John Thornburg
Headmaster
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Dear Families,
I want to thank you for your support over the past week. The pandemic has been a challenging journey and the days after Christmas break have not been easy. Our entire community worked together, and with your cooperation, we have been able to continue our in-person learning in a safe environment. I would like to give special thanks to our COVID-19 Taskforce, including and our nursing staff, Nurse Paquette and Nurse Olive, who have worked very hard this week to make sure our school could remain open.
One of my favorite novels to read during the winter is South! , the account of Ernest Shackleton who attempted to be the first person to cross Antarctica in 1914. If you are familiar with the story, his Trans-Antarctic expedition never reached the continent. Instead, his ship, Endurance, became trapped in the packed ice and was crushed. He, along with twenty-seven men were left stranded on the ice floes, which eventually moved to warmer water and melted from underneath them. With only the lifeboats for transportation, the team made it to nearby Elephant Island. They survived on the harsh island for over a year and then Shackleton and five men rigged one of the lifeboats to reach the nearest civilization which was 800 miles away.
The men endured a seventeen-day voyage on hostile seas using hand navigation methods. When they were over halfway to the destination, Shackleton noticed that the sky was clearing and announced to the others that at last, a sign had appeared indicating that their circumstances were improving. A moment later, Shackleton realized what he saw "not a rift in the clouds but the white crest of an enormous wave." The boat was "flung forward like a cork in breaking surf." Though the boat was swamped with water, the men were able to keep afloat and "bailed with the energy of men fighting for life."
The giant rogue wave that Shackleton encountered is much like the "winter wave" of the pandemic. We thought we had passed the halfway mark and that our circumstances were improving. Now, COVID-19 numbers have hit new record highs, and we find ourselves doing everything possible to continue to move forward. Shackleton and his men were able to work together, combining their energy to complete their journey. In the end, the small team reached their destination and returned to rescue the other men. Not a single man was lost!
Years later, Shackleton would comment that he and his men never felt alone, they experienced an unseen presence who accompanied them. It was the presence of God.
God is with us on this journey through the pandemic - we are not alone. I believe that as long as we continue to work together and walk by faith, we will reach a time in the near future when the pandemic will be behind us.
Psalm 139 says, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."
May we remember His presence during this time.
John K. Thornburg
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Monday, January 10
Day 2
Mandatory In-Person COVID-19 Testing - See schedule below
Tuesday, January 11
Day 3
Quarter 2 Ends
MC Parent Club Meeting Webinar - 6:00 PM
Wednesday, January 12
Day 4
Quarter 3 Begins
Semester 2 Begins
Thursday, January 13
Day 5
Friday, January 14
Day 6
Praying of the Rosary - 7:30 AM
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Faculty Spotlight: Mr. Philip Baker - Math Teacher |
Dear Malden Catholic Community,
I have been coaching the Varsity Boys Rugby team at Malden Catholic since Spring 2018 and have been extremely impressed with the Malden Catholic boys on our team, which reinforced my decision to become a teacher.
I have been in the private sector for the majority of my career since graduating from Babson College with a business management degree in 2013. Throughout my career, I have used my analytical skills to solve problems and think about "real world" situations in terms of math. This approach has helped me both professionally and personally. However, after the pandemic hit, my world was turned upside down and it was then that I decided to leave the sales world.
It's been a while since I was in a high school classroom, but the opportunity arose for me to teach Calculus at Malden Catholic, a class I loved in high school. As a two-sport high school and college athlete (rugby and hockey), I understand the challenges of balancing academics and athletics. So, I use examples from sports and other co-curricular activities in my classroom to show the broad applications of our subject and connect the content to what is important to the students.
Since joining Malden Catholic full-time, I have also enjoyed participating in after-school activities, including serving as the commentator for the MC Powder Puff football game, playing in the student/teacher Dodgeball Tournament, attending sporting events and hopefully starting a Girls Rugby Program!
I have been extremely welcomed by everyone in the Malden Catholic community, and I look forward to bringing out the potential in all of our students.
Mr. Philip Baker
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School-wide COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test on Monday, January 10
On Monday, January 10, 2022, all MC faculty, staff and students are required to participate in schoolwide COVID-19 testing using rapid antigen tests. If a student is absent for the mandatory testing, the student will not be allowed to attend school. The absent student will need to provide a negative PCR test result from a medical facility to the MC Nurses’ Office before returning to school. Any member of our school community who cannot make this mandatory event should contact either Nurse Paquette, Nurse Olive, or Mrs. Redman.
Testing Schedule Based on Grades and Homerooms
- 7:55 AM - Grade 9 - Gymnasium
- 7:55 AM - Grade 10 - Homerooms
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8:30 AM - Grade 11 - Gymnasium
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8:30 AM - Grade 12 - Cafeteria
Testing will be conducted in the gymnasium and students are to utilize the normal entry procedures - the Boys Division will enter through door #11 and the Girls Division will enter through door #1.
All 9th and 10th-grade students who will be testing must arrive before 7:55 AM. We will use the time that students are in homeroom as a quiet study hall. All 11th and 12th-grade students must arrive before 8:30 AM.
Students who are exempt from testing must be in the building by 9:00 AM. ALL Seniors must report to the cafeteria by 8:30 AM for a meeting about Christian Service.
Students who have tested positive within the last 90 days do not have to test on Monday unless instructed to do so by the Nurse’s Office.
Based on the attached schedule, we will utilize a delayed opening schedule that will begin with a warning bell at 9:15 AM.
Tested Positive in the Past 3 Months
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 3 months and the Nurse’s office has been notified- YOU DO NOT TAKE THIS TEST. You will most likely still be positive. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 3 months and you have not notified the Nurse’s Office - YOU DO NOT TAKE THIS TEST, but you do need to contact the Nurse’s Office with the information. You need to contact either Nurse Paquette or Nurse Olive at [email protected] or [email protected] .
Please Comply With the Following Prior to Arriving at School
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Take your temperature in the morning. If it is 99.9 or above - STAY HOME
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If you have had close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days - STAY HOME
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If you or anyone in your home has been ill within the past 14 days with the following symptoms: - Sudden loss of taste or smell, fever, cough, shortness of breath, severe headache or gastrointestinal distress, and/or if you or anyone you have been in contact with has these symptoms - STAY HOME
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we continue to keep Malden Catholic safe!
Masks
The proper wearing of masks is extremely important in order to protect our community from the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, faculty, staff, and the administration are enforcing a strict mask policy. All students are required to wear masks properly which means completely covering the mouth and nose. Students are also responsible for providing their own masks. Students who do not comply with the mask policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
Interested in a COVID-19 Vaccination or Booster?
If you are interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccination or booster shot, please contact the MC Nurses at [email protected] so that the school can determine the community's interest in a mobile clinic.
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No Cost COVID-19 Testing at MC
The COVID-19 Testing Kiosk located in Malden Catholic's back parking lot will be open from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM on Monday through Saturday. Please note, the Curative kiosk will be closed on Monday, January 17 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
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MC Parent Club Webinar - 1.11 at 6 PM |
On January 11, the MC Parent Club will meet virtually at 6 PM on MC's GoToMeeting platform. The meeting will feature guests, Dr. Stephen Baccari, Director of Campus Ministry, Rose Maria Redman, MC Principal, and Kathleen McGourthy to discuss information regarding MC's annual Woman’s Day of Recollection that will be held on Sunday, March 6. Please use this webinar link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/391903485
During the meeting, we will also discuss COVID-19 testing and in-person learning updates. We look forward to seeing you on the webinar next week!
Official Parent Facebook Group
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Virtual Junior College Kick-Off - 1.19 at 6 PM |
A Virtual Junior College Kick-Off event will be held on January 19 at 6:00 PM. This event will provide the framework of the admissions landscape, an overview of the entire college application process, as well as other information that will make applying to college easier. The link to the event will be emailed to Grade 11 students and their parents next week.
MC School and College Counseling would also like to remind Grade 12 students to update Naviance with all their college acceptances. Please reach out to Ms. DelGenio with any questions at [email protected].
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What's Happening Around MC? |
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Coats for Kids and Families |
Special thanks to all who donated gently used coats for Coats for Kids and Families. All of the coats collected will be cleaned by Anton's Cleaners and given to people in need of warm coats during the winter months. The Campus Ministry team is grateful to everyone who contributed to this drive!
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Student Artwork Portraits |
Students in MC's painting course led by Fine Arts Teacher, Brian O'Donnell, were assigned to paint a portrait of a friend or family member using expressionistic color, rather than naturalistic color. The artwork portraits are inspired by the paintings of Henri Matisse. The student's amazing artwork can been seen on display throughout the MC corridors. Well done, Lancers!
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Three of Malden Catholic's Sports Teams Are Listed in the "Boston Globe's" Top 20 High School Rankings |
Congratulations to Malden Catholic's Boys Basketball team, Boys Hockey team, and Girls Hockey team who have been named in the Boston Globe's Top 20 High School Rankings. Lancers, way to go!
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Spectator Policy Reminder for All Home Athletic Events (Effective Immediately)
Due to the increase in positivity rates, we will be limiting spectator attendance at home athletic contests during January. Spectators will be limited to two individuals per athlete. Details for specific teams will be provided by their respective coaches. Masks are required by all spectators at athletic events.
Streaming Service will continue to be offered for the following sports:
Doherty Gymnasium (Basketball, Wrestling)
NFHS Network - NFHSNetwork.com
Valley Forum Ice Rink (Hockey)
My Hockey Live - MyHockeyLive.com
Mystic Valley Pool (Swimming)
MC Athletics Twitter - @MCAthletics1
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Monday, January 10
3:30 PM Boys Freshman Basketball @ St. John's Prepertory School
5:00/6:00 PM Girls JV and Varsity Basketball Home vs Shawsheen Valley Tech
7:10 PM Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Home vs Archbishop Williams HS/MS
Tuesday, January 11
5:00/6:00 PM Boys JV and Varsity Basketball @ St. John's Prepertory School
5:00/6:00 PM Girls JV and Varsity Basketball @ Notre Dame Academy--Hingham
Wednesday, January 12
3:50 PM Boys Junior Varsity Ice Hockey Home vs St Mary’s Jr/Sr High School-Lynn
5:15 PM Girls Varsity Ice Hockey @ Peabody Vet. Mem. HS Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading
6:00 PM Boys Varsity Wrestling St. John's Prep School (5 PM Weigh-In)
7:10 PM Boys Varsity Ice Hockey Home vs St. John's Prep School
Thursday, January 13
3:15 PM Boys Varsity Swimming Home vs Xaverian Brothers High School
Friday, January 14
3:30 PM Boys Freshman Basketball Home vs Boston College High School
4:00 PM Girls Freshman Basketball @ Marblehead High School
5:00/6:30 PM Boys JV and Varsity Home vs Basketball Boston College High School
Saturday, January 15
9:20 AM Boys Junior Varsity Ice Hockey Home vs Austin Preparatory School
10:20 AM Boys Freshman Ice Hockey Home vs Catholic Memorial School
11:50 AM Girls Junior Varsity Ice Hockey @ Martha's Vineyard Reg High
4:50 PM Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Scituate High School @ Martha's Vineyard Tournament
Sunday, January 16
8:30 AM Girls Varsity Basketball Cardinal Spellman High School at TD Garden
10:00 AM Girls Junior Varsity Ice Hockey @ Martha's Vineyard Reg High
10:30 AM Boys Freshman Ice Hockey @ Boston College High School
11:45 AM Boys Junior Varsity Ice Hockey @ Boston College High School
11:00 AM Girls Varsity Ice Hockey @ Martha's Vineyard Tournament
1:20 PM Boys Varsity Ice Hockey vs Boston College High School Catholic @ Conference Showcase @ Canton Icehouse
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