Skype Event

This past June, Ms. Gianna Iannucci, Ms. Jean Pepitone and I traveled to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana to participate in a week long seminar offered by the Institute for Church Life entitled “Science and Religion: Strangers, Rivals, or Partners in the Search for Truth?”.  Catholic high school educators from around the country were selected to participate in this seminar which explored the relationship between Science and Religion. “Science teachers will learn how theological insights can be used to inform some of the typical topics in biology and religion teachers will explore how scientific findings can help inform and enhance their appreciation of God’s physics, while creation” (Institute for Church Life)

The experience presented an opportunity to not only enrich our courses, but form relationships and network with educators at the University of Notre Dame and other institutions of higher education.  In particular, we had the pleasure of meeting Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ, the Director of the Vatican Observatory 

One benefit of the relationships formed was the opportunity to Skype with Br. Guy on Wednesday, October 28.  The Mercy High School stage was set with our large screen and members of our Astronomy club seated to the side.  The auditorium was filled with the entire Mercy High School student body, members of the Xavier High School Astronomy club and grades 5 through 8 at St. John Paull II School in Middletown.  Our technology team facilitated the call which included a camera on students asking the questions, a camera on the auditorium audience and Br. Guy live from the Vatican in Italy.  

Xavier High School Astronomy Club

Mercy High School Astronomy Club

Rev. Erik Lenhart, OFM Cap and Rev. John Gallagher, OFM Cap

from St. Pius X Parish in Middletown

You can watch the event on our You Tube channel at:  Vatican Skype Event    The entire video is approximately 45 minutes in length but well worth the time you take to view it.

Events like this, show the great benefit that technology can bring to our students.  Br. Guy opened the world up to those gathered that day.  We could truly feel his passion for God as seen in our universe and hear his invitation to find ourselves in it.  

We continue to use Skype as a tool to facilitate communication.  On December 4 our Library Club will be “Skyping” with a similar group at Mt. St. Mary Academy, in Watchung, NJ,   a Sisters of Mercy sponsored High School.  They will be discussing Me Before You by JoJo Moyes, a book that both groups have read in common.  

I look forward to seeing the other creative ways that we can use programs such as “Skype” to enrich and broaden our experiences and world view.

Upcoming Events:

·         Thanksgiving Break:  There will be no school November         25 – 29, 2015

·         Mercy/Xavier Drama Production:  

           A Christmas Carol:  will be presented on Thursday, December 3 and Friday, December 4 beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $8 and available for purchase online or at the door.

·         Mercy/Xavier Advent Mass and Breakfast will be held on Sunday, December 6.  Please check the website to make your reservation and find information concerning our Christmas Poinsettia sale.

·         Winter Concert:  Come hear our various choirs and musical ensembles perform on Wednesday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Mercy Auditorium.  It is a great way to ring in the holidays!

Mercy Technology Blog

We are certainly a learning community here at Mercy.  When it comes to the area of Technology, we can never say, “We know enough”, because it is a field that is constantly changing.  Teachers and students both, are always experimenting, “Googling” and discussing new ways to accomplish specific tasks.  What makes being in a learning community so great is that no one has to “figure it out” alone!

Professional Development Day

On Friday, October 16, Mercy High School was closed for students, but teachers were busy attending various workshops and working on curriculum.  One workshop that a number of teachers attended was at the Microsoft store at West Farms where teachers learned how to use “Office Mix” and “Sway”

Student Learning

When teachers returned from having a day to enhance instruction, the results were seen quickly.  Students in Mrs. Lynn Curello’s Technology Fundamentals classes as well as Personal Finance are seen here learning how to use the presentation program “Sway” themselves!

It is great for students to have another option for class project presentations!

E-TextBooks

The use of e-textbooks has grown over the past few years at Mercy. Many of the digital books bring with them a cost savings as well as a lightening of student book bags!  With our Grade 9 and 10 students using required devices throughout the day, they are experiencing the benefits (and sometimes frustrations) of using these new, often interactive, resources.   

The Theology department has moved to a digital textbook option at all grade levels this year.

Grade 10 Theology Class

Both Spanish and Italian language classes have also moved to online texts which also includes a “supersite” where students do their homework and are able to hear audio clips in the language they are studying as well as post their own!

Italian Language Class

Online Resources

Students have a number of resources available to them as they are working on their various papers and projects.  Mrs. Jennifer Crutchfield, the Director of the Library Media Center, has been holding library orientation sessions with students in the class of 2019 to make sure they know what resources are available.  

There are programs, such as "Grammarly", which assist students with the actual writing of a paper and correct citing of source material.  Many online databases are also available to students at a click of the mouse.  

All of the above can be found on the Library Media Center page on Mercy's Edline website: Library Media Center 

Upcoming Events

·         October 28 – Skype Event with Bro. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory.  Students will be able to hear Bro. Guy speak about his work at the Vatican Observatory and ask him questions about his work.  Bro. Guy will be speaking to us live from Rome Italy!  For more information about Bro. Guy and the Vatican observatory, see this YouTube video:

·      October 30 - Walk-a-Thon - A well loved tradition and  
important fundraiser for the school.  Pray for a dry day!

Please click to read Sr. Mary’s letter regarding Walk-a-thon

·         November 1^st – Open House – 1:00 p.m – 4:00 p.m.  Please invite your friends and family to come and see Mercy!  Take a look at our latest video! 

Mercy Technology 

What an incredible opening of school year we have had here at Mercy in the area of Technology!  

Teacher Workshops

Before our Mercy women even arrived, our teachers gathered to learn creative ways to use Microsoft Office 365.  Four members of the Microsoft professional development team located at the Microsoft Store in Westfarms arrived with workshops on classroom use of the OneNote Notebook, Outlook and One Drive.  

 

Class of 2019

Our Freshwomen arrived on Monday, August 31st very nervous but also very excited to start at Mercy.  Our upperclasswomen greeted them warmly as is our tradition and performed a skit to introduce the Class of 2019 to Catherine McAuley and all things Mercy.

As part of the freshwomen orientation, I spent some time introducing the class to technology use at Mercy High School, directing them to:

• Name their computers so that they can be identified on our network
• How to access their e-mail and Microsoft Office 365
• Asked to develop mindfulness in regards to charging and care

As you can see, there were a few upperclasswomen who stayed to help with the morning activities and the class of 2019 was quite attentive, using more "traditional technology" to take notes on this first day!

Moving Forward

Since that first day, our freshwomen have become quite adept at accessing their e-mail, digital textbooks and Edline, where teacher webpages and homework assignments can be found.

I will be visiting with the Sophomore classes this week to make sure that they continue to use their devices well and are accessing the many resources available to them. Our upperclasswomen are also using more digital textbooks and using Office 365 more efficiently.

Upcoming 

• Mini-Class Night:  Thursday, September 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Parents will have the opportunity to follow their daughter's class schedule and meet briefly with teachers. Your daughter will bring home a copy of her schedule for you to follow.  

• Opening of School Mass and Freshwomen Pin Ceremony:  Tuesday, September 29.

• Parent Edline Activation:  Edline is a website where teachers post homework, handouts and other classroom information.  All students and parents have been given activation codes to access these accounts.  If you have misplaced or forgotten how to access Edline, we can help!  Please just e-mail mbullock@mercyhigh.com OR contact the main office.  We can issue a new password, activation code and/or second parent account if requested.

Stay tuned!  Each month I will be featuring some of the many ways technology is being used to enhance instruction at Mercy.  

Be well.