CENTRAL CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS

I have to say that the day I most look forward to each year is Great To Be A Saint Day. This year was extra special because as I looked out at all of the eighth grade faces, I saw my son Josh and all of his friends. In fact, everywhere I looked I saw students I knew! I've been telling everyone around here all year that this class is something special. They simply have fun and enjoy watching their classmates have fun. Every incoming class has a unique personality; this class has a love and joy about them that's a bit infectious. Please check out our slide show to give you an idea of what Tuesday's Great To Be A Saint Day was like. You are also welcome to sign your student up for a one-on-one Shadow Day where 8th graders follow a freshman around to all classes during our normal school day. To set this up, just give me a call. I look forward to continuing to share our Saints' stories with you. If you'd like to hear more or simply would like to talk about why Central Catholic is the right choice for your family, feel free to call/text me at (309) 533-2200 any time - my phone is always on. If e-mail works better for you, send me your questions at [email protected].  --Scott

What's New At Central Catholic?

Pack the Place FRIDAY!

We close out Catholic Schools Week with our annual Spaghetti Dinner and Pack The Place game on FRIDAY, February 3. All Partner School students receive free admission with a paying adult. There are so many reasons to not miss this: All Partner School students receive free admission with a paying adult (worth saying twice!) It's an Avanti's Spaghetti Dinner! Dinner is $7 per person, served from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and benefits our Senior Charity, Special Olympics Illinois. It's our last Boys' Basketball conference home game of the season and the third game between the Saints and Olympia (each team has won once). JV Game starts at 6:00; Varsity tips at 7:30 It's Senior Night. Junior High Band members are joining our Pep Band. Junior High Cheerleaders are joining our Cheerleaders. Kids Camp participants will perform at halftime of the JV game.  All Partner School students receive free admission with a paying adult. At halftime, there will be a game of Knockout for all 5th - 8th graders. So, be sure to join us for dinner and a game on Friday, February 3!

High School Placement Test TUESDAY, February 7 I can't wait to see all of your students back here next Tuesday for our High School Placement Test (HSPT). It takes about 3½ hours complete and is used to make recommendations for placement in our courses. Please review this document for full information about the test and what your student can expect that morning. Students need to bring two pencils and a check made out to “CCHS” for the testing fee of $15. Please drop your student off in our circle drive by 7:30 a.m. Testing begins promptly at 8:00 and ends at approximately 11:30.  Students should be picked up in the circle drive as well. Please note that calculators are not necessary or allowed for this test.

Showcase Central: February 15! We look forward to seeing everyone here Wednesday, February 15 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Parents and students meet our faculty, staff, and coaches and learn how your students will progress from Freshman to Senior year and how Central Catholic will prepare them for college and for Heaven.

Upcoming Parent Receptions Would you like to spend time with other families who are considering Central Catholic AND with families who've chosen Central Catholic?  If so, our Parent Open Houses are for you. Parents, please take the time to gather informally and learn about why Central Catholic is the right choice for your family. Drinks and snacks will be served and Central Catholic faculty and staff will be on hand to answer any questions Thank you to Bob and Lisa Russell for hosting the first of these receptions earlier this week and thank you to the following families for graciously opening their doors: ​Sunday, February 12 Nick and Kari Becker 2003 Berrywood Ln, Bloomington 2:00 p.m. - 4 p.m.​ Thursday, March 2 Brett and Ali Keller 213 Mays Dr, Bloomington 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE: Mad Hatters Trivia Night, March 4 Mark your calendar and start putting your team together for our annual trivia night. Teams can be 6 or 8 of your closest (and smartest) friends. This is a fun way to meet your Central Catholic Family. More information to come.

This Just In: Spain Is Your Catholic Schools Week Olympics Champion! Our Catholic Schools Week Olympics took place yesterday and the team representing Spain won the day with a dramatic comeback in the final event! Each country is made up of Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors all working together and cheering for each other. The best part of the games is at the end when we gather back together in prayer at center court as one Saints Family.

Would You Like To Know Everything That's Going On Here? We send Central Catholic @ A Glance,  a weekly newsletter, to all of our current parents. It's designed to let them know what's ahead in the coming weeks. If you'd like to receive it directly, just reply to this e-mail and let me know OR you can read it online here.

Why Should Your Family Choose Central Catholic?

One of the first things I learned in late Summer 2012, while preparing for my interview for this job, was that Central Catholic is a family. Everyone I talked to who was connected with the school mentioned this - literally everyone. I wondered how an outsider like me could could become a part of this school. What I didn't realize was that, by the time I was hired, I was already "adopted" into this family and the school would actually become a part of me, not the other way around. I could not be more proud to call myself a Saint. The people such as you who I get the privilege of meeting because of my small role in the Saints Family make me excited to come to work every day. Your kids, who by the way are amazing, give me an energy that I couldn't find anywhere else. I was having a blast on Tuesday when they all came to visit and I think they had at least as much fun as I did! I hope you all feel like members of the Saints Family.

How Does That Work?

I'm often asked, "Why does Central Catholic do that?" or "How does that work?" Think of this section as a way of getting you and your student a bit more ready for Central Catholic and our traditions. We'll cover different topics each week so stay tuned.

Showcase Central Showcase Central is all about you and your student. You'll arrive through our gym doors, check in with our Ambassadors, and proceed to the auditorium. We will start promptly at 6:00 p.m. so please allow enough time. Come early and check out our Pep Band from 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. We'll spend a few minutes in the Auditorium before sending you off with our Ambassadors. You'll visit faculty from each of our subject areas who will show you the different subject tracks  and discuss how your student will progress from Freshman to Senior year. Our Counselors will be on hand to answer additional curriculum questions and our Business Manager can discuss tuition assistance and how tuition can be paid. At 8:00 p.m., you'll make your way to our Commons where you can talk with coaches and learn about all of the clubs and sports that Central Catholic has to offer. Your student is welcome to join you. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

Important Dates

Please put these dates and events in your calendars. There are great opportunities for you and your student to get to know our school: February 3 - Pack the Place All Partner School students are invited to watch our Boys' Basketball team take on Olympia. Activities are planned during the game for our Future Saints!   Tuesday, February 7 - 8th Grade High School Placement Test (HSPT) Students interested in coming to Central Catholic are invited to take the Placement Test to help counselors in finding an appropriate selection of classes. Students need to bring a calculator, two pencils, and a check made out to CCHS for the testing fee of $15. More information here. Wednesday, February 15 - Showcase Central Parents of 7th and 8th grade students and any interested families are invited to tour the school in a structured classroom setting to get an overview of the curriculum and meet the faculty and staff of Central Catholic. Students are welcome too! Saturday, March 4 - Mad Hatters Trivia Night Mark your calendar and start putting your team together for our annual trivia night. More information to come. Monday and Tuesday, March 6 and 7 - New Student Registration  You and your student register for classes with our counselors.  Friday, April 21 - Junior High Dance: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. All Partner School 6th - 8th Grade Students & all members of the Central Catholic Class of 2021 will have a great time as our Student Ambassadors present this fun, nearly-end-of-the-school-year event!