From the Desk of Mrs. Kaitlin Bordeaux

As we come to the close of our Week of Giving, we are filled with gratitude for the many people who make our school such a special community.

We are grateful for our Board of Directors and committee members who give so generously of their time, wisdom, and leadership to guide our mission. We are grateful for our administration, whose leadership and vision help our school continue to grow and thrive. We are especially grateful for our faculty and staff, who care so deeply about our students and show up every day committed to their success. We are thankful for the many volunteers in our community who share their talents and energy in support of our programs and events at the school.

We are grateful for our students, who bring curiosity, enthusiasm, and joy to our campus each day. We are thankful for our parents, for the trust you place in us and the partnership we share in supporting your children. And we are grateful for our alumni, whose continued connection strengthens our community and our future.

We are also incredibly thankful for all who have already contributed during this Week of Giving. Your generosity is transforming our school and expanding the opportunities available to our students.

If you have not yet had a chance to make a gift, there is still time to participate. Thanks to the generosity of our Board, all gifts will be matched dollar for dollar up to $35,000. You can make your gift here.

Thank you for being such an important part of our community.

Kaitlin Bordeaux

Director, Admissions & Advancement

April School Day ACT – Required for all Juniors

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 12:15am at which time juniors will eat lunch and 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. Also, the PreACT results from the October test can be useful to juniors (and free) to prep for the ACT. PreACT score reports indicate student answers to each test question as well as correct answers. Students can look up these questions in their test booklets and see where they went wrong and what types of questions they need to work on to improve scores once they take the ACT.

No registration is necessary for juniors for the April 21, 2026 school day ACT test.

Please contact Mrs. Hilton (khilton@marian.com or 815-338-4220, ext. 121) or Mr. Fearn (afearn@marian.com, ext. 122) if you have any questions regarding the ACT.

CollegeStock 2026

Marian Central Catholic is excited to be hosting CollegeStock 2026 the week of March 16-20 during the lunch periods in the cafeteria. CollegeStock 2026 is an opportunity for all our students to interact with colleges, universities, and military branches in a relaxed environment.

Admissions representatives will have tables set up in the cafeteria during both lunch periods. They will have information to provide to interested students, can answer questions about their campuses or academic programs and student life opportunities, or can assist seniors with next steps in the process.

No matter what year your son or daughter is, please encourage them to stop by their favorite colleges/military branches, or all of them, to get more information. If they don't want to talk to the representatives, that is ok, they can feel free to just grab information and go. But this is the only opportunity for our freshmen to gather information and talk directly with the reps, as well as for our sophomores, juniors, and seniors to do so without having to miss a class.

Daily Line-Up:

Monday, 3/16 – Augustana College (IL), Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Indiana University-Bloomington, Iowa State University, John Carroll University (OH), Loras College (IA), Marist University (NY), Northern Michigan University, St. Mary's College (IN), University of Dayton, University of Iowa and the University of Memphis

Tuesday, 3/17 – Aurora University, Colorado State University, McHenry County College, Michigan Technological University, Oakland University (MI), Oklahoma State University, Valparaiso University (IN), University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Wednesday, 3/18 – Aquinas College (MI), Beloit College (WI), DePauw University (IN), Fairfield University (CT), Grand Valley State University (MI), Saint Louis University, St. Mary's University of Minnesota, University of Akron (OH), University of Louisville and the University of Northern Iowa

Thursday, 3/19 – Carroll University (WI), Lawrence Technological University (MI), Marquette University, Saint Norbert College (WI), Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Syracuse University, University of Maine, University of Mississippi, University of Saint Thomas (MN), University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Xavier University (OH)

Friday, 3/20 – Illinois Army National Guard, United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corp

Line-up of colleges, universities, and military branches are subject to change.

StriveScan for CollegeStock

As we prepare for CollegeStock during the week of March 16th–19th, we are asking all students to sign up for StriveScan in advance. StriveScan will be used for students to connect directly with college representatives throughout the event. By registering ahead of time, students can quickly and easily share their information with colleges they’re interested in, making conversations more meaningful and efficient.

While we will give students time to do this during Advisory, please encourage your student to complete their StriveScan registration as soon as possible so they are fully prepared to take advantage of this valuable opportunity. We’re looking forward to a great week of college exploration!

Emerald Gala at the Grand - Tickets

The Emerald Gala is just around the corner, and we would love your family to join us on April 11 for Marian’s most inspiring night of the year. Whether this is your first Gala or your fifth, the evening is a beautiful opportunity to gather as a community, celebrate our students, and support the mission that makes Marian so special. It’s a fun, meaningful night out with fellow Marian families — and we hope to see you there. Be sure to RSVP by March 11 to secure your seats.

Please click here to secure your tickets today!

Marian Central Theatre Presents...The Addams Family

"In the kooky, upside-down world of the Addams Family, to be sad is to be happy, darker and drearier is the ideal, and family ALWAYS comes first. That is, until gloomy eldest daughter Wednesday Addams falls in love with sweet young Midwesterner Lucas Beineke and fears that her ghoulish family's behavior will ruin their chance to be together.

In one fateful, hilarious night, secrets are disclosed, relationships are tested, and everyone involved will face the scariest thing of all... change!"

Tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking here.

Society of St. Vincent dePaul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is more than an organization — it’s a community of friends living out the Gospel through compassion and action. Together, we walk alongside our neighbors in need, offering not just financial assistance, but hope, encouragement, and dignity.

Every day, families in our community face job loss, health struggles, the loss of a loved one, and even homelessness. Through simple acts of generosity, we can remind them they are not alone.

On March 20th, the McHenry County Deanery schools will host a deanery-wide fundraiser to support this mission. We invite every student to donate $1–$2 — a small gift that can make a meaningful difference. Your participation not only supports families in McHenry County but also earns you a school spirited dress-down day as a sign of our shared commitment to serve.

Thank you to the entire McHenry County Deanery for coming together in this coordinated effort. When we unite around a shared purpose, our community becomes a powerful force for hope and compassion.

Upcoming Calendar

Thursday, March 12th - Noon Dismissal; Office closes at 12:15 pm

Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3rd - Spring Break; No School

Monday, April 6th - Easter Monday; No School; Office Closed
Tuesday, April 7th - Classes Resume; Polo Season Returns

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

Thursday, April 16th - Late Start; 9:45 am start; All School Retreat 9:45 am - 2:40 pm

Friday, April 24th - Noon Dismissal