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9 December 2019
Dear Families,
This Sunday, the second in this season of Advent, we read the selection from the Prophet Isaiah (11: 1 – 10), which foreshadows the coming of first John the Baptist, then Jesus of Nazareth:
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
Isaiah continues, describing a world we would love, knowing full well that the limitations of humanity and our reality would prevent it:
Then the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them;
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest;
The lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adders
lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be
filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.
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On Thursday, December 12, Sisters of Mercy worldwide will celebrate Foundation Day, recognizing the day that Catherine McAuley, Mary Ann Doyle, and Elizabeth Harley professed vows as the first Sisters of Mercy, beginning the religious community that we know today. At Mercy High School, we will celebrate the day in an assembly, and we will celebrate three alumnae for their life as Women of Mercy.
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Now that winter is approaching, it is a good time to review our policy for inclement weather. On the first two occasions that school closes due to inclement weather, we enjoy the respite that nature allows. After the first two closures, we proceed with online learning.
Program Guidelines:
The plan will be activated via the Mercy High School web site and/or PlusPortals. Two school days can be used for inclement weather or other emergency. Thereafter, all students should expect to continue academic progress via online learning.
Student Responsibilities:
Online school is a unique opportunity for students to continue their learning during what might otherwise have been a disruption and also to have an online experience – one that they will certainly have as they move through their higher education. Each lesson is designed to be meaningful, purposeful, and to hold each student accountable for her work.
- Assignments each day away from school will be posted by 10 am on PlusPortals. All due dates/times will be listed in the assignment. Many assignments will be posted sooner than
10 am, so students are encouraged to log-in early.
- If a student is ill and cannot complete the online work at home, the parent(s)/guardian(s) needs to call the school attendance line, just as on a regular day. That student will be recorded as absent for the day and she will need to work with her teachers to make up all work, just as she would for a regular absence.
- Student work will be approximately 50 minutes per class, excluding homework and preparation for class. This time may vary for different learning styles.
- Teachers will be available for questions via email until 3 pm, but may be available beyond this time if they are able to do so.
- Teachers may use a variety of communication tools they have already used in class, such as FaceTime, Skype, online videos, Keynotes, PowerPoint, GoogleDocs, Dropbox, or others. These will be included in the teacher directions and communication, and linked from email or PlusPortals.
- If a student’s power or Internet connection is down, the student will report this to the principal on the day she returns to school, accompanied by a note from the parent or guardian. Mercy High School will handle this on a case-by-case basis.
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Congratulations to juniors Rosiejo Genzola and Natalie Vancura, who, as Pinkard Scholars, have earned three college credits from St. Mary’s Seminary and University for their participation in the Scholars Program. They were honored at St. Mary’s at a celebration last Wednesday evening.
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This Friday, all students in Women in Technology will travel to Annapolis to visit the software company Asymmetrik. Students will meet with Chief Technology Officer and co-founder, Amit Singh, who will describe the company’s mission and give a tour of the office. The students will attend a panel led by women at Asymmetrik who will relay their career experience and answer questions. To wrap up, the students have been invited to stay for lunch and informally meet more of the women in the office.
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The Winter Concert, featuring the Madrigals and Ensemble Players, will be held on Thursday evening, December 19 at 7:30 pm. Please join our community to support our choral and instrumental musicians for their Christmas performance. There will also be special performances by The Piano Quartet, The Dance Troupe, and The Apprentice Dance Company. School will be dismissed on Friday, December 20 at 3:10 pm, beginning Christmas vacation. Classes will resume on Monday, January 6.
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Finally . . .
Pondering the possibility of the calf and the young lion browsing together, with a little child to guide them, we can appreciate the miracle that brought Jesus to humanity, as a child, born in the most dire of circumstances. For that, we are preparing now. I wish you the best as you ready yourself and your family for this holiday season!
All the best,
Jeanne A. Blakeslee
Principal
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