|
|
|
|
|
Pulse of the President
School Safety
MPS president Ed Curtin
As the news of the latest tragic events continues to unfold I am struck with how often school communities have had to endure with such senseless violence. Our hearts go out to all of those whose live are irrevocably changed due to these events. It also serves as a time for all schools, Mercyhurst Prep included, to review plans for providing a safe environment for our students and for our school communities. Please be assured that the MPS administration considers the safety of our students a primary responsibility.
Each school is mandated to have a Crisis Response Plan to address all possible emergency situations and we update our plan often as the latest best practices become available. I must say that while no absolute best plan exists, we learn from each event, ours and others, and remain committed to safety. This past Friday we spent the entire morning of our employee in-service going over the updated Crisis Response manual and on Monday we had a lockdown drill. Interestingly, these were planned weeks prior to the Parkland shooting, as a matter of course for our school. While it is never our intent to unduly alarm students we must also be vigilant in preparing a response to a variety of situations that are always a possibility.
We feel particularly fortunate to be in close proximity to Mercyhurst University and their police force is prepared to respond to any emergency on our campus. The MU department, along with the Erie police department, are able to be at MPS within minutes of a 911 call, which brings great comfort. We have, and continue to have conversations with the experts at MU as to how best to handle emergency situations. Our administration has had multiple conversations with their personnel and has begun planning for a seminar on how to be most effective during lockdowns and evacuations.
As I stated earlier, while no plan is perfect, we continue our efforts to ensure that Mercyhurst Prep is a safe environment. As we continue to do so, please keep us in your prayers.
|
|
MPS Olympics Connection
Elizabeth Fisher Zapolski ’07, Ellen Fisher Sobota ’05, Mary Zapolski ’98, Jane Fisher, Tom Fisher, Joshua Sobota and Steve Zewe
Ryan Zapolski and Elizabeth Fisher Zapolski ‘07
Science department chairperson, Mrs. Jane Fisher, attended the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang (South Korea) with family and friends to see her son-in-law Ryan Zapolski play for the USA mens hockey team. Ryan was the starting goalie.
|
|
|
Golden Apple Award
MPS principal Debbie Laughlin presents Ms. Jelinek with the Golden Apple Award along with student nominator Kathryn DeDionisio.
Pictured here are MPS president Ed Curtin, Dr. Mary Jo Melvin (Edinboro University representative), principal Debbie Laughlin, Jessica Jelinek, Kathryn DeDionisio and WJET representative Lou Baxter.
Congratulations are in order for Jessica Jelinek ‘05, English teacher and alumna from 2005, who was honored with The Golden Apple Award from WJET TV and Edinboro University on Wednesday
Kathryn DeDionisio, a senior in Ms. Jelinek’s World Literature class, nominated her because, “…I believe she should be recognized for her extraordinary teaching skills. She goes above and beyond in not just teaching us the material we must know to pass each essay test, but also about everyday struggles we tend to have as teenagers.”
Ms. Jelinek was also recognized for her many years of service organizing the annual Calamari’s Thanksgiving Dinner with the help of Jay Honard ‘86, Marcie Honard and Rachel Honard ‘11.
The segment will air on JET 24 on March 7.
|
|
|
Confirmed
Three MPS junior students were confirmed Monday evening by Bishop Persico at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. They each chose a sponsor from our MPS family. Congratulations to l to r (front): (Sarah Gdaniec — science teacher), Andrea Fracassi, (Dave Schroeck — art teacher) Mike Krafty; l to r (back): Kevin Janosco, (Fr. Steve Schreiber — chaplain and teacher).
|
|
|
Job Opportunity
|
|
|
Mercy Service Group
Shriners public and donor relations specialist, Micheal Widrig and Morgan Schnars
Seated l to r are MPS juniors: Elizabeth Kuhn, Tori Sandstrom, Lauren Habursky and Tati Yurchak
For its February service project, the Mercy Service Group decided to send valentines to several children’s hospitals to bring smiles to patient’s faces! Beginning with electronic valentines sent to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, this project evolved into students donating time and making valentines for the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the local Shriners Hospital of Erie.
Those participating in the project were led by Elizabeth Kuhn, Morgan Schnars, Tori Sandstrom, Tati Yurchak, and Lauren Habursky. Morgan Schnars personally delivered the valentines to Shriners and was welcomed by Ms. Micheal Widrig, public and donor relations specialist (pictured). Nicole Brugger, social studies teacher, is the advisor for the Mercy Service Group.
|
|
|
Lunar New Year at Pennsylvania International Academy
Students and adults celebrated the Chinese & Vietnamese New Year at a party at PIA last Friday with authentic Chinese food, and games!
The Lunar New Year, which began on February 16 is an important Asian holiday, based on the lunisolar Chinese calendar. The origin of this celebration is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many countries including China, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Mercyhurst Prep celebrated Lunar New Year last week with special lunches, raffles and dress down in red clothing day organized by student government.
|
|
|
Eagle Scout Project
Volunteers preparing 10,000 meals
Hats off to Matt Ahrens ’19, who organized a service project for Rise Against Hunger as part of his Eagle Scout project for St. George Troop 96. The project took place last Saturday in the MPS cafeteria with volunteers packaging dehydrated ingredients into 10,000 individual meals.
Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and aid to the world’s most vulnerable. Their goal is to end hunger by 2030.
|
|
|
Important Note to Parents:
If you are interested in applying for Tuition Aid or Scholarships for your son or daughter, the deadline is fast approaching. They must be submitted by March 1, 2018 in order to be considered. The forms are available on our web site — www.mpslakers.com under Admissions/Scholarship Awards/Grants.
Please note that the scholarship applications can be mailed or dropped off at Mercyhurst Preparatory School.
You Can Have an Immediate Impact on Deserving Students Looking for the Mercy Difference!
This is an exciting time of year for current and potential MPS students as they make hopeful plans to remain or become Lakers in the 2018-2019 school year. For many of these students and their families it is also a very tense time as they try to make their finances work.
Please consider making your annual donation to the Mercyhurst Prep Fund now. The MP Fund is a main source for financial aid and scholarships. Boosting that fund right now could truly make the difference for a family that needs just a little extra assistance to make an MPS education a reality for their child.
If you haven’t made your annual gift yet, please consider doing it now when it can have an immediate impact. If you have already sent a gift, and are able, please consider a second gift to be used immediately.
The quickest way to help a student is to donate online at our secure site: mpslakers.com/mpfund.
Or you can send your donation to:
Mercyhurst Prep Fund
538 E. Grandview Blvd
Erie, PA 16505
Thank you for making a difference in student lives! |
|
|
Athletic News
Girls basketball senior night: l to r: Abby Chermack, Megan Lutterbaugh, Renee Stoicovy and families.
Congratulations to the boys 9th grade basketball team, who finished the season last week with a 38-34 overtime win against rival Cathedral Prep. Great job to the players and coaches.
Congratulations to the girls basketball team, who wrapped up the regular season with a win at home against McDowell on senior night. The girls will open up District 10 play next Wednesday, February 28 against Oil City at a site and time T.B.A.
Good luck to the boys varsity basketball team, who will open up in the District 10 tournament this Friday against Girard at 7:30 p.m. at Fairview High School.
The District 10 swimming championships will be held next week March 2 and 3 at Spire Institute.
At the February 11 regatta in Buffalo, most of our MPS rowers hit their personal records: Gideon Gu ‘19 — 1st place, men’s novice, Brook Talbot ‘19— 2nd place women’s coxswain, Nick Spaulding ‘20 — 2nd place JV men, and Matt Ahrens ‘19 — 4th place senior lightweight men's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
