Friday Focus Newsletter

Dear Marian Central Families & Alumni,

As we head into another exciting weekend of Hurricane athletics, I wanted to take a moment to share some updates and reflections from our department. Each week brings new opportunities to see our student athletes grow not just in their sport, but in character, leadership, and faith.

Fall Sports in Full Swing
Our football program is preparing for another competitive Friday night next week under the lights at George Harding Field for our homecoming game against Chicago Christian on 9/26. I encourage you to come out, wear your Marian colors proudly, and support our team and cheerleaders as they represent our school with pride. Volleyball, golf, and cross country are also off to strong starts, and it’s been great to see the enthusiasm from both athletes and families. The energy in our gyms and at our courses reflect the spirit of Marian Central.

Community Connections
One of my goals as Athletic Director is to make sure our programs serve as a bridge between our students, our alumni, and our wider McHenry County community. A few weeks ago, our football program did a food drive for admissions during our pre-season scrimmage for the Woodstock food pantry. Seeing our athletes give back reminds us that Marian athletics is about more than wins and losses, it’s about building young men and women who carry our values into the world.

Looking Ahead
In the coming weeks, we will continue to welcome youth players for our special events, and celebrate senior athletes who have dedicated years of commitment to Marian Central. These moments help strengthen the connection between past, present, and future Hurricanes.

Thank You
To our parents, alumni, and supporters: thank you for filling the stands, volunteering your time, and contributing to the Booster Club efforts that make so much possible. Your investment in our students fuels the mission of Marian Central and makes our athletic programs a place where faith, tradition, and excellence meet.

Let’s continue to lift each other up, cheer loudly, and celebrate the blessings of being part of this Hurricane family. I hope to see you at a game soon!

Go ‘Canes,
Cody O’Neill
Athletic Director
Marian Central Catholic High School

Monday, 9/22: PJ Day
Roll out of bed and come to school in your comfiest pajamas, slippers (closed toe), or cozy loungewear — it’s all about staying relaxed!

Tuesday, 9/23: Country or Country Club

• Freshmen and Sophomores, Country: Go Country with flannels, cowboy boots, denim, and belt buckles
• Juniors and Seniors, Country Club: Go Country Club with polos, khakis, sweaters over the shoulders, golf shirts, and tennis whites

Wednesday, 9/24 - Babies or Elders

• Freshmen and Sophomores throw it back to their baby days with pacifiers, bibs, onesies, or playful baby gear
• Juniors and Seniors fast-forward to the future by dressing like elders with canes, glasses, cardigans, and gray hair. It’s a day to see who wears their “age” best — the youngest or the wisest!

Thursday, 9/25: Duo Day

Grab a friend and dress as a dynamic duo — famous pair, matching outfits, or creative twins — two is better than one!

Friday, 9/26: Spirit Wear Day

Show your Marian Central spirit and celebrate our first pep rally of the school year along with the Homecoming Football game v. Chicago Christian! Go Canes!

Marian Central’s National Honor Society is gearing up to kick off Homecoming week with a colorful splash! Our annual Color Run will be held on Sunday, September 21st from 2-5pm on the Marian Central track. It is open to all students, families, alumni, and faculty. Get ready to get a little messy as you run for a great cause. The $10 fee will cover an XL white t-shirt to wear and all of the proceeds will go to the Veteran’s Path to Hope. This year, in addition to our relays, we will have a 4v4 volleyball showdown, a colored shirt contest, and other games for prizes. To sign up, scan the QR code or use the link below! We will see you there!

Sign Up Here!

Thursday, September 25th at 3:30 pm

All are welcome to cheer on the Canes as they show their pride in the red and blue! Join us at the Woodstock Square!

Thursday, September 25th at 7:00 pm

Junior and Senior girls will participate in a friendly game of flag football on the Football Field.
All are welcome to attend. Key Club will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items as admission.

The 2025 Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned just prior to the Varsity Football game on Friday, September 26th. The game is at 7:00 pm and the crowning will be at 6:20 pm.

Homecoming Court 2025

Ladies: Christine Chmiel, Courtney Hill, Sophie Kwasigroch, Audrey Wilson, Holly Zabroski

Gentlemen: Luke Aragona, Matthew Conlon, Peter Mercurio, Connor Truckenbrod, John Zabroski

The Homecoming Dance is Saturday, September 27th from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.

All juniors and seniors may attend these visits. Students must receive permission from their teachers to attend each visit and must sign up for all visits in SCOIR.

Monday 9/22: Santa Clara University (Virtual)-8th Period, Michigan Technological University-9th Period, Lawrence Technological University-10th Period

Tuesday 9/23: Texas Christian University-1st Period, College of St. Benedict/St. John's University-3rd Period, Marist University-8th Period, Aurora University-9th Period, Northwood University (Virtual)-10th Period

Thursday 9/25: Xavier University-1st Period, McHenry County College-4th Period, Miami University of Ohio (Virtual)-10th Period

At the start of a given school year, all freshmen and transfer students are required to submit to the school office a current (dated no earlier than October of the previous year) physical examination completed on the State of Illinois Certificate of Child Health form. This form should be filled out completely, signed by a health care provider, and dated with the month/day/year of each immunization indicating that the student is fully protected and in compliance with all required immunizations. All students are to meet this requirement prior to the start of the school year.

* Students entering the 12th grade must also show updated proof of receiving the Meningococcal Conjugate booster shot.

* A dental exam completed on the State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination form is required for all 9th grade students. This is to be submitted no later than May 15th of the student’s Freshmen year.

Religious Objections: Parents who are requesting a religious exemption to immunizations must complete the Illinois Certificate of Religious Exemption form and submit it prior to October 1 of freshman and senior years.

Failure to meet this requirement by October 1 of the current school year will result in the student being excluded from further school attendance until the requirement is met.

Please submit all immunization records to Mrs. Johnson in the office or email to kjohnson@marian.com.

PreACT – Required for all Juniors

All juniors at Marian Central will take the PreACT on Friday, October 10, 2025, starting at 8:00am. This will be a shortened school day and once the test is finished at approximately 10:45am students will be released from school. The PreACT is a paper-and-pencil test that provides valuable practice for the ACT test that juniors will be taking in the spring of 2026 (see below). The PreACT includes multiple choice questions in English, Reading, Math, and Science. Results will provide a predicted ACT score, information regarding current critical academic areas to focus on for improvement, and career possibilities/suggestions that match student interests. Finally, juniors will receive their test booklets, their responses, and the correct responses for all questions on the test – valuable tools that juniors can then use to prepare for the spring 2026 ACT test. Click here to find out more about the PreACT.

If your student receives testing accommodations through a formal ISP at Marian Central, he/she will be granted those same accommodations on the PreACT in October. No additional application is necessary.

No registration is necessary for the PreACT.

PSAT/NMSQT – Optional for all Juniors

Marian Central will continue to offer our Juniors the opportunity to take the PSAT/NMSQT test, if desired. This year’s test will be on Friday, October 24 starting at 8:00am. The test has two sections: Reading and Writing and Math with a 10-minute break in between and will last until approximately 10:45am at which time the students will return to their regularly scheduled classes for the remainder of the school day.

The PSAT/NMSQT is a digital test that gives students practice for the SAT test, provides a predicted SAT score, and connects students to helpful college and career planning tools. In addition, it is the only opportunity for our most academically gifted students to potentially qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. Click here for more information regarding the PSAT/NMSQT.

To register your junior for the PSAT/NMSQT at Marian Central you must:

1. Fill out and submit the registration form

2. Pay a $20 test fee

Payments can either be made by cash or check made out to Marian Central Catholic High school and delivered to the Guidance Office, or by credit card online. There is a 4% surcharge for credit card payments. To pay online, please go to www.marian.com, then go Quick Links and Online Payment and choose Registration Fees for payment type. Then type “PSAT Test” after entering your Student’s Name (i.e. John Doe – PSAT Test)

The registration form and payment must be received no later than Friday, September 26, for juniors to be eligible to take the PSAT/NMSQT test.

To give our students the best opportunities for college admissions and scholarships and to provide valuable data to improve instruction at Marian Central, we will be having our juniors take the ACT (paper-and-pencil format) during the school day on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The test will begin at 8:00am and end by approximately 10:30 am at which time juniors will return to their regularly scheduled classes for the remainder of the school day. The Enhanced ACT consists of 3 sections: English, Math. And Reading. The students will also be taking the Writing and Science portions of the exam.

Scores will be available from 2-8 weeks after testing and will be college reportable for students who wish to submit their scores to any of the colleges and/or universities that they plan to apply to senior year. Additional information about the ACT, including free test preparation options can be found here.

If your student receives testing accommodations through a formal ISP at Marian Central, Mr. Taylor will contact you and your students to apply for accommodations with ACT. Applications for accommodations will be submitted to ACT before we leave for winter break in December.

No registration is necessary for the April 2026 ACT at Marian Central during the school day.

If you have any questions about any of the standardized tests for the juniors, please contact Mrs. Kelly Hilton, Guidance Director at khilton@marian.com or 815-338-4220, ext. 121.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars are announcing their annual "Voice of Democracy" competition. All students are eligible to enter. Applicants will need to submit a 3-5 minute audio and written essay on this year's theme, "How are you showing patriotism and support for our country?". The deadline to enter is October 31st. Please click below for additional information.

Mark your calendars! Grandparents play an important part in our students' lives! Marian Central Catholic High School would like to celebrate and honor grandparents for all they do and the role they play in the lives of their grandchildren. Enjoy a day dedicated to our grandparents on Thursday, October 2, 2025! Grandparents' Mass is at 10:30am, followed by light refreshments and a tour of the school.

Please RSVP by clicking the link below. Thank you.

Grandparents' Mass '25-'26

Seniors and their parents are invited to attend our Financial Aid Night on Monday, October 6 at 7:15 PM in the Auditorium.

A representative from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be present to share important information about the FAFSA, One Click Admission, and other financial aid resources available to your student.

This is a valuable opportunity to learn more about the financial aid process and get your questions answered as your student prepares for life after high school.

We hope to see you there! If you have any questions, please connect with Mr. Wochner (swochner@marian.com) in Guidance.

SAVE THE DATE: Senior portraits will be taken at Marian on Tuesday, September 30th for all seniors. Please see the attire guidelines below for these portraits. A specific schedule will be shared with the students later. In addition to being photographed in dress clothes, each senior will be photographed in a cap and gown on senior portrait day. You will then have the option to purchase this photo.

GROUP PHOTO: The Class of 2026 will be photographed as a class! All seniors that are present on senior picture day (Tuesday, September 30th) will take part in a posed group photo during Advisory. Since there will not be a retake of this photo, we are hoping all of our seniors can be present on picture day so that they are included in this special keepsake.

ATTIRE GUIDELINES: Seniors will remain in their dress clothes for the entire day.

Senior Ladies - Appropriate attire on this day includes dress pants and a modest blouse or sweater that covers the shoulders. Dresses/skirts are not allowed. No nose rings/studs, facial piercing, and no more than two earrings per ear will be permitted on girls. Hair must conform to Student Handbook guidelines.

Senior Gentlemen - Gentlemen must wear a white shirt and tie, a sport coat or suit coat that is blue, black or grey and dress pants. No nose rings/studs, facial hair, facial piercing, and no earrings will be permitted on boys. Hair must conform to Student Handbook guidelines.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. DiSilvio at ldisilvio@marian.com or 815-338-4220, x107

Friday, October 3 - No School

Wednesday, October 8 - Late Start; 9:45 am start

Friday, October 10 - Grades 9,10,11 testing day; early release. Seniors no school

Monday, October 13 - Columbus Day; No School; Office Closed

Tuesday, October 14 - Teacher Inservice; No School