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Mercy High School Monthly Parent E-Newsletter - November 2011
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Wit's End . . . Notes from the Principal “Let’s make some noise.” “Stop that racket.” “Pump up the volume.” “Can’t hear myself think.” We have our own individual reactions to sound. When we like it. When we don’t. Who makes it. Where we are. How long it lasts. The list goes on. When we find ourselves enjoying it, all is right with the world. When we find ourselves annoyed by it, it seems insufferable and those responsible for it are nothing less than idiots. There is no explaining it. We can participate in ear splitting cheers at a sporting event, have the radio volume cranked on our favorite song, and then be inconsolable when someone’s chronic cough spoils our reverie. Human beings. What complex and contradictory creatures. Last month, I was humbly reminded of human foible and failing when I read about young Sarah Churman. The 29 year old Texan wife and mother heard sounds clearly for the first time in her life after receiving an Esteem Implant just months before. Sarah was born with a rare genetic deformity, sensorineural hearing loss. She lacked the hair in her inner ear that transmits sound to the brain. Although she was fitted with her first hearing aids at age two, sounds heard came as if they were underwater. She relied on lip reading. The new implant is not a hearing aid. Instead, the device is embedded in the middle ear and works by picking up sound through the ear canal, actually through the ear drum vibrations. The video I saw, recorded by Sarah’s husband, showed her reaction to hearing her own voice clearly for the first time when the implant was switched on by attending nurses. She cried. She laughed. She was surprised how loud the sounds were. She was overcome with emotion when asked if she wanted to hear her husband’s voice. This young woman had lived in a largely silent world. Now, after 29 years, she could hear herself, her husband, the voices of her two young daughters, and all the noise of life. The noise of life! What a blessing. What a profound gift and one that I should cherish at every moment, without exception. So at this Thanksgiving, I plan to bend a knee in gratitude for the clanging of pots and pans, the too many people talking at once, the television broadcasts in high def and higher volume, the laughter, and the shouting, and all the chaos. I will send a prayer heavenward and think of Sarah Churman. May hers and yours be a loud and raucous and loving gathering. Happy Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carolyn Witte, Principal |
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MERCY MOMENT of the MONTH DIVISION 1 SWIM AND DIVE STATE CHAMPIONS! WOW, THEY DID IT AGAIN! 5 State Championships in a row for the outstanding Mercy Swim and Dive Team. As a celebration of their State Title, Mercy will extend the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and not hold any classes on Monday, November 28th. Classes will resume on Tuesday, November 29th.  |
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Mothers Club Happy Thanksgiving from the Mercy Mothers Club! We hope to see you at our upcoming events. REFLECT and RECONNECT with your daughter at the Mother Daughter Evening of Spiritual Reflection Thursday, December 1 at St. Aidan Catholic Church in Livonia. Mass begins at 6:30pm with dinner immediately following. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION and REGISTRATION FORM. Any questions, call Mary Wallace 248-232-3751 or Peggy Griffin 248-644-2732. ALL MERCY MOMS are invited to our Christmas Party, Monday, December 5th at 6:30pm. Please join us for an evening of fun including refreshments, shopping with Orin Jewelers, and a very special performance by the Mercyaires. |
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Dads Club
Please remember to look for the Dads Club Raffle tickets in the mail this month. Grand prize is $10,000. Drawing takes place at the Father/Daughter Dance held at Mercy on February 18, 2012.
Grab your daughter and kick up your heels at the annual Dads and Daughters BARN DANCE on Friday, January 20th from 7pm - 11pm at the Lazy J Ranch in Milford.
ALL MERCY DADS are invited to join us for our next meeting December 6 at 7:00pm in the Cafeteria. |
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Giving Hope. Giving Thanks.
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Admissions Anecdotes On Sunday, November 6, Mercy hosted 234 prospective students and their families at our annual Fall Open House. Families discovered what makes Mercy, MERCY! They toured the building with students, spoke to our teachers, administrators, coaches, and parents. The technology demonstration in the Media Center was buzzing and the Mercyaire performance in the auditorium was a huge hit. Many THANKS to the student, parent, staff, and alumnae volunteers who made the day a success! Our next Open House is Sunday, January 29 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. In the meantime, if parents know of a prospective student in your parish or neighborhood, please encourage them to contact the Admissions Office at admissions@mhsmi.org or 248-476-2484 and arrange a day to shadow a student. |
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CELEBREZ La Semaine Nationale Du Francais
Mercy High School joined the French classes across the nation celebrating National French Week sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. The students engaged in many activities during the week which highlighted the French language and culture. The Suscipe and Our Father were said in French for morning prayer and the cafeteria featured a scrumptious French menu item each day. French classes were captivated by guest speakers and Mercy Alumnae Tricia Hill '07 and Maureen Anway '07 who shared their accomplishments and experiences while studying abroad. Ms. Anway’s documentary film “L’Identité Changeante” played at a Francophonie film festival at Kalamazoo College. Ms. Hill graduated from Valparaiso University in nursing and is now going back to school to become a French teacher at Eastern University. The French Honor Society made 232 French crepes for the school on National Crepe day. This event is becoming more and more popular each year as the girls stuff their crepes with jam or chocolate. The French restaurant trip to Cuisine in Detroit was the highlight of the week. Allons-y next year! |
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Special Event
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MOJO IN THE HOUSE 
The Radio and Television Broadcasting class welcomed MoJo, from the MoJo in the Morning Show on Channel 95.5, last month. As the girls prepare for their Disc Jockey assignment, MoJo provided them with tips of the trade. After MoJo explained the industry, the girls were able to ask further questions. Everyone was especially interested in all of the behind the scenes work, equipment, and "how to's." MoJo gave plenty of worthwhile advice and commented on how impressed he was with our school and students and even gave Mercy a shout-out on the radio the next morning! Thanks for stopping by, MoJo!
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Student Successes . . . APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE! Congratulations to Katelyn Kulesa and Audrey Cords who won two of the three monetary prizes offered in the Richard Benvenuto Poetry Competition sponsored by Center for Poetry at Michigan State University. These girls were honored at a reception in Lansing and given their awards by the contest's judge, Michigan poet, Jack Ridl.
Mercy students excelled at the Michigan School Vocal Music Association Musical Theatre Solo and Ensemble Festival in Howell. Participation Recognition: Marisa Maino '15; GOOD Rating: Cristina Gee '14, Jacqueline LaPres '13, EXCELLENT Rating: Natalie Apollinari '15. SUPERIOR Rating: Maggie Malaney '13, Jaclyn Godwin '13.
Freshwomen Gina Mazziotti, Anna Julien, and Elon Pendleton were invited to be part of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association's STATE Middle School Honor Choir and will join other singers from the state of Michigan for a performance at the Michigan Music Educator's Conference in Grand Rapids in January.
2011 Scholastic All-Catholic Award Recipients
The newly elected officers for the Class of 2015 are: President Taylor Babcock; Vice President Julia Swoish; Secretary Abby Rosler; Treasurer Julia McAree; Class Rep Anna Kiafoulis. |
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Let Us Pray
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A U C T I O N 2012  Our Auction Committees are getting fired up planning this big event. Don’t be left out! There are still many ways for you to be part of this very important fundraiser. Take a look at our web page for information about volunteering and for ideas for your donation gifts. Show your THANKS for all Mercy does for your daughter by GIVING to the Mercy Auction. Watch for information coming through the mail for details on how to win 2 tickets to the Auction, which is February 25, 2012 at Mercy High School. Remember Mercy this Holiday season! Before throwing away any items from holiday gifts such as packing peanuts, shredded paper, confetti paper, and baskets, think about sending them in to the school. They are critical materials in producing Auction gift baskets. For more information or help with planning contact Mercy's Auction Coordinator, Kari Weber, at klweber@mhsmi.org and CLICK HERE for all things AUCTION. WE ARE MERCY!! |
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Counseling Corner Junior Parents – The Individual College Planning Meetings with junior students and their parents began the week of November 7th. Counselors will continue to meet with families through January. There are a number of students who still need to schedule their appointment. Please confirm with your daughter. An email notification of the appointment time is sent to parents when scheduled. College Financial Aid Information Night - We invite parents and encourage you to attend College Financial Aid Information Night held at Mercy High School on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 7:00pm in the Mercy Auditorium. The focus of the workshop is on planning and paying for college. Click here to view invitation and more details about this important event. |
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Let's Hear It For The STAFF!
Madame Joyce Smetanka Campbell was invited by the Michigan World Language Association to give a workshop at the State conference for world language teachers held on October 21st. The workshop entitled, "Authentic Project Based Learning: Increasing Proficiency through Relevancy" was attended by over 40 teachers from across the State in which they received many new ideas to engage their students in speaking the target language in their classrooms.
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Give Me a M, Give Me an E, Give Me a R, Give Me a C, Give Me a Y! SO MANY SIGNINGS!
There are a number of athletes who are in the process of signing or have recently signed National Letters of Intent to play a sport in college. Congrats to these MERCY MARLINS: Meghan Cleary - VOLLEYBALL at Northwood University Maddy Doyle - VOLLEYBALL at George Washington University, DC Kayce Nieto - SOFTBALL at University of Utah Emily Orrico - DIVING at the University of Michigan If you know of a Marlin athlete who will play a sport in college, please contact kmscalzi@mhsmi.org. WAY TO GO, MADDY DOYLE - MISS VOLLEYBALL MICHIGAN  TEAM ACCOLADES Volleyball captured another DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP! Swim and Dive won their 21st consecutive CHSL championship and 5th consecutive STATE CHAMPIONSHIP (first time in Div 1)! GOLF girls received some major awards and Vicky Kowalski was named Coach of the Year. All-State Honorable Mention: Brenna Hammond and Sarah Montone; All-Area 1st Team: Brenna Hammond and Sarah Montone; All-Area 2nd Team: Erica Heath and Francesca Sovis; All-Area Honorable Mention: Imani Gunn; Gillian Hickey; Allison Shaw. Way to run Heather Smith who finished 36th at the MHSAA Cross Country D1 State Finals. Mercy athletes are always making headlines! CLICK HERE to read some of the recent sports stories featured in the news.
It's beginning to look a lot like Basketball, Bowling, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey, Skiing, and Pompon, everywhere you go. Check out the winter sports schedule available online and support your Mercy teams! There are even directions. Please help fill the stands with Mercy cheer and come by the Marlin Shop to score some Mercy gear!
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MNotes . . . miscellaneous info you need to know! Have you read MOSAIC? The Fall/Winter issue of the MOSAIC Mercy High School Magazine was mailed this month. If you have stories to share, please contact the Alumnae Office or Julie Earle at jhearle@mhsmi.org.
Christmas Concert -The Christmas Concert, "SING NOEL," will take place on Sunday, December 18 at 2pm in the Mercy Auditorium. Glee 1, Glee 2 and the Mercyaires will perform as well as featured soloists and small ensembles. In keeping with tradition, the concert will conclude with The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah and any alumnae are invited to join in singing on stage. The stage will be beautifully decorated with poinsettias the Tri-M Music Honorary is selling as a fundraiser. These festive plants come from a Michigan poinsettia farm and are available in red, pink, and white for $18. Please contact Mrs. Amy Malaney at admalaney@mhsmi.org to place an order by December 1. Plants can be picked up on stage after the concert.
THE 2011-2012 MERCY STUDENT DIRECTORY IS ONLINE! The student directory is accessible to all parents and students online through PowerSchool. Login to PowerSchool and click on the STUDENT DIRECTORY icon. You can look at individual listings or the whole school. Please note if your daughter's entry is not displayed, a request was completed for address or phone number information to NOT be included in the student directory. The program used to post the directory pulls directly from the database and does not allow for individual record modification. AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING - National Honor Society offers after school tutoring every Wednesday from 2:45 until 3:30 in room N12 throughout the school year. The session is run by at least six NHS members with varied curricular backgrounds. All students in all subject areas are welcome and encouraged to attend for some one-on-one help. No appointments needed. On early dismissal Wednesdays (staff mtg. etc.) we run tutoring from 1:45 until 2:30.
Subscribe to NEWSPRINT, the student voice of Mercy High School! A complete 12 page newspaper filled with everything from school news to world events, exciting features, sports, and entertainment, Newsprint is the source that links the Mercy community to the rest of the world. Support the staff of talented young Mercy women and enjoy informative and entertaining features by purchasing a subscription to this award-winning, student produced paper. Newsprint is distributed to students at school but it can also be delivered directly to your home or place of work. The price is $12 for the year (6 issues). Please send your name, preferred mailing address and email, along with a check payable to Mercy High School to Ms. Lynn Waldsmith, Newsprint Advisor Mercy High School, 29300 W. 11 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48336-1409. Visit mhsmi.org/newsprint to view past issues. Don't forget to click NEWSPRINT online website newsprintnow.net where you can stay up to date on Marlin news and read work by Mercy students 24/7. Mercy Ethnic Bazaar 2011 will be held December 1st (2nd-6th hour) in the Drama Studio. Enjoy dance, poetry, fashion, song, prayer, art, food, music, and more!
Shop. Give. Make a Difference. If you are ordering gifts online, go to ONECAUSE FIRST. Hundreds of online merchants like Nordstrom, Lands End, Amazon, and more will give MERCY a nice percentage from every item you purchase. Simply register your information and select Mercy High School (ID 130214). If you are out and about Christmas shopping at Target or picking up some tasty holiday fare at Gordon Foods or Meijer, please be sure to designate MERCY. Click to register at target.com/tcoe, Meijer.com/MCRmember, gfsmarketplace.com or click here for more rewards program information. Look who is a Sweepstakes Drive winner!
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Snapshot of Mercy Carmina Burana  Last month, Mercy Latin students and their parents attended the Detroit Opera House for the Carmina Burana, a “dazzling, multi-sensory spectacular.” Composed by Carl Orff in 1937, the Carmina Burana is a stunning cantata based on medieval Latin poems. The performance featured over 100 chorus members and soloists, the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, and acrobats from Cirque de Soleil. |
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Mercy Month Ahead
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| The DECEMBER MEMO will be delivered to your inbox December 19. If you have any questions or want to submit any educational stories or share some good Mercy news, please 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 links to see what's happening today @ Mercy. |
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Mercy High School • 29300 W. 11 Mile Road • Farmington Hills, MI • 48336-1409 Email: mhs@mhsmi.org • Tel: (248) 476-8020 • Fax: (248) 476-3691 Site Developed & Maintained by Brainwrap Web Design • Web Administrator: Julie Earle • 248.893.3591 |
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Adorn your tree with a lovely Mercy ornament. It's the perfect stocking stuffer for a future Mercy girl, graduating senior, alumna, or staff member. For only $15 give someone a treasured memory that will add beauty to their Christmas for years to come. Available in the Mercy Advancement Office.
