January, 2015 Dear Family and Friends of Mount St. Joseph High School, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and I would like to wish you all a happy, prayerful, and healthy 2015. We have been tremendously blessed at the Mount, and I believe firmly in my heart that the Xaverian Charism is alive and well. I see examples of this every day at school. Just weeks ago, two gentlemen from the Class of 1939, in a priceless moment, shared stories and play-by-play action of a football game from over seventy years ago. It is my understanding, if I have my facts correct, that we defeated City College High School and brought them their first defeat in football in four years. For these two gentlemen from the Class of 1939, it was like yesterday, each sharing aspects of the game, with the Mount as a huge underdog, and sharing pride in this victory from so long ago. When we speak about classmates for four years, brothers for life, no one better epitomizes this aspect more than these two gentlemen. In December, in the midst of the Christmas season, and on a snowy night in New York City, just off of Times Square, we hosted a gathering of Mount men. Through the course of the evening, each alumnus was reminiscing about his days at the Mount. When I formally asked them if they wanted to share stories with the group, a member of the Class of 1994, whom I had taught, went on to share the story of how his junior retreat changed his life forever. Then we had a graduate of the Class of 1996 pull from his pocket a memento from his senior retreat that he has carried with him for the last fifteen years. Not often can a high school proclaim and show examples of one’s growth in faith in their years in high school. But the Mount stands proud in extolling the virtues of Xaverian education with its graduates. Just recently, our students, faculty and staff put forth much effort to provide a joyful Christmas for many disadvantaged families with hundreds and hundreds of toys, shoes, gloves and scarves accumulating in the Main Office area, in the Development areas, and all around the school offices. To see the culmination of hard work and effort to grant a Merry Christmas to 108 families by providing big bags of Christmas presents brought joy to my heart. We are reaching out to those in need, and we provide examples of service for our students that they will carry with them for a lifetime. I would ask you to please keep the Mount in your prayers and that we stay focused on our Xaverian virtues and our mission as a Catholic school. Happy New Year! Thank you and God bless you. Sincerely, George E. Andrews, Jr. President Dear Parents/Guardians: Happy New Year! I hope your Christmas Season was blessed in everything and every way you wanted it to be! God is so good to us, and we give thanks and praise to Him for coming into our lives each and every day! The attached picture expresses the best Christmas present I have ever received, the opportunity to hold both of my grandchildren. As many of you know, my son teaches in Malaysia, and the last time I saw my grandson was at his birth in April. What a joy for my wife and me to have Emma and Umar in our arms! We have no idea when we will have the family back together again, but we trust in God and will follow His plan for our family. Less spectacular, but still significant, was the letter I received from the Middle States Association regarding the accreditation for Mount Saint Joseph. We received a glowing report regarding the changes we have accomplished during the past three years. Our faculty and Middle States committee have worked tirelessly in developing new initiatives that strengthen our academic program! Before we are ready to begin 2015, we need to look back to December and recognize some members of our community for their love, support and dedication to Mount Saint Joseph. On December 3rd, we celebrated the Feast of Saint Francis Xavier in a school-wide Mass with many members of the Xaverian Brothers in attendance. As part of this day, we recognized Mr. Kraig Loovis and Mr. Jerry Naylor as the recipients of the Ryken Award. Congratulations to both for the award and their dedication to our school community. On special occasions such as a school wide liturgy, we asked your sons to wear a sports blazer as part of the regular dress code. While I'm not in favor of this as an every day code, it is important to learn to dress for the event. If your son does not have a sports coat, I would ask you to invest in one. There will be other events when this type of dress is required. To see the student population dressed is this fashion is truly impressive! Thank you for your understanding in this matter. In other December events, congratulations to the band and choir members for the spirited performance to a packed audience on December 11th. Mr. Norris and Mrs. Esserwein are committed to developing the talents of our young men who are in these programs. It was a fun evening for all! Congratulations to our juniors who received their class rings on December 13th. It was another packed event of students, families, and faculty at Saint Joseph Monastery Church. December also saw the commitment of our MSJ community to the poor and marginalized members living in the surrounding area. With the effort of our students, faculty, staff and Mothers' Club, we were able to supply canned goods, meals, and gifts to Saint Jerome's, My Brother's Keeper, in the Irvington area, and St. Bernadine's parish. Our thanks to Ms. Coyne and Mrs. Gonzalez for organizing the student component, Mrs. Saia and Mrs. Davis who organized the Mothers' Club sponsorship, and faculty members of Mr. Davis, Mrs. Hubbard, Mr. Jeffrey, Mr. Kauffman, Mr. Henry, Mrs. Terranova, Mr. Bonham, Mr. Townsend, Mrs. Czyryca, Mr. Belzner, Mr. Peightel, and Mr. Pittman. Staff members Mrs. Byron, Mrs. Wallace, Mrs. Sexton, Mrs. Peightel, and Mrs. Yost contributed in many ways. Adding additional help as Santa's helpers were: Mrs. Cupps, Mrs. Parson, Mrs. Ruf, Mrs. Shotting, Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Campbell (alumni and present mothers)! Many other groups such as the administration, the DePaul Program, alumni parents, present parents, XBSS, Service and Spirituality classes, participated in our service work! Mount Saint Joseph High School is a special place made of special people. The work done was a sign of our love and care for others. While no one did this for praise and special accolades, I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of Mount Saint Joseph. I hope I didn't forget anyone! My apologies if I did! May the New Year be filled with the peace and joy we experienced by doing God's work in our community! God bless, Dave Norton Principal Mr. Greg McDivitt, Assistant Principal, Director of Studies Happy New Year! I hope the Christmas break provided a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of your son’s academic life at the Mount and provided an opportunity for your whole family to relax and rejuvenate. The second marking is not yet over; it ends on Friday, January 16. The start of the third quarter on Tuesday, January 20, represents a chance for yet another new beginning in the academic year. Report cards will be emailed on Thursday, January 22. If you have a concern about your son’s performance in a particular class, you are encouraged to contact your son’s teacher via email and, if desired, set up an appointment for a face-to-face meeting at a mutually convenient time. Please be sure to do this if your son’s grade(s) indicates that improvement is needed. Also, please continue to check your son’s grades on a regular basis through Edline and by simply asking him what he is learning and how he is doing in school. Communication about such matters sometimes requires patient, persistent parental prodding, to be sure, but when students are challenged to verbally express some details about what they are engaged in at school, learning improves. The Studies Office and members of the Counseling Department will continue to monitor students’ progress. Please note: a student who fails a class for the year will be required to attend summer school unless the class is not offered in the MSJ summer school program. Advanced Placement Courses On Friday, January 16, a meeting will be held during homeroom for all students interested in applying for any Advanced Placement (AP) class for next year. AP courses are college-level courses that are taught in high school and follow national curricula; the courses are fastpaced, academically rigorous and demand a significant amount of student time and effort. PSAT scores, achievement in previous and current classes, and teacher recommendations will all be considered when making decisions regarding acceptance into various courses in the AP program. Writing samples may also be required for admittance into some AP courses. More details about specific requirements will be explained at the assembly on January 16 when applications will be distributed as well. These applications are due to the Studies Office by homeroom time on Friday, January 30. A list of accepted students will be posted outside the Studies Office on Friday, February 6. Course selection assemblies regarding all other course requests will follow the AP application process later in February and early March. Inclement Weather Policy If school is going to be cancelled because of weather conditions, this fact will be announced over the radio stations. The best source is station WBAL (1090 on the AM dial). Mount Saint Joseph will not be mentioned by name. Whenever Baltimore County secondary schools cancel school because of snow conditions, Mount Saint Joseph will automatically be closed. If Baltimore County opens one or two hours late because of weather, Mount Saint Joseph will do likewise; however, if Baltimore County opens more than two hours late, Mount Saint Joseph will open only two hours late. If Baltimore County is closed or on vacation, we will follow Howard County. Campus Ministry News Mr. Clay Bonham, Director of Mount Ministries Happy New Year!! The Campus Ministry team would like to wish the Mount community all the best in 2015!! A few events to call your attention to: Our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. prayer service and service day will take place on Monday, January 19, at 10:00 a.m. in the Auditorium. The prayer service will be followed by a light breakfast in the cafeteria. Please contact us at 410644-3300, or email us at [email protected] if you are planning to attend so that we will be prepared for the proper number of guests. We are also planning a service project following the breakfast, so please note if you will be able to help with doing service as well. The March for Life will be held on Thursday, January 22. Please contact Campus Ministry if interested in attending! The Parents’ Corner Mr. Kraig Loovis, Athletic Director Mrs. Mary Wiedel, Director of Parent Relations Winter Sports The month of January has our winter sports teams in full swing. The varsity basketball team started strong with wins over Glenelg Country, Curley, AACS and Saint Frances. The team is excited to attend the Slam Dunk to the Beach tournament over the holiday break. The varsity wrestling team opened its season at the Lake Norman Duals in North Carolina. The team won three out of five matches against some of the top teams from West Virginia and the Carolinas. The wrestlers look forward to defending their championship at the War on the Shore tournament in mid-January. The varsity swim team will begin its season this month with meets against Loyola and Spalding. The varsity ice hockey team will once again take on DeMatha in the “American Hero’s Hockey Challenge.” This charity game is scheduled for Friday, February 6, and will support the USA Warriors Hockey Program and the Fisher House. Our varsity indoor track team finished third at the Loyola all-schools meet. The indoor team is excited about returning to the Franklin & Marshall New Year’s Invitational on January 10. Each year at this time my husband Kevin questions me about what my resolutions for the New Year will encompass. In years past I bristled at this question. I thought it was better if I did not verbalize my answer. I guessed if I did not tell him or anyone else I would not be held accountable for each failed resolution. Well, this year I have decided to speak one aloud at our New Year's conversation. That way I will probably face the challenge and, more likely, I will succeed. Notice I said I would only share one! So what will be your one resolution that you will strive to keep? Since we are individuals with so many different facets to our complex lives, I will not begin to speculate what will be your resolution for 2015. However, it is always helpful to take a personal inventory to determine what area of one's life needs to improve. Which brings me to the main reason why I am sharing my topic. The school year is approaching the halfway mark! Even though this may be difficult to believe, each student has already determined a large portion of his academic record for this school year. The first quarter, and most of the second quarter, is finished. Also, the first semester exams have been inked! In order for every student to succeed, it is important for him to assess what his efforts thus far have produced. So far have his efforts been exceptional, satisfactory, or mediocre? Based on the answers for each of his courses, what will your son need to do in order to continue his successes, or what must he surely do to ensure improved progress? Can you predict any solutions your son may make regarding his academics in the second semester? One guide that would most certainly aid his development of an academic resolution is to focus on the teacher’s comments listed beside each subject on his upcoming report card. This can be a constructive direction for a determination of his new year's resolution. One major caution: a personal resolution will be more successful if one chooses a resolution for himself. More likely, your parental job is to guide him through the development of a resolution, rather than "telling" him what it is. So what will your resolution(s) be? By the way, mine will be to get back to my three-day-per-week gym schedule as I continue my cardio rehabilitation exercising to benefit my new heart (via transplant one year ago on January 2)! Happy New Year. Congratulations to the following fall athletes: Football Nevone McCrimmon – All MIAA “A” Conference Nick Phelps – All MIAA “A” Conference, “Crab Bowl” Christian Heyward – All MIAA “A” Conference Soccer Nic Crockett – All MIAA “A” Conference Volleyball Brandon Greenway – All MIAA “A” Conference Water Polo Dylan Gwinn – All MIAA “A” Conference All-State Baseball team Congratulations to Andre Brown and Clark Clatchey who where recently named to the Preseason All-State baseball team. Mount Saint Joseph Athletic Honor Roll Recognition of our athletes who excel not only in their sport but also in the classroom is posted in the Smith Center. Please check the MSJ athletic honor roll board. The board will be updated at the end of each marking period as we continue to recognize our scholar athletes. Athletic Department Inclement Weather Policy Mount Saint Joseph High School follows the Baltimore County public schools’ weather policy. If Mount Saint Joseph is closed because of inclement weather, home sporting events for the day will be postponed. For away games, call the sports information line 410-644-3300, ext. 345, or check the website under athletics-announcements. Mr. Chuck Belzner, Director of Guidance IMPORTANT TESTING DATES: The next available SAT and ACT testing dates are listed below. Register at the appropriate website to take the exam. Mount Saint Joseph will host the March SAT Test. Test Test Date SAT Test or SAT Subject Test SAT Test only ACT Test January 24 March 14 February 7 Registration Deadline December 29 February 13 January 9 Late Deadline January 13 March 3 January 16 To register for the SAT exams go to www.collegeboard.com. To register for the ACT exam go to www.actstudent.org Selective Service System: If you are turning 18, you are required by law to register with the Selective Service System. If you fail to register, you can be denied important opportunities like student loans, government jobs and a driver’s license in most states. It is easy and can be done online at www.sss.gov. For more details see Mrs. Mnkande. SENIORS: College Applications: Applications for colleges should be completed immediately. If you are planning to attend a community college next fall, now is the time to start the application process. Acceptances and Scholarships: Sometimes colleges DO NOT advise the Counseling Office of acceptances. As soon as you are notified by the college, you are to inform Mrs. Mnkande. You are to let us know of any scholarship monies you have been awarded. Please bring in a copy of the acceptance and scholarship award letters as soon as possible. FAFSA: The FAFSA may be filed after January 1. An online version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available. Colleges use the FAFSA information to determine if you are eligible to receive money from a federal grant, loan and work study programs, for more information go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. It is strongly advised that your application be filed online. Mid Term Grades: First semester grades will automatically be sent to all colleges where transcripts were submitted. If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Mnkande. Career Day Every other year, Mount Saint Joseph holds a Career Day for our sophomores and juniors. Our next one is scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2015, and we need your help to make it a huge success. This event is an excellent opportunity for our students to explore career options by hearing from people in the field. If you are interested in being a presenter at Career Day 2015, please contact Kevin Shearer in the counseling department for further information and details. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 410-644-3300, ext. 351. Please be sure to include your job title or profession and all contact information in your correspondence, including your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. From the Desk of Mr. Brian Murphy, Dean of Students. . . January Meeting The next Fathers’ Club general meeting will be held on Monday, January 12, at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Our guest speaker will be Mr. Blake Henry, physical education/health class teacher and our varsity football head coach. Please consider joining us for our January meeting. I hope you have had a safe and enjoyable holiday season. As the boys return to school, please be proactive in helping us enforce the rules and regulations at the Mount. Here are a few reminders: 1. Students are to arrive to school already in dress code. Any type (with or without hood/zipper) of sweatshirt/flannel/denim material is not permitted on the academic side of campus. Hats are not to be worn inside the buildings. All outerwear is to be removed inside the classroom, except for v-neck or ¼ zip sweaters. 2. Students who are not clean shaven will be sent to the Director of Students’ Office for a disposable razor and shaving cream to shave immediately. Hair length may not exceed the eyebrows in the front, the earlobes on the side, the collar in the back or one inch above the scalp line. Unconventional hairstyles including any types of coloring, mohawks, and lines/ designs shaved into the head are not permissible. 3. Student cell phones must be off (not on silent/ vibrate) and not visible during school hours. A student may use his phone only with permission from a faculty/staff member. When a student cell phone violation occurs the phone is to be confiscated by a teacher/staff member, brought to the Director of Students’ Office and picked up by the student after he has served JUG. THANK YOU!!! Thanks to all the Fathers’ Club members who pitched in with the Fall Citrus Fruit Drive, especially our chairman for this important project, Bernie Wrisk, and to the Development Office and the Business Office for their special assistance. Thank you too to all the MSJ families, faculty, and staff who thoughtfully supported this fundraiser by purchasing fruit. Proceeds from this event will be used to support projects around campus. I would also like to give a shout out and a special thank you to Mr. Bernd McDivitt, who has been a part of the Fathers' Club for many years. It is dedication like his that makes MSJ the institution it was yesterday and is today. 68th Father-Son Communion Breakfast Mount Saint Joseph High School Sunday, March 22, 2015 10:00 a.m. in the auditorium Mark your calendars now for what promises to be a sellout Father/Son Communion Breakfast. A hearty breakfast and guest speaker will follow Mass. Thank you for your support. I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. January Meeting – The first meeting of the new year will be on Tuesday, January 6, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Dr. Laura Ruby, DNP, CRNP, will be our guest speaker this month. Dr. Ruby is a doctorally prepared nurse practitioner with over twenty-five years of health care experience specializing in the field of endocrinology. Dr. Ruby is known for her visionary approach to women’s health and wellness. She has developed the concept of “Peeling the Onion” to increase women’s awareness of chronic symptoms while offering to help women achieve optimal health and balance. This is a meeting you won’t want to miss!! Basket/Bag Bingo Committee – we would like to thank all of you who supported this event. There are far too many to name. It was a HUGE success! We could not have done it without you! Your generosity was truly appreciated, whether you volunteered your time or provided donations. Our boys are well on their way to a fabulous post-prom party! Fashion Show – OH MY GOSH! The Fashion Show is only two months away!!! It's time to start buying tickets! Tickets will be available at the January and February Mothers' Club meetings. Come one. Come all! Enjoy a lovely afternoon out with your family and friends at Martin's West on Sunday, March 15. Tickets are $50.00 each and can be purchased from Pat Randall, 443-904-0830 or [email protected]. Our 50/50 raffle tickets are available NOW! We need everyone's help to sell them! We are hoping everyone will sell at least 5-10 to help make the 50/50 jackpot even bigger than last year. The 50/50 raffle tickets are $5.00 each. Also, if you see some of our hard-working moms at an MSJ events with tickets in hand, please buy a few and take a few more to sell to family and friends. Please contact Anna Croyle for tickets [email protected] or 410-802-0211. We depend on donations from local businesses and MSJ families and supporters and hope that you might be able to donate a gift card, gift certificate or new item to be used in the raffle baskets. Please be on the lookout for items you think would work in one of our “bountiful baskets” with such themes as: Girls' Night In (wine, candles, chocolate!), spa (bath products and spa/massage certificates), college dorm, garden, kitchen, Maryland theme, fitness, beach, night on the town, Ravens, Orioles and MANY more! In addition, we are committed to putting together a sterling selection of silent auction items so if you have a week or weekend getaway, jewelry, a car (ok, maybe not a car, but how about a bike?!), or other larger items, please contact one of the following: Joy Parson (subcommittee chair 443-829-3550 or [email protected], Angie Moseman 410-530-9879 or [email protected] or Theresa Ballinger 410-461-0595 [email protected]. If you would rather sponsor an ad in our program, please contact Kathy Montemorra for pricing, sizing and placement of the ads [email protected] or 443-370-7614. Any general questions about the Fashion Show, please contact the Fashion Show chair, Mary Scavilla [email protected] or 410-382-0785. Outreach Committee – We would like to thank all those who purchased our limited edition Ladies Jackets. We sold fifty-four jackets and they look great! We continue to have available for purchase Saint Joseph medals, mugs, Christmas ornaments and our new charm bracelets. All items are available in the school book store and at the monthly Mothers’ Club meetings. The proceeds from all items directly benefit My Brother’s Keeper. The Outreach Committee works closely with MBK to assist the residence of the Irvington community. Please continue to donate travel sized toiletry items. These items can be dropped off at any time by you or your son(s) to Thadine Coyne’s office or brought to any monthly Mothers’ Club Meeting. Wounded Warrior Project 4th Annual American Heroes Hockey Challenge Friday, February 6, 2015 7:00 p.m. The Gardens Ice House in Laurel On Friday, February 6, the Mount Saint Joseph and the DeMatha Ice Hockey teams will face off in a friendly match wearing camouflage jerseys. The sponsorships for the American Heroes Hockey Challenge will benefit the Fisher House Foundation. Fisher House is known for its network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. Mount Saint Joseph and DeMatha hockey players and their families are raising money through sponsorships, paid admission, apparel sales, raffles, and a silent auction. Please contact Cynthia Roberts, 410-916-1562, or [email protected] if you have any questions regarding sponsorship of the event. Please remember in your prayers our deceased: Shirley Doyle, grandmother of faculty member Josh Vicchio ’95; Joseph Mengele ’46 father of faculty member Michele Connor and grandfather of sophomore Jacob Skoglin; Dr. Robert Casella, father-in-law of faculty member George Kapusinski; Jonathan Driscoll, step-father of Brendan McGowan ’04, uncle of sophomore Mark McGown, junior Jesse Kotwicki and freshman Jacob Kotwicki; Janet Sisk, grandmother of staff member Amber Borkoski; J. Thomas Hessenauer ’60. Please remember in your prayers our sick: Mary Wiedel, faculty member; Mark Parr ’74; Donna Canuel, wife of MSJ Board member Scott Canuel ’90; Kathy Casella, sister-in-law of faculty member George Kapusinski; Charlie Counselman ’34; Msgr. Art Valenzano; Chuck Payne ’86, father of junior Ryan Payne and freshman Rob Payne; Lisa Roscia, friend of Jonathan Cupps ’14 and David Cupps ’11; Steven Rosier ’03; Ray Leimkuhler, grandfather of sophomore Nick Viennas; John DeBoy ’93; Susan Wathen, mother of sophomore Alex Wathen; Valerie Davis, wife of John Davis ’71; Abigail Hope Evans, granddaughter of faculty member Susan Terranova; Julius Prezelski, Sr., father of faculty member Julius Prezelski; Carolyn and David Belzner, mother and brother of faculty member Chuck Belzner; Jean Wright, grandmother of senior Nevone McCrimmon; John J. Patrick ’99; Sharon Rees, mother of senior Seth Rees; Naamah Kendrick, staff member and grandmother of Chad ’05 and Brandon ’09; Rob Berzonsky, uncle of senior Ryan and junior Michael Slattery; Sue McClure, mother of freshman Zach Warden; Jake Offut son of Joe Offut ’90. Buy Your Bull & Oyster Roast Tickets Today! TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR Join the Mount’s Alumni Association for plenty of great food and fun! Saturday, February 21, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Memorial Gym $55.00 per person prior to February 6 and $60.00 after February 6 **No Refunds** Get your group together and order your tickets today! For tickets, call Laura Rzepkowski at 410-646-4700 or go to www.msjnet.edu/BullRoast. All activities take place on campus unless otherwise Indicated. 18-Sunday 19-Monday Martin Luther King Holiday NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS Martin Luther King Prayer Service/ Breakfast 10:00 am 20-Tuesday Day 3 Third quarter begins Junior Retreat Departs 21-Wednesday Day 4 Junior Retreat Interviews for the class of 2019 3:30 to 8:30 pm 22-Thursday Day 1 Junior Retreat Report Cards Emailed Interviews for the class of 2019 3:30 to 8:30 pm 23-Friday Semester Holiday-Ski Trip NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS 24-Saturday Ski Trip 25-Sunday Ski Trip 26-Monday Day 2 DePaul Parent Meeting JANUARY 2015 1-Thursday thru 4-Sunday Christmas Holiday 5-Monday Day 1 Classes Resume 6-Tuesday Christmas Holiday Day 2 Mothers’ Club Meeting 7:00 pm 7-Wednesday Day 3 2 Hour Late Schedule - Dress Down 8-Thursday Day 4 Junior ring adjustments: Jenkins 7:30 - 8:30 am Jostens 10:00 am - 1:00 pm 9-Friday Day 1 10-Saturday 11-Sunday 12-Monday Day 2 Fathers’ Club Meeting 7:00 pm 13-Tuesday Day 3 14-Wednesday Day 4 Interviews for the class of 2019 3:30 - 8:30 pm 15-Thursday Day 1 Interviews for the class of 2019 3:30 - 8:30 pm Alum. Assn. Bd. Meeting 7:00 pm 16-Friday 17-Saturday Day 2 End of second quarter Assembly for students interested in applying for AP courses for 2015-2016 10:15 am 27-Tuesday Day 3 28-Wednesday Day 4 29-Thursday Day 1 30-Friday Day 2 AP applications due 31-Saturday 7:00 pm
© Copyright 2024