September 2014

Dare to Dream!

The theme created by our Campus Life Team (CLT) for the new school year reminds us of the energy, innovation, creativity, enthusiasm, and dedication that is intrinsic to life at Mercy High School. We are all called to Dare to Dream in our education of young women, and we want to highlight some amazing examples for you:

More than 120 members of the Class of 2018 taking on the challenge of Mercy 'til Morning
Twelve brave new international students from China and Russia
New faculty and staff members eager to embrace Mercy
The Class of 1964 who celebrate their 50th Reunion

We invite our parent community to Dare to Dream! In particular, help make our dream a REALITY by participating in our Parent Giving.

MERCY HIGH SCHOOL PARENT GIVING

GOAL: New Theater Seats

Current Giving Amount: $13,500

GOAL: $77,000--100% Participation

Donate today! Pledge $20 per-month or $200.

Donations can be made online or mailed to our business office.

Many thanks to our Parent Community.

All donations are tax deductible.

Sincerely,

Dorothy J. McCrea, Ed.D.

Principal, Mercy High School

3250 Nineteenth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
415.334.9932

In This Issue

Alumnae

Announcements

School News

Upcoming Events

Alumnae

RECONNECT: 2014/2015 Reunions and Events

Class of 1964 (50 Years)

50th Reunion Celebration Luncheon	Date: Time: Location:	Thursday, September 18, 2014 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Spinnaker Restaurant
On Campus Celebration	Date: Time: Location: Coordinator:	Friday, September 19, 2014 12:00 pm Rist Hall, Mercy High School, SF Winnie Kelley

Class of 2004 (10 Years)

Date:
Time:
Location:
Coordinator:

Saturday, November 8, 2014

11:00 am -- 3:00 pm
Rist Hall, Mercy High School, SF
Jasmine Suguitan
Please help us find your classmates:
Naula Barance
Ayn Gilmore
Trina Joy Noriega
Priya Patel
Rafaela Ramirez
Katriz Villar
Email ctouye@mercyhs.org

Class of 2009 (5 Years)

Date:
Time:
Location:
Coordinator:

TBA
TBA
TBA
Sydney Dow

Women's Leadership Conference (Formerly known as "Career Day")

Friday, February 27, 2015
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Rist Hall

All School Reunion

Saturday, May 2, 2015
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
McAuley Pavilion

We are looking for reunion coordinators for the following classes:

Class of 1969 (45 years)
Class of 1979 (35 years)
Class of 1989 (25 years)
Class of 1999 (15 years)

Please take a moment to Update Your Contact Info
.

For more information or if you are interested in organizing your class reunion, please contact the Alumnae Relations office at (415) 334-0525.

	Announcements

	We are proud of our students who made it to the Honor Roll--Spring Semester 2014 The Technology Department recycles used cell phones, laser toner and inkjet cartridges throughout the school year. Please have students drop off items in the Computer Lab, room 319. Proceeds will be used for the 14th Annual WAVTEC (Technology Club) Raffle on Spring Day (May 1st). Help us make the Spring Day raffle a huge success.

School News

MERCY 'TIL MORNING ACHIEVES ITS GOAL

We were thrilled to kick off the new school year with our 2nd annual Mercy 'til Morning orientation for the incoming Class of 2018.

This new and fun way of welcoming our families provides the opportunity for a more successful transition to high school. The key goal of this event is to provide a safe, less intimidating welcome and entry for the freshmen. The students get to learn more about Mercy, its history, and themselves; most importantly, it enables them to establish new friendships that will last for years to come!

The evening was spent engaged in a series of challenges and activities that required teams of students to take pictures, video themselves performing challenges, and participate in scavenger hunts all over the school. By morning we had achieved our goal: an incoming class of students who are well connected to one another, more confident about the first day of school, and excited about being Mercy Skippers and all that they will experience here at Mercy. What more could we ask?

JOINT IN-SERVICE FOR BOTH MERCY HIGH SCHOOLS

On Tuesday, September 9, the faculty and staff of both Mercy High Schools (San Francisco and Burlingame) gathered for an in-service with Sr. �ine O'Connor, RSM. Sr. �ine serves as the Mercy Global Action Coordinator at the United Nations, Mercy International Association. Her presentation began by looking at the context of poverty and the situation of women and children in Ireland in the time of Catherine McAuley. She brought the conversation to our present reality and the particular concerns of the Sisters of Mercy around the world. The in-service offered tools for critical analysis of root causes of poverty and helped the faculty and staff to explore how to continue to educate the young women of both Mercy High Schools about these global realities and how they can make a difference.

DOLCE IN DISNEYLAND

Mercy's award winning Show Choir Dolce performed for Disney Performing Arts On Stage at Disney California Adventure, Disneyland on June 4, 2014. They were led by Laura Flaviani, Mercy High School Choir Director. Dolce also enthusiastically participated in the Disneyland Performing Arts Show Choir Clinic.

CLASS OF 2018 WOMEN IN THE ARTS STUDENTS

(Left to Right) Alexandra Lewis (Saint Philip School), Alyssa Perieff (Laurel School), Kealoha James (Our Lady of Perpetual Help School), Sophia Fulton (Hilldale School), Athena Go (Saint Anne School), and Claire Wiater (Saint Finn Barr School)

This summer, Mercy welcomed six new Women in the Arts (WITA) students to Mercy. These young ladies attended a Summer Art Workshop for two weeks in preparation for entering intermediate level classes in both art and ceramics. The students studied drawing, painting and printmaking with Ms. Mauchly and worked with Ms. Bennett on clay-constructed forms, both hand built and thrown. Many concepts and skills were covered and as a result, the students created some fabulous artwork!

The new 2018 WITA students join 19 other students in this program. They will participate in four artist workshops, visit San Francisco artists' studios, and attend two field trips to the de Young Museum. WITA alumna, Jenni Riccetti '12, will assist them in creating a simple sewing project.

We look forward to working with our newest members of the WITA program and helping them towards future careers in the arts!

DRAMA IN THE CITY -- CATCH IT LIVE!

Cat On a Hot Tin Roof
On Thursday evening, September 3rd, twenty-five students and faculty members Sr. Judy Carle, Ms. Nancy Schaal, Ms. Liz McAninch and Ms. Gabriel Bodenheimer enjoyed front row seats (Tides Theater on Sutter Street holds 95) for a superb production of Tennessee William's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Students began reading the play a few days before and were enthralled to see the feisty production - to witness the plot and character development. In Ms. Bodenheimer's Dramatic Literature class the next day, students engaged in an insightful and involved exchange - words on the page came alive! Students are excited to take advantage of more of the rich dramatic productions offered in the San Francisco Bay Area.

CAMPUS LIFE TEAM MEMBERS BENEFIT FROM LEADERSHIP CAMP

Attendees at National Teen Leadership Program

Standing: Aivy Duong '17, Gabby Jajeh '15, Crystal Tobar '17, Tatiana Gastrock '16, Andrea Garcia '16; Kneeling: Eyra Imperio '16,
Serena Hinh '16, Jeimy Navidad '17

Eight students on the 2014-2015 Campus Life Team (CLT) attended the National Teen Leadership Program Summer 2014 at California State University Sacramento on August 1, 2 and 3 with CLT co-moderator, Ms. Janine Nolfi. For 22 years, the award-winning National Teen Leadership Program (NTLP) has provided leadership camps that motivate and inspire the leader within every teen. NTLP is a certified Presidential Volunteer Service Award organization and awards students for their outstanding achievements for volunteer service. The overnight camp included motivational speakers, leadership exercises, interactive workshops, interviews with business professionals and a recognition ceremony. The program also included a dance, hypnotist show and connections with great teens from all over the U.S.!

MERCY HOSTS ANNUAL LITURGICAL MINISTRY TRAINING DAY

Liturgical Ministry Day

Nearly 90 students from Mercy High School, Archbishop Riordan High School, and Junipero Serra High School began the new school year with an intensive, full-day training in liturgical ministry, held at Mercy on Sunday, August 24. Megan Pryor-Lorentz, Director of the Spiritual Life Center at St. Agnes parish, offered a challenging and thought-provoking keynote address. Participants then selected one of six workshops, all of which led to archdiocesan certification for that particular ministry: Lector, Acolyte, Liturgical Movement, Liturgical Music, Art & Environment, and Eucharistic Minister. A Sunday Eucharistic liturgy, in which the newly trained students had the opportunity to practice their skills, concluded the program. For Colleen Vera Cruz '16, this closing liturgy left a strong impression: "I really loved the Mass at the end. We got to incorporate everything that we learned during the day-everyone was included."

CLUB HOPE FOR TOMORROW MAKES A $2500 DONATION

(L to R): Susan Neff, '73, Captain Teri Barrett, '73, Dominique Sabins, '16, Briana Sabins, '17, Ms. Cindy Ovares and Ms. Tanya Bolshakoff, Club Moderators

Mercy High School's club, Hope for Tomorrow, presented to the Koret Family House a donation in the amount of $2500. Representatives of the club, Dominique Sabins '16 and Briana Sabins '17, along with club moderators, Ms. Cindy Ovares and Ms. Tanya Bolshakoff, were honored to present the donation which was made possible by the efforts of the club members and supporters throughout the 2013-2014 school year. The representatives of the Koret Family House happened to be Mercy alumnae, Susan Neff '73, Director of Development, and Captain Terri Barrett '73, SFPD. The Hope for Tomorrow representatives were greeted with such warmth and hospitality and are very happy to be a partner with Koret Family House!

	Upcoming Events

	September 2014 Friday, September 19 Red Minimum Day September 22-26 Mercy Week Wednesday, September 24: 10:10 am Eucharistic Liturgy in Celebration of Mercy Day and Little Anchor Ceremony Thursday, September 25 Red Minimum Day Friday, September 26 Mercy Play Day, Special Schedule Tuesday, September 30 Photo Make-Up Day October 2014 Monday, October 6: 8 am to 5 pm Junior Retreat ( Mr. Pease's Scripture classes) Tuesday, October 7: 8 am to 5 pm Junior Retreat ( Mr. Qui�onez's Scripture classes) Tuesday, October 7: 6 pm Freshmen/Sophomore Parent Night Wednesday, October 8: 6 pm Parent Guild Meeting Friday, October 10 Red Flip Minimum Day Monday, October 13 Columbus Day Holiday, No Classes Wednesday, October 15 Testing Day, Special Schedule Friday, October 24 Red Flip Minimum Day Saturday, October 25: 10 am Open House Friday, October 31 Happy Halloween November 2014 Monday, November 3: 9:45 am All Souls' Liturgy of the Word Friday, November 7 Red Minimum Day Wednesday, November 12: 6 pm Parent Guild Meeting November 14, 15, 21, 22: 7 pm Fall Play: Kids Called Crazy Wednesday, November 19: 8 am to 4 pm Freshmen Retreat (Foundations of Religious Studies, periods 5, 6, 7) Thursday, November 20: 8 am to 4 pm Freshmen Retreat (Foundations of Religious Studies, periods 1, 4) Saturday, November 22: 10 am to 3 pm Holiday Boutique Tuesday, November 25: 9:45 am to 11:10 am Thanksgiving Eucharistic Liturgy November 26, 27, 28 Thanksgiving Holiday OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 25, 2014 Presentation begins at 10:00 am 3250 Nineteenth Avenue San Francisco, CA 94132 FALL PLAY Kids Called Crazy November 14, 15, 21 and 22 7:00 pm Theatre HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE Saturday, November 22 10:00 am -- 3:00 pm McAuley Pavilion Variety of unique vendors, food for sale, performances by grammar school choirs and Mercy's Dolce, silent auction and raffle WINTER POPS CONCERT We Need A Little Christmas Thursday, December 4, 2014 7:00 pm Theatre Featuring: Mercy Chorus A, Dolce Show Choir, Riordan Men's Glee Club, St. Gabriel School "Crooners" ALL SCHOOL REUNION Saturday, May 2, 2015 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm McAuley Pavilion