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September 14, 2016
Parent ENews


                         

All school information

*Mercy Bowl-A-Thon 
Great Job! Currently our students have raised over $24,500, 44% of our $55,000 Goal!! 
Important Bowl-A-Thon Reminder's 

All students are expected to raise a minimum of $75 for the Bowl-A-Thon and turn in their donations by Friday, September 16th. Bowl-A-Thon permission slips, signed by parents, must also be returned by that date. Because this is a school sanctioned activity, students who do not participate are expected to report to school on the day of the event.

Tuesday, September 20th Bel Mateo Bowl 43rd & Olympic, San Mateo 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. Freshmen 10:00 to 11:45 a.m. Sophomores 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Juniors 12:45 to 2:30 p.m. Seniors This is a minimum day for all students. Dismissal for each grade will be at end of class bowling session. Note: any student who is late to Bowlathon will receive a “cut” - not a “tardy”. 

Mercy High School’s Bowl-A-Thon is one of the highlights of the fall semester, thanks to the Student Body Officers (SBOs) who put on an amazing day for all of our Mercy students!  New this year, Mercy has partnered with eTeamSponsor to administer and support the Bowl-A-Thon fundraising efforts ONLINE! eTeamSponsor is an innovating software platform that enables schools,Foundations and non profits to raise funds safely and effectively.

  • Click HERE for Additional Parent\Guardian information about eTeamSponsor 
  • Click HERE for All Bowl-A-Thon information, Head of School message, Instructions, Prizes.

Student Permission slips are Due Now!! Please turn them into the main office ASAP! 
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*September is Attendance Awareness Month!  

As you know from last week’s news, September is Attendance Awareness Month.  Here are a few reasons to make sure that your daughters come to school:

        1. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
        2.  An estimated 5 million to 7.5 million U.S. students miss nearly a month of school each year.
        3.  Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance and standardized scores. That’s just two days a month; it is known as chronic absence.
        4.  The academic impact of missing that much school is the same whether the absences are excused or unexcused.
        5. Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students.

If you’d like more information, go to www.attendanceworks.org

Summer Dittmer
Assistant Head of School for Student Life

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Mercy Scrip Programs
Help support Mercy with your everyday shopping!
Click here for more information
on how to register online with these various sites AmazonSmile, eScrip, TARGET and Office Depot and select Mercy High School Burlingame as your school choice.  Each time you make an eligible purchase, a donation is made to Mercy.

senior parents

The Senior Tri-School Giants Game is Friday, September 16th, and tickets are selling out quickly! For $25, you will meet at Mercy at 5:00p.m., have an amazing night with hundreds of Tri-seniors at the game and return to campus by 11:00p.m.  
Forms are in the main office.  This event has a limited amount of tickets, so act now!

Junior parents

*Junior Parents:  
Kairos Retreat Infomation 

This week, during the junior religion classes, seniors will come and talk to them about the Kairos retreat that they can experience this year.  This is an amazing experience and opportunity for your daughters.  The spaces do fill up quickly so if you wish your daughter to attend, please encourage her to sign up.   The cost of the retreat is $200.00.  To reserve a spot we ask that you pay the entire $200 which is due by Thursday, September 22nd.  The dates for Kairos this year are:  Tuesday, November 8th through Thursday, November 10th.    If you have any questions, please emai Angie Simonetti. 

*Junior Parent College Night is Tuesday, September 27th at 6:30pm in the Great Hall.  We will have a representative from AJ Tutoring and an Admissions Counselor from St. Mary's talk about SAT/ACT testing and what to expect in the college search and application timeline.  


Mercy Parent club (MPc)

Save the dates!

TONIGHT! Head of School Parent Welcome BBQ 
Wed., Sept. 14, 2016 - 6:30PM
Mercy High School, Kohl Mansion
Look for your invitation in the mail this week! 
Click HEREfor invite.  

We need Volunteers for the Welome BBQ!

Please click HERE to sign up to help. Thank you!  


*Mercy Moms’ Mixer
Thurs., Sept. 22, 2016 - 7:00PM
Mercy High School, Kohl Mansion

Click HERE for flyer

 

 


*Mercy Dads’ Get-Together 
Wed., Sept. 28, 2016 - 7:00PM 
Mercy High School, Kohl Mansion

 Click HERE for flyer

 

Athletics


*
Make sure to follow all of our team results as they happen via our athletics twitter page. Mercy Athletics @MercyAthletics

 


*Mercy Athlete of the Week
Freshman Golfer Maya Zeidan
Maya has been low score in each of the team’s first two matches this season. That is quite an accomplishment for a first year player. Maya is very dedicated to the game of golf and works hard to keep improving her skills. Keep up the great work!!!!

 

*If you missed the interest meeting for basketball or soccer, come see Mr. Dougherty so he can explain what the expectations are for each of the sports prior to the start of tryouts. Tryouts for the Winter sports teams will start on Oct 31.

*Softball fall conditioning started today. The team will be gathering on Wednesday and Saturday thru Oct 29. Any girl who is interested in playing and is not signed up, please contact Coach RG in the SBO office.

*If an athlete wanting to play soccer or basketball is not involved in a fall sport, they are expected to participate in our conditioning program on Monday and Wednesday from 4-5pm. Any questions, please come see the AD.

Every athlete must be fully registered in the Appryse system and cleared to play sports before they are placed on a roster. A physical is required to get cleared. You can go onto the Mercy website and go to quicklinks and find the drop down for Appryse. Simply click and start your registration process. Please remember if you are a returning student you still have to re-register.

Any student athlete participating in a sport must turn in both the athlete and guardian contract. If the signed forms by both student and guardian are not turned in, the student will not be allowed to play in any event until they have turned in the paperwork. The forms are available on the Mercy website at https://www.mercyhsb.com/athletics/forms-athletic-qualifications. Click on the link and print the contract after you have read the Handbook.  Completed forms must be returned to the Athletic Director or to the main office.

All student athletes who are currently on a fall sport roster should be purchasing their Crusaderwear gear designed specifically for their respective team. The site to purchase the gear can be found on the Mercy website under Athletics.

Any Parent who is available and/or willing to drive students to games must turn in all the paperwork to the main office in order to be cleared to drive. This would be for your own car or a school van. The form can be downloaded from the Mercy website on the Athletics page.

We have upgraded the 2 elliptical machines and a treadmill machine in the weight room. This is in addition to the purchase of a rowing machine and a couple of exercise bikes for the Grassilli Center weight room. All girls are encouraged to utilize the facility. All girls need to check with the AD office to coordinate times for use.

All results of each team can be found in the Mercy scoreboard-
https://www.mercyhsb.com/athletics/scoreboard-enews

*Click HERE  for the schedule for team events for the upcoming week of September 15-September 21

If you ever have any concerns/comments, please feel free to contact me at anytime. I can be reached at my office at Mercy at 650-762-1107. I am looking forward to a great 2016/17 with Mercy athletics.

Charlie Dougherty
Athletic Director

College Counseling

*IMPORTANT Counselor Letters of Recommendation:  If students have not yet completed the google form here to indicate which counselor will be writing their letter of recommendation, they must do so by Friday 9/16.  Even if they have already spoken with their counselor, they still need to complete this form: https://docs.google.com/a/mercyhsb.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2DElNV0B-7sBO4N5H-g2JaxmiqzDGOZ56N6nhNbQOYSYT-Q/viewform

*Junior Parent College Night is Tuesday, September 27th at 6:30pm in the Great Hall.  We will have a representative from AJ Tutoring and an Admissions Counselor from Saint Mary's College talk about SAT/ACT testing and what to expect in the college search and application timeline.  

*Tri-School Financial Aid Night will be on Wednesday, October 26th at 6:30pm in the Great Hall. This event is intended for senior parents to review important information about how to complete the FAFSA, review the different types of aid available as well as other relevant information. 

*Upcoming Events: Serra will be hosting the Tri-School College Fair on October 19th at 6:30pm.  This event is great for getting more information about different colleges and for meeting college representatives.  Plan to attend!

College visits: This year we will be hosting a number of colleges on campus.  These visits will be posted on Schoology, the parent page of the school website, and the College Visit calendar. It can also be viewed here: https://docs.google.com/a/mercyhsb.com/document/d/1T4-DxBXQt9U8pnLB33vVmUj-qnI7A8oua75y2PjIeQE/edit?usp=sharing.Students will need to give their teacher's one day notice that they will be attending the visit.  Connecting with the college admissions counselors is an important part of the application process. The more these counselors interact with your daughter, the more they will know about them when they read their applications. Please encourage your daughters to attend.  

Register for the fall SAT at www.collegeboard.com.  Students may take any SAT up until the December date for Fall admission.  Be sure to register ASAP.  

Register for the ACT at www.actstudent.org.  

*Naviance: Students need to complete their Senior Autobiography and request their letters of recommendation by September 15th. They can now add their teachers that are writing their letters of recommendation to their Naviance account within the "My Colleges" tab.  Students should also be updating their college lists in Naviance to reflect where they are applying and by which deadlines they plan to submit. If you need any help with this, see Ms. Mahalak!    

Schedule your senior fall meeting with Ms. Mahalak:  Email Ms. Mahalak to schedule your senior fall meeting today!  Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend this meeting.  

Personal Statement Writing Help:  If your daughter is looking for more support with her personal statement writing, please have her check in with Ms. Mahalak. She may also reach out to her English teachers. Ms. Mountain and Ms. Horan are also available to help your daughter's with their personal statements.  It is helpful to have more than one person read and review the personal statements.  

Helpful Links:

service opportunities

*Click HERE for Service Opportunities as posted to students through x2VOL for 2016-17 School Year.

Looking ahead to Service Opportunities sponsored by Mercy High School. Click HERE 2016-17 for dates and times.

If you have any questions about service opportunities please contact Mr. Diaz at pdiaz@mercyhsb.com

Education travel

Wanna throw a shrimp on the barbie??? Fancy petting a koala??? How about boxing with a kangaroo??? Just kidding with the boxing! 

This summer the Visual and Performing Arts department will be traveling down under. We will begin our 15 day journey with stops in both New Zealand and Australia. 

For more information visit our website at: www.eftours.com/1812821vb  or contact Mr. Ferguson at gferguson@mercyhsb.com for more information.



Iceland is calling.  We are still trying to secure our school trip to Iceland.  

It is 5 days and 4 nights. The departure date will be Saturday April 15th, 2017. The price is about $2400 per student. This includes air, lodging, meals, transportation and much more! This is not just a sightseeing tour (although there is a chance you will witness the Aurora Borealis!) We pride ourselves on the STEM aspects of this trip such as geothermal and hydroelectric energy, geography, geology, earth science, volcanology and history.

Please take a moment to check out the details. This link will take you to the detailed itinerary, power point and a short video:http://visionsineducation.co.uk/stem-discovery/fire-ice-iceland/

If you are interested, please contact Pat Bradley at pbradley@mercyhsb.com.  We will need to secure spots ASAP with a $200 deposit.  This is open to all grade levels!
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Science Research Opportunity through 
Ecology Project International
Join us for a trip to the Galapagos Islands to explore their unique biodiversity!  There's no better laboratory for conservation and biology field studies! From the waters teeming with species found only here, to the highlands inhabited by giant tortoises, you'll work to understand and protect this fragile ecosystem.  We will be working behind the scenes at the Darwin Research Center, collecting data on the baby tortoises, snorkeling around various islands, and helping to clear out invasive species. Students will receive 20 core service hours.  The trip will be from July 10 – 21, 2017. Details can be found by clicking HERE.  Parents and alums are welcome to attend!  Please contact Jennifer Lambdin,jlambdin@mercyhsb.com, if you have questions. Here are some photos from our 2012 trip!

cafeteria specials

Lunch Order Form - to save time, students may fill out this form and drop off at the Cafeteria in the morning. Please Visit the cafeteria for our daily salad selections

Thursday, 9/15: Chicken or Cheese Enchiladas

Friday, 9/16: Clam Chowder or Vegitarian Chili Bread Bowl

*NEXT WEEK's Menu Sep 20-Sept. 22

Monday: Lets Talk about that Asian Chicken Wrap:( New Item) Rotisserie Style Teriyaki Shredded Chicken, wrapped in a steamed rice lined Tortilla, Our blend of cabbages shredded carrots, cilantro, green onions and Lettuce, Dressed in our own Asian Dressing

Tuesday: NO SCHOOL - Bowl-A-Thon

Wednesday:  Chicken and Broccoli Bake Sub  Chunks of tender chicken breast with broccoli florets in a rich white sauce , stuffed in a French Roll Boat style and topped with melted cheese New item

Thursday:  All Beef Taquitos  Fresh 92%/8% Mexican seasoned ground beef, rolled in flour tortillas and baked to perfect crispiness.  Served with Spanish Rice and shredded salad blend with Queso Fresco cheese...options of Salsa, Sour Cream and Guacamole will be available to you as well.

Friday: MERCY DAY BBQ!!!  

Don't forget to check out our daily changing selection of gourmet salads and surprises.Are You Vegan or Vegetarian??? Please come talk to us in the morning to customize your lunch

Gluten Free??? Have no fear...we will make you that perfect Sandwich or an incredible Salad...In case our lunch special does not fit your diet!!!

Upcoming Events

Wedneday, September 14
Welcome BBQ for Parents
6:30-8:30pm

Friday, Sept. 16
Senior Night @ Giants Game
5:00pm-10:00pm

Thursday, September 22
MPC Mercy Moms' Mixer
7:00-9:00pm

Wednesday, September 28
MPC Mercy Dads' Night 
7:00-9:00pm 

 

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