MMA Weekly • October 31, 2021 The MMA Weekly covers important announcements, the school calendar, and other co-curricular updates. Since the calendar is subject to occasional adjustments, please be sure to visit the calendar on the MyMMA platform or check the live calendar on our website.
Do you have a great photo that showcases a great "Merion moment"? If so, please email your photo to Kristina Cawley at kcawley@merion-mercy.com. Head of School Dear Merion Mercy Community,
"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble." —William Shakespeare
As our English teachers will tell you, this rhyming couplet from Macbeth is one of the most quoted lines of the Shakespeare canon. Chanted by the supernatural three witches, these lines conjure up thoughts of the Halloween season for me. But, do you know what else feels a lot like Halloween to me? Weenie Roast!
What a treat it was to enjoy this fun MMA tradition on Friday! Each advisory group put together a skit based on a decade in history—freshmen rocked around the clock to the '50s and were stoked for the '60s; sophomores got their groove on with the '70s; juniors marveled as millennials of the '00s; and seniors took on the tubular '80s.
Warm regards, Announcements Join Us for Puffs
Merion Mercy Music Theater (MMMT) is proud to present Puffs.
Written by Matt Cox, Puffs is a comedic retelling of the Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling.
Show dates are November 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. and November 7 at 2 p.m.
Click here to purchase your tickets now!
Calendar Update
The Sophomore Retreat has been moved from November 30, 2021 to February 24, 2022. Academics Interim 1
If you have not done so already, please review the email here on academic updates and the Interim 1 grading period that was sent from Ms. Prucnal on Friday. Student Life Weenie Roast
This past Friday we enjoyed a beloved Merion tradition: Weenie Roast! Weenie Roast involves each advisory group creating a skit and performing it in front of the community; judges crown the best skit in each grade level! The goal is simply to laugh together and spend time with each other. In case you want to revisit the laughter, please feel free to watch the video from the Office of Student Life, which definitely pales in comparison to our students' creativity!
Community Space
Community Space this past week involved preparation for Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican celebration that honors our deceased relatives. In advisory this coming Tuesday, students will be invited to participate in creating altar flowers for our very own Merion "ofrenda," on display in our Language hallway. Our Language Department has been busy this October, with Spanish Language Week earlier in the month and French Language Week festivities beginning this coming week!
Uniforms and Dress Code
Beginning tomorrow, Monday, November 1, the winter uniform will go into effect. As we welcome the arrival of colder weather, please prepare for this change in the school dress code. Click here for more information on uniforms. We recognize that FlynnO'Hara may still be experiencing delays with uniforms so if you are having any trouble securing the winter uniform, then please contact Dean of Students Olivia Sharkey at osharkey@merion-mercy.com.
As alternatives to tights, students may also wear fleece-lined tights or solid, label-less, navy blue leggings. If you are curious as to where you can purchase fleece-lined tights, please visit Amazon. If you are curious as to where you can purchase plain, label-less, solid, navy blue leggings, please visit either our school store's website, FlynnO'Hara, or Amazon. These are not the only places where plain, label-less navy blue leggings are available, but they are an option should you like one. The only acceptable "label" on the leggings is the MMA logo, should you purchase them from the school store's website.
It is important to note what is expected of the leggings:
As noted before, students have been informed that sweatshirts, sweatpants, and sneakers are not acceptable dress code items during the school day.
Athletes are able to change into their game day attire during this lunch period. No student should be coming to school in athletic attire.
Welcome
Student Life would like to welcome Mrs. Ashley Opalka Halpern, who is the new, full-time Administrative Assistant to Student Life. Mrs. Aimee Quinn was kindly serving as the interim during the hiring process. Mrs. Opalka Halpern will be the primary contact for attendance concerns—please send attendance notifications to attendance@merion-mercy.com. A gentle reminder that a guardian needs to inform the school of their student's absence, late arrival, early dismissal, etc.—due to liability purposes, the school cannot simply accept that notice from the student directly. Thank you for complying with that policy so that we can best care for your student. Ministry Parent and Caregiver First Thursday Prayer Gathering
All parents and caregivers are invited to join with other Merion Mercy Academy parents and caregivers in the Divine Mercy Chapel on the second floor of the school building the first Thursday of each month from 8:30-9 a.m. to pray for our school and students.
There will be a Zoom option for parents to pray with us from their commutes, their desks, or wherever they might be.
Our next gathering will be this coming Thursday, November 4, at 8:30 a.m.; followed by December 2.
Dates for the 2022 gatherings will be published before Christmas break.
We are so looking forward to praying as a community of parents and caregivers for Merion and for all the extraordinary young women who grace these halls.
If you have any questions or wish to join us, please email Sister Danielle Gagnon, RSM in the Ministry Office at dgagnon@merion-mercy.com. Please indicate if you are planning to attend or would like me to send you a Zoom link. Zoom links will go out the morning of the gathering.
November Remembrances
November is traditionally the month in the Catholic Church dedicated to the Holy Souls, starting November 2 with the Feast of All Souls. We would like to invite you to join us in remembering the deceased relatives and friends who are important in your life.
Please submit your list here. Those for whom you ask remembrance are an important part of the Mercy community. All of the names we receive will be placed on the altar in our Student Chapel, and your loved ones will be remembered in the prayers of our school community. Health Center Vaccination Status
If a student has been vaccinated and you have not notified the School Nurse, please make sure to inform the School Nurse by clicking here. College Counseling Event for Parents/Caregivers of Juniors
Please joins us for "Coffee with the Counselors" on November 4 from 8 a.m.-8:45 a.m. in the Faculty Dining Room. Please register for this event using the link sent in the email from MJ Greene.
Event for Parents/Caregivers of Freshmen and Sophomores
Save the date for "Roadmap to College" on November 17 from 7–8 p.m. in the Gym. Registration information will follow in an email closer to the date. Athletics National Signing Day
The Athletics Department will be hosting their "National Signing Day" celebration on Wednesday, November 10 and invite the Merion community, as we honor our young women who have made the decision to further their athletic careers and participate in collegiate athletics. We are excited to celebrate their commitment to their future school and their dedication to Merion Mercy Athletics over their high school careers.
This celebration will take place right after school at 3:15 PM on the 10th in the Dining Commons on campus. All of our guests should use the back door (the entrance facing Meetinghouse Rd.) to enter the building. Masks are required to be worn inside the school.
We currently have nine young women committed (and more to come!):
If you will make your decision by Signing Day, please reach out to Shannon Fisher, our Director of Athletics, at sfisher@merion-mercy.com, so we can ensure that you are included in our celebration.
Postseason Updates
Cross Country: Claudia Campisciano '22 and Marianne Cheely '23 finished in the top 10 in Districts and and qualified for States.
Field Hockey: The field hockey team triumphed over Radnor and will advance to the next round of the District tournament, which is on Tuesday (11/2). They are headed to Villa Maria for a 4 p.m. game.
Tennis: Ashley Gomes '24 will be competing in the PIAA 2A Singles Tennis State Championship. The first round is Friday (11/5) at 12 noon in Hershey. (Quarter finals-Friday at 7 p.m.; Semi finals - Saturday at 10:30 a.m.; Finals-Saturday at 3:30 p.m.) Parents Association General Meeting
We hope you will join us for a general meeting for all parents and caregivers this Wednesday evening, November 3, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The link will be sent by email that morning. We have invited three new administrators who are key to the student experience to speak briefly: Director of DEIB Rebekah Adens, Ministry Director Sister Danielle Gagnon, RSM, and Dean of Students Olivia Sharkey. We will also share some information about Sip 'n Bid, as many of our parents have not yet had an opportunity to join us in person for this festive social fundraiser. We're looking forward to an informational meeting!
Let Us Know What Interests You
We invite you to fill out a general survey here to help inform our planning of programs and events. Let us know what kinds of events draw your interest and what kinds of activities, workshops, or information sessions you'd like to see! Please complete the survey by next Friday, November 5.
Sip 'n Bid Highlights
Sip 'n Bid is less than a month away, so be sure to RSVP right away! We've been looking forward to an in-person event for a while now, and this festive fundraiser will not disappoint! The evening will feature a cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres and open bar, both silent and live auctions, and a sit-down dinner with three menu choices. Seating is at tables of eight, and we are happy to take full (or partial) table requests or seat you with other "grade-level" parents. (If you're RSVPing online, please email auction@merion-mercy.com with your seating preferences/requests.)
Please remember that we need your support to make Sip 'n Bid a success! We are still in need of auction items, large and small, so please check the Sip 'n Bid webpage for details on suggested items, our Amazon Wish List, our donation form and our underwriting and sponsorship form. Many of our sports teams and neighborhood families are gathering together to donate items; please know that we appreciate your generosity and do not expect you to donate to multiple groups if asked.
We count on your volunteer support as well to ensure a successful evening. If you have already volunteered to help with Sip 'n Bid, thank you! If you'd like to join the fun and get involved, please email auction@merion-mercy.com. Spirit Shop Spirit Shop News
Navy blue leggings have arrived! If you placed a pre-order, your leggings will be available for pickup by your daughter at the Spirit Shop during lunch codes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you have not placed a pre-order but are interested, you may order here with coupon code LEGGINGS for a 15% discount off the $30 price (through December 1). Choose pickup at checkout to have your order ready for your daughter at school.
We have just received a small supply of clip-on, retractable lanyards for girls who prefer not to wear one around their neck. They are $5 and may be ordered online or in person during regular shopping hours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Stay tuned for new sweatshirts and Christmas gifts coming soon!
Can you volunteer in the Spirit Shop? We are hoping to open daily in December as we count down to Christmas, so we invite you to view the schedule and sign up here. Questions? Contact Mrs. Debbie Bevilacqua at dbevilacqua@merion-mercy.com. Development Recent News & Happenings Ministry Team Wins Moulton Student Global Citizen Grant from the National Coalition of Girls Schools Calendar Thursday - November 4, 2021 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Divine Mercy Chapel, 2nd Floor of School Building |