High School - 3/12

Dear High School Families,

As we move further into the spring semester, a few important reminders are coming up for our high school families. The end of 3rd quarter is next Friday, March 20. High school students will receive a progress report, not a report card. This report simply provides an update of their current grades as of March 20 and is a helpful opportunity to check in on progress as we head into the final quarter of the year.

This past Monday, students in Grades 9–11 participated in registration conferences to begin planning their courses for next year. Students should have brought their registration sheets home. Please take time to enter course requests into FACTS, sign the registration form, and have your student return the signed form to the College & Career Center (CCC) by Friday, March 13. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Shoup or Mrs. Block in the CCC. They are always happy to help.

Thank you for your continued partnership!

Sarah Rothstein, Ed.D.

High School Principal

In our walk with Christ, we may face a difficult situation that raises doubts about our faith. These can be lonely circumstances, as it can be challenging to share our doubts. This week in chapel, we looked at John 20:24-29 and evaluated the impact doubt had on Thomas. Often deemed as "Doubting Thomas," we asked the question, "How could someone (Thomas) who doubted the resurrection of Jesus become one of the disciples who went all the way to India to spread the gospel, and would eventually be killed for their belief in Jesus?" Jesus encountered Thomas in John 20:24-29 and met him right where he was at. That meeting transformed Thomas, leading him to proclaim, "My Lord and My God." In our moments of doubt, we may never receive the answer to our questions, but what we can pray for is a peace that surpasses all understanding and mercies that are new every morning. Thomas thought he needed to touch the wounds of Jesus to believe in the Resurrection; however, we are never told that he actually did when he saw Jesus. Perhaps being with Jesus is enough, which is a comforting prospect when we face challenging moments. We pray that your child is not alone if they have doubts, but rather that Maranatha can be a safe place where students can be transparent and experience the love of Christ.

For His Glory,

Mr. Agrimson

On Monday during WIN Time, your student participated in Registration Conferences as they began planning their courses for the 2026–2027 school year. During this time, students met with school staff to review their transcript, graduation requirements, and discuss course options for next year.

Your student should have brought their grade-level registration worksheet home that reflects the courses they discussed and selected during their conference. This worksheet is intended to help guide conversations at home as you review course selections together.

For your reference, a blank copy of the registration worksheet is attached, along with the 2026–2027 Academic Handbook. This worksheet should reflect the courses they are planning to request. Please see the handbook for full course descriptions.

After reviewing the worksheet together, students should enter their official course requests through the FACTS Family Portal. Course requests should be submitted in FACTS by Thursday, March 12. Once requests have been entered, sign the registration form, and have your student return their course registration sheet to the College & Career Center (CCC) by Friday, March 13. If changes are needed after submitting requests, students may log back in and update their selections in FACTS prior to the deadline.

When entering course requests in FACTS, please note that year-long courses (such as Bible, Math, and Band) must be selected for both semesters. These courses will appear as 1st semester (labeled “A”) and 2nd semester (labeled “B”), and students should select both parts to ensure the full year course is scheduled correctly.

PSEO Course Requests: Many 11th and 12th grade students choose to participate in Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) courses. At this time, we are still finalizing which PSEO courses will be offered in person, and which will be offered online. Because of this, all PSEO course selections in FACTS should currently be entered as “PSEO Online Course.”

During registration conferences, students were asked to note how many PSEO courses they plan to take each semester. When entering course requests in FACTS, students should select the same number of “PSEO Online Course” placeholders. Once PSEO course offerings are finalized and students register through the partner institution, these placeholders will be updated to reflect the specific courses students will take.

If you have questions as you review your student’s course selections or navigate the registration process, please feel free to reach out to Andrea Shoup (andrea.shoup@mcamustangs.org) or Rachel Block (rachel.block@mcamustangs.org).

Sincerely,

The CCC Team

ACT Prep will begin during WIN Time on Wednesday, February 11. This prep course will be taught by Elizabeth Brandstrom, one of our MCA science teachers and an experienced ACT prep instructor.

Students will meet each Wednesday during WIN Time leading up to the on-campus ACT test date on April 21. These sessions will focus on building test familiarity, strengthening key skills, and increasing confidence going into the exam.

Interested in signing up? Students can register in Flex.

Cost: Completely free! (however, an ACT Prep book may be recommended)

This guide explains how parents can navigate Schoology, Maranatha’s Learning Management System for grades 5–12. It outlines how to view assignments, grades, and teacher feedback, adjust notification settings, and stay informed about your child’s academic progress throughout the semester.

Bethel University is offering a variety of engaging summer camps for students to explore academic interests, career pathways, and skill development. Camps running June 16–18 include Business Camp, Scrubs Camp, Forensic Science Camp, Video Production Camp, and the BUILDing Independent Skills Summer Program. In addition, the Summer Piano Academy will take place July 6–13. These camps provide hands-on learning experiences led by Bethel faculty and staff. Families can learn more about each camp and register online.

See the flyer below for more information.

Please see the ACT website below for information on ACT testing dates. All Juniors and Seniors will be invited to take the ACT at Maranatha on April 21st, 2026. We strongly encourage all juniors to take this opportunity to take the ACT this coming April on campus. More information will be coming out in the coming months.

Planning for the 2026 Senior Party is underway and we are excited about the fun night in store

for the students. It will be a memorable way to celebrate and wrap up their senior year.

Senior Party: May 16-17, 2026

Please see the attachment below for more information and to sign-up!

*Please note that this is NOT an MCA-run event. Please see the flyer for contact info.

• Complete college applications with the help of your college counselor
• Work with your college counselor, as needed, to finalize your application essay(s) and supplemental resources
• Check early action application deadlines for your college(s) of choice

The Common App is live for students to begin submitting their college applications. Students can stop by the CCC if they need help navigating the common application website. Feel free to email Mrs. Shoup (andrea.shoup@mcamustangs.org) with any questions or to make an appointment.

We are grateful to have Mr. Jordon Harrison as part of our high school team at MCA. Mr. Harrison teaches High School Journalism and also serves in our Advancement Department as a content writer. In both roles, he brings a wealth of writing knowledge that greatly benefits our students and our school community.

In journalism class, Mr. Harrison helps students develop writing skills beyond traditional academic papers. He teaches them how writing works in media and storytelling, helping them think about audience, voice, and engagement.

This week, students learned how to create a clickbait article, exploring everything from eye-catching headlines and graphics to the content that makes clickbait what it is. Mr. Harrison’s creativity and expertise help students see writing from a new perspective while building valuable communication skills.

• March 12: Frozen Musical @ 7PM (LW Northwest)
• March 13: Frozen Musical @ 7PM (LW Northwest)
• March 14: Frozen Musical @ 2PM & 7PM (LW Northwest)
• March 15: Frozen Musical @ 3PM (LW Northwest)
• March 19: Christian Apparel Day
• March 20: End of 3rd Quarter, Half Day
• March 23-29: No School, Spring Break