and more! Doors open at 10am. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Contact Nancy Maxwell at nhmaxwell@aol.com

ALL MERCY MOMS are invited to join us for our next gathering November 3rd at 6:30pm in the Media Center. 

Dads Club

Dads and Daughters had a rolling and roaring good time at Cedar Point! There's plenty more fun and fabulous Dads Club events.

Grab your partner and go round and round at the Dads and Daughters BARN DANCE Saturday, November 15th at Lazy J Ranch in Milford.  The festivities begin at 8:00pm and cost is $30 per couple.  CLICK HERE for more information and to download the sign up sheet. 

Bronner's, Bavarian Inn, Riverside Village. Take in the food and festivities of Frankenmuth with your family on Sunday, December 7th. Snacks and movies on the bus ride which will leave from Mercy at 12:00pm. $80 per dad/daughter and $40 for each additional family member. CLICK HERE for more information and to download the sign up sheet.

Contact Tom Fields at 248-865-9074 or tfields2004@comcast.net for more information about these events.

IMPORTANT - Due to Election Day, the November meeting has been changed to Monday, November 3rd at 7:00pm in the Cafeteria . And more information about the Dads Club Wreath & Roping Sale is coming soon! 

Student Successes . . . APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

16 students from the Class of 2008 have earned the designation of AP SCHOLAR in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college level Advanced Placement Program exams taken in May. Scholars completed three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher and Scholars with Honor earned an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

Vanessa Rychlinksi '09 and Mary Walle '09 have been named Commended Students in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program in recognition of exceptional academic promise.  

Alyssa Selasky '09 and Rebecca Guerriero '09 were selected as winners in the 2008 National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards in Writing. NCTE Awards recognizes some of the best student writers in the nation.

Christine Bilger '09 was concertmaster and guest soloist for the Livonia Youth Philharmonic performance at Music Under the Stars. She also performed with the Southern Great Lakes Symphony in their Beethoven, Beijing, and Bach concert.

Congrats to these Mercy girls who shined on the 2008 Detroit Catholic Central High School Homecoming Court - Carly Francavilla '10 (CC Homecoming Queen), Jenna Mizzi '10, Kelly Cubr '10, Katie Conely '10, and Bianca Pomponio '09.

Blanketed with Love

Patty Battersby '10 and Sarah Blake '10 are making a difference. They are co-founders and co-chairs of Blanketed With Love which makes blankets for the homeless, elders, and those in need. Featured in the Michigan Catholic for their amazing effort to help their priest's family in Africa, Patty and Sarah continue their mission and have raised about $2,500 to make more blankets.

They have received orders for more than a 150 blankets from a variety of social service agencies in the metropolitan Detroit area. Homeless shelters, soup kitchens, crisis pregnancy centers, and community centers that serve the elderly will be among those receiving these heart-felt pieces of warmth. Volunteers are always welcome! Stitch a couple fleece tie blankets in your spare time to assist blanketing those with love and compassion.  

Fall Play - Meet Me in St. Louis

Take a trip to good ol' St. Louis for the Mercy High School Fall Play "Meet Me in St. Louis." Dramatized from Sally Benson's Book and by Christopher Sergel it is a story of a happy family's life as they anticipate the wonders of the 1904 World's Fair.

Tickets are $8 and performances are held in the Mercy High School Auditorium.

Friday, November 7 ~ 8:00pm

Saturday, November 8 ~ 8:00pm

Sunday, November 9 ~ 2:00pm

Mercy TECH TALK

Welcome Future Mercy Girls

Prospective students can MEET MERCY at the Fall Open House Sunday, November 2 from 1pm - 4pm. Invite 7th and 8th graders to tour Mercy and discover what it means to be a part of the Mercy family!

If someone you know can't make it to the Open House, have them check out our shadow a student program. Contact Admissions Director Maureen Stirling at mpstirling@mhsmi.org or 248.476.2484.

Guess What?

Soda and Mentos don't mix! Or do they? When a Mento is added to a bottle of Diet Coke, an "explosion" of gas bubbles occurs. 

These chemistry students are using the scientific method to determine what factors will create the highest plume of bubbles. So now you know!  

Make Time for the Media Center

It's after public library hours and an assignment is due tomorrow morning. You're at home. You hear your daughter ask herself / friend / you, "I need information about <fill in the blank> but I can't get it from the internet. What am I supposed to do now?" Stop by the Mercy Library Media Center during and between parent - teacher conferences on October 23 and see the extensive options your daughter has available online for authoritative, reliable information to satisfy those after-hour research needs. Using digital versions of books and magazines available through Mercy's library website and Gale Resources, help is at hand 24/7. Library Media Specialist Mrs. Katy Koskela will be available in the library from 3:30pm - 7:30pm enabling a visit before or after your conferences to help you be the one to answer that panicked question, "What do I do now?"

Latest and Greatest from the Alumnae Office

A Legacy Celebration

A celebration of the Mercy Alumnae Legacy with alumnae mothers and their daughters took place on Mercy Day.  70 Mercy alumnae have a daughter currently enrolled at Mercy and were invited to attend an Alumnae Association hosted event with their daughter.  Twenty mothers and daughters met and mingled, reminisced over old yearbooks, and shared Mercy stories (past and present) over dinner.     

Congratulations to Kathleen Doyle Johnson '77 and Bridget Johnson '11 who were the Legacy Lottery winners! 

Join Us in Prayer

Join parents, alumnae and friends in prayer at Memorial Mass on Sunday, November 9 from 12:00 - 2:00pm hosted by the Alumnae Association.  Alumnae and friends who have passed on are remembered in this special liturgy in the Mercy High School chapel.  Reception to follow in the development offices.

Contact Jennifer Stark in the Alumnae Office for more details. 

Give Me a M, Give Me an E, Give Me a R, Give Me a C, Give Me a Y!

Swim and Dive Team captured the Oakland County Championship for the fourth consecutive year. The team depth was particularly strong in the 500 Free with 6 swimmers placing, 200 IM with 5 swimmers placing, 200 Free with 4 swimmers placing, and diving with all 4 divers placing in the top 16. A big splash to diver Carly Sevald '09 for breaking the 6 dive 1994 record with a score of 253.3 and setting a new 11 dive record with 407.75! WOW!

Golf won the Catholic League Championship . . . again! Making the All-Catholic Team were Miranda Eliason '09 with 93, Maura Malone '09 with 90, Lane Czanko '09 with 87 and the Individual Catholic League Champion was Maggie Lentz '11 with 82. Way to swing, ladies!

Field Hockey Team deserves some stick wavin and shakin! Congrats to these players who received Catholic League recognition. All Catholic -Kelly Cebula ''09 ; Marissa Martz '09; Sara Fritz '09, All League - Ellen Panetta '09; Sylvia Swierszczyk '10; Karen Malloure '09, and All Academic - Kristen Malloure '09.

Mercy athletes sure like to be in the paper! CLICK HERE to read about some of them in all their Marlin glory. Brush up on your Marlin cheers and chants and see our teams in action! CLICK HERE to view the Athletics Calendar and even get driving directions.

A U C T I O N 2009

You Have Auction Mail - Information regarding this year's Auction was mailed to each Mercy family. You can make a difference and contribute by donating, advertising, volunteering, and attending. THANK YOU to Kim Rucker, Lisa Harteau, Donna Gundle-Krieg, Janice Lerg, Mary Link, and Beth Seibert for collating and mailing this important Auction packet.

Wish List - Want to donate or look for donations but aren't sure what the Auction needs? The goal is to offer more packaged items to upgrade the quality of bidding options. The committee has generated a *wish list* of some exciting items and ideas. CLICK HERE to fulfill some Auction wishes!

Auction Team Needs You - Consider helping with acquisitions. We need more volunteers on the hunt for quality gifts. Every donation counts! Lend a hand to expand our catalog by helping generate new advertisers. Join the Auction calling campaign. Touch base with Mercy families and supporters about our Auction by calling from home or the Mercy Development Office. Personally connecting with people will help to successfully promote this vital fund raiser.

Please contact Special Events Coordinator Linda Conradi at lcconradi@mhsmi.org or 248.893.3535.

Ninth Grade News - Frosh parents stay in touch with your daughter's Ninth Grade Counseling News. CLICK HERE to read the October edition from Trish Brown.

SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSPRINT-THE VOICE OF MERCY HIGH SCHOOL! Newsprint is distributed to students at no extra charge 7 months a year, but parents, grandparents and alumnae can also stay connected to Mercy by having this publication delivered directly to you. Support Newsprint's staff of talented young women and enjoy informative and entertaining features by purchasing a subscription to this award-winning, student-produced paper. The price is $17.50 for the year (7 issues). Please send your name, preferred mailing address and email, along with a check for $17.50 (payable to Mercy High School) to the attention of Ms. Lynn Waldsmith. CLICK HERE to read past issues - including OCTOBER 2008!   

Faith on Fridays - There will be five morning Masses at 7:25am in the chapel before school on Thursday, October 23, Friday, December 5th, Friday, January 30th, Friday, March 20, and Friday, May 1.

Look who is a Sweepstakes Drive winner!  

Trying to figure out the perfect gift? Consider securing your daughter's copy of the award-winning Lore. Yearbook orders will take place November 4-7 before and after school for $55. If you wait until December, the price increases to $60. This year students have the option of purchasing a customized nameplate for an additional $5. The nameplate can be engraved with the student's name, graduation year and logo from a club, sport or activity. It is a fun way to make her yearbook personal.

AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING - The National Honor Sociey will offer after school tutoring on Wednesdays from 2:45pm - 3:30pm throughout the school year. Tutoring sessions will have 4 to 5 NHS members in the Media Center to tutor in all subject areas.

Senior Parents - Please e-mail your daughter's baby picture for the Senior All Night Party to Sylvia Wesson at sylwasmom@aol.com. Include name, advisor, parent e-mail address, and phone number.

It's in the mail! Be sure to check your mailbox this month for the new Mercy magazine. A MOSAIC of all that makes Mercy . . . Mercy. It will be published twice a year for alumnae, parents, and friends. Also included will be the 2007 - 2008 Annual Report.

The Oakland County Health Division provides health services for the public, businesses and educational communities.  It is a great health resource for parents. Access health information on line by visiting www.oakgov.com/health- click on School Health Services to find health information on topics such as safety, substance abuse, nutrition, and immunizations. They also have a hotline 1-800-848-5533 Ext. 85533 to provide answers to health issues and referrals to community agencies.

Snapshot of Mercy

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the SUPER SENIORS! The Class of 2009 had many memorable Mercy moments this month. Working together to save the school during Spirit Week and donning their caps and gowns at the Senior Blessing Mass held October 10. God Bless! 

Mercy Month Ahead

THANK YOU for taking the time to read the MERCY MEMO.  The purpose of this parent newsletter is to inform, enlighten, and entertain. The NOVEMBER MEMO will be delivered to your inbox by November 20. If you have any questions or want to submit information contact jhearle@mhsmi.org.

Want even more?  Click the school year calendar and the Mercy web site.  And don't miss all of the latest Mercy In The News articles. Check out the current announcements, view past issues of the MEMO newsletter, and browse the home page yellow box to link to what's happening today @ Mercy.