SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021
PAL EVENT: NOVEMBER 23 Freshmen reminder! To help us kick off the holiday season, we invite the freshman class to join us for S'mores and hot chocolate. This event will take place on Tuesday, 11/23/21 after the Powderpuff games, until 6:00pm. Please remind your daughter to complete the attendance form, emailed from Mrs. DeCicco, before the event. We will have fire pits set up in the parking lot near the café. Pick up will be in the front of the school building. We hope the freshmen will enjoy spending time with their classmates before the Thanksgiving break!
EVENING OF REFLECTION Join us for an Advent Evening of Reflection on December 7, 2021. Register Here!
COVID TESTING As we look ahead to Thanksgiving break, we are aware members of our community will be traveling as well as gathering with family and friends. As an added measure of protection, we offer a reminder you of the free COVID-19 testing available at GMAHS for all students, faculty, and staff .
Testing will be available Tues., Nov 30th and Thurs., Dec. 2 at 9:20AM during Community Period. You must register using the link below. Students and staff who have already registered do not need to sign up again. Your registration and consent will remain on file.
STUDENT LIFE REMINDERS
Reminder about non-medical Student Absence: As we approach the holiday season please be reminded of the process for anticipated, non-medical student absence. While we discourage students from taking days in addition to those already on the calendar, we are aware that sometimes such things are unavoidable. We ask for your cooperation in following the process outlined below (page 27 in the Student Handbook).
Handbook Excerpt: It is highly discouraged to arrange routine visits to the doctor, dentist, taking a driver's test, etc. during school time as a sufficient number of holidays are already present in the school calendar. Parents are strongly advised not to plan vacations during the academic year when school is in session. School days missed to extend an existing holiday or create a new one are detrimental to a student's academic success. When non-medical absences are unavoidable, adherence to certain procedures minimizes, as much as possible, the negative effects on a student's academic standing. The procedure for reporting an anticipated, non-medical absence (including a vacation, non-GMA athletic events, etc.) is as follows:
IMPORTANT CALENDAR CHANGES In order to accommodate the tradition of Powder Puff, but also balance the instruction time for G/H days in this cycle we have made an adjustment to the calendar for the day before Thanksgiving break. We will follow a special schedule that allows for Liturgy, 30 minutes class periods, and Powder Puff.
This change means the calendar for the day before Thanksgiving and our return from the long weekend will look like this:
Tuesday 11/23 Special Schedule Monday 11/29 G Day Tuesday 11/30 H Day Wednesday 12/1 A Day (follow the calendar as is from this date)
Special Schedule for 11/23: A 8:15 – 8:45 B 8:50 – 9:20 Liturgy 9:25 – 10:25 C 10:30 – 11:00 D 11:05 – 11:35 E 11:40 – 12:10 F 12:15 – 12:45 G 12:50 – 1:20 H 1:25 – 1:55 Powder Puff will take place from 2:00 – 4:00 pm followed by the Freshmen PAL event. **NOTE: Students will eat lunch during their assigned seminar period (C, D, E, or F) Buses will be adhering to their regular schedule (3PM).
Friday, December 3rd is the Junior Retreat and Mission Day for the 9th & 10th grades. Seniors have the day off to continue their college visits. Juniors will participate in their retreat off campus at Our Lady of Czestochowa. The 9th & 10th graders will participate in Mission Day on campus from 8:20 – 12:00 pm which will include a number of activities related to the theme: Sisterhood & Service. Buses will come at regular time. Any student who needs to wait for the bus will report to an assigned location and should bring their lunch as the cafeteria will not be open.
COLLEGE COUNSELING
JUNIOR KICK OFF NIGHT If you missed Junior Kick Off Night or you would like to review the information again, please see the handout, recording, and slides that were shared that night.
LEADERSHIP DEPARTMENT, L.E.A.D.
SLAM POETRY Last week, the L.E.A.D. Seminar period focused on "Women Empowerment" & "Bravery". Students were asked to break out in groups of 5 and design a poem. They used movies, TV shows, and music to find a message of young women empowerment through the lens of
We had 20 groups participating, and the top 3 won a lunch to Panera Bread, or lunch pass. (Click on the names to see their artwork.)
Students had to research, create, and design. During the design process students had to circle key words to make the poem come alive. The design was centered around the words. When you look at these designs, check out the powerful words the students highlighted in the poems.
ONE WARM COAT Gwynedd will be hosting a coat drive on November 29th - December 17th through the non-profit organization One Warm Coat and will be accepting donations and winter coats. The drive is being led by Ava Kolp '24 as a project for the LEAD Council. Ava Kolp '24 chose to initiate the drive this year to go with the Sisters of Mercy theme of the Earth because One Warm Coat's motto is to "provide free coats for children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability". Currently about 60% of clothing end up in a landfill every year with The Fashion Industry producing more carbon emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping together. One Warm Coat works to keep around 1 million pounds of clothes out of the landfill per year. To find out more visit: https://www.onewarmcoat.org/. Keep an eye out for more information and any coats to donate!
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE LEADER? While leaders maintain many qualities, one of the most important is gratitude. Leaders who express gratitude foster teamwork and support among their peers, along with promoting sympathy and concern. With Thanksgiving approaching, the Leadership Council is shining a spotlight on gratefulness and appreciation, and how girls should utilize these tools to become stronger leaders. Gratitude is an influential leadership skill that can rewire communities and teams. Research has related gratitude to happiness, flexibility, more potent relationships, productiveness, and even better sleep and fitness. So creating a thankful way of life inside schools helps form an environment in which girls can thrive. Practicing gratitude among groups allows leaders and teammates to build trusting relationships. An establishment of trust in relationships allows girls to take part in honest conversations with an open mind and respect. The expression of gratitude permits everyone to feel appreciated, recognized, and prominent, which supports a positive and safe environment for girls to speak their minds freely. What are you grateful for?
ACTIVITIES & ACADEMICS
THEOLOGY Mrs. Szewczak asked her students to share what they are thankful for this holiday season. Take a look at their answers!
MATHEMATICS Mrs Lane's Honors Algebra 2 classes created songs to help them learn the quadratic formula. Click on each of the photos below to hear their songs!
ADVANCEMENT
Class of 2022 Senior Moms and Guardians – Invitations were mailed to our annual Senior Moms Christmas Tree Trimming celebration which will be held on Tuesday, November 30 at 7pm. Join the other moms in the Class of 2022 to hang your daughter's Senior Ornament on the PAC lobby Christmas tree. Enjoy a night of fellowship and light fare. This is a moms only event. Contact Mothers' Club President, Michelle Stetler P'22 or Event Chair, Janel Mullen P'16, '20, '22 with questions. Our annual Book Talk Meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. Our book talk will be lead by Amy Herm P'24. This year's book selection is We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker. Take some time over the holidays to enjoy reading this selection. Look forward to our discussion in February!
Want to help make a difference while you shop in the Amazon app, at no extra cost to you? As your holiday shopping begin, consider adding Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School as your favorite charity and support Gwynedd's Mercy Fund. Using the Amazon Shopping app on your mobile phone, simply follow the instructions below to select "Gwynedd-Mercy Academy" as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. Amazon will donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to Gwynedd. How it works: 1. Open the Amazon app on your phone 2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on "AmazonSmile" within Programs & Features 3. Select "Gwynedd-Mercy Academy" as your charity 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile appQuestions, contact Jeannine Hartz in the Advancement Office at 267-946-0953 or jhartz@gmahs.org.
ATHLETICS
GWYNEDD FIELD HOCKEY We are very proud of the 2021 Gwynedd Field Hockey team! Although today's outcome wasn't what they'd hoped for, they played an amazing game. Congratulations on a fantastic season, PIAA 2A Runners-Up! Special shout-out to the best fan section anywhere!
BILL BRAXTON REGATTA Over the weekend, Gwynedd Crew participated in the 47th Annual Bill Braxton Regatta. Congratulations to the following athletes who won 1st place:
Womens HS JV 4+ Amanda Murray '24 Breylan Petka '24 Erin Ernst '23 Sam Yuen '23 Haley Thomson '23 (coxswain)
Freshman HS Novice 8+ Lauren Hepler '25 Molly Minnich '25 Julia Klein '25 Tessa Naldzin '25 Maggie Eidenshink '25 Ella Albert '25 Grace Tronoski '25 Sophia Munoz '25 Addison Foster '25 Lauren Hepler '25 (coxswain) SHE IS THE FUTURE. ©2021 Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School 1345 Sumneytown Pike, PO Box 902 Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437 |