Translate 
Mrs. Allen - Previous Letters
April/May 2010
Dear Central Catholic Families & Friends,
The halls are alive with the Sound of Music! Yes, with spring comes our musical and what a performance we enjoyed! The musical and acting talent within our walls is simply amazing! I hope everyone was able to see this stellar performance and if not, call us for a DVD purchase.
As we all return from Spring Break, it is time to fi nish the school year with attention to academics and go out strong. In fact…ATTENTION is just the word I want to discuss this month. We (teachers, counselors and yours truly) have been concerned with the number of tired students in the classroom and those simply distracted most of the day with cell phones and texting. It feels like our electronic breakthroughs are “breaking” the attention and concentration of too many students. We have listened to students joking about being up until 3 a.m. on Xbox games, etc. They tell their friends that they tell their parent they go to bed early and then connect with their friends in their room and play into the wee hours of the morning. Others say they sleep with their cell phones and wake up to friends sending text messages all through the late hours of the night. The results we see are tired students hurrying to complete assignments in short time spans without much thought. It sure has me rethinking our wonderful world of electronics! We even hear parents in conferences complain that they can’t get their students away from the phone or game boxes without a fight. Maybe the solutions to academic slumps are easier than we think. Maybe we just need to unplug our lives from 7 p.m. through the morning. How painful will the “withdrawal” be for your kids if you collect the cell phone and all electronics before bed? If we honestly fear the fight and anger will be too tough to try, maybe it’s time to seriously consider it. I see so many of us “wired” and we are watching our kids in a state of constant “ON.” I believe this is worth some discussions and action. We intellectually know that we all need “downtime” and maybe we need to be pro-active in providing more of this for our children’s health and academic focus. Please, just think about it and maybe more of us can move slowly on a “withdrawal” direction for the sake of uninterrupted study time and sleep. Thanks for listening!
My next request is that you consider joining us for our Saints Alive auction on Saturday, April
17th. This is our main fund raiser and this event keeps our budget in the black for this academic year. Please put together a table of friends and join us this year to show support, financially help as much as you can and have a great time. I promise you laughter and good memories!
Thanks for cooperating with our early registration requests. What a help it is to know our numbers and plan for academic choices and supply needs. We think we will have a strong freshman class and with our returning Saints, CCHS will continue to be big enough for many offerings yet small enough to be a personal family. Thank you for your confidence in our school.
When we enter the month of May, we honor Mary, our mother, and we remember to also salute our CCHS moms for your support, strength, patience, prayers and love. You continue to be a force behind all of our events and your power of prayer continues to be requested for all in need. This is also the time when we thank our wonderful volunteers who make CCHS so great. You are appreciated and desperately needed!
Blessings to our Saints families, with hugs, strength and Faith,
Joy Allen
February/March 2010
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Welcome to 2010 and may this new year bring you and your family stable health, strong faith and the warmth of love.
2009 was great in many ways:
• Forty-three CCHS graduates received over $2 million in scholarships to the college or university of their choice.
• Our average ACT score was 25.
• Over half of the Class of 2009 received college credit before finishing high school.
• We awarded over $90,000 in tuition fi nancial aid to this year’s students.
• Our TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) teams enjoyed strong weekend gatherings, nourishing our students’ faith.
• Friday Adoration in our Chapel has been alive and well.
• We inducted 45 new members into the National Honor Society in December, bringing the total membership to 79 juniors and seniors.
• Kelly Curran ran to 1st place in the State Cross Country Meet for the second year in a row.
• Kelly Curran was also 1 of 12 students named as a National Finalist in the 2009 Wendy’s H.S. Heisman Award. She won an all expense paid trip to NYC (with her parents) and was featured on ESPN 2.
• Girls Golf finished 2nd in State
• CCHS hired Paul Gesterling as new Director of Advancement. Paul is learning the territory and may be calling you soon!
And 2010 is off to a great start as well, as we pack a full bus and head to D.C. for our annual Pro-Life Trip. I am now able to have been part of this wonderful faithfilled journey and march. We continue to keep Mrs. Leese in our thoughts and prayers as she waits for surgery. She needs to gain strength and be free of pneumonia before they can repair the tear in the stint in her esophagus.
We are also keeping Mrs. McEldowney in our prayers while she too heals from medical challenges.
Our CCHS family is asked to keep the Lockett family in our prayers as mom, Shirley, battles pancreatic cancer. You all know Shirley as she and husband, Mike, have strengthened and promoted our spiritwear store over the last several years. Let’s keep her in our prayer chains as she fights this with full gusto.
Catholic Schools Week runs January 31 through February 6. This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools: Dividends for Life.” On Thursday Feb. 4 we will enjoy a new event “CCHS Olympics” for student appreciation day. On Friday Feb. 5, we come together for our All-Schools Mass at St. Patrick Church of Merna. Students should come directly to the church at 9:15 a.m. Parents are welcome to attend the Mass. All of our students will be dismissed following Mass, and then all of our Bloomington-Normal Catholic school faculty and staff members will come together for a luncheon to celebrate our service and choice to be a part of a Catholic school system.
Lent begins Feb. 17 on Ash Wednesday. May our Lenten Season bring us closer to God in prayer, faith and peace.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
December 2009/January 2010
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Happy Holidays from my home to yours. I hope you can share a happy Thanksgiving with family and friends. And then, as we approach Christmas, may Christ be ever present as we celebrate His birth and the meaning of His life on earth. I pray you are able to count blessings and have much for which to be thankful. Our economy has been a challenge for many of us but may we praise our Lord for the gifts we do have. Your children are our gift and we continue the tradition of cheering our Saints for their spiritual commitments, academic strengths, athletic successes, fine arts productions, community service and club activities!
Homecoming was a real treat this year as we helped fill Clare House food pantry with items from our “Canstructions.” Our fall sports teams had some successes as they all took us to playoff games. Our Girls Golf won second in State and we salute Kelly Curran for winning the Cross Country State Title for the second consecutive year. We are also proud to have Kelly named as one of 12 National fi nalists for the Wendy’s Heisman Award. She will travel to New York City on the weekend of December 12th and will be in the running to be named as a National Heisman winner. Archie Griffi n will be there to present her with a check to the school for $2,000. In my 19 years, this is the first time CCHS has had a national finalist for this award. Academics, civic/community work and athletics are all part of the criteria for this honor. Congratulations Kelly.
Our fall play, SeussOdyssey, was a hit and these students gave a matinee performance for our partner Catholic grade schools. Lots of time and hard work goes into such a production. Congratulations to Ms. Gruenwald on directing a great show.
The talent we witnessed at our Fall Music/Talent Show was unbelievable. The voices, musicianship and creativity are ever present in all four classes. The audience sat in awe of what we saw and heard.
We were pleased to have ten lady Saints travel to Ann Arbor, MI for a three day retreat with the Dominican Sisters of Mary. These girls, Allison Chapa, Annie Rondone, Kathleen Becker, Kali Lewis, Rachel Nolan, Sarah Rave, Catie Whalen, Emily Thomas, Julie Schmitt and Megan Jamison volunteered to go and Father Henehan was very proud of their commitment and positive spiritual presence.
December will host four days of open lunches for students. On Friday, December 4th, the sophomores present their annual Geography Fair and 9th, 11th and 12th grades will have open lunch from 12 noon to 1:00 pm. This allows for set up of this event which takes place in our cafeteria. Our final exam schedule begins Wednesday, December 16th and students come and go for finals with open lunch. Any family leaving before that date must arrange for finals before
your student leaves.
May the holidays bring your families closer and may you enjoy faith-fi lled get togethers in the true spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Let us set our priorities for what we know is important.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
October - November 2009
We were blessed with a warm September and hopefully we will continue to enjoy a beautiful October and November.
Homecoming 2009 brought a change, from class fl oats to canned food structures. The idea was to be more environmentally friendly and more involved in helping the poor. The cans of food used in the class competitions are being donated to local food pantries. It’s a win-win situation as our students can still enjoy the competition and be charitable at the same time. Our faculty and staff are thrilled to be cutting down on our waste and redirecting funds for a good cause. Thanks to all of the parents who helped with Homecoming activities. We are able to do so much because of our parent volunteers. I hope many of you can join us for the Friday luncheon.
As we get into the school year, I would like to remind you of our crisis plan. As always, safety and ”lock down” procedures of precaution and protection are covered with faculty, staff and students. If we ever feel a serious threat, we will immediately go into lock-down status, keeping students in classrooms until police determine a time for safe evacuation. Teachers have been given an overview of procedures to best keep everyone safe. One measure will be to have students turn off cell phones so as not to jam police communications. Students who are outside for wellness classes or at other locations will not be allowed to enter the building during a lock-down. These students will go to McGraw Park Pavilion and then to St. Patrick Church of Merna. We will follow the guidance and direction of the police and ask that parents wait for press releases from them. Hopefully, this will not happen, but I do want you to know that we continually assess our safety and review emergency procedures with staff as well as with our local police.
I am pleased with the opening of school. The excitement and joy of the students is great, especially regarding athletics, music and activities. We have something for everyone, so if your student is not involved, call us so we can help encourage participation.
Additionally, let me reinforce how important that one quiet hour can be at home with the focus on homework. I encourage all homes to unplug, disconnect and sit quietly at the kitchen table doing work. The more you can check work at home, the less temptation to rush or copy homework at school. It really does make a difference!
CCHS is hosting the Notre Dame Glee Club on October 22nd for a 7:00 p.m. performance at St. Patrick Church of Merna. Please join us for an evening of memorable music. Tickets are $10 per person and $7 for students and senior citizens. We hope to fill the church!! Save the date!!
Safe Environment Teaching – teaching children to protect themselves – is part of the mandate of the “Charter for Protection of Children and Young People” as adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002. To be in compliance, our Theology teachers will present lessons to all 9-12 grade students unless a parent specifically requests, in advance, in writing, that his/her child be opted out of the lessons. These lessons cover computer, environmental, interpersonal and touching safety. The training is given each year.
May our time be rich with healthy prayer, activities and work as we prepare for Thanksgiving and then the whole holiday season. I thank God for all we share as CCHS Saints.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
August - September 2009
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Welcome back!! I look forward to my 19th year as your principal during this 2009-2010 school year. Thank you for so many years of support and positive interaction.
Our incoming freshman class is looking strong with over 97 students registered and we are seeing some transfer students adding to our roster of upper classmen. Catholic education is alive and well thanks to all of you making the sacrifices to allow your students to attend CCHS. Thank you.
As we prepare to open this school year, our new student gathering will be Sunday, August 16th with our first day of classes starting at 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, August 19th. I am already pumped seeing our students begin athletic practices with excitement and unlimited energy!
Homecoming week will begin on Sunday, September 27th with our Interact Pancake Breakfast. As usual, our students will be busy every night and we need your help. It is a fun and active week, but we will need your help monitoring each evening’s activities. We are taking a new direction this year with our structures and decorations. We are using canned food items for the structures to be later donated to a food pantry. We are also limiting hall decorations to avoid so much waste.
TO SENIOR PARENTS: All school decorating is to be completed with a teacher present and only in the spirit of positive details. Any act of trashing the school and surrounding areas will be given over to the police. No student is to “camp out” overnight at the school and police are being asked to monitor the area.
I will repeat the message I communicate each year and ask for your help reinforcing the limits of house “teepeeing.” This has been a wonderful tradition for years at CCHS, however, past years have seen some students going out of bounds with this spirit. No faculty/staff/coaches homes are to be visited. No home should have repeated visits! Under no circumstances should any student use anything more than toilet paper for decorations. The use of shaving cream or food products is considered VANDALISM and will not be tolerated. Also, negative writing/statements is considered harassment. Please note this policy: Malicious acts of violence/threats/damaged directed at another student, group of students, faculty or staff member, or a CCHS affiliated family is prohibited and discipline will include, but not be limited to, six (6) weeks social suspension with possible recommendation for expulsion.
All parents, please have firm and frank discussions on this topic with your children. Student behavior after school hours still reflects on CCHS and we hold our students accountable for appropriate behavior at all times. School discipline will be issued for vandalism/harassment brought about by inappropriate school spirit gestures and the school’s policy will be enforced. I will also encourage victims to report any incidents to the police as this behavior is wrong and not condoned as spirit activity. If you have ever been the victim on the receiving end of these unfortunate incidents, you would fully understand how painful this can be for the whole family. We want this year to be positive, fun and appropriate!
May you enjoy a beautiful end of the summer/fall weather and I look forward to seeing you at CCHS events. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
June 2009
Dear Central Catholic Families,
This has been an exciting school year and we are so proud of our graduating Class of 2009! These seniors have led the way with school spirit, pride and leadership. Their academic, athletic and musical talent have earned over two million dollars in college scholarships!! What an accomplishment! Congratulations to Patrick Duncan, Valedictorian, and Co-Salutatorians, Dan and John Curran on wonderful leadership and involvement. We are also saying goodbye to a class who values their strength of faith demonstrating it through prayer and witness. This is why we exist as a Catholic school and thank you to all families who support our mission and reinforce it through the high school years.
Thank you also for a wonderful Saints Alive dinner-auction. We sure missed our beloved Chuck, but so many picked up the reigns and worked to make it a great evening. Joan Bernhardt and team spent hours in preparation and so many of you came that evening to give us a full attendance! All of this helped us come very close to our $120,000 goal! Thank you to everyone who contributed time, talent and treasure! You are loyal Saints!
Our opening day of school for the 2009-2010 year will be Wednesday, August 19th and that will be a full day. That evening at 6:15 p.m. will be our Parent Open House where you can come and go through your student’s schedule. Freshman and New Student Orientation will be on Sunday, August 16th at 5:00 p.m. here at CCHS. We hope all newly entering students will come to have tours, open lockers and enjoy some CCHS spirit. Parents will have some orientation notes and words of wisdom from yours truly!
On a personal note, my husband, Les, is recovering nicely from his triple by-pass surgery. He is still attending physical rehab and has lost almost 20 lbs. Thanks for all your prayers. Lydia is finishing her first year at the U of I and simply loved living at the Newman Center. She said it gave her a small, Catholic family atmosphere on a large college campus. I am thrilled to say she also interviewed and received a Resident Assistant position at Newman for next year which will greatly assist her financial picture paying room and board! Our eldest, Nate, continues to work for the City of New York under Mayor Bloomberg and loves his position in the Department of Budget and Finance. Arlie continues to do well in Falls Church, Virginia (outside of DC). With real estate being slow, she accepted a full-time position with a graphics design tee shirt company where her computer and sales skills are interwoven. We are pleased that she has a full time job with health benefits and can continue real estate on a part-time basis.
We will again take the train to Glacier Park, Montana, in late June and then train back to Les’ family farm in North Dakota. I will then fly to Florida to drive my Mom to her home in New York to visit family on the East Coast. By then July will be over and I’ll be back to CCHS preparing for a new school year!
In closing may I say…
To the Seniors, the Class of 2009—go with the wisdom we’ve shared with you and the strength God will give you to venture down Independence Lane. You have been a wonderful class and part of me goes with you. May you remember bits of my advice when it can help you in the future.
To the Senior Parents—thank you for being loyal supporters and hard-working contributors. Please don’t be strangers as we are still—and always will be—your Central Catholic Family.
To the Underclassmen—I pray Central gave you some good moments and some valuable lessons this year. I hope you enjoy the relaxing summer months and send me a postcard if you go on vacation.
To the Parents of Underclassmen—I pray we’ve earned your respect enough to want to trust us again with the education of your sons and daughters next year. Thank you. Your commitment to CCHS is our reward.
To everyone—please enjoy the summer and the warmth and rejuvenation it brings upon us. See you next August.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
April - May 2009
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope the week provided time for rest, relaxation and reflection. I know it is sometimes hard to get out of our jet paced schedules and slow down for a tranquil breath! If you could not get that time over Spring Break, I hope you find some reflection and prayer time during Holy Week.
Our 20th year of Saints Alive has come together nicely with the help of so many parents and friends of CCHS. Chuck would be so proud of everyone stepping up to the plate to keep this event a memorable one. We continue to hear his voice and encouragement as we plan for auction items and continue to promote our Dream House raffle.
This year's auction theme is Central Safari. Some special items include an adorable "woodle" named Charlie, in honor of Mr. CCHS, a progressive party on Country Club Place, a "Sissy Safari" to Oakbrook, vacation destinations to New York City, Destin, Long Boat Key and Naples, Florida, the Ozarks, Northern Wisconsin, and 4 tickets to the biggest event of the summer, the Face 2 Face concert with Billy Joel and Elton John at Wrigley Field!! Also, Extreme Motors is back this year with a fantastic new car!!!
Please plan to attend the Saints Alive Dinner-auction on April 18th at the Doubletree. It promises to be an exciting evening filled with laughter, good food, camaraderie and the excitement of bidding on hundreds of items in our oral and silent auctions. Let's remeber Chuck at this event and also remember what the auction means to the excellence in education we provide. Come join the CCHS community for a memorable evening!
We are still interviewing many talented candidates for our Development Director's position. I will let you know as soon as the committee has made a final decision. Keep praying for us to match the right candidate with our school's needs.
Registration packets were mailed in February so you should have received yours. Please get the information to Mrs. Osterbuhr in the business office with the $275 commitment fee. She will then give you a receipt allowing you to meet both the counselors and prepare a schedule. Freshman registration will be April 7th and 8th. We look forward to another great class entering the CCHS family.
When we enter the month of May, we honor Mary, our mother, and we remember and salute our CCHS Moms for your support, strength, patience, prayers and love. I am always in awe of our prayer chains and the power behind them. We will again honor, Mary, the Virgin Mother of Christ, with our annual May Crowning on Friday, May 1st.
Many thanks for the prayers and cards for my husband, Les. His triple bypass surgery went well and he is healing nicely. He has lost 20 lbs. and follows all of his doctors' instrctions!
Thank you, also, to all of our volunteers who make CCHS such a special school. Please know that YOU ARE APPRECIATED!
Blessings,
Joy Allen
February - March 2009
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Happy 2009! May we pray for great leadership and wisdom from President Obama so that our country can advance into the future with integrity, honor and hope. I also pray that 2009 will bring you a healthy lifestyle and a loving heart.
2008 was a very good year!
* We ended our school year awarding over a half million dollars in tuition scholarships from academic, athletic and music abilities.
* We awarded over $80,000 in tuition financial aid to this year’s students.
* Our boys’ and girls’ TEC teams continue to grow as they develop CCHS as their home. This program, “Teens Encounter Christ,” builds faith in our teens.
* Parents and students participate in adoration every Friday in the CCHS chapel.
* We inducted thirty-five new members into the National Honor Society in December.
* We had students request an Advanced Theology elective for this year. How rewarding!
* Our 2005 Cross Country teams made history going to State a second time with girls placing 4th as a team. Kelly Curran earned 1st place in individual competition, while John Curran placed 7th and Kerry Pelton took 21st place!!
* Girls’ golf made a historical 3rd place finish in State!
* Mackenzie Kraft advanced to State in singles tennis play.
* CCHS Satins Football win State Championship Title!!
During 2008, CCHS also experienced losses of people near and dear to our hearts as we mourned the deaths of Glen Mysker, Dr. Gary Johnson and our own, Chuck Schanaberger. We came together as a Catholic family united in our faith. May we continue to keep the souls of all our dear CCHS friends and family in daily prayer.
We will begin the process of interviewing candidates for our Development Director in mid-February. In the meantime, I am grateful to so many of you who continually help us fill in and work the many details Chuck covered. Thank you. All of you are generous in kindness and support and please know that your words and deeds are greatly appreciated. We hope you will plan now to support our Saints Alive dinner-auction coming up on April 18th!
Congratulations to our Pro-Lifers as they traveled to Washington, D.C., to the March for Life. We are so proud of our students committed to all aspects of our faith. We have been enjoying a wonderful Senior Class filled with strong faith and honorable school spirit. Thank you to our seniors who role model for all those to follow!
Catholic Schools Week begins on January 25th and our 2009 theme is Celebrating Service. What a perfect theme for our school which is so involved in charity and service work. On Friday, January 30th, we come together for our All-Schools Mass at Holy Trinity Church. Students should come directly to the Church at 9:15 a.m. Parents are welcome to attend Mass. All of our students will be dismissed following Mass, and then all of our Bloomington-Normal Catholic School faculty and staff members will come together for a luncheon to celebrate our service and choice to be a part of a Catholic School system.
We learned that my husband, Les, will undergo open heart surgery on February 2nd, so please keep him in your prayers for his surgery and recovery.
Lent begins on February 25th on Ash Wednesday. May your Lenten Season be kindled with faith, prayers and
peace.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
December 2008 - January 2009
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Our school, and the entire Central Catholic community, feel a great void in the sudden passing of our friend, Chuck , but we seek consolation in knowing that he is now basking in the glory of Our Lord, Jesus. May his commitment to Central Catholic High School be an inspiration to all of us.
Thank you so much for your prayers, visits and offers to help. We will be needing many volunteers to step up and
assist us through this critical time. No replacement decisions will be made in haste because Chuck was definitely “one of a kind.” Therefore, I look forward to our great CCHS family to be active in the many functions of our development office.
Happy Thanksgiving and an early Merry Christmas! ‘Tis the season for counting our blessings and we have much for which to be thankful! The CCHS family continues the tradition of cheering our Saints for their spiritual commitments, academic strengths, athletic successes, fine arts productions, community service and club activities.
First of all, thank you for a positive and exciting Homecoming. Your sons and daughters put in a great deal of time decorating and building school spirit. I believe we all enjoyed the week! Thanks for helping to oversee the activities and prevent poor choices. Together, we made a difference!
Special congratulations to our fall team successes. Saints undefeated football just keeps going! The pride can be witnessed as a strength of what we can accomplish by building stronger Saints! Speaking of accomplishments, our Cross Country teams have made history with our boys returning to state for a second time with John Curran placing 7th and our Lady Saints competing at state and placing 4th as a team. Special kudos to Kelly Curran for earning 1st place in individual competition! Also making the “All-State” qualifying records are John Curran (7th place) and Kerry Pelton (21st place).
Our girls’ golf team made history by finishing 3rd in the state tournament! Boys’ golf had a great season by finishing third in sectionals missing out by a mere 4 strokes in advancing to the state tournament. Boys’ soccer finished the season with an 11-6-3 record, while girls’ tennis finished with a 13-2 record and Mackenzie Kraft advanced to state in singles play. Lady Saints’ varsity volleyball lost in the first game of regional play while the junior varsity won the Corn Belt championship. Way to go, Saints!!
December will provide four days of open lunch for students. On Friday, December 5th, the sophomores present their annual Geography Fair and 9th, 11th and 12th grades will have open lunch from 12 Noon to 1:00 p.m. to allow for the set up of this event which takes place in our cafeteria. On Wednesday,December 17 through Friday, December 19th, CCHS will be on a final exam schedule so students will come for scheduled finals and be able to leave for lunch and study halls. Finals schedule is listed on the school calendar. The semester ends on December 17th so any family leaving before that date must arrange for finals before your student leaves.
May the holidays bring your families closer and may you enjoy faith-filled get togethers in the true spirit of Thanks-
giving and Christmas. May our priorities be set in what we know is important.
Happy holidays from my home to yours!
Blessings,
Joy Allen
October - November 2008
Dear Central Catholic Families,
I am awaiting the beauty of Fall and counting our blessings for such a great opening of the school year. The excitement of successful teams and academic goals touch our students’ spirit!
Homecoming will dominate the opening of October and our “Welcome to the Jungle” theme will be a loud roar! Know that October 5th-11th will be filled with activities and we ask that you help students keep it in control. Float decorating should end by 9:30 p.m. and hopefully students should return home right after decorating. As I addressed in September’s letter, teepeeing is not to be done using anything but toilet paper and should not be done to faculty and staff homes. We ask that the students be focused on positively decorating the school and grounds rather than trashing yards. We welcome your support and help with this request. Let’s keep Homecoming clean, fun and positive!
As always, safety and “lock down” procedures of precaution and protection are covered with faculty, staff and students. If we ever feel a serious threat, we will immediately go into lock-down status, keeping students in classrooms until police determine a time for safe evacuation. Teachers have been given an overview of procedures to best keep everyone safe. One measure will be to have students turn off cell phones so as not to jam police communications. Students who are outside for wellness classes or at other locations will not be allowed to enter the building during a lock-down. These students will go to McGraw Park Pavilion and then to St. Patrick Church of Merna. We will follow the guidance and direction of the police and ask that parents wait for press releases from them. Hopefully, this will not happen but I do want you to know that we continually assess our safety and review emergency procedures with staff as well as with our local police.
We look forward to Homecoming and invite you to participate in as many of these activities as you can. They are listed in the enclosed flyers. I hope many of you can join us for lunch on Friday. The spirit of the day will be a moment to treasure. Also, please mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
- October 1st —Pet Blessing in the CCHS Commons-Cafeteria—7:30 a.m.
- October 13th—No School—Columbus Day
- October 24th—Parent Teacher Conferences — 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Call Tece Nussbaum at 661-7000 to schedule)
- October 27th—No School—School Improvement Day
- October 30th—Fall Concert—7:00 p.m.
- November 7th-8th—Fall Play “Rescuing Dreamwood”
Safe Environment Teaching—teaching children to protect themselves— is part of the mandate of the “Charter for
Protection of Children and Young People” as adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002. To be in compliance, our Theology teachers will present lessons to all 9-12 grade students unless a parent specifically requests, in advance, in writing, that his/her child be opted out of the lessons. These lessons cover computer, environmental, interpersonal and touching safety. They will be covered throughout the year.
May October be fulfilling and busy with CCHS activities and as we enter November to prepare for Thanksgiving, remember to thank God for all we share as CCHS Saints.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
August - September 2008
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Welcome to the opening of the 2008-2009 school year! I look forward to this start-up time each year and I thank
you for your support as I enter “Year 18” as your principal.
Our incoming freshman class looks to be around 94 giving us a total of 408 students. Thank you for trusting us with your children and believing in Catholic education.
We are all preparing for opening week and it’s great to witness the energy and excitement of new plans and a new
year. Gentlemen, please plan to attend our Booster Club Stag on Saturday, August 30th at 5:00 p.m. here at CCHS, and
Ladies, you are invited and encouraged to come to our Stagette on Saturday, September 6th at 5:00 p.m. also to be held
at CCHS. We have a lot of fun at these events and you get to see friends, coaches and new Saints’ parents.
Homecoming week will being on Sunday, October 5th, with our Interact (Student Rotary Club) Pancake Breakfast.
As usual, our students will be busy every night and we need your help. It is a fun and active week but we need you helping to monitor each evening’s activities. I will repeat the message I communicate each year and ask for you to read all parts of this letter. Float decorating can always use parent chaperones, but most importantly we need your help reinforcing the limits of house “teepeeing.” This has been a wonderful tradition for years at CCHS, however, the past few years have seen some students going out of bounds with this spirit. No home should have repeated visits! Under no circumstances should any student use anything more than toilet paper for decorations. The use of shaving cream or food products is considered VANDALISM and will not be tolerated. Also, negative writing/statements is considered harassment. Please note this policy: Malicious acts of violence/threats/damages directed at another student, group of students, faculty or staff member, or a CCHS affiliated family is prohibited and discipline will include, but not be limited to, six (6) weeks social suspension with possible recommendation for expulsion.
TO SENIOR PARENTS: All school decorating is to be completed with a teacher present and only in the spirit of positive details. Any acts of trashing the school and surrounding areas will be given over to the police. No student is to
“camp out” overnight at the school and police are being asked to monitor the area.
CITY CURFEW HOURS: Students 17 and under—11:00 p.m. weekdays; 12:00 midnight on weekends. Also note that a 16 year old’s drivers license is not valid after curfew!
All parents, please have firm and frank discussions on this topic with your children. Student behavior after school
hours still reflects on CCHS and we hold our students accountable for appropriate behavior at all times. School discipline will be issued for vandalism/harassment brought about by school spirit gestures and the school’s policy will be enforced. I will also encourage victims to report any incidents to the police as this behavior is wrong and not condoned as spirit activity. If you have ever been the victim on the receiving end of these unfortunate incidents, you would fully understand how painful this can be for the whole family.
May you enjoy our beautiful end of the summer/fall weather and I look forward to seeing you at CCHS events.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
April - May 2008
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Welcome back from Easter and Spring Break! I trust you had some opportunity for rest and a rejuvenation of minds, bodies and souls.
Holy Week was especially memorable at CCHS this year. First of all, we had over 300 of our 400+ students fast on Tuesday and Wednesday for our 24 Hour Fast. Students, faculty and staff each gave $24.00 to fast and a check for over $5,000 was given to Father Ric, St. Mary’s Parish, to help feed the poor. Alum Pat Fruin, Flinger’s Pizza, donated the preparation of 115 pizzas at cost and Dan and Connie O’Brien picked up the tab to feed those who participated in the fast that Wednesday. All of this was done to feed our own local families needing Easter meals.
Also, we sent eleven of our young men to a Holy Week pilgrimage to a Benedictan monastery in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Mr. Marstall drove our CCHS Rocket with these students leaving on Wednesday and returning from the retreat on Easter Sunday. Our faith is shining strong and again we confirm the reason for this school, “Our Difference is our Strength!” Special congratulations to our young men choosing a prayerful retreat on Spring Break: Patrick Adams, Chris Baker, Michael Bernhardt, Matt Carroll, Patrick Duncan, Joey Head, Greg Naleway, David Philpott, Michael Sheldon, Patrick Whalen and alum, Nathan Sikora. We all hope this experience brought you closer to God and a consideration of religious life. On the 9th of April, the Diocese is providing us with National Evangelical Speaker, Mike Patin, for a 10:30 a.m. assembly. Come join us if you can and visit his website.
Another exciting piece of news is that we have ten students considering teaching as a profession and they will be out in our area schools shadowing for a day. Our sophomores and juniors enjoyed a wonderful Career Day last month and we had many alums and Saint Supporters come and share their occupation with our students.
We invite you to join us on April 19th at the Doubletree for this year’s Saints Alive Dinner-Auction. It is an exciting evening filled with good food, fun, camaraderie and the excitement of biding on hundreds of items in both our oral and silent auction items We have stunning pieces of jewelry, tickets to athletic events and concerts, condo stays in locations in Florida and the Ozarks, etc., etc. etc. Bring a friend, fill a table, and be ready to party on the “19th Green.” I’ll see you there.
Registration packets were mailed in February so you should have received one. You may come in any time to pay Mrs. Osterbuhr in the business office the $275 commitment fee and turn in all forms. She will then mark your registration receipt allowing you to meet with counselors and prepare a schedule. Again, we appreciate your confidence in meeting your student’s educational needs.
And, when we enter the month of May, we honor Mary and we remember and salute our CCHS Moms for your support, strength, patience and love. Bishop Jenky will be here for our traditional May Crowning on May 7th at our 10:30 a.m. school Mass.
Thank you, also to all of our volunteers who make this a better place. You are appreciated!
Blessings,
Joy Allen
Feb - March 2008
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Happy New Year! May 2008 bring you good health, a loving heart and indestructible Faith! Upon entering 2008, we look back on 2007 and celebrate some of our accomplishments.
* We ended our school year with over $1 million in college-awarded scholarships to our grads.
* We awarded $80,000 in tuition financial aid to this year’s students.
* Father Henehan announced that we have six recent graduates considering the seminary or working towards degrees in Theological studies.
* Our boys’ and girls’ TEC teams continue to use CCHS as Home, igniting teens to be closer to Christ in their daily lives.
* Parents continue to pray the rosary in our chapel on designated evenings.
* Parents and students participate in Adoration every Friday in the CCHS chapel.
* We are proud of two 2007 graduates who chose to serve our country in the U.S. Marines.
* Our 2007 Saints’ football team was State Runner-Up Champions!
* Our 2007 boys’ soccer team made it to the state playoffs after a winning season.
* We inducted a record number of upperclassmen into the National Honor Society.
Into the New Year, we are enjoying some great successes with both our Lady Saints’ and boys’ basketball teams. Coach Coffman enjoyed her 200th win and we were glad to be the school of her coaching choice. Our boys keep accepting the challenges of the opposing teams with positive attitudes and great motivation. We are enjoying Coach Welch, as he teaches our students both on and off the court. He is already part of our CCHS Family. We are all excited and hopeful to see how far we can go with both teams as we anticipate the opportunity of going to State!
Congratulations to our Pro-Life students for choosing to travel to Washington, D.C. to the March for Life! Our students also attended the Court House Rally in downtown Bloomington. We are so proud of our students committed to all aspects of our Faith.
Catholic Schools Week is great fun at CCHS. This year the theme is “Catholic Schools Light The Way” and it runs from January 27th through February 1st. On Friday, February 1st, we come together for our All-Schools Mass at Holy Trinity Church. Students should come directly to the church at 9:15 a.m. for the Mass which begins at 9:30 a.m. If you need to drop students off earlier, have them at CCHS by 8:30 a.m. and we will transport them to Holy Trinity Church. Parents are always welcome to attend the Mass. All of our students will be dismissed following Mass, then all of our Bloomington-Normal Catholic School faculty and staff members will come together for a luncheon to celebrate our choice to be part of the Catholic school system.
Lent begins February 6th on Ash Wednesday. May your Lenten Season be kindled with Faith, Prayers and Peace.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
December 2007/January 2008
Dear Central Catholic Families,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU! What an exciting Fall we have experienced at Central Catholic as we enter into the giving spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas. “Tis the Season” of counting our blessings and we have a pretty lengthy list as we look to the start of the school year. We begin with our record breaking enrollment of 413 students asking for a Catholic high school education. We haven’t seen that number since the 1970’s. Then our Homecoming was a smashing success and students gave 100% to decorating and planning fun and appropriate activities. Our fall teams continued to accomplish winning records with individuals going to post season state competition in golf and cross country while volleyball won sectionals, soccer made it to the Elite 8 and football takes us all the way down the road to State finals and hopefully a win in the championship game in Champaign.
Our faith-based student group, Vita Christi, has been actively promoting spiritual opportunities for all classes. They sponsored a well attended “Rock the House” event of games, Mass, confessions and spiritual reinforcement. This group will offer Christmas babysitting and plan faith-centered options for our students. With our own Father Henehan leading the troops, I am confident that our spiritual growth will continue to be exceptional.
We also enjoyed the opportunity to hear Circuit Judge Mark Drummond present to both students and parents on “7 Reasons to Leave the Party.” These were two excellent assemblies and we were told our students and parents were two of the best participant groups. They commented on how respectful and attentive our students were and this observation is truly rewarding for the faculty and staff of CCHS. Our school counselors said we had a full house at our “Admissions 101” seminar as an ISU spokesperson walked parents through the college admission process. I could go on, but I believe I have shared a few great reasons to be thankful at CCHS. Truly, OUR DIFFERENCE IS OUR STRENGTH!
December will provide two days of open lunch for our students. On Friday, December 7th, the sophomores will present their annual Geography Fair and 9th, 11th and 12th graders will have open lunch from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. to allow for the set up of this event which takes place in our cafeteria. All of you are welcome to come walk the “world around” on Airport Road. On Wednesday, December 19th, 0ur faculty and staff will have a Christmas luncheon and students will be given open lunch on that day so we can share in a Christmas gathering.
I pray that the spirit of the holidays brings great moments to you and your family. May the presence of Jesus fill all of our homes with a sense of peace and love.
Happy Holidays from my home to yours!
Blessings,
Joy Allen
October/November 2007
Dear Central Catholic Families,
May the beginning of Fall create cooler temperatures and picturesque colors so you may fully experience the beauty of October and November. Homecoming will kick start the month of October and promises to be a jammed-pack week of decorating and activities. Let’s keep it clean, fun and positive!!
An unfortunate topic in schools this year is that of school safety and “lock-down” procedures of precaution and protection. Many of the area incidences have been monitored by the police departments responding and assisting the schools. If we are feeling any kind of threat, we will immediately go into a lock-down status, keeping students in classrooms until police determine a time for safe evacuation. Teachers are being given an overview and procedure list to best keep everyone safe. One measure will be to have students turn off cell phones so as not to jam any police communications. I also want you to know that students outside for wellness classes or at other locations will not be allowed to enter the building during a lock-down. Any class meeting outside would go directly to McGraw Park Pavilion and then to St. Patrick Church of Merna. We will follow the guidance and direction of the police and ask that parents wait for press releases from them. Hopefully, this will not happen but I do want you to know that we continually assess our safety and review emergency procedures with staff.
We look forward to a wonderful Homecoming and invite you to participate in as many of the activities as you can. They are listed on a flyer in the edition. Also, please mark your calendars for these upcoming events you’ll not want to miss:
* Pet Blessing on Wednesday, October 3rd at 7:30 a.m. in the commons/cafeteria area
* Fall Talent Show on October 18th in the auditorium
* Judge Drummond’s presentation “7 Reasons to Leave the Party” on October 29th from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the auditorium
* Fall Play, “The Jungle Book,” on November 9th-10th in the auditorium
May this October be fulfilling and busy with CCHS activities and as we enter November to prepare for Thanksgiving, remember to thank God for all we share as CCHS Saints.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
Please note: Teaching children to protect themselves is part of the mandate of the “Charter for Protection of Children and Young People” as adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002. To be in compliance, our Theology teachers will present lessons to all 9-12 grade students unless a parent specifically requests, in advance, in writing, that his/her child be opted out of the lessons. These lessons cover computer, environmental, interpersonal and touching safety. They will be covered throughout the year.
August/September 2007
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Welcome to the opening of the 2007-2008 school year. We enter year #5 in our new school and I continue to enjoy my 17th year as your principal.
Our most exciting news this year is that we graduated our smallest class and our incoming Freshman class is already at 112 and growing!!! This means we will be at an enrollment of over 400 students! Thanks to all of you who trust us with your children and support all areas of Catholic education. You are the reason we keep growing!
We are busy preparing for this coming year and we already have many events planned. Gentlemen, please plan to attend our Booster Club Stag on Saturday, August 25th at 5:00 p.m. here at CCHS and Ladies, you are all invited to our Stagette on Sunday, August 26th at 5:00 p.m. also to be held at CCHS. These are two action-packed events where you can see friends, coaches and new Saints’ parents.
Homecoming week will begin on October 1st and, as usual, our students will be busy every night. Parents, please know that this is a fun and active week but we need your help monitoring each evening’s activities. Float decorating can always use parent chaperones, but most importantly, we need your help reinforcing the limits of house “teepeeing.” This has been a wonderful tradition for years at CCHS, however, the past few years have seen some students going out of bounds with this spirit. No home should have repeated visits! Under no circumstances should any student use anything more than toilet paper for decorations. The use of shaving cream or food products is considered VANDALISM and will not be tolerated. Also, negative writing/statements is considered harassment. Please note this policy: Malicious acts of violence/threats/damages directed at another student, group of students, faculty or staff member, or a CCHS affiliated family is prohibited and discipline will include, but not be limited to, six (6) weeks social suspension with possible recommendation for expulsion.
To Senior Parents: All school decorating is to be completed with a teacher present and only in the spirit of positive details. Any acts of trashing of the school and surrounding areas will be given over to the police. No student is to “camp out” overnight at the school and police are being asked to monitor the area.
CITY CURFEW HOURS: Students 17 and under—11:00 p.m. weekdays; 12:00 midnight on weekends. Also note that a 16 year old’s drivers license is not valid after curfew!
All parents, please have firm and frank discussions on this topic with your children. Student behavior after school hours still reflects on CCHS and we hold our students accountable for appropriate behavior at all times. School discipline will be issued for vandalism/harassment brought about by school spirit gestures and the school’s policy will be enforced. I will also encourage victims to report any incidents to the police as this behavior is wrong and not condoned as spirit activity. If you have ever been the victim on the receiving end of one of these unfortunate incidents, you would fully understand how painful this can be for the whole family.
May you enjoy our beautiful end of the summer/fall weather and I look forward to seeing you at CCHS events.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to call me.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
June/July 2007
Dear Central Catholic Families,
As we close down another successful year, I thank you for all of your support and help. Our Class of 2007 made us proud and this class was awarded almost one million dollars in tuition scholarships from academic, music, and athletic abilities. Congratulations to our graduating Class of 2007! Congratulations also to Matt Boyden, Valedictorian and Megan Kwasny, Salutatorian on wonderful speeches at graduation. If anyone ever doubted sending a child to Central Catholic, these two faith filled speeches are a great testimony for a questioning parent. It warms my heart that so many seniors leave here with the strength of their faith.
I was overwhelmed with the generosity from our Saints Alive Auction organizers and attendees. "Viva Las Vegas" was exciting and entertaining. We surpassed our goal of $115,000 and netted almost $129,000. All of these dollars go directly into our budget to update textbooks, improve technology and provide a qualified professional staff. Thank you to everyone who contributed time, talent and treasure. You are loyal Saints!
We are excited to share in Mr. and Mrs. Marstall's first born baby plans and the due date is early September. Mrs. Marstall will stay at home with their baby but she will still come in to help with "Living The Faith" service hours. Speaking of service hours, summer is a great time to begin collecting some of those hours due first semester. Check our website under "Living The Faith" for the necessary forms and guidelines. If you are not sure of a volunteer opportunity, e-mail the Marstalls for approval. Parish work or hours directly working with the poor or elderly through an agency are good choices.
May you enjoy relaxing times with family and friends. This year, Lydia, our "to-be-senior" at St. Thomas More, will travel with her brother to Mexico to live with a family and participate in a Spanish immersion program. Les and I will again train to Glacier Park, Montana (God's country) and then visit his family on the farm in North Dakota. My parents are struggling with health issues so I plan to visit them in Orlando for a few days. Les has to present his research at a conference on the island of Ohau, Hawaii. I guess I'll give up a few summer days and join him! This is when those frequent flier miles pay off! I hope you are able to get away from work and pressure for part of your summer.
In closing, may I say...
To the Seniors, the Class of 2007 - go with the wisdom we've shared with you and the strength God will give you to venture down Independence Lane. You have been a wonderful class and a part of me goes with you. May you remember bits of my advice when it can help you in the future.
To Senior Parents - thank you for being loyal supporters and hard-working contributors. Please don't be strangers as we are still, and always will be, your Central Catholic family.
To the Underclassmen - I pray Central gave you some good moments and some valuable lessons this year. I hope you enjoy the relaxing summer months and send me a postcard if you go on vacation.
To the Parents of the Underclassmen - I pray we've earned your respect enough to want to trust us again with the education of your sons and daughters next year. Thank You. Your commitment to CCHS is our reward.
To everyone - please enjoy the summer and the warmth and rejuvenation it brings upon us. See you in August! The first full day of school is Tuesday, August 21st.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
April/May 2007
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Hopefully Spring Break allowed for rest and a rejuvenation of our minds, bodies and souls! I believe it's a perfect start to Holy Week and a needed respite before we begin the "last leg" of our academic school year.
Our 18th Saints Alive dinner-auction is underway. This year's theme is "Viva Las Vegas" and just as the title suggests, it will be an exciting evening of glitter and good times. I hope you can join us as this not only brings us together in a fun, social setting, but it helps our school meet our financial budget for this school year. We depend on all of you loyal Saints for so much and this is one of those times.
If you can join us April 21st at the Doubletree, you will see a grand variety of both oral and silent auction items. Some of the oral items include trips to San Diego, California, Long Boat Key and Naples, Florida, Door County, Wisconsin and Spring Break 2008 week in Las Vegas at the gorgeous Carriage House! We are also offering a 2007 car from Extreme Motors, stunning pieces of jewelry, tickets to athletic events and concerts, etc. The list goes on and on and we are sure there will be something for each auction guest. So bring a friend, fill a table and be ready to party in Vegas style! I'll see you there.
Registration packets were mailed two weeks ago so you should have received one. You may come in anytime to pay Mrs. Osterbuhr in the business office and turn in all forms. She will then mark your registration receipt allowing you to meet with counselors and prepare a schedule. We hope to have registrations completed by May 1st allowing us time to look at teachers' needs and book purchases. You will also receive a discount if you register by the May 1st deadline. Again, we appreciate your confidence in meeting your student's educational needs.
As we celebrate the month of May honoring Mary, let us remember our CCHS Moms for your support, patience, strength and love. We salute you! Happy Mothers Day! I also thank all the volunteers who make our school a better place and encourage all parents to be involved. We win on a united team.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
January/February 2007
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Happy New Year! May 2007 bring you good health, a loving heart and a strong faith!
Our recent noteworthy accomplishment came in December with our State of Illinois Evaluation Report. Every five years, the State Board of Education brings a team to certified schools for a formal evaluation process. I submit extensive reports of all of our academic and co-curricular programs, along with life and safety building code regulations. Then a team from the State Board of Education, along with other school administrators, come in and observe every teacher and document every physical component of our building. Schools are
then given a report of commendations, concerns, and recommendations for action. I am so pleased to tell you
that we surpassed all expectations and received 100% of compliance in our recognition report. I was overwhelmed when Dr. Gary Miller called me in at the end of the visit and said, “Joy, Congratulations, I evaluate over 60-70 schools a year and I can only say this about once ever 2-4 years. Central Catholic High School has a perfect score and you have an excellent educational program. I have no recommendations except to continue doing what you are doing!”
Upon receiving our written evaluation report, the following commendations were listed:
* Students are involved in many areas of community service such as Adopt a Family and Blood Drives.
* Students express satisfaction with their academic preparations and the opportunity to participate in co-curricular activities.
* The strong bond and dedication to learning is evident in both the staff and students.
* The excellent administration enables the students and faculty to perform to its full potential.
* The building and grounds are clean and well maintained.
* All records and policy books were organized and available for easy access by the team.
* Administrators, faculty and students were courteous and made the team feel welcome.
Thank you to all of you who helped us build this school and who continually help to support all of our programs. The accomplishment is credit to our total CCHS extended family.
Catholic Schools’ Week is always a fun week. This year the theme is “The Good News in Education” and it runs from January 28th through February 2nd. On Friday, February 2, we come together for our All Schools’ Mass at St. Patrick Church of Merna. Students should come directly to the church at 9:15 a.m. for the Mass which begins at 9:30 a.m. If you need to drop students off at school earlier, we will get them to the church. Parents are most welcome to attend the Mass. All of our students will be dismissed following the Mass.
Congratulations to our boys’ and girls’ basketball teams both of whom are experiencing a great season. Special congratulations to Coach Jeff Wulbrun for breaking our school record for most consecutive wins.
Congratulations also to our students choosing to go to Washington, D.C. to March for Life! Another group attended the Court House Rally in downtown Bloomington. We are so proud of our students committed to all aspects of our Faith.
May your Lenten Season, which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 21st, be kindled with Faith and Prayers.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
December 2006
Dear Central Catholic Families,
‘Tis the season to count our blessing and at CCHS we may be counting for a very long time. The success of our students in the classroom, with social settings, on the fields and courts, and especially in witnessing Faith are all included in our blessings. Thank you for sharing the wealth of your most valuable assets —your children!
It’s fun to anticipate the holidays as we prepare to gather with our friends and family. This is the time of year when we have to consciously focus on our Faith and keep our priorities in check as to not get overwhelmed in the materialistic component of Christmas. I know I have to fight the battle of “consumerism” and keep it from taking over the time of the holiday spirit.
Congratulations to all of our Fall teams. We enjoyed quite a season and special kudos to girls’ golf and cross country for advancing to state competition. Our girls and boys golf teams both placed 6th in State. Our boys’ cross country team qualified as a team to run and placed 5th in State. Freshman Kelly Curran qualified as an individual and placed 20th earning her All-State honors. Our football Saints gave us many thrilling games and led us to the second round of state competition.
December will provide two days of open lunch for our students. On Friday, December 1st, the sophomores present their annual Geography Fair and 9th, 11th, and 12th graders will have open lunch from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. to allow for the set up of this event which takes place in our cafeteria. On Wednesday, December 20th, our faculty and staff will have a Christmas luncheon and students will be given open lunch on that day so we can eat together.
I hope the spirit of the holidays brings great moments to you and your family. May the presence of Jesus fill all of our homes with a sense of peace and love. Happy Holidays from my home to yours.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
October 2006
Dear Central Catholic Families,
Fall is such a beautiful time of year and we have been fortunate this year with some great football and cross country weather. I hope you enjoyed our opening year activities and trust that we are all experiencing a great Homecoming week.
Thank you for working with us and special thanks to all of you who are helping with the various events. I am certain that the floats, the stage, gym and field will all look great!
The school complex keeps on growing. The track pole vault and shot put areas are getting some finishing touches while Mrs. Moews and Jenny Malinowski added beautiful flowers around the grotto and near the concession stand. We just keep enjoying one surprise after another. I hope you’ve also seen our new trailer donated by TM Hair Design, Johnston Construction, Coldwell Banker and Hundman Lumber. This has been great for hauling football gear and equipment to away games and the music department will put it to use once football is over. Once again, the generosity of our Saints Supporters is truly evident!
We invite everyone to our October 13th football game when Bishop Jenky will bless our grotto. This will be at 6:30 p.m. Also, mark your calendars for the following activities that are coming up during October and November.
* Pet Blessing on Wednesday, October 4th at 7:30 a.m. in the commons/cafeteria area
* Student Council will sponsor the Red Cross Blood Drive on Thursday, October 26th.
* Talent Show on Friday, October 27th in the auditorium
* Fall Play—Thursday, November 2nd and Friday, November 3rd in the auditorium.
* Mass at St. Patrick of Merna to celebrate the completion of their new addition on Thursday, November 9th. (Students will meet directly at the church at 8:30 a.m. We will bus those needing transportation back to school.)
May this October be fulfilling and busy with CCHS activities and as we enter November to prepare for Thanksgiving, remember to thank God for all we share as CCHS Saints!
Blessings,
Joy Allen
August 2006
Dear CCHS Families,
Welcome to the opening of the 2006-2007 school year. It’s amazing to think that we have enjoyed our new campus for three years and keep growing as we begin year #4.
Part of our growth can be seen on our athletic field with a beautiful stone grotto built in memory of Robert Moews, Sr. Take a moment to see Mary and pray before her on the wrought iron and wood kneeler fabricated and donated by father and son alumni, Jeff and Scott McGraw. While you’re on the east side of the field, please take note, too, of the beautiful iron archway which reads, “WE ARE THE SAINTS.” This entrance arch and another on the west gate were also designed and donated by the McGraws. They certainly add beauty to our complex. The Killian brothers, Larry and Kevin, and their crew worked hard to lay red brick cement around the track to improve the surface area and protect the rubber track. John Weber has provided lighting on the grotto, the Bill Hundman statue and the flag, completing the setting and enhancing our new addition. The Most Reverend Bishop Daniel Jenky will be here on October 13th for the Saints vs. Prairie Central game and give his blessing for our grotto. We hope you can join us in this celebration. At CCHS, we now have our very own “Field of Dreams!”
Our calendar of events keeps growing and this year will be busy. Don’t forget to join us for our Ladies’ Stagette on August 30th from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. and the Booster Stag on Thursday, August 31st from 5:30 to 11:00 p.m. Both events will be held at Holy Trinity Elementary School grounds on Lincoln Street in Bloomington. These are two wonderful events to see your friends and meet our new “Saints’ Parents.”
We then will drive to Delaware for theology teachers, Maria Brake and Mike Marstall’s wedding on July 15th. Father Henehan will marry them and both Father and I take credit for this beautiful union! Who would have thought that teaching at CCHS would literally join families?!! Congratulations, we are proud honorary parents!
Homecoming week will begin Monday, September 25th and as usual our students will be busy every night. Parents, please know that this is a fun and active week but we need your help monitoring evening activities. Float decorating can always use parent chaperones, but most importantly we need your help reinforcing the limits of house “teepeeing.” This has been a wonderful tradition for years at CCHS, however, the past few years have seen some students going out of bounds with this spirit. “ No home should have repeated visits! Under no circumstances should any student use anything more than toilet paper for decorations” The use of shaving cream or food products is considered VANDALISM and will not be tolerated. Also, negative writing/statements is considered harassment. Please note this policy: Malicious acts of violence/threats/damages directed at another student, group of students, faculty, staff member or a CCHS affiliated family is prohibited and discipline will include, but not be limited to, six (6) weeks social suspension with possible recommendation for expulsion.
Senior Parents, all school decorating is to be completed with a teacher present and only in the spirit of positive details. Any acts of trashing of the school and surrounding areas will be given over to the police. No student is to “camp out” overnight at the school and police are being asked to monitor the area.
CITY CURFEW HOURS: Students 17 and under — 11:00 p.m. weekdays; 12:00 midnight on weekends. Also, note that a 16 year old’s drivers license is not validafter curfew!
All parents, please have firm and frank discussions on this topic with your children. Student behavior after school hours still reflects on CCHS and we hold our students accountable for appropriate behavior at all times. School discipline will be issued for vandalism/harassment brought about by school spirit gestures and the school’s policy will be enforced. I will also encourage victims to report any incidents to the police as this behavior is wrong and not condoned as spirit activity. If you have ever been the victim on the receiving end of one of these unfortunate incidents, you would fully understand how painful this can be for the whole family.
May you enjoy our beautiful end of the summer/fall weather and I look forward to seeing you at CCHS events.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to call me.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
May / June 2006
Dear CCHS Families,
This has been an exciting May with our Seniors receiving so many college/career opportunities. I am so thrilled to boast that this year’s class was awarded over $1.5 million in tuition scholarships from academic, music and athletic abilities. Congratulations, Class of 2006!
Our Saints Alive auction was a great success this year with our netting the goal of $110,000! Thanks to all of you who attended, donated or worked on it in some way. We depend on you loyal “Saints” to help us year after year and I am never disappointed. Know that these dollars, along with the netted dollars from our Annual Appeal (record goal achievement of nearly $128,000 ,thus far) provide new textbooks, up-to-date technology and a qualified, professional staff.
Hopefully you are excited about summer as much as I am. I will be joining my husband on his trip to Germany for his research presentation during the first week of June. In July we will board Amtrack on our annual trip to Glacier Park, Montana, with a stop at my husband’s family farm in North Dakota.
We then will drive to Delaware for theology teachers, Maria Brake and Mike Marstall’s wedding on July 15th. Father Henehan will marry them and both Father and I take credit for this beautiful union! Who would have thought that teaching at CCHS would literally join families?!! Congratulations, we are proud honorary parents!
After the wedding, I’ll head to Florida to see my parents for a few days and then it’s back to school in August to prepare for a new school year.
In closing may I say …..
To the Seniors, The Class of 2006—– go with the wisdom we’ve shared with you and the strength God will give you to venture down Independence Lane. You have been a wonderful class and a part of me goes with you. May you remember bits of my advice when it can help you in the future.
To Senior Parents—–thank you for being loyal supporters and hard-working contributors. Please don’t be strangers as we are still, and always will be, your Central Catholic family.
To the Underclassmen—–I pray Central gave you some good moments and some valuable lessons this year. I hope you enjoy the relaxing summer months and send me a postcard if you go on vacation.
To the Parents of the Underclassmen—–I pray we’ve earned your respect enough to want to trust us again with the education of your sons and daughters next year. Thank you. Your commitment to CCHS is our reward.
To everyone—–please enjoy the summer and the warmth and rejuvenation it brings upon us. See you in August!
Blessings,
Joy Allen
April / May 2006
Dear Central Catholic Families:
As you return from Spring Break, I hope this time allowed for rest and rejuvenation of our minds, bodies and souls! This has traditionally been a great “rest” before we begin the “last leg” of our academic school year. We are currently preparing for Holy Week by spiritually committing prayer, fasting and sacrifices, all in the name of Jesus’ Resurrection. Two special activities will be the “Passion of Christ” presented Holy Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Please consider joining us for this religious hour in our auditorium. It was great to see so many parents join us for services on Ash Wednesday. Know that you are always encouraged and welcome to share in all of our school Masses. It’s a great testimony for our students and parents to witness to God together. Our students will also be fasting for 24 hours with the money for sponsorship pledges they raise going to the poor. Please help them with this sacrifice if you are called upon.
We enjoyed two great speakers in February and both addressed chastity and living by a moral code of ethics. Father Stan Fortuna and Doug Herman kept students captured and gave excellent, heartfelt messages. One point from Doug Herman was that each time we resist temptation, we become stronger. He related it to an athlete lifting weights as training to become stronger. Each time our teen says “no” to peer pressure, he/she builds up strength and resistance to say “no” the next time. I could go on, but better yet, ask your son/daughter about the messages given at these assemblies.
Our 17th Saints Alive is underway. This year’s theme is “Night of the Golden Dragon.” This is always a wonderful social gathering of CCHS families and friends and I encourage you to consider attending this year and contributing to a worthy cause —excellence in education for our students. If you can join us on April 22nd at the Doubletree, you will see a trip to San Diego, a 2006 Hundai Accent valued at $14,700, stunning jewelry, beautiful Waterford, several dinners catered by our CCHS parents and friends, and over 65 other items in our oral auction. Bring a friend and be ready for a grand party. I’ll see you there!
I enjoyed presenting my “Teenage Conflicts” seminar to so many of you. When we team up and pay attention to “Life After School Hours,” our message and success are both stronger. Please continue to reconsider overnight gatherings as so many of the conflicts I face are after a weekend overnight gathering of teens. Teens are too easily involved in inappropriate decisions when “the group” is the influence.
Nice weather allows for questionable pranks and I again feel obligated to remind parents that the school has no tolerance for any destructive activities toward others or their personal property. Your reminder and reinforcement of appropriate recreational activities help to keep the “end of the year “ a positive experience for all of us. I realize I may give this message often but I truly believe that we all need to stay strong on setting limits, reinforcing rules and maintaining respect. Together, we make a life-long difference.
Registration forms and deposits for next year are coming due and we greatly appreciate your trust and vote of confidence in CCHS. Each year we continue to grow and each year I am most grateful for this beautiful school you all helped build. I cannot say thank you enough.
As we celebrate the beautiful month of May honoring Mary, let us remember our CCHS Moms for your support, patience, strength and love. We salute you! Happy Mother’s Day! I also wish to thank all who volunteer to make our school a better place and encourage all parents to be involved. We all win on a united team.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
February /March 2006
Dear Central Catholic Families,
It’s 50 degrees and the sun is shining. It’s hard to believe we are in the month of January, but I am grateful considering the rate hikes for our heating bills. As we enter 2006, it is important to reflect on what we accomplished and witnessed in 2005.
* We ended the school year with $900,000 in college-awarded scholarships.
* We awarded $60,000 in tuition financial aid
* Father Henehan received donations for our “Altar of Innocents” and a lectern. Our chapel looks great!
* We opened our Bill Hundman Memorial Stadium with a packed house and a myriad of well wishers and pleased donors.
* We hosted our first IHSA Cross Country Meet behind our school.
* In January, Boys’ TEC experienced a wonderful weekend at CCHS helping more teens find strength in their faith.
* Parents continue to pray the rosary in our chapel (for alum, Maggie Sprague).
* Our basketball teams continually shine with hard work, competitive play and positive role modeling. GO SAINTS!
Catholic Schools Week (January 29th through February 3rd) kicks off our celebration of being a Catholic high school in mission, faith development, and spiritual success. I believe our academic, athletic and fine arts accomplishments are outcomes of our Catholic identity. Please check the daily schedule for Catholic Schools week in The Central Speaker.
The end of January finds us praying for Father Henehan, four chaperones and 45 junior and senior students as they embark on their journey to Washington, D.C. for the National Right to Life March. We are so proud of these students and the commitment to “life” which they are supporting.
It’s also great to see our parents praying with students each Friday as we provide Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to the Central Catholic Community. If you have a moment to break away from your schedule, please join us for 15 minutes, a half hour, or an hour, every Friday from 7:15 to 2:15 p.m. in the CCHS chapel.
May our Lenten Season, which begins on Ash Wednesday, March 1st, be kindled with Faith and prayers.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
December/January 2005/2006
Dear Central Catholic Families,
The holiday season is approaching quickly and I pray you are able to enjoy some peaceful time with God, family and friends. This is the time of year when we have to consciously focus on our faith and keep our priorities in check as to not get overwhelmed in the materialistic component of Christmas. Consumerism has a way of “taking over” if we let it.
Thank you for the many positive responses to my letter sent with the First Quarter report cards. I know if we work together, we can give a united message and we can make a difference. This has also prompted several parents to request my “More Than Surviving” seminars which I started back in 1997. I will host the first one on January, 27th from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the commons area at CCHS. I will have sandwiches, soda and water for purchase for those wanting to go directly to the basketball game after the seminar.
The topic of this seminar will be “Teenage Conflicts—The Pain, The Gain.” I will cover some common teenage conflicts, possible responses and consequences, along with open, straight-forward suggestions while raising our teens. If you are interested in joining us for this seminar, please RSVP to Barb Carr at 661-7000, so I can plan for adequate seating and food.
Congratulations to our football team for a great season and for taking us into the State Quarterfinals. Thanks to everyone who helped us open our new Bill Hundman Memorial Stadium. Our parking lot workers, parents, Booster Club volunteers, faculty, staff and administration all helped create memorable home games. History was made and I believe we have the best stadium around. May all our Saints shine on and off the field!
I hope the spirit of the holidays brings great moments to you and your family. May the presence of Jesus fill all of our homes with a sense of peace and love. Happy Holidays from my home to yours!
Blessings,
Joy Allen
September/October 2005
Dear CCHS Families,
Happy Fall! I trust that you have enjoyed our opening year activities and I hope you are rested after a full Homecoming week. Thanks to all of you who helped with the various events. We couldn’t do it without you and the floats, stage and gym looked great as usual.
Our new Bill Hundman Memorial Field is simply awesome! I can’t even count the numerous compliments you have shared as we watch our home games under our own lights! What a good feeling to finally be playing at home. Thank you to everyone who made it possible and those of you helping us manage all the details of a home game.
Hats off to our Booster Club for running a great concession stand in our new stadium. The pork chops are definitely outscoring the competition at our opposing schools and you are providing a great service. Kudos to our Parents’ Club for organizing the Homecoming Luncheon and helping to manage the parking for our home games. You are a wonderful support for all our events.
We hope to see everyone at our October 7th home football game as we dedicate the field in Bill Hundman’s memory. We plan to start the blessing at 6:45 p.m. Come share in this part of CCHS history.
Our cross country team hosted its first meet here in McGraw Park. We just keep growing in so many ways!
May this October be exciting with so many activities and as we enter November to prepare for Thanksgiving, remember to thank God for all we share at CCHS.
Blessings,
Joy Allen
Note: Teaching children to protect themselves is part of the mandate of the “Charter for Protection of Children and Young People” as adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002. To be in compliance, Father Henehan will present two lessons to all 9th through 12th grade students unless a parent specifically requests, in advance, in writing, that his/her child be opted out of the lessons. These lessons are entitled “The Touching Safety Rules” and “Understanding SAFE Friends, SAFE Adults and SAFE Touches.”
The lessons will be taught between the dates of October 18-28th. The program Father Henehan will use has been developed by VIRTUS: PROTECTHING GOD’S CHILDREN. This is the same company sponsoring the Adult/Teacher/Staff/Coach/Volunteer Program. Should you have any questions, please feel free to call on me.
August, 2005
Dear CCHS Families,
Welcome to the 2005-2006 school year and the third year in our new campus. Campus is the appropriate term as we are currently completing the Bill Hundman Memorial Stadium and look forward to another year of memorable “firsts.” The donors and volunteers who have helped make this beautiful stadium possible are truly appreciated! Thank you to all of you Saint Supporters. This CCHS Campus has been possible because of you!
This year promises to be full of activities as I am already looking at a packed calendar. Our Parent Open House will kick of the first week of school on Wednesday, August 24th from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. Be sure to attend this informative evening if you have a student attending school here. Also, you are invited to attend the Ladies’ Stagette on August 31st from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. and the Booster Club’s Stag on September 1st from 5:30 to 11:00 p.m. Both events will be held at Holy Trinity Elementary School grounds on Lincoln Street in Bloomington and are great social events to see your friends and meet our newcomer Saints.
We will open our stadium for our first varsity football game on September 9th at 7:00 p.m. Plan to attend our ribbon cutting celebration at 6:30 p.m. and let’s fill those new “Home Side” bleachers! A formal dedication ceremony in memory of our alumnus and past parent, Bill Hundman, is planned for the October 7th game vs. Pontiac. We hope we will have all components completed by this date. Be sure to save this date as a “must attend” CCHS event.
Our grotto is being built in memory of Bob Moews and the Moews family is overseeing this construction. Memorial contributions have been put towards this project. How wonderful and how appropriate it will be to have our teams able to pray to Mary on their way to the track and field! DREAMS DO HAPPEN!
Homecoming week will begin Monday, September 19th and as usual our students will be busy every night. Parents, please know that this is a fun and active week but we need your help monitoring evening activities. Float decorating can always use parent chaperones, but more importantly we need your help reinforcing the limits of house “tepeeing.” This has been a wonderful tradition for years at CCHS, however, the past few years have seen some students going out of bounds with this spirit. No home should have repeated visits! Under no circumstances should any student use anything more than toilet paper for decorations! The use of shaving cream or food products is considered VANDALISM and will not be tolerated. Also, negative writing/statements is considered harassment. Please note this policy: Malicious acts of violence/threats/damage directed at another student, group of students, faculty, staff member or a CCHS affiliated family is prohibited and discipline will include, but not be limited to, six (6) weeks social suspension with possible recommendation for expulsion.
Parents, please have firm and frank discussions on this topic with your children. Student behavior after school hours still reflects on CCHS and we hold our students accountable for appropriate behavior at all times. School discipline will be issued for vandalism/harassment brought about by school spirit gestures and the new policy will be enforced. I will also encourage victims to report any incidents to police as this behavior is wrong and not condoned as spirit activity. If you have ever been the victim on the receiving end of one of these unfortunate incidents, you would fully understand how painful this can be for the whole family!
May you enjoy our beautiful end of the summer/fall weather and I look forward to seeing all of you at CCHS events!
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to call me.
Blessings,
Joy Allen