From the Desk of Mr. Benji Winkelman

Happy Friday Everyone!

What a great week it was at our school! From downtown Chicago to quiet moments of reflection, to the the basketball court, our students have been busy learning, growing, competing and making the most of some really meaningful opportunities. It is weeks like this that remind us of what makes our community special—strong academics, real-world experiences, and a faith that’s lived out every day.

The week kicked off with our English IV students heading into the city for an unforgettable day at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, along with visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Writers' Museum. On Tuesday, we celebrated the senior athletes of our men’s and women’s basketball teams along with the senior members of our dance team. These students are wonderful examples of hard work, dedication, and excellence. Honoring them is always special—and a little bittersweet—as we reflect on how much we’ll miss seeing them represent our school during the winter sports season.

On Wednesday, thirty of our juniors headed out to LaSalle Manor in Plano, for a two-day retreat—taking a break from the usual routine to pray, reflect, and connect more deeply with God and one another. Thursday, our Diplomatic Affairs Delegation began representing us at a five-day Model United Nations conference at the University of Chicago, engaging in thoughtful discussions about global issues with students from around the world.

We wrapped things up on Friday with a Psychology class field trip that explored how the human brain develops throughout life, giving students a new perspective on how we grow and learn. Weeks like this are a great reminder of how fortunate it is to offer experiences beyond the classrooms, experiences that help shape not just strong students, but thoughtful, compassionate, and faith-filled young adults.

As we look back on all of this, we give thanks to God for the many blessings and opportunities He places before us each day. As St. Paul reminds us, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Have a great weekend and enjoy the Super Bowl!

Benji Winkelman
Dean of Students

Winter Dance - Ticket Information

The Winter Dance will be Saturday, February 21st from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm at Marian Central.

Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased during the week of February 9-13 during lunches.

Students who would like to bring a guest that does not attend Marian must complete and turn in the Guest Date Form (linked below) at the time of ticket purchase. This form needs to be signed by the guest’s school administrator so please plan accordingly.

Class Baskets – Emerald Gala at the Grand

Each class is contributing a themed basket for Marian Central’s Emerald Gala at the Grand, our largest fundraising event of the year, taking place Saturday, April 11 at the Grand Geneva Resort. These baskets are a key part of our gala fundraising, and we are grateful for your support. Details, themes, and sign-ups for each class basket are linked below. Thank you for helping make this event a success for our students and school community! Questions? Please contact Mrs. Bordeaux at kbordeaux@marian.com.

Freshman Class Basket
Sophomore Class Basket
Junior Class Basket
Senior Class Basket

Emerald Gala - Early Bird Tickets are Live!

We’re excited to announce that Early Bird tickets are now available for the Emerald Gala at the Grand, Marian Central Catholic’s premier fundraising event of the year. With purchasing early bird tickets, you receive 5 Raffle Basket Tickets as an Early Bird bonus! Secure your spot at a special early price before tickets increase.

To purchase tickets, click here or scan the QR code below.

For accommodations, click here or scan the QR code below.

Course Selection for Next Year

Course selections for the 26-27 school year will be made by our current students between Monday, February 2 - Friday, February 20 on PlusPortals. All of the information you and your student need to navigate the online course selection process is available on our website at: https://www.marian.com/academics/curriculum-guide/.

Parents, it is critical that you play an active role in this process by discussing and reviewing your student's course selections. It will be helpful to have your student fill out the grade-specific Course Selection Worksheet before they select their courses online. The counselors are available for you and your students to assist in this process, as needed. Please contact Mrs. Hilton (khilton@marian.com) for current freshmen and juniors and Mr. Fearn (afearn@marian.com) for current sophomores.

Online Course Registration Timeline:

Week of 1/26/26

Mrs. Hilton, Mr. Fearn and the freshman mentors will review the course selection and online course registration process with current students during Advisory.

Monday, February 2 - Friday, February 20

Online Course Registration open for students in PlusPortals - all current freshmen, sophomores and juniors must log in online and choose their desired courses for the 26-27 school year.

Monday, March 2

Tentative Course Selection Verification Forms mailed - if a student wishes to adjust his/her course selections after this mailing, they should bring in this form with the change indicated and a parent signature.

Friday, March 20

Course Recommendation Forms due - for students who were not initially recommended for a course OR for students who did not meet the prerequisites for a course. This is also the last day students are allowed to change their course selections (after 3/20 there will be a $30 fee to change courses), and the deadline to pay Advanced Placement (AP) course fees ($110.00 per AP course).

Senior Scholarships

Each year at graduation, Mrs. Diamond includes a list of all scholarships earned by our seniors in the program. To ensure we maintain an accurate and complete record, we ask that you complete the Scholarship Form linked below for each merit scholarship received from a college or an outside organization (such as Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, etc.).

Please note that we are not requesting information about need-based grants (such as the Pell Grant or MAP Grant). We are only collecting details about merit-based or competitive scholarships awarded by colleges or outside organizations.

We encourage you to take a moment now to bookmark or save the link below so it’s easy to update as additional scholarships come in:

SCHOLARSHIP FORM

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mr. Wochner or Mrs. Diamond. We are always happy to help.