LIFETIME LIONS ALUMNI NEWSLETTER Fall 2017

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Dear St. Mark Alumni and Parents: Fall is in the air, and with that comes anticipation for cooler weather (at least by Texas standards), and our upcoming fall and winter events. Right now, the annual Scholastic Book Fair is taking place. Visit the school any time during the week and get a jump on your holiday shopping. There are books for adults and children alike, and proceeds benefit the St. Mark Library. Visit our website for details and hours. The much anticipated Middle School Fall Play, A Christmas Carol, will debut on November 30. Kick-off the Christmas season by attending any of the three performances: 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, or 6:30 PM and be ready for a treat. Father Cliff and Mrs. Corsi have been working hard with our students and it's going to be another showstopper! This year's Christmas Pageant takes place on December 14 at 6:30 PM in the church. Another great way to usher in the Christmas season. We welcome our alumni and families with open arms at all of our events. For those of you who are home from college or have time off around the holidays, our last full day of school before the Thanksgiving break is November 16. Our last full day before the Christmas break is December 14 and school resumes January 2. Stop by and say, "hello," or bring lunch to a younger sibling. We'd love to see you and share the holiday spirit that is so present in our halls!

A NATIONAL SCHOOL

OF EXCELLENCE

St. Mark Catholic School is a two time recipient of the

U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Award.

This means that St. Mark students consistently score in the top 15%

in the nation on standardized tests.

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ST. MARK ON INSTAGRAM

St. Mark is now on Instagram. Follow us for even more great pics from around campus!

Patricia Opon, Principal patricia.opon@stmcs.net P.S. Don't see your recent accomplishment mentioned below? Please send it to us at debbie.reed@stmcs.net. We'll include it in the next alumni newsletter.

ALUMNI UPDATES

We love receiving updates from entire alumni families! Here is the latest: Juliette R. '01, a 2005 graduate of Ursuline Academy of Dallas, received her BS in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M in 2009 and is a Senior Quality Manager in Seattle. Theresa R. '04, a 2008 graduate of Ursuline Academy of Dallas, received her BS RN from the University of Arkansas in 2012 and her DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) in 2017. She is working in Denver. Bradley R. '06, a 2010 graduate of Jesuit College Preparatory School, received his BS in Education from the University of Arkansas in 2014, and his DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) from the University of Central Arkansas in 2017. He is working in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The family says they all had a great foundation at St. Mark, and they love to look for their pictures on the wall when they return to campus. Their mother, Jeanne Rickert, serves on the St. Mark School Advisory Council and is an Altar Care volunteer at the church. Their father, Peter Rickert, serves on the St. Mark Catholic Church Finance Council. Megan M. '07, a 2011 graduate of Ursuline Academy of Dallas, finished her Biomedical Engineering degree from Vanderbilt University in 2015. She is now an Imaging Fellow at Duke in her third year of their Biomedical Engineering PhD program. Even with teaching both undergraduate and graduate imaging classes, she's still playing soccer. Ashley M. '08, a 2012 graduate of Ursuline Academy of Dallas, graduated from TCU in 2016 with a Journalism Degree. In addition to being a contributing writer to several magazines, she

St. Mark alumni are invited to join Lifetime Lions, our official alumni network. Keep up with former classmates, become a mentor to current students, and learn about opportunities to earn service hours. Click here to register.

Get the gear! Brand new St. Mark logo merchandise and spirit wear are available in our Lion's Den Spirit Store. Order your St. Mark gear online anytime!

SMARTLAB DEDICATION

Our students have spent the last couple of months familiarizing themselves with the SmartLab and diving in to lessons on alternative energy sources, levers, landscape design, circuits, Photoshop, Garage Band, video game design, and so much more. The official SmartLab Dedication Ceremony was held on November 2. Bishop Edward J. Burns did the honors, accompanied by Father Cliff and Father Jack from St. Mark. Honored guests included Plano City Councilman Anthony Ricciardelli, Collin County Commissioner Cheryl Williams, and Former County Commissioner Kathy Ward.

works in Plano for Reach Local as a Digital Marketing Manager. Chris M., a 2015 graduate of Jesuit College Preparatory School, is a junior at St. Edward's University in Austin where he is working on his Forensic Chemistry Degree and continuing his rugby career playing on their team. __________________________________________ Alumni News: Congratulations to Jason B. '14, a senior at John Paul II High School, who is a National Merit Semi-Finalist. Uyen L. '14, Valeria M. '14 and Ivanka P. '14, seniors at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, and Dylan C. '14, senior at John Paul II High School, were recognized as National Merit Commended students. Valeria M. '14, Dylan C. '14 and Eric R. '14 (a senior at Plano Senior High School), were recognized as National Hispanic Scholars.

Marti F. '17, is the Class of 2021 Treasurer at John Paul II High School. Courtney B. '17, is an Ursuline Academy of Dallas freshman class Student Council representative. Colin J. '14, a senior at Jesuit College Preparatory School, was recently named a Jesuit "Athlete of the Week" as part of the football team's offensive line. Chelsea A. '16 was selected to represent Bishop Lynch High School on the Texas Private Schools All Region Treble Choir. Will O. '14 is a member of the John Paul II High School Academic Decathlon team that placed 22nd at the Rockwall Invitational Scrimmage and Will won the 3rd place individual award in Math.

Sarah C. '12, a recent graduate of John Paul II High School, was accepted to a course to study International Organization: The Institutions of Global Governance at the London School of Economics and Political Science this past

If you were unable to attend the ceremony, we hope you are able to visit us and see for yourself how St. Mark is taking education into the future.

AROUND CAMPUS

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and keep up with all of the updates from the St. Mark campus.

Academic Success:

57 4th-6th graders and 31 7th graders qualified for the Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) based on last year's standardized test scores. Duke TIP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying and serving academically gifted and talented youth. Second grader, Camila Q., is a 2017 recipient of the Jethsuby Scholarship. Created by Dr. and Mrs. Mauricio Delgado through the The Catholic Foundation, the scholarship honors students nominated by their school Principals for academic performance, character, and participation in school activities.

summer. It was a three-week intensive course that she passed with flying colors. Sarah is now a sophomore at the University of Texas in Austin. The Jesuit Rangerettes Drill Team participated in the American Dance/Drill Team Camp in August. First Lieutenant Jordan P. '14, a senior at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, was an All American Honorable Mention and Marching Finalist award recipient, and Jordan V. '15, a junior at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, was awarded All American Kick Company. The Rangerette officers also brought home All American Officers, the highest award at the camp, and the line earned the Gussie Nell Davis Award of Excellence. More than half of the team earned the opportunity to perform at the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl New Year's Day Halftime Show and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Alec I. '14, a senior at John Paul II High School, earned his Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout rank as well Bronze and Gold Palms. Chloe K. '17, a freshman at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, gave 90 hours of service at the Heritage Farmstead Museum in Plano over the summer. Chloe was a Junior Counselor at the Children's Pioneer Camp and the Creek Camp. Mai O. '17 will play "Snug" in Bishop Lynch High School's fall production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and will also serve as a Stage Manager in their production of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Nile in the spring. The John Paul II High School Speech & Debate team, including Trevor F. '14 and Travis A. '16, took 3rd place at the recent Lindale Speech and Debate tournament. Trevor was also a finalist in Congressional Debate at the Naaman Forest Speech and Debate Tournament. Valeria M. '14, a senior at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, is a student in UA's Mandarin Chinese IV Honors class that recently won the "Best School Participation" award at the Confucius Institute's Calligraphy Competition. The Confucius Institute is part of The University of Texas at Dallas.

Middle School students recently competed in the recent Diocese of Dallas Speech League Tournament and won a white ribbon for Storytelling, and blue ribbons for Humorous and Duet Acting.

Chromebook laptops are now part of our 6th grade program and have been a great success. Laptops for 7th and 8th grades will be phased in over the next two years.

Athletic Success: 8th grader, Fitch T., plays on an FC Dallas U14 DA soccer team that won a

The John Paul II High School Swim Team, including Kaitlin C. '15, Matt C. '17, Rachel D. '16, Claire W. '14 and Reed W. 14, had their season opening meet at the Bishop Lynch Invitational, and took 2nd place combined. Ryan M. '14 is the President of the Jesuit College Preparatory School Culinary Science Club. Varsity Tennis Player at John Paul II High School, Olivia S. '17, moved from Challenger Level to the Champs Level with the USTA Tennis Association. Audrey M. '14 and Izzy C. '15 are members of the Bishop Lynch High School Varsity Volleyball team that is advancing to the TAPPS 6A State tournament. Congratulations to John Paul II High School Fine Arts students: Amanda L. '14 made TPSMEA 3rd Chair Alto 1 Mixed Choir and is advancing to All State Auditions. Dylan C. '14, received Honorable Mention All Star Cast at the TAPPS One Act Contest. Julia R. '17 is a cast member in the Spring 2018 Bishop Lynch High School production of Footloose. Kolbe B. '14 recently set the record for John Paul II High School's Men's 5K with a time of 16:50. He also placed 9th at the TAPPS State Cross Country Meet and he made 1st Team All District and 1st Team All State. Kyle S. '14 made 2nd Team All District. In addition, the following alumni placed in recent Men's Cross Country events for John Paul II High School: Kolbe B. '14 (5th place at the SCI Invitational and 13th place at the McKinney Boyd Invitational); Kyle S. '14 (8th place at the SCI Invitational); Carter P. '14 (9th place at the SCI Invitational); and Kevin P. '16 (15th place at the SCI Invitational). Elena G. '15 will play "Beatrice" and Celine M. '14 will play the "Second Watchman" in Ursuline Academy of Dallas' production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Valeria M. '14 is a Prop Master. The John Paul II High School marching band placed 2nd in State. Part of this accomplishment

championship at the Copa Chivas tournament in Mexico this past summer.

Our volleyball, cross country, and football teams have had their share of wins this fall and playoff season is here. Be sure to follow the schedules and results on the Dallas Parochial League website. Up next...tennis and basketball!

Community Service: The recent hurricanes sent the St. Mark community into action collecting supplies for babies and children, as well as canned goods for The North Texas Food Bank. Four SUVs were filled with supplies, and countless boxes of canned goods were donated.

Students also donated books to The Samaritan Inn in McKinney in September. Special messages and prayers from the students were included inside each book. In October, students made blankets for homeless veterans in partnership with the Veterans Association, and 8th grade spent time at the Make-A-Wish foundation creating gift bags. The St. Mark

were Adam B. '16, Isabella F. '15, Marti F. '17, David G. '17, Amanda L. '14, Madison O. '14, and Declan W. '17. Athena B. '15, a junior at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, earned "Most Persuasive Senator" at the National Hispanic Institute's Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session in Austin. Athena was also one of 25 delegates who represented Texas at the Conference on National Affairs in North Carolina. In addition, Athena gained unique real-world experiences during a National Youth Leadership Forum at Johns Hopkins University. The interactive curriculum helped her participate in medical simulations created by top medical training professionals and explore the expanding fields of medicine and health care. The John Paul II High School Cardinal Belles drill team attended the Encore Creative Productions Camp. The officers, including senior Caroline G. '14, received the Superior Performance award for Officer Contemporary and Officer Jazz, as well as the All Around Award for Excellence in Every Category, and the Technique Award. Ella P. '17 attended the West Coast Elite Summer Dance Experience in Houston. Athena B. '15, Shannon R. '15, and Tia T. '15 were named Ambassadors at Ursuline Academy of Dallas. Cherish A. '14 has verbally committed to play soccer (goalie) for Northwestern University and Amber R. '14 has committed to play volleyball at Harding University. Both are seniors at John Paul II High School. Jeremy H. '14 is a member of the undefeated Bishop Lynch High School Varsity Football team that recently clinched the district title. Several alumni attended John Paul II High School's Kairos Retreat, a Roman Catholic retreat program that aims to provide participants the chance to contemplate God's role in their lives: Daniel A. '14, Ashley B. '15, Kolbe B. '14, Dylan C. '14, Isabella F. '15, Lauren M. '14, Zach M. '15, and Claire W. '14.

staff also participated in a service project of their own making food bags for Austin Street Center. This month, students are collecting canned goods for the St. Mark/St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Giving back is alive and well at St. Mark! North Texas Giving Day Success: St. Mark had its best North Texas Giving Day ever, raising $33,841. This is nearly triple what has been raised in the past. We thank the entire community, including our alumni donors, who played a part in this success!

New After School Program Facility: The school's After School Program has moved to the former daycare space on the St. Mark campus providing students with spacious, bright and airy classrooms, computer rooms, study spaces, and special recreation and outdoor areas. Our students are loving it!

A few more images from around campus:

SmartLab Opens:

LIONS MENTOR LIONS

Elizabeth R. '14 is fulfilling her Senior Service hour commitment for Ursuline Academy of Dallas at St. Mark. From September through April, she will spend Monday mornings on campus mentoring students and assisting the faculty and staff. Gena-Marie M. '14 is a member of the John Paul II High School Leadership Class that planned a leadership workshop for the St. Mark Student Council. Izzy C. '15 and Katie F. '15, members of the Bishop Lynch High School National Honor Society, volunteer as academic tutors for any St. Mark students who need their services. Isabella F. '15, a junior at John Paul II High School, volunteers as an ISEE test prep tutor for St. Mark 8th graders.

FAVORITE ST. MARK MEMORY

When registering for "Lifetime Lions," you are asked to share your favorite St. Mark memories. Elizabeth L. '12 enjoyed the 8th grade Baby Egg project, a cross-curricular unit that teaches valuable life lessons on marriage, children, household budgets, and much more. It just so happens that our students are in the midst of Baby Egg right now! The wedding ceremony complete with Ring Pops, decorating baby baskets, and researching honeymoon destinations are among the fun activities that are still part of this St. Mark tradition.

4th Annual All Souls Run:

Living Saints:

Spunky Pumpkin:

8th Grade @ The Pines:

Grandparents' Day:

WAYS TO GIVE TO ST. MARK

St. Mark Catholic School appreciates your support. If you would like to make a donation of time, expertise, or financial support, please follow the links below. *Donate your time or expertise. Simply email Debbie Reed and let us know what you are interested in contributing to our school. Need ideas? Community members have provided special presentations to students on a variety of topics including cell phone use, the Titanic, and the Holocaust. Parents and alumni with interesting careers have presented at the St. Mark Career Days, others have taught electives on subjects such as the stock market and Pinterest projects, and many have served as interviewers at the annual 8th grade interview practice sessions. *Gap Fund - This fund helps St. Mark bridge the gap between the tuition amount our families pay, and the actual cost to educate each student. For 2017-18, that cost is $1,430 per student. *Technology Fund - This fund assists St. Mark with keeping current on the technology made available to our students. *Other Monetary Donations - Make a general donation, or designate funds towards a specific program such as Fine Arts, Athletics, or Robotics. *Legacy Brick - Commemorate your time as a LION. Buy a personalized brick for $100 that will

4th Grade Fall Play- "Texas is a

State of Mind":

GET INVOLVED!

We encourage all alumni and alumni families to come back to campus as a volunteer, a mentor to our students, or simply to take part in our events. Here are some upcoming opportunities (and if you're a high school student, you can even earn service hours): Middle School Fall Play - A Christmas Carol: November 30, 2017; Contact Patty Corsi for volunteer information, or plan to attend a performance.

become part of the entryway to St. Mark Catholic School. *Merchant Programs - Raise funds for our school simply by linking your Tom Thumb and Kroger shopper cards to St. Mark.

STAY CONNECTED

Keep us posted! As we receive alumni updates, we incorporate them into our social media posts, weekly school bulletins, and alumni communications. Tell us about your recent activities and accomplishments -- we'd love to hear from you! Need to update your contact information? Simply contact Debbie Reed with all of your updates.

"ONCE A LION,

ALWAYS A LION!"

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Catholic Schools Week: January 29-February 2, 2018; Join us for all of the traditional St. Mark CSW festivities! Check the school website for the daily agenda.

Annual Auction & Gala: April 7, 2018; Volunteer for service hours or purchase tickets and join us at this "don't miss" event by clicking here.

3rd Annual S.T.E.M. Fair: April 27, 2018; Earn service hours or come to this interactive event just for fun! Contact Pam Steinkirchner for information.

Monsignor Smyth Golf Classic: May 4, 2018; Contact Marlene Ehring for volunteer opportunities and registration information.

St. Mark Catholic School | 1201 Alma Drive, Plano, TX 75075 www.stmcs.net | (972) 578-0610

St. Mark Catholic School, 1201 Alma Drive, Plano, TX 75075

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