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Message from Mrs. Sattler
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Dear Mercy Families,
What a vibrant, energetic school year it is shaping up to be, and much of this is due to the wonderful support of our parents! We offer a huge thank you to our Mothers Club who, in addition to coordinating refreshments at events since the start of the school year, also provided a wonderfully perfect dinner spread for teachers the evening of Parent/Teacher Conferences. This generosity and effort is truly appreciated and warmed the hearts of our faculty.
Speaking of warmth, the Dads Club hosted an impressive bonfire for Spirit Week, complete with music, a food truck, s'mores and an evening filled with Mercy pride. Each year, the Dads Club ensures students have a safe and fun evening with fellow students and friends in celebration of being a Marlin. We are grateful to our families and thank you for all you do for Mercy!
Additionally, the Mercy family continues to grow! On September 25th, English Teacher/Department Chair Mrs. Claudia Taniguchi and her husband Jesse welcomed the birth of Raphael Dante Taniguchi, weighing in at 6 lbs. 6oz. All is well with both baby and mom, and we thank you for keeping them in your prayers.
Academics
Classroom Happenings: One of the greatest pleasures of my role is in visiting the classrooms to gain a better understanding of both the student and staff experience. Recently, I enjoyed cardio-drumming with a Lifetime Fitness Class, talked proofs with an AP Calculus class, and heard iExplore students propose data driven solutions Mercy can enact in support of our Care for the Earth concern. Mercy students are clearly offered unique opportunities and experiences to develop their interests and critical thinking skills!
Stakeholder Surveys: In preparation for our Spring school re-accreditation review, we will be reaching out to all of our students, parents and staff with the opportunity to participate in a November survey to share opinions about the Mercy experience. Stakeholder feedback is an important component to continuous improvement, and your participation is greatly appreciated and welcomed.
Who to Contact?: At Mercy, we help students develop skills for self-advocacy, and always encourage a student to first speak directly to her teacher should she need clarification or wish to enter a conversation. However, when a parent feels it is appropriate to intervene, it may not be clear who to contact.
Each academic department has a department chair and an associate principal who supports that department. If ever there is a specific concern about academic performance or an experience a student has in class that can not be self-advocated, it is always requested that the parent first begin with the teacher. Should further discussion be required, the parent would next contact the associate principal supporting the department.
The following provides detail for each department, listing the department chair and the supporting associate principal for that department:
English: Mrs. Claudia Taniguchi (interim Mr. Larry Baker)/Mr. Larry Baker
Fine Art: Ms. Susan Smith/Mr. Larry Baker
Math: Mrs. Vicky Kowalski/Ms. Colleen McMaster
Performing Arts: Mrs. Anne MacDougall/Mr. Larry Baker
Physical Education: Ms. Ann Jamieson/Mr. Larry Baker
Religious Studies: Dr. Alison Kline-Kator/Ms. Colleen McMaster
Science: Mrs. Cathy Riley/Ms. Colleen McMaster
Social Studies: Ms. Lisa Robinet/Mr. Larry Baker
World Language: Mrs. Joyce Campbell/Ms. Colleen McMaster
Student Wellness
MESA Conference: Each year the Mercy Education System of the Americas (MESA) holds a conference centered on student well being. This year's conference was held in Philadelphia and provided tips for responsible technology use for teens, and strategies for identifying and reducing the impact of stressful situations. Both of these topics are impactful to our students and we will be targeting best practices for education and awareness programs in our school strategic plan.
MI HEARTSafe School: Mercy has earned certification as an MI HEARTSafe School in recognition of our preparation and readiness for cardiac emergencies, an important achievement to protect the lives of our students, staff and visitors.
Our school has 9 American Heart Association Certified Instructors, 83% of our staff (and growing) are CPR certified, a process to provide CPR training to our coaches, 5 strategically placed AEDs, and a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan. We appreciate our team who has put much effort into this accomplishment, and are very grateful to the partnership we have with the Farmington Hills Fire Department - especially Lt. James Neufeld and Lt. Dan Wecker for all of their support and guidance.
Inclement Weather: As we round the corner to winter weather, please know that Mercy follows the direction of Farmington Public Schools in determining school closure. Our student body is drawn from over 70 different communities, making it difficult to define a closure policy that always supports each region. We respect that you best know the limitations and comfort level of your student driver in the event of winter road conditions, specifically in your area.
Mercy Mission
The Mercy Girl Effect: Last month I shared that our students will focus this year on the concern to Care for the Earth, with efforts supporting the Sisters in Kenya who they are helping women plant indigenous trees. Through Spirit Week activities, students raised $407 from Staff versus Student Kickball lottery ticket sales and $1,412.70 via Penny Wars. Students raised a grand total of $1,819.70! This effort took a larger community and we thank Mrs. Missy Kreucher for all of her help counting the money, and Community Financial Credit Union in Novi for taking in all of the coins!
Recycling: This year, students are becoming more involved in the process of recycling. Teams are pitching in weekly through their Advisor Group to collect recycling throughout the school. This participation helps to raise awareness of recycling practices and is already generating some creative and thoughtful student ideas in support of protecting the Earth.
I am happy to share with you the many reasons we have to be proud of our school. Thank you for working in partnership with us us to support your daughter as she becomes a woman who makes a difference!
May God's Grace and Blessings be in your path,
Patricia Sattler
Principal
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