Dear Royals Family,
We have now arrived at the end of 'week two' of our school year and I hope you and your student are feeling relatively secure in our e-learning program. As we look forward to September there are some very important topics that we would like to get your feedback on and which will provide our school with critical data as move into the fall. This will come in the form of a survey and returning a complete survey will count as an hour of MCP Parent Service Hours for this year. I thank you, in advance for your engagement and please be on the lookout for this Parent Survey arriving in an email next week.
We are well pleased with the launch of school but as we settle into these new routines we are watching out for the mental and emotional health of our students. MCP is invested in this vital aspect of our Catholic, college prep student experience and there is a highly engaged and professional team of MCP staff who are here to address the diverse needs of our student population. Each class, freshman through senior, has a primary contact for these needs, but we also believe in a team approach to student advocacy and every member of this group will contribute significantly to a student’s success in their time at MCP.
The MCP counseling team is composed of:
Mrs. Shawna Foster, MBA-Director of College and Academic Advising, Primary Student Advisor grades 10-12
Mrs. Foster leads the College and Academic Advising programs at MCP. She has several years of experience in graduate school admissions at UC Berkeley and is a consummate professional, and particularly gifted in the area of student advocacy. Now entering her fourth year on our campus, she is well known to every MCP student who she will be serving, and especially our seniors. She coordinates all College Advising events and programs for all students and she is also the primary contact for all sophomore, junior, and senior students for their academic advising needs ([email protected]).
Mrs. Jen Blomfield, MFT-Socio-Emotional Counselor, Primary Student Advisor grade 9, Drama Program Director and Teacher
Student socio-emotional support is a priority, especially in these times. As a licensed therapist, Mrs. Blomfield is the primary socio-emotional evaluation resource for all MCP students but she is the primary contact for all freshmen students, whose needs typically align with the socio-emotional trials of transitioning to high school. Freshman academic concerns are also a part of the transition to high school and those will be addressed promptly and appropriately by Mrs. Blomfield. She will be reaching out to all new freshmen students in the coming weeks to introduce herself and open these lines of communication, but freshman parents please feel encouraged to reach to Mrs. Blomfield directly ([email protected]) at any time.
Mrs. Diane Wilsdon, College Testing Coordinator, Academic Accommodation Plan liaison
On-campus College Testing events (PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP) are coordinated through this department by Mrs. Wilsdon who, in addition to teaching our AP Calculus classes and the Study Skills program, is also the liaison for any student academic accommodation plans (though, first contact should still be with Mrs. Blomfield). Mrs. Wilsdon's email is [email protected].
Mrs. Joannie Hamm, College Essay Specialist (former MCP Department Chairperson, English, and AP English instructor)
MCP students are also blessed with a dedicated college essay specialist. Mrs. Hamm is available weekly and has a very flexible approach to accommodating student needs for appointment times, due to diverse student activities schedules. Appointments are made by students contacting Mrs. Hamm directly at [email protected].
Mr. Brock Thoene, MCP Director of Curriculum and Counseling, AP Human Geography, US History
All College and Student Advising and Counseling programming falls under the domain of the MCP Department of Curriculum and Counseling of which Mr. Thoene is the Director. He works closely with the entire team of advisors, counselors, and coordinators as well as with our Registrar, Mrs. Amy Arena who handles all student records and coordinates the delivery of transcripts and student files to colleges and universities, both during the application process and in June.
This team is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive, student support program in our community and they are eager to work with all MCP students and families this year.
I am pleased to report that just two days ago our freshmen and transfer students began exploring their college options with a dedicated webinar led by Mrs. Foster. That support will continue for the entire time that a student is enrolled at MCP and coming up, Senior MCP students will have their own comparable event this next week during the Flex Period on Monday 8/31 (MCP Community, 1:15pm). Sophomores and juniors (and parents at all class levels) will be having their own appropriately timed and informative events in the coming months. Please check the MCP calendar as those events are posted.
Without a doubt, this year is going to challenge us in so many ways. High school students take on their school day while navigating adolescence, which is a personal (almost daily) evolution in their physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development. Adolescence is the time when each of us realizes that we are an individual facing an often adverse world; when one’s self-awareness is only beginning to truly emerge. Students often go through this without the benefit of a personal past or personal track record of successfully overcoming true (weighty) adversity.
In many ways, the message of Christ is never more important in our lives than during this time of adolescence; when we don’t know enough about our true selves to feel confident in that hope for a brighter future. I believe that this is the role that faith can play in the time of adolescence (and beyond). Teenagers look to their parents and to God for hope and confidence and love, because simply due to their age, they have yet to attain, through many personal experiences, those gifts.
This is our calling both as parents and as a Catholic school, acting in “partnership,” to “create a culture of care and accountability” for our students that provides them the tools they need to go forth into the world, confident in who they are, hopeful about their future, and knowing the love that our God has for them, no matter what.
I thank you for partnering with our school at this particular time in the life of your daughters and sons. We are navigating extraordinary times and I remain abundantly hopeful for our future. There will an after to this crisis and WeWill arrive there as a community.
Yours in Christ,
Mike Susank
Principal