Marist High School
March 2014
Family Newsletter
Stay current with Marist news and events
Letter from the Principal

Dear Marist Families:

 

This Wednesday, March 5 is Ash Wednesday.  The ashes, which come from the burning of the palms from the preceding year, are meant to symbolize humility and our willingness to perform sacrifice.  Our humble sacrifices are meant to imitate the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for us by dying on the cross.  Some of the older ones among us may remember these words being uttered when we received ashes, "Remember man that you are dust and to dust you shall return."  What a stark reminder of our mortality!  Lately, though, the church associates ashes with renewal reminding us, "Repent and believe the good news".  Whatever the symbolism behind the practice or the words that are uttered, may receiving ashes this week give us all a chance to pause, to reflect, and to make space in our lives for God.

 

Tired of this winter weather?  Ready to leave the snow behind?  Well, as I told the students this past Monday morning, let's walk our way right into spring with our Annual Walkathon.  As you know, the students will be gathering support from families and friends in anticipation of their walk on March 28.  Read more about what's required and the prizes involved.  Remember, student fundraisers are just one small way of closing the gap between the tuition and what it actually costs to educate a Marist student.  Encourage your son/daughter to show school pride by "talking up" Marist and doing his/her part to keep costs containable.

 

The biggest news on the horizon is that Marist has begun applying for reaccreditation.  Accreditation is granted in seven-year cycles.  Our last accreditation was granted in the spring of 2008, so it is due to expire in the spring of 2015.  That means that we undergo what is called a year of self-study this year using a protocol called Accreditation for Growth.  During this time, Ms. Barbara Verdonck, our Middle States Internal Coordinator, will lead us through a process that will ultimately lead to the development of two or three action plans that will help move the school forward over the next seven years.  In order to do this, we will be calling upon you, our Marist families, to complete surveys, attend meetings, and share your input.  Your Marist experience is just as important to our information gathering and planning as the Marist experience of our students!  

 

Finally, one initiative we are working on right now is building leadership in our students.  Many of our students are natural leaders, some need coaxing, others skill building.  We are exploring ways to make the teaching of leadership more explicit so that Marist students will have every opportunity to grow in this regard.  Stay tuned for more information in this area!
 

Sincerely,

 

Ms. Miesnik

Academic News

The Metropolitan Museum will be visited by the AP English, CSP, and Studio Art students on Friday, March 21.  Please note that signed permission slips are needed in order to participate.

Model UN will compete in the annual Model UN competition held at St. Peter's University on March 11 and 12.  Mr. Murphy has been working hard to prepare them for this competition all year.  Good luck to all participants!

New England Prep is our SAT preparation program that Marist has used for the last three years. All freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are enrolled in the program.  The Juniors are encouraged to test the benefits of the program when they take the SAT on March 8 and again on June 7.


ACT, an alternative to the SAT, will be given here at Marist on Tuesday, March 18th to all the Juniors. The ACT is a college readiness assessment that is used for High School achievement and College Admissions throughout the United States.  The juniors will be dismissed when the test is over. 

 

Parent/Teacher Conferences: Upon completion of the third quarter, report cards can be picked up at parent/teacher conferences, which will take place on March 27 from 5:00-8:00.  Please plan on attending to confer with your son/daughter's teachers.  This is the last scheduled conference of the school year.  There will be a 1 p.m. dismissal on Friday, March 28.  Know where your child will be! 

 

National Honor Society Candidates:  During the month of March, Ms. Heymer and Ms. Sorbara, the NHS moderators will be notifying Juniors and Sophomores of their eligibility to apply to the National Honor Society based on their current GPA.  The application process is rigorous and requires each student to substantiate service, leadership, and character in addition to a stellar GPA.  We wish all the candidates the best! 

 

Campus Ministry News

Ash Wednesday will be marked on March 5th.   Religion classes will visit the Chapel for Prayer and meditation and receive ashes if they wish. You are most welcome to join us.

Lenten Challenge: Students usually come to the Campus Ministry Office for treats. During Lent the treats will be pretzels, harkening back to the original meaning of pretzels, given to children during Lent as their shape resembled praying arms. In order to get a pretzel, students pick a daily Lenten resolution such as "Be nice to your mother." or "Stay off Facebook for 24 hours!"  Oh the groans that emit from Campus Ministry!... but many students will take the "Lenten Challenge."

Senior Encounter:  Last chance for Seniors to sign up for Encounter...March 27-30! 

 

Junior Leadership Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, March 13th, beginning at 6:30 PM in our gym. While this ceremony used to be known as the "Ring Ceremony," we have reconceived it as a ceremony to mark students moving into the leading role in our school.  As seniors they will be taking on much responsibility for the younger students. Here at Marist we do not haze. Our Seniors are taught to guide and assist the younger students, a responsibility that they take seriously. To this end then, every Junior will receive a pin marking this new role. A parent or special person in the Junior's life presents the pin, and any other memento, family gift or school ring if they choose, joining school and family in commemorating this special time in their lives. Your invitation has been given to your Junior. Family and friends are welcome. A reception follows.  Students should RSVP by March 6th at Campus Ministry.

Junior Leadership Retreat:  Juniors will also have the opportunity to attend a Leadership Retreat for Juniors will take place at the Marist Brothers Retreat House in Esopus, NY. They are in the process of voting if they want an overnight or day retreat.  Permission slips are available at Campus Ministry; cost will be determined by the length of stay. Students will reflect, pray, and discuss the direction of their lives, their new leadership roles, and their relationship with God in the beautiful setting of Esopus. Pictures of Esopus are available on our website as is further information about retreat policies. Permission slips must be returned by March 6th to Campus Ministry.

Guidance News

March SAT's:  March 8th is the date for this month's SAT's.  Many students will be taking them here at Marist.  Parents, please make sure that your student brings his/her admission ticket, the appropriate calculator, two #2 pencils, and school ID.  Doors open at 7:30am.  Also make sure your child has had a good night's sleep, a good breakfast,  and water and a healthy snack for breaks.  Those students who are NOT taking the March SAT's should see their counselor about signing up for either the May or June sitting.  The best way to prepare is to practice, practice, practice.  Use the free resources at www.collegeboard.org  or see Guidance for other tools.

ACT Test for Juniors: On Tuesday, March 18th, all Juniors will be taking the ACT-the alternate standardized test for the SAT.  We encourage all juniors to become familiar with the test by checking www.actstudent.org , where there are free study tools and helpful hints for doing well on the test.  The Guidance Counselors will be talking with juniors in small groups to familiarize them with the website and study tools as well.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact your child's Guidance Counselor.  Juniors will be dismissed after the test.
Junior College Fair:  On Wednesday, March 19th, all Juniors will be attending a college fair at NJCU. Buses will be provided free of charge. This is a great opportunity for Juniors to begin researching college opportunities, meeting college representatives, and exploring available majors. The Guidance Counselors will be going with the Junior class to assist them in this new experience.  Permission forms will be handed out the week before, and will be due back on March 13th.

College Visits:  Junior Parents!!!!  On Friday, February 28th, your students received a list of local colleges who will be hosting their Spring Open Houses in the coming months.  Please consider taking advantage of these events to get your students acquainted with the schools they're interested in, and making their interest known.  Face-to-face connections with schools can make a BIG difference in getting into the school of your choice.  Also, consider taking advantage of upcoming days off to set up an individual visit or being a student-for-a-day at college.  Contact your student's counselor for more details.

Summer Programs:  Now is the time to investigate summer opportunities and have your son/daughter enroll.  All counselors are working with students to apply to programs.  Some are competitive; some have costs attached.  Get started looking for a meaningful way for your son/daughter to spend their summer vacation. If they don't enroll in a summer program, think about volunteering somewhere!

College Acceptance Statistics:

  • Total Number of Seniors: 94
  • Number of students who have applied to one or more colleges: 74
  • Number of students who have been accepted by one or more colleges/universities to date:  40
  • Total amount of scholarship/awards, grants, financial aid offered so far:  $1,510,780
Other News

Class Trips Continue:  The Sophomore trip to Philadelphia was great fun.  Fifteen students attended.  Next stop, Boston for the Juniors, April 27!  Encourage your son/daughter to take advantage of these opportunities.  

Early Dismissal:  A Faculty Meeting will be held from 1:25-2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19. Students will be dismissed at 1:15 that day.  Mark your calendars.  It is important that you know where your son/daughter is on days when we have early dismissal.

Dress Down is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26. Each dressed down student will contribute $1.00. Proceeds will help defray the cost of our Percussion Discussion group.

Activity Period takes place this month, on Wednesday, March 12. Ask your son/daughter what he/she did during Activity Period. Not only does the Activity help students expand their interests and make new friends, but also gives them r�sum� material for college!

Re-registration for the next academic year will begin on March 3. Re-registration papers were sent home via mail. Please make every effort to re-register your son/daughter for next year as soon as possible. This is important for two reasons: (1) It reserves your son's/daughter's place for next year and (2) It enables us to plan better for next year.  Also, all families of returning students must complete the accompanying SMART Tuition form and return it to the Finance Office by March 31.

Annual Walkathon: As you know, there are two mandatory fundraisers each year for students. Monies earned from these fundraisers help us close the gap between tuition and the actual cost per student, so it's extremely important that all students participate. The school Walkathon is a wonderful event and a fun way to raise money.  Students just need to collect a minimum of $70 from friends and family to support their walk.  Permission slips are due March 3.  The money is due by March 26.  We all walk on the 28th.  Dismissal will be at noon.  Questions:  Contact Ms. Abreu at 201- 437-4545 Ext. 215 or [email protected]. Good Luck!

St. Patrick's Day Parades Parades will take place on two consecutive Sunday's, in Jersey City on March 16 and in Bayonne on March 23.  We hope that you will encourage your sons/daughters to participate in these events. 

Parents' Association News
General Update: The revived Marist Parent Association is in its third full year.  So far, their main goal has been fundraising and they've been awesomely successful.  In the first year, they purchased the electronic sign; last year, they paid to have room dimming shades installed in the gym; this year's goal will replace the aged drapery in the school cafeteria!  Hard work pays off! 

Survey to Follow:  The funds that are raised benefit the entire student body.  The efforts of a few have benefited all.  We desperately need to share the work by expanding the pool of volunteers.  A brief survey will help us gather information on how best to serve the needs of Marist Families in this regard.   Please look for that survey at the Parent/Teacher Conferences to be held on Thursday, March 27, 5:00-8:00 p.m.  Don't forget to stop by the survey table!  Your opinion matters!

Next Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 11 at 6:30 in the Marist Cafeteria.  Hope to see you there!

The Vendor Bazaar has been cancelled for the month of March and will resume April 12 from 9am-3pm.  Come, browse, shop. Better yet, volunteer to help. Contact Marist Parent Association President Mark Lenzo at [email protected].

Wrestling Fundraiser is set for Saturday, March 22.  The Marist Parents Association runs the Concession Stand that night and is looking for volunteers.  E-mail Mark Lenzo at [email protected]. 

 

Casino Night:  A date has been set for Saturday, May 3rd. Save the date!! Further information will be released in the April Newsletter.

Athletic News

Winter Season Ends

 

Girls' Basketball finished the regular season with a 17-8 record and is gearing up for the first round of State Playoffs.  Next Game: Tuesday,  March 4th  at St. Joe's Hammonton.

Boys' Basketball finished regular season with a 16-8 record and is getting ready to host the first round playoff game against Timothy Christian.  Next Game: Tuesday, March 4th  vs Timothy Christian @ 7:00 home.

Girls' Bowling finished with an 8- 4 record and finished second in the sectional.  Jessica Li was ranked # 2   and Glenn Anna Abellanna was ranked # 4 in the County King and Queen Tournament.  

Boys' Bowling finished with a 4-8 record. Brandon McAlarney ranked #4  in the County King and Queen Tournament. 

Winter Track attended six meets this year. Dawud Williams came in first place in three meets. Cortland Eady came in fifth in the freshman class. Both Dawud and Cortland are sprinters. Mercy Igiri came in fifth in shotput.

Spring Sports Begin

 

The tryout date is March 7th for Spring Track, Boys' Tennis, Baseball and Softball. Please listen to announcements for start times.

Upcoming Events - March 2014
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
      

1

 

 

2

 

1:00 PM: Medquest Open House

3

4

 

8:30 AM: SPA Breakfast

 

2:50 PM: Faculty Advisory Board Meeting

5

 

Ash Wednesday

6

7

 

10:00 AM: Project Accelerate

 

7:00 PM: Student Council Movie Night

8

 

7:30 AM: SATs

9

10

 

2:45 PM: Spring Sports Pictures

11

 

6:30 PM: Parents' Association Meeting

 

Model UN

12

 

Activity Period - Schedule B

 

Model UN

13

 

6:30 PM: Junior Leadership Ceremony

 

Junior Retreat

14

 

School Holiday - No Classes

 

Junior Retreat

15
16

17

 

 

18

 

Juniors take the ACT

 

3:30 PM: 5th Grade Spelling Bee

19

 

Junior College Fair

 

1:15 Dismissal

 

1:25 PM: Faculty Meeting

 

20

21

 

3rd Marking Period Ends

 

Student Council Open Gym

 

Trip to the Met

22

 

7:00 PM: Wrestling Fundraiser

2324

25

 

2:45 PM: NHS Meeting

26

 

Dress Down for Percussion Discussion

27

 

5:00 PM: Parent/Teacher Conferences

 

Encounter

28

 

Walk-a-Thon

1:00 PM Dismissal

 

Encounter

29

 

Encounter

30

 

Encounter

31




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