Friday Focus Newsletter

Hope.

I believe that in a Catholic education, hope plays a deeply significant role, shaping both the academic and spiritual experiences of our students. We know that at Marian Central our education is rooted in our faith, and we understand that hope is a core Christian virtue that aligns closely with the values we teach. We emphasize the importance of trusting in God’s plan for every student and that God is always present, guiding and supporting each of us through life’s challenges. We believe that this will lead our students to focus on eternal life and the hope of salvation.

Hope will encourage our students to approach their studies and personal growth with optimism and resilience. When faced with an academic or personal challenge, our students are reminded to persevere, trusting that their efforts will lead to progress and success and with this mindset, it can help students see that their potential is limitless. This is why, I feel strongly, that our teachers and staff must act as role models of hope, offering guidance, encouragement, and inspiration that will help students believe in their own abilities and in a bright future.

We know that a Catholic education will instill in students the hope that they can make a difference in the world, grounded in the teachings of Christ and that their faith and service to others gives students hope in the positive impact they can have on their communities and the world at large. As a Catholic educational institution it is taught that hope is closely linked to forgiveness and redemption. Our students are taught that, no matter how many mistakes they may make, they can always turn to God for forgiveness and find hope in the opportunity to start anew.

As you may be able to tell, hope is interwoven in Marian’s mission statement, as we work to nurture students’ spiritual, emotional, and academic growth. Hope is one of the most powerful forces in education as it encourages perseverance, fosters resilience, and provides a sense of purpose and belonging, helping students to face life’s challenges with faith and optimism.

Mike Shukis

Course selections for the 25-26 school year will be made by our current students between Monday, February 3 - Friday, February 21 on PlusPortals. All of the information you and your student need to navigate the online course selection process is available on our website at: https://www.marian.com/academics/curriculum-guide/.

Parents, it is critical that you play an active role in this process by discussing and reviewing your student's course selections. It will be helpful to have your student fill out the grade-specific Course Selection Worksheet before they select their courses online. The counselors are available for you and your students to assist in this process, as needed. Please contact Mr. Fearn (afearn@marian.com) for current freshmen and juniors and Mrs. Hilton (khilton@marian.com) for current sophomores.

Online Course Registration Timeline:

Week of 1/27/25

Mrs. Hilton, Mr. Fearn and the mentors reviewed the course selection and online course registration process with current students during Advisory

Monday, February 3 - Friday, February 21

Online Course Registration open for students in PlusPortals

Monday, March 3

Tentative Course Selection Verification Forms mailed - if a student wishes to adjust his/her course selections after this mailing, they should bring in that form with the change indicated and a parent signature

Friday, March 21

Course Recommendation Forms due - for students who were not initially recommended for a course OR for students who did not meet the prerequisites for a course

Last day to change course selections (after 3/21 there will be a $30 fee to change courses)

Deadline to pay Advanced Placement (AP) course fees

All juniors and seniors may attend these visits. Students must receive permission from their teachers to attend each visit and must sign up for all visits in SCOIR.

Tuesday 2/25: McHenry County College-4th Period

Thursday 2/27: University of Nebraska-Lincoln-8th Period

Marian Central is an official site for the national ACT test on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Our Guidance department strongly encourages all juniors to register ASAP to retake the ACT in April. The deadline to register is Friday, February 28. All juniors created a MyACT account just prior to our October 2024 test date. They should log in there and register for the April test date. Be sure to indicate that they wish to take the “paper and pencil” version and not the “digital” version of the test or Marian Central will not come up as an option for a test site.

ACT reports that over half (56%) of the students who retest improve their composite score. We want all of our students to achieve the best score they can in order to maximize both college admission opportunities as well as earn the highest merit scholarships possible.

Marian Central English and Math teachers will be doing some work with the juniors to help them prepare for the spring ACT. If your student could benefit from 1:1 support preparing for the test or just needs some additional resources, please check out the ACT website and the Guidance website for a variety of ACT test preparation options.

If you have any questions regarding test preparation or registration, please contact Mr. Fearn, junior counselor, at Marian at 815-338-4220, ext. 122 or afearn@marian.com.

The winter dance is rescheduled to Saturday, March 1st. All previously purchased tickets will remain valid for the new date. If you were not able to attend the original date, but now you can attend, please contact the office to purchase a ticket for the new date.

Wed, Mar 12 – Late Start

Mon, Mar 24 – Fri Mar 28 – Spring Break
Mon, Mar 24 - Thurs, Mar 27 - Office Open 9:00 am - 1:00 pm; Fri, Mar 28 - Office Closed

Mon, Mar 31 – Classes Resume