October & November 2008
Dear Parents & Students,
The year is off to a great start, with 900 students traveling from over 100 zip codes and 200 parishes! We appreciate your commitment and dedication to Catholic education. May this year be one filled with grace and growth for each of our students.
Important Procedures
This letter at the beginning of the school year is important for highlighting some procedures that our students and parents need to be aware of:
Students should always enter the parking lot through the 63rd Street gate. The gate on 64th Street will be closed at 8:05am after our entire faculty has arrived for school. A dangerous situation is created when students attempt to use these gates while other students are crossing the street to enter the school building.
All students must abide by the “Rules of the Road” in and around the Mount Carmel campus and while traveling to and from school. There will be times when police are stationed in areas where they believe our students are driving recklessly. They will issue tickets when necessary. All students who drive to school must have a parking pass ($25) and should never use the parking lots west of the Metra tracks at the Apostolic Church of God. Our cameras patrol only our parking lots.
No student should ever be left at school after 6:00pm. We do not provide supervision beyond this time, and it is unfair for coaches to wait with their athletes after the activity buses have left.
There is no parking during the school day along Harper Ave., outside the Priory. The street has signs that designate a Tow-Zone.
Mount Carmel Family Directory
The Family Directory of our current Mount Carmel students has been completed and may be accessed on Ed-Line in the Parent Resources Folder beginning Friday, October 10.
Ed-line Information
As you were informed at orientation, Ed-line is a website used by teachers, administrators and staff to provide instant information to parents and students. Hopefully, parents have activated their Ed-line account and are able to check homework assignments daily and grades weekly. In addition, please check Ed-line for updates and changes to the school calendar.
Progress Reports Parent-Teacher Conferences
On Thursday, October 9, 2008, from 2:00pm – 5pm and from 6:00pm – 8:00pm you can come to school to pick up your son’s progress report for the first six weeks. You can also meet with your son’s teachers during that time.
Shadow Day
Any seventh or eighth grader is encouraged to come to Mount Carmel for a shadow day on Monday, October 13, 2008. Many grammar schools are closed that day for the Columbus Day holiday, so we will be in school and welcoming our visitors. Other shadow days can be scheduled in November or December. Please call Mr. Bill Nolan at ext. 265 to schedule an appointment.
Father-Son Night
The Fathers’ Club is sponsoring their annual Father-Son Night on Tuesday, October 14, 2008, in the Student Commons. This event includes dinner with guest speaker Coach Jerry Wainwright from DePaul University. The flyer enclosed must be returned to the school office so that the Fathers’ Club executive board knows how many people will be attending. This is a great opportunity for fathers and sons to spend time together. We appreciate and thank those who will be joining us for a fun evening.
PSAT Exam
All Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors will be taking standardized tests on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, from 8:20am – noon. Seniors will have the day off. An abbreviated lunch menu will be available in the Student Commons before the buses leave that day.
Columbus Day Holiday
Our Columbus Day holiday will be celebrated on Monday, October 20, 2008. School will not be in session and school offices will be closed.
Mothers’ Club
Please look at the MC web site ‘For Parents’ link for information concerning the next meeting of the Mothers’ Club on Wednesday, October 22, 2008. Moms will be hosting a Wine Tasting, where you will be able to order special wines and receive them just in time for holiday hostess gifts or entertaining. Thank you for your support of the Mothers’ Club first bake sale of the year. Please remember to send baked goods and extra money with your son for our second bake sale, which will be Friday, October 31, 2008. Wednesday, November 14, 2008, is the annual Mothers’ Club Holiday Bazaar to be held in the Convocation Center. This is the time to begin your Christmas shopping and share in an evening of fun and food! A flyer is included reminding you of this event.
Fall Play – Out of the Frying Pan
The fall production, Out of the Frying Pan, will be shown to our students during school on Wednesday & Thursday, October 29 & 30, 2008. The public performances will be Friday, October 31 & Saturday, November 1, 2008, beginning at 7:00pm. Please support our performing arts program by attending one of these productions.
Alumni Memorial Mass
The Mount Carmel Alumni Association will have its annual Memorial Mass in the school chapel on Sunday, November 2, 2008, at 10:00am. A light breakfast will follow the Memorial Mass. All our alumni and current families are welcome to attend.
The Big Event XXVII
The 28th anniversary of the BIG EVENT, the annual dinner-dance that benefits the endowment fund, will be celebrated at the Beverly Country Club, Saturday, November 8, 2008, at 6:00pm. Each ticket is $200.00, $100.00 of which goes toward discounting your tuition for the 2008-09 school year. Invitations were mailed to everyone last week; please return your response cards as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Celeste Rupcich at ext 228.
Trimester Exams
With each trimester being 12 weeks, we have reached the halfway point in the first trimester. Exams are scheduled for November 13 & 14. It is never too early for students to prepare for these exams by studying and doing all homework daily.
Open House
If you know any interested 7th or 8th graders, be sure to encourage them and their families to come to Mount Carmel on Sunday, November 16, 2008, 11:00 am – 2:00pm, for our Open House. All activities will begin in the Convocation Center. This is the chance for moms and dads to visit Mount Carmel. I know many of you have attended our Open Houses in the past, helping you make the decision in favor of Mount Carmel for your son. We will also have a special Open House for prospective honor students on Tuesday, November 25, 2008, at 6:00pm. The other opportunity for families to visit us for an Open House will be on Thursday, December 4, 6:00pm - 8:00pm.
Veterans’ Day
We will celebrate the Veterans’ Day holiday on Monday, November 17, 2008, with a day off from school.
In Conclusion
October invites us to reflect on three significant women who are a part of our Carmelite tradition. This month is historically dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who listened to and followed the will of God in her life. The feast of St. Therese of Lisieux will be celebrated on October 1. She was a Carmelite sister who led a simple life of loving God in all things. On October 15, we celebrate the feast of St. Theresa of Avila, the Carmelite mystic who led a reform of the Order in the 16th century. We look to these women of faith as being prayerful people and prophetic disciples to guide us as we continue educating your sons and building character in each of them.
In Carmel,
Fr. Carl J. Markelz, O. Carm.
President / Principal
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