From the Desk of Mrs. Kelly Hilton
What a blur this year has been! I am finding it so hard to believe that the 2024-2025 school year is ending. Certainly, there are some bittersweet, emotional moments to come as we celebrate the amazing achievements of our seniors at Honors Day, the Baccalaureate Mass and Graduation. These events always bring excitement and tears as we’ll dearly miss them but only wish them the best as they embark on this next chapter in their lives.
As always, the show must go on, so for our returning students/parents here are just a few of the “save the dates” and ways we’ll be connecting with your students in the counseling department at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year:
College Essay Writing Workshop: August 4 – August 7
- This workshop will help rising seniors get a head start on their Common App essay and college supplementals
College Application Night: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
- This program will outline the logistics of applying to college as a Marian Central student
- All seniors and their parents are strongly encouraged to attend
Senior Post-Secondary Meetings: August – September 2025
- Mr. Wochner, College Counselor, will meet with each senior to go over the college application process, what is needed for each school they plan to apply to, whether they will apply test-optional or not, and ensure that they know about the application deadlines that they must meet
Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Class Guidance Chats: Month of September during Advisory
- Mrs. Hilton, Freshmen/Junior Counselor, and Mr. Fearn, Sophomore/Senior Counselor, will share tips for success at Marian at each grade level, talk about using the SCOIR career/college planning tool, and the upcoming PreACT8/9, PreACT, and PSAT tests
Please stay tuned to future editions of the Friday Focus for more information on these and many more exciting, informative events that we have planned for next year!
Again, on behalf of the entire counseling team we’d like to wish our seniors all the best as they embark on their future endeavors! In addition, we wish our incoming freshmen the best as they finish their 8th grade year strong. We can’t wait for them to join the Marian Central family!
Kelly Hilton
Girls' Track Team Members Heading to STATE!
I would like to share a few highlights about the Girls’ Sectional Track and Field Meet, which took place last night at Lena-Winslow. Shaw Media mentioned us in an article to showcase our State Qualifiers but there’s so much more to say about this meet. Things that go beyond what the article mentions and truly highlight the resilience and strength of our girls' team.
Take Addie Leitzen, for example. As the article notes, she qualified for STATE in four events—an incredible feat for any athlete, but especially rare for a team as small as ours. Even more impressive? She’s only a freshman. Addie not only qualified for STATE in Triple Jump—she won the event, taking first place in dominant fashion. Her previous state-qualifying mark of 10.33 meters would have been enough to win the event on its own, and in fact, 4 out of her 5 jumps were strong enough to secure first place. That level of consistency and athleticism at such a young age is simply remarkable. With three more years ahead of her, the potential she holds is astounding. By the time she’s a senior, she’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.
Kaitlyn Remke qualified for STATE in two events: the 300m Hurdles and the 4x100. She was on track to qualify in a third—the 4x400—but selflessly stepped aside at the last minute, subbing in her younger sister, freshman Lainey Remke, due to a minor injury. Despite not being at full strength, Kaitlyn still ran both of her events at a slower-than-usual pace—and still qualified for STATE in each one! Kaitlyn will be subbing back in for the 4x400 down at STATE next week.
And here’s the kicker: track and field isn’t even her main sport. Kaitlyn will be continuing her athletic career in college playing tennis. So if you think she’s impressive on the track, just wait until you hear about what she’s accomplished on the court!
One final point worth highlighting: freshman Lainey Remke was asked to do the unthinkable—step in for her older sister Kaitlyn in the 4x400 at the very last second. It was, without question, a gamble. While Lainey is a 400 runner, she doesn’t yet have the experience of the seasoned athletes on our 4x4 squad. And with a race as unpredictable as the 4x4, anything can happen in just one lap around the track. Lainey took a more cautious pace on the opening leg, which meant the rest of the team—Kalia Parris, Jenna Remke (the third talented sister in this incredible family), and Addie Leitzen—had to dig even deeper to make up the difference.
To make things even more challenging, this was the final race of the night, and our girls were running on tired legs, after already competing in multiple events in excessive heat and gusty winds. Yet, despite all these obstacles, they still managed to pull off a STATE-qualifying time in the 4x4.
We couldn’t be prouder of their heart, grit, and teamwork—and we are thrilled to be sending five phenomenal athletes to Eastern next week. We can’t wait to see what milestones they’ll achieve next!
Emily D'Antonio
Head Track Coach
Uniform Giveaway and Used Book Sale
Our National Honor Society will be hosting a Uniform Giveaway and Used Book Sale on Wednesday, June 18th from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Cafeteria.
Uniform Giveaway
Donated, gently-used uniform pieces will be available to those interested in building their wardrobe. These items are available at no charge on a first-come, first-served basis to all families.
Used Book Sale
A limited supply of used textbooks will be available for purchase. Please note that the available books for purchase are only those that were donated this year; therefore, books might not be available for every class.
If you have books or uniforms to donate, please bring them to the office prior to June 17th so that they can be included in the event.
Lunch Accounts - Seniors
If you have a sibling attending Marian, the balance will be transferred to your sibling's lunch account.
If you do not have a sibling at Marian, your balance will be refunded and can be found in the envelope you receive at Graduation.
Honors Day and Graduation Live Stream
We are happy to be able to offer a live stream to our upcoming Honors Day and Graduation events. Please use the links below to view these events if you are unable to attend.
Monday, May 19, 2025 at 9:00 am
Friday, May 23, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Uniform Update for Parents & Students
We are officially discontinuing the black fleece as part of the school uniform. Going forward, students now have the option to wear a red or blue fleece, which can be purchased from our new uniform provider: uniformoutletinc.com. Just as a reminder our group login is 60098.
We’re excited about the updated look and confident the new fleece will keep students comfortable while keeping our school style consistent.
Thanks for your support as we make this simple switch!
Sincerely,
Benjamin Winkelman
Final Transcripts – Class of 2025
For the members of the Class of 2025 who will be attending either a two-year or four-year school next year, we will be sending final transcripts in early June. Should your son or daughter change their plans over the summer, please let Mr. Wochner (swochner@marian.com) or Mrs. Diamond (jdiamond@marian.com) know right away so a new final transcript can be sent to where they will be attending.
If you have any questions about final transcripts, please contact Guidance at 815-338-4220 ext. 115.
Fine Arts Boosters News
Did you know that Marian Central has a Fine Arts Boosters Association? If you are interested in joining, please reach out to Mr. Ossler for more information. In the meantime, click the link below to view their May newsletter.
Device Collection
ALL students must return their Marian issued laptops at the end of each school year. Every summer, the school performs regularly scheduled updates and maintenance on all student devices. These devices will then be redistributed to all registered 2025-26 students.
Please click the document below for additional details.
