SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2021
PSAT & FRESHMEN RETREAT DAY On Wednesday, October 13, all students in grades 10 and 11 will be taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Sophomores and juniors will report to school by 8:15am, and they will be dismissed at 12:30pm. Sophomores and juniors have already received their PSAT practice test booklets. Additional free PSAT practice test materials are also available through Kahn Academy: Kahn Academy PSAT Practice. PSAT Day will be a dress down day for all sophomores and juniors, as students will be permitted to wear appropriate Gwynedd apparel (e.g. t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants – no shorts or pajamas).
Students in grade 9 will have their freshman retreat (information below), and students in grade 12 will not have school on October 13.
BUSING REMINDER: Busing will be provided as usual on October 13, with morning and afternoon transportation. Students taking the PSAT will be dismissed at 12:30pm and can either be picked up then or wait for their 3:00pm bus. Freshmen will be returning to Gwynedd in time for their 3:00pm bus.
Also, please note that the cafeteria will not be open on October 13.
Meanwhile, the Freshman class will be participating in their Freshman Retreat. It is a "Gwynedd"-themed dress down day. Students are asked to wear Gwynedd apparel or just red and gold. As always, students are asked to adhere to the dress down day policy outlined in the Student Handbook. Students should also bring a brown bag lunch as there will NOT be an opportunity to purchase lunch that day. Students are asked to report to the gym by 8:15am. Shortly thereafter, the students will travel (via school bus) to The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown for the retreat. We are looking forward to a wonderful retreat experience, facilitated by members of the senior class. We will return to GMAHS in time for regular dismissal at 3:00pm. With the students arriving at 8:15am and dismissing at 3:00pm, students may arrive and depart school just as they do on any regular day of school. Students will be given a permission form to participate in the retreat.
BLOOD DRIVE The Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Blood Drive in conjunction with the American Red Cross is taking place on Tuesday, October 26 from 8:00am to 1:45pm. If you would like to participate in the Blood Drive (and help save up to 3 lives!!!), email Stephen Fromhold at sfromhold@gmahs.org or you can CLICK HERE TO SIGN YOURSELF UP! Lastly if you are a Blood Type O, A negative, or B negative, consider doing a POWER RED DONATION, where your one donation COULD HELP SAVE UP TO 6 LIVES!! Why give blood? Blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person—the gift of life.
We are trying to get over 100 donors this time and we need your help to reach our goal!
COUNSELING'S VIRTUAL PARENT SESSION Thank you to those who attended our virtual mental health information session with Dr. Erbacher. The powerpoint presentation is linked for those who were unable to attend.
LEADERSHIP DEPARTMENT, L.E.A.D.
Monday, October 11th is International Day of the Girl. Throughout the week, LEAD will be hosting activities surrounding IDOTG around the school building. LEAD and Mercy Effect are hosting Sister Karen Schneider who will share her inspiring story about her leadership in medically aiding developing countries. LEAD will also be including a door in the glass corridor where girls can write what it means to be a mercy girl as well as "compliment jars" which will be given out to each homeroom next week.
Guest Speaker: Karen Scheider, RSM, MD
Sponsored by LEAD & Mercy Effect
ACTIVITIES & ACADEMICS
MERCY EFFECT Mercy Effect will be sponsoring a monetary drive this week contributing to Catholic Social Services Afghanistan Refugees resettlement in Philadelphia. In acknowledgement and celebration of our shared heritage and the Critical Concerns— Mercy Effect invited Philadelphia area Mercy schools to partner and collaborate in this important work. Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Gwynedd Mercy Elementary,Gwynedd Mercy University, Waldron Mercy Academy, Merion Mercy Academy, Mercy Career & Technical High School have formed MRC; Mercy Refugee Collaboration. An effort for education, advocacy and fundraising—responding to the needs of our times. Mercy Effect will be collecting money on Tuesday, October 12th, Thursday, October 14th, and Friday, October 15th in the school building. Students may contribute to the drive at a table situated outside the cafeteria during WIN I and WIN II during the week. Mercy Effect encourages families and alumni to contribute to the cause via Venmo.
Members of Mercy Effect & LEAD will be speaking to students at Gwynedd Mercy Academy Elementary and Waldron Academy to educate their students on the global refugee crisis. MRC will be an ongoing collaboration between the schools with other opportunities to come. As International Day of the Girl kickstarts the upcoming week, we posed an important question to our Mercy Effect team when coordinating the donation drive: Why are we doing this? In response, a student briefly asked: "Why wouldn't we?" The Mercy Effect team recognizes our call to action as women of Mercy. As Catherine stated "the proof of love is deed"—MRC (Mercy Refugee Collaboration) are the deeds Catherine encourages us to partake in.
MATHLETES JV and Varsity Mathletes, moderated by Mrs. May and Dr. Clementi, had their first-round competitions this week. All three JV teams scored well! They will compete against other schools in the Central Division over the next five months.
HISTORY Students of Dr. Derstine's Honors Topics in US History courses participated in a Colonial Woman's Gallery Walk. The topics covered included the contributions of Anne Hutchinson, Mary Dyer and Phyllis Wheatley. The lack of legal rights, the experience of Black & Indigenous women, the lasting legacy and impact of equality and leadership of Quaker women, the role of women's education and how location deeply influenced women's life and experience in Colonial America. This activity is the introduction into the Daring Women of the Revolution project.
ADVANCEMENT
FEW SPOTS REMAIN SO DON'T MISS OUT! Join us for a Mothers' Club Mom's Night Out. This fun DIY wood sign workshop will take place at Board & Brush Creative Studio in Blue Bell from 7-9PM. Because space is limited to 25 people, we have reserved the studio for two evenings! You may use the links below to register for either Tuesday, October 12th OR Wednesday, October 13th. The cost is $40. Mother's Club will be providing snacks and beverages for all to enjoy. If you have any questions, please email Kristen Ferns P'18, '23 at KMFerns@gmail.com. Oct. 12 Access Code: MNO(2)1012 Oct. 13 Access Code: MNO(1)1013
Join Us on Sunday, November 7 from 2 to 4pm for our first Father Daughter Outing. We will be heading to Top Golf in Mount Laurel, NJ for fun golf games and food. No experience necessary! Tickets are $40 per person. Contact Tony Imbesi, Fathers' Club President at aimbesi@mac.com with questions.
McAuley's Pub Night is our annual Adult Social and Largest School Fundraiser. This year, we will return to hosting our event in person on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at 6:30pm in the gym. Save the date to join us for our Irish-themed pub night celebrating our girls. Wear your green and your jeans while enjoying pub games, food, drinks, raffles, silent auction and our Pot of Gold Raffle. Our first planning meeting will take place on Wednesday evening, October 20, 2021 in the cafeteria, starting at 7pm. Come out and learn how you can get involved! Any questions, contact Jeannine Hartz, director of stewardship, at jhartz@gmahs.org or 215-646-8815, ext 412 or co-chairs, Michelle Stetler (mapstetler@yahoo.com) and Ann Fergione (awfergione@verizon.net).
Let the Shenanigans Continue…..
ATHLETICS
GMAHSATHLETICS For all things Gwynedd Athletics, be sure to follow @gmahsathletics on Instagram. Check the page for update, scores, schedules, and more!
WINTER SPORTS Sports available for the winter season are: Basketball, Indoor Track, Swimming & Diving, and Crew (Erg). The winter sport season officially begins on Friday, November 19, 2021. Please contact your Coach with any sport specific questions (practice/game schedules, etc)
Basketball@gmahs.org Swimming@gmahs.org, swimmingjv@gmahs.org track@gmahs.org crew2@gmahs.org, lou@adcassociates.com
Registration: Registration for the GMA Winter athletic season will open on Monday, October 11, 2021. All athletes wishing to participate in a winter sport MUST register on FamilyID. Instructions on how to register can be found under the Athletics section of the website. Athletes will not be allowed to participate unless registration is complete. The deadline to register is Monday, November 15, 2021.
Sport Physical: All athletes are required to have a sport physical completed prior to the start of their first season of the school year. Physicals for this school year must be dated after June 1, 2021. The only form we are allowed to accept is the PIAA CIPPE (section 7). Please upload the completed form to your FamilyID registration. Athletes will not be allowed to participate unless the correct physical form is complete. If you have already submitted a physical for a fall sport, you have completed this requirement and do not need to get another physical.
Concussion Testing: Baseline concussion testing is required for the following sports: Basketball and Swimming & Diving. Testing will once again be virtual. Links will be sent to registered athletes' GMA email on their assigned date. Athletes will not be allowed to participate until their test is complete. If you have already completed testing this school year for a fall sport, you do not need to test again. Basketball: Tues, November 9 Swimming & Diving: Thurs, November 11
For any questions about registration, physicals, or concussion testing, please contact Lynann Sullivan, our athletic trainer: athletictrainer@gmahs.org
TEAM HIGHLIGHTS Volleyball 10/4 Varsity vs CB South: 4-1 (W) 10/6 JV vs Villa Maria: 2-0 (W) 10/7 Varsity vs GA: 3-0 (W) 10/7 JV vs GA: 2-0 (W) Tennis 10/5 vs Merion Mercy: 4-1 (W) 10/7 vs Nazareth: 4-0 (W) Field Hockey 10/5 Varsity vs Mount: 10-0 (W) 10/5 JV vs Mount: 0-0 (T) 10/7 Varsity vs Villa Maria: 1-1 (T) Soccer 10/6 Varsity vs Mount: 1-0 (W) 10/6 JV vs Mount: 2-0 (W) 10/7 JV vs Villa Maria: 2-2 (T) Cross Country 10/6 vs Nazareth Academy Runners took 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th SHE IS THE FUTURE. ©2021 Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School 1345 Sumneytown Pike, PO Box 902 Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437 |