FALL 2026 BACK TO SCHOOL INFO

Summer Reception Hours

For the foreseeable future, all visitors should use the Auditorium/Gym Lobby entrance. The relocated Reception Area will be open during the following hours:

Monday, August 3 - Thursday, August 6, 8:30am-12pm (closed on Friday, 8/7)
Monday, August 10 & Tuesday, August 11, 8:30am-12pm (building closed on Wednesday, 8/12 for Staff Retreat)
Regular hours will resume on Thursday, August 13, 7:30am-3:30pm

Student Schedules

The 2026-27 student course schedules will be posted on PowerSchool August 5 at 4:00pm. As a reminder, all families must be sure all required forms, physical and immunization records for incoming students are submitted on FinalForms and yourstudent(s) billing account (including iPad and tuition) is current by August 3 at 4:00pm in order to access Mercy student email, course schedules, and book purchasing. Please note: If these requirements are not completed by August 3 at 4:00pm, access will be granted by 2:00 pm on the next business day after all required forms have been submitted and your billing account is current.

Mercy utilizes FinalForms for required student record information, signatures and athletic participation forms. New parents should have received an account confirmation email. From this email, please click the registration link and follow the steps to login and access your student(s). Returning parents, your account information is the same as last year. If you haven’t already done so, we kindly request both students and parents complete your FinalForms submission as soon as possible.

If you have questions regarding your daughter's student billing, please login to yourBlackbaud Tuition Management account or contact Laura Weller, at lweller@mhsmi.org or 248-893-3546, in the Business Office, Monday - Thursday between 9am and 2pm.

If you are unable to access PowerSchool using your username and password, try resetting your password using the "Having Trouble Signing In?" link. Once in PowerSchool, the "Grades & Attendance" icon will give the list of classes for the whole school year. The "Exp" column lists the hour the class meets. To see a matrix view for the first semester with room numbers, click the "My Schedule" icon. Any periods not listed are unscheduled periods.

Schedules were reviewed by counselors to resolve any known issues. Please have your daughter email her counselor if there is a "true" issue with her schedule (such as an incorrect course, a course not scheduled, or full-year courses not scheduled all year).

Please note: The master schedule was built (sections and staffing) based on student course selections made in the spring. Alternates, at times, were used to complete schedules when necessary. Students with unresolved conflicts in their schedules were emailed. Please have your daughter check for an email from Dr. Kline-Kator, Mrs. McGavin or Ms. McMaster regarding any schedule conflicts (current students) or from the Admissions Office (new students). Students should then contact their counselor to resolve any issues. The only other schedule changes counselors will process the first week of school are straight course drops and adds if space allows. Schedules will not be rearranged to accommodate a change of mind.

Counselors:

Holly Markiecki-Bennetts (hbennetts@mhsmi.org): Last name A-E
Arpna Hessler (abhessler@mhsmi.org): Last name F-N
Kristen Casey (kkcasey@mhsmi.org): Last name O-Z

New Parents:

Please email Alison Kline-Kator at akline-kator@mhsmi.org if you are unable to locate your login to PowerSchool or need a login set up in PowerSchool.

Family Required Forms & Info

We hope you are enjoying summer and look forward to starting a new school year. See links and info below for reminder of the 7/8/26 communication in regard to FinalForms, Physical Requirements, Fall Sports, Uniforms and more.

FinalForms Student Info Online Management

FinalForms allows you to electronically complete and sign enrollment, back-to-school, and athletic participation forms for your daughter(s). Returning parents, your account information is the same as last year. Click here to access and update your FinalForms student account. New parents received an account confirmation email from FinalForms. From this email, please click the registration link and follow the steps to login and access your student.

We kindly request you complete your FinalForms submission by August 3, 2026. Note that this includes acknowledgement of school policies in the Student Family Handbook.

All students and families must be sure all required forms are signed and submitted online through your FinalForms account and your student billing account is current in order to access course schedules and book purchasing when released in early August.

Health Requirements

All incoming 9th graders, transfer students, athletes, and students taking a Physical Education class, will need a current physical along with a complete FinalForms Profile. All students new to Mercy must be compliant with immunization requirements. For the 2026-27 school year, you will need a physical performed on/after 4/15/2026. Please upload to FinalFormsor scan and email to athletics@mhsmi.org.

Student Summer Assignment

There will be a brief required student assignment which will take about an hour to complete. The topic is AI, specifically what it is, how it works, what it gets wrong, and how to use it in ways that actually serve students' education. Students will also reflect on Mercy's Academic Integrity Policy and describe in writing how they intend to approach using AI responsibly as learners. Our goal is that students understand AI well enough to use it in ways that actually strengthen their learning, not replace it. There is a real difference between using AI as a tool that sharpens students' thinking, rather than using it as a substitute for their thinking. This assignment will help students reflect and describe how they will approach using AI responsibly as part of their own academic growth.

The AI Literacy Summer Assignment will be available next week following New Student iPad Pickup. On Friday, August 6, Ms. McMaster will email all students with instructions and access to the assignment. Please be sure your student checks her Mercy email, as all students are expected to complete the assignment before the start of the school year.

Opening Days of School

Thursday, August 13: CLASS OF 2030 WELCOME DAY All 9th Grade Students

All Link Leaders report to the gym by 7:00am. Wear Link Crew shirt.
All 9th grade students please arrive at the Auditorium/Gymnasium entrance by 8:00am.
Lunch will be provided.
Wear casual clothing. (Includes jeans, capris, and longer shorts. No bare midriffs, no camis, off-the-shoulder or strapless tops, short shorts, pajama pants or ripped clothing.)
9th grade students will walk through their schedules with Link Leaders.
Dismissal at 2:30pm.

Friday, August 14: CLASS OF 2030 RETREAT DAY All 9th Grade Students

Learn about our Mercy Spirituality and Catherine McAuley with the Office of Mission & Ministry and student retreat leaders. Please note school yearbook / ID photos will be taken during lunch or at the end of the retreat day.

All 9th grade students please arrive at the Auditorium/Gymnasium entrance by 8:00am.
Lunch will be provided.
Wear casual clothing and remember that you will have your school photo taken. (Includes jeans, capris, and longer shorts. No bare midriffs, no camis, off-the-shoulder or strapless tops, short shorts, pajama pants or ripped clothing.)
School yearbook / ID photos will be taken during lunch or they will have an opportunity to do so at the end of the retreat.
Dismissal at 2:30pm.

Friday, August 14: Marlin Business Day All 10th-12th Grade Students

All students are expected to drop-in at the Auditorium/Gymnasium entrance from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

School ID Picture Day: School ID and yearbook photos will be taken. All school portrait print ordering is through Inter-State Studios online here input school code, 0518HX. Additional information will be emailed to students/parents directly from Inter-State Studios. All students must be photographed regardless of whether or not you are purchasing a portrait package. The photo is used for a number of purposes including school records, the student ID, and yearbook so it is essential that students be appropriate in look and dress and adhere to the following guidelines:

Hair must look neat and appropriate for school.
Make-up must be modest.
Solid color shirts preferred. Shirts may not have visible writing.
Students may not use props.

Used Uniform Sale: The Mothers' Club will be holding the Used Uniform Sale throughout Marlin Business Day.
Yearbook Orders: Yearbooks will be available for purchase online beginning August 14. Order here with code 13826 from August 14 - September 11 or order at Marlin Business Day for the discounted rate of $80. Yearbooks will increase to $100 after September 11.
Parking Pass: Submit vehicle registration form online here to receive your 2026-27 parking pass. *New for 2026-27: Students will be assigned parking space numbers that match the parking pass number. Parking spaces will be assigned first come first serve, except for the seniors who purchase a space.
Senior Cap & Gown Pick-up: Seniors will pick-up their cap and gown from the Senior Moderators, Mrs. Faunce and Mrs. Lavely, in the Auditorium/Gym Lobby.
Marlin Shop: The Marlin Shop will be open and selling Mercy apparel throughout Marlin Business Day.

Monday, August 17: First Full Day of School All Grades

Students report to 1st Hour class. Follow the daily bell schedule found here.
All students must be in full school uniform.
Link Leaders wear Link Crew shirt.
Students sign out with their advisers at 2:40pm dismissal.

Monday, August 17: New Parent Orientation & Picnic with the President

New Parent Orientation: 5:00pm - 7:00pm New Mercy parents are invited to learn about Mercy culture, technology, policies on behavior and attendance, how you can support your daughter and more.
Picnic with the President: The Mercy Mothers’ and Dads’ Club invite all parents/guardians to join us for Picnic with the President on Monday, August 17th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.Come meet Mercy’s new President & CEO, Julie Carver, and celebrate the start of an exciting new school year. Enjoy a relaxed evening BBQ connecting with fellow Mercy parents and staff. Kindly RSVP HERE by August 7.

Wednesday, August 19: Welcome Mass

Mercy parents/guardians are invited to attend the Welcome 2026-27 School Year Mass at 10:15am in the Auditorium.

Fall 2026 Athlete Info

All athletes are required to have completed the FinalForms Profile by August 3, 2026. All Athletic Registrations will be done through FinalForms. Registration is required in order to attend tryouts. You will receive a link for Athletic Fee payment after the teams are decided.

Athletic Tryout Schedule

Try-out times are posted on mercymarlins.com athletics website here and team specific pages as available. Please be prepared to attend all try-out sessions. Fall sports (Cross Country, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Golf, Swim & Dive, Volleyball) start date is August 10, 2026. Stay connected for specific sport team updates.

Uniform

Mercy uniform attire is available for purchase exclusively from Educational Outfitters. Pants only may also be purchased from Schoolbelles. All grades wear banded white or maroon polo tops (short or long sleeve), banded white blouses (short or long sleeve), and black sweaters (cardigan, v-neck or vest). Everyone is encouraged to go to Educational Outfitters for fitting and purchasing.

Only black sweaters purchased from Educational Outfitters, black quarter-zips purchased from the Marlin Shop and Mercy Varsity letter sweaters may be worn in addition to the required uniform blouse or polo and kilt or pants (not in place of the blouse or polo). A new uniform crewneck sweatshirt will be available for the 2026-27 school year (the uniform blouse or polo is not required under the uniform crewneck sweatshirt).

Educational Outfitters

23317 Orchard Lake Road

Farmington, MI 48336

248-426-7273

Offers two styles of pant which must be purchased in-store or by phone.

Online Shop Here

New Uniform Sweatshirt

We are excited to share Mercy’s new maroon crewneck sweatshirt! Thank you to all the Marlins who submitted designs for the sweatshirt. We ended up going with a collaboration of a few submissions. You may purchase this uniform sweatshirt from the Marlin Shop online store here. The Marlin Shop will have a limited amount for purchase.

*Reminder: A blouse or polo is not required to be worn underneath this uniform sweatshirt. A blouse or polo is required to be worn underneath the uniform sweaters and quarter-zip.

The 2026-27 Mercy uniform dress code policies and purchase information can be found here.

Bus Service

The bus transportation information, schedule, passes and payment for the upcoming 2026-27 school year will be available by August 3.

Carpool Directory

A directory for carpool interest was emailed to all families. This Google Spreadsheet is alive document and will be continually updated as needed. Email admissions@mhsmi.org if you have any address changes or do not wish to be included. Please note this is not a full student directory, as some families requested to opt out of this carpool list.

Student Parking Pass

All student drivers are kindly asked to complete the online student parking pass request form here for the 2026-27 school year. NEW THIS YEAR: All students will have assigned parking spaces. Parking spaces will be assigned first come first serve, but students can select the 11 Mile Road or Middlebelt Road parking lot. The parking space number will coordinate with the parking pass number.

Book Purchasing

Book purchasing is in partnership with EdTech Solutions. This innovative system connects directly with PowerSchool and Schoology to automatically populate your student’s required textbooks and course materials based on their enrolled classes.

Key Benefits:

Automatic Course Integration: Books appear in your student's account automatically based on their class schedule, ensuring 100% accuracy in required materials
Time-Saving Convenience: Everything your student needs is pre-selected and ready for purchase
Real-Time Updates: If instructors make changes to required materials, these updates will be reflected immediately in your student's account
Comprehensive Selection: From textbooks to digital resources, lab manuals to supplementary materials, everything is available in one centralized location

For detailed instructions on how to access your account and make purchases, please see the resource links below from EdTech Solutions:

New Student iPad Pick Up

Class of 2030 and new transfer students will be able to pick up their school iPads August 3-6, 2026. Please sign-up here for one day option during that week. Sessions will begin at 9:00am and we expect this to take 30 to 60 minutes. Students will enter at the flagpole courtyard entrance. Once everyone arrives for respective session, we will distribute the iPads to each student and walk them through the setup and basic use of their iPad.

Service Experience Requirements & Opportunities

This is a reminder of communications sent from Holly Markiecki-Bennetts, Director of Faith in Action in regard to each grade service experience requirements and volunteer opportunities. Click link to each grade's info below:

SchoolMessenger Text Emergency System

Mercy High School utilizes the SchoolMessenger Communicate system to deliver SMS text messages with important emergency information about school closings and alerts.

All parent/guardian mobile phone number data in FinalForms syncs with the SchoolMessenger Communicate text system. Parents/guardians may opt-in to give permission to receive messages by texting "Y" or "Yes" to short code number 67587 along with ensuring your mobile phone number is current in FinalForms.