President's Update

Dear Families,

I have a favorite coffee shop near my house. I stop there a few times a week and order a cup of coffee during the summer. Over time, I learned the baristas’ names and made small talk while my coffee was being made. It was a nice way to start my day.

Since I was a regular customer who ordered the same thing every visit, I assumed one of the baristas might occasionally greet me by name and ask me if I wanted my usual drink. After a couple of months and probably close to two dozen or so of my regular drinks, one finally recognized me.

“Hey, you come here often, don’t you? You should join our rewards program.”

Apparently, there was a free coffee for every ten ordered. Now, twenty-four drinks behind me, I had achieved facial recognition and missed out on two free drinks. It was less than I had hoped for.

I joined the rewards program. Once my name had been registered, the barista asked me what I wanted to order—another setback.

We all want to be known by others. In a fast-paced world and in some small coffee shops, this doesn’t always happen. Developing relationships where we are valued and known makes all the difference. We all want to connect at work, school, and even coffee shops. 

Malden Catholic is a place where we value and strive to build meaningful relationships. Our mission statement includes that we “nurture enduring personal relationships.” We understand the life-changing impact of developing strong, supportive relationships. Please let us know if your son or daughter has not discovered this vital part of the MC experience. We will help facilitate the next steps.

Our Lord modeled the importance of relationships through His earthly ministry through the process of discipleship. He spent years building enduring personal relationships while teaching others. God knows us and has demonstrated His love through His Son. He asks us to demonstrate the same type of love through the relationships we build with each other.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)

Sincerely,

John K. Thornburg

At a Glance

Monday, October 16

Day F

Baby Clothing Drive Begins

Tuesday, October 17

Day E

Wednesday, October 18

PSAT (Grades 9-11) - 8 AM

Grade 12 Senior College Visitation Day

LBK Transportation will pick up at 12 PM, and Malden Catholic will close at this time for Faculty Meetings.

Thursday, October 19

Day D

Charitable Dress Down Day - $5

College Financial Aid/FAFSA Review - 6 PM

Friday, October 20

Day C

Weekly Mass - 7:25 AM

MC Weekly Dining Menu

We are providing the MC weekly dining menu in the President's Update to make it easier for students to plan lunch throughout the week. The menu is also available through the Malden Catholic Mobile App along with easy access to the online portal for adding money to student lunch accounts.

From the Nurses' Office

Numerous individuals continue to face challenges posed by COVID-19, emphasizing the importance of having easily accessible tests at home. We encourage our families to order additional free tests provided by the U.S. government. This time around, each household will receive only four free tests.

Place Your Order for Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests

To place your order for free at-home COVID-19 tests, please follow these steps:

• Visit COVIDtests.gov to request your free test kits from the U.S. government. When you click to order, you will be redirected to special.usps.com/testkits. Please double-check that this URL is correctly displayed in your browser's address bar.
  
• The U.S. government will never contact you via phone, text, or email to solicit personal information to assist you in acquiring free kits. Please refrain from sharing your credit card, bank account, or Social Security number in response to such requests. Instead, report any such incidents to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  

Additionally, if you already have tests at home, kindly check their expiration dates before using them. It's important to note that many of these tests have expiration date extensions. To verify whether your tests have an extended expiration period, visit https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices.

We appreciate your support in maintaining the well-being of our MC community, and we wish you a healthy and successful school year!

Mrs. Elizabeth Paquette, R.N., P'02, '07

Ms. Carol Olive, R.N.

School and College Counseling

College Visits

College representatives will continue to visit Malden Catholic until mid-November. We encourage all Grade 11 and Grade 12 students to sign up to meet the representatives 24 hours in advance in Naviance. All college visits are held during lunch in the MC front lobby from 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM.

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to meet the college admissions representatives who will likely be handling future applications. Below is a list of colleges and universities that are currently registered for the upcoming week. Please note that these dates are subject to change. Students should reach out to their school counselor with any questions.

Monday, October 16

Fitchburg State University

University of New England

Tuesday, October 17

University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

Thursday, October 19

Quinnipiac University

Sacred Heart University

Friday, October 20

University of South Carolina

University of Vermont

PSAT for Grades 9, 10 & 11 - 10.18 at 8 AM

As part of our comprehensive school and college counseling program, all 9th, 10th and 11th grade students will take the PSAT at MC, also known as the Practice or Preliminary SAT, on Wednesday, October 18 at 8 AM. Grade 12 will use October 18 as a College Visit Day and will not report to school.

Testing Time

The test will take approximately three hours to complete and will be taken digitally. There are no make-up dates and students will not be allowed to test if they arrive late for the exam. Students must arrive at school by 7:55 AM.

Bluebook App

Students are required to arrive at the exam with their laptops in working order, fully charged, and the Bluebook App installed. Students must be able to connect to the MC Wi-Fi, and there will be no option to charge laptops during the test. A digital readiness check was preformed during homeroom last week to guarantee that students are prepared and ready for test day. Students who have not completed this test must meet with their counselor by Monday, October 16.

What to Bring

Students may bring pencils and an approved calculator to the test. Scratch paper, a digital calculator, and bottled water will be provided. Further instructions on what to bring and what not to bring to the exam will be emailed before the test day, so students should check their email regularly for this information.

Test Location

Most students will be testing in their homerooms, with the following exceptions:

• Homeroom 226 to Room 201
  
• Homeroom 228 to Room 205
  
• Homeroom 229 to Room 101
  
• Homeroom 222 to Room 141
  
• Homeroom 224 to Room 144
  

Students may dress down for the exam by following Dress Down Day guidelines. Please reach out to MC’s School Counseling with any questions.

College Financial Aid & FAFSA Review - 10.19 at 6 PM

Representatives from College Affordable will present the College Financial Aid Process and FAFSA Review at MC on Thursday, October 19 at 6 PM in the cafeteria. The presentation will include an overview of the college financial aid process, FAFSA examination, and a review of the general timeline through the student's application cycle.

What's New?

Baby Clothing Drive - 10.16 to 10.31

Campus Ministry will begin collecting new, unused baby clothes for infants under 18 months up to children of age six on Monday, October 16. Items such as diapers, cleaning wipes, all-purpose cleaning products, blankets, mittens, and hats will be collected and donated to Housing Families Inc. in Malden. All donations can be made in either the donation bin in the main lobby or in the Campus Ministry Center. 

Charitable Dress Down Day - 10.19

MC's Campus Ministry will be sponsoring a Charitable Dress Down Day on Thursday, October 19. Please bring a $5 donation if you would like to participate. Please note: All Dress Down Days must follow Dress Down Day protocol which can be found in the 2023 - 2024 Parent Student Handbook.

Pizza & Prayer - 10.26 at 5 PM

Campus Ministry will be hosting the next Pizza and Prayer on Thursday, October 26 at 5 PM in the cafeteria. During Pizza and Prayer, students are invited to expand their spirituality in a communal setting while listening to and discussing scriptures and reflecting upon their personal and shared experiences. Please sign up in MC's Campus Ministry if you would like to attend. All are welcome! 

MC Parent Book Club - 10.30 at 6:30 PM

The MC Parent Book Club Meeting will be held on Monday, October 30 at 6:30 PM in Malden Catholic's Campus Ministry Center.

The September MC Book Club will be discussing Ghost Story by Peter Straub, a thriller about four aging men in the terror-stricken town of Milburn, New York, where an act inadvertently carried out in their youth has come back to haunt them. Now they are about to learn what happens to those who believe they can bury the past.

Please contact Vange Egizi at [email protected] if you are interested in attending.

Senior Yearbook Portraits - 11.18

All Seniors must arrange to have their yearbook photograph taken before November 18. Portraits will be taken by Prestige Photography facility in Woburn at 102 Cummings Park Drive. 

For those who have had their portraits taken, please remember to select your yearbook portrait through the following directions: 

Instructions to Select Senior Portrait Yearbook Image online: 

1. Go to shop.prestigeportraits.com and create an account, if you have not done so already. 
   
2. Enter your specific Session ID & Access Code numbers provided to you on the proof sheet of images, or on the receipt from the photographer. (Check for emails from Prestige as well and if you do not have that information, contact Mrs. Jeannine Reardon for your session ID/access code. 
   
3. Once on the home page, select View Portrait Proofs tab (under Get Started Here) to view images and select a yearbook choice. The "Select Your Yearbook Image" will be front and center at the top of the website above the images/proofs. 
   

Please note, after the online pose selection deadline has passed, this option will no longer be available. 

What's Happening Around MC?

Lancers of Golf

Malden Catholic’s 37th Annual Golf Classic – Lancers of Golf was a great success! The sold-out tournament was held at Ferncroft Country Club and raised nearly $50,000 for student scholarships. MC Alumni, parents, friends and faculty/staff enjoyed great company and a great day on the green! 

Congratulations to the winning team - James Castrucci '10, Craig Carbonneau '09, John Carbonneau '09, and Brandon Cummings. We would like to thank our volunteers, players and generous sponsors for making our event such a tremendous success! 

A special shout out to: 

• Premier Sponsor – Rosemary (Boland) GC 1969 and Jim Phalen
  
• Titanium Sponsors – Aramark, Timberline Construction
  
• Platinum Sponsors – Tarpey Insurance Group | A WORLD Company, Danvers Motors | The Guinee Family
  
• Gold Sponsors – Rockland Montessori Academy, Boston Physical Therapy & Wellness, Scalora Consulting Group
  
• Silver Sponsors – Arlex Oil Corp., LaPlume & Sons Printing, Inc., Stoneham Bank, Focus Technology, J. Masterson Construction
  
• Bronze Sponsors – Republic Services, Jim Donovan
  
• Tee Sponsors – 1965 MC Undefeated Football Team, Hugo's of Melrose Appliance Specialists, TESCO, Inc., Bart Munro MC 1976, 125 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric

Harvard Club of Boston Book Award Breakfast

Rocco Carbone ’24 and Grace Ryan ’24 accompanied by Mr. Lee-Masiello, attended the 29th Annual Prize Book Award Breakfast sponsored by the Harvard Club of Boston. Rocco and Grace were the recipients of the Harvard Book Prize last year as top-ranking students in their class.

Homecoming Week

SFX Reception

Clubs & Cocurricular Activities

Check out which MC clubs and cocurricular activities are meeting this week:

Monday, October 16

• Yearbook Club - After school in Room 144
  

Tuesday, October 17

• Latino Students Association - After school in Campus Ministry
  
• Math Team - The first contest will take place from 2:30 PM - 3 PM in Room 207
  

Wednesday, October 18

• Creative Writing Club - After school in Room 141
  
• Quiz Bowl - After school in Room 102 (New Seniors Only)
  

Thursday, October 19

• 30-Day Challenge Club - After school in Room 106
  
• Short Story Club - 7:25 AM in the Learning Commons conference room
  

Please check the Daily Announcements for any changes in meeting times.

Sports

Winter Sports Registration

Registration for Malden Catholic winter sports is now open. All parents/guardians must register students through Family ID at https://hello.students.arbitersports.com.

Fall Sports

Stay updated on all communications regarding fall sports by visiting the MC website or subscribing to text alerts through this link.

Monday, October 16 

3:45 PM Girls Varsity Soccer vs Fontbonne Academy

4 PM Girls Freshman Volleyball vs Fontbonne Academy 

4:30 PM Girls Varsity Field Hockey vs Revere HS

5 PM Girls JV Volleyball Home vs Fontbonne Academy 

6:15 PM Girls Varsity Volleyball vs Fontbonne Academy

Tuesday, October 17 

3 PM Boys Junior Varsity Golf @ Catholic Memorial School 

4:30 PM Boys JV Soccer vs Xaverian Brothers HS

6 PM Boys Varsity Soccer vs Xaverian Brothers HS

Wednesday, October 18 

3:15 PM Boys Varsity Golf @ Xaverian Brothers High School 

3 PM Boys JV Golf @ St. John's Prep School 

4 PM Girls Freshman Volleyball @ Notre Dame Academy - Hingham 

4 PM Girls Varsity Cross Country vs Notre Dame Academy - Hingham

5 PM Girls JV Volleyball @ Notre Dame Academy - Hingham 

5:30 PM Girls JV Soccer @ St. Mary's 

5:30 PM Girls Varsity Soccer @ St. Mary's 

6 PM Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Notre Dame Academy - Hingham 

Thursday, October 19 

3 PM Boys Varsity Golf @ Boston College HS

3 PM Boys JV Golf @ Xaverian Brothers High School 

4 PM Girls JV Field Hockey @ Lexington Christian Academy 

4:30 PM Girls Freshman Volleyball @ Swampscott HS

4:30 PM Girls JV Volleyball @ Swampscott HS

4 PM Boys Freshman Soccer @ St. John's HS

4:30 PM Boys Junior Varsity Soccer vs St. John's HS

6 PM Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Swampscott HS

6 PM Boys Varsity Soccer vs St. John's HS

Friday, October 20 

3:15 PM Girls Varsity Swimming vs Boston Latin

4 PM Boys JV Soccer @ Greater Lawrence Tech 

4:30 PM Girls Varsity Field Hockey @ Gloucester HS

5 PM Boys Varsity Soccer @ Greater Lawrence Tech  

6 PM Girls JV Field Hockey @ Gloucester HS

6 PM Boys Varsity Football vs Xaverian Brothers HS

Saturday, October 21 

10 AM Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Medford Girls Volleyball Jamboree

12 PM Boys Freshman Football @ Xaverian Brothers HS

1:30 PM Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Medford Girls Volleyball Jamboree

3 PM Girls JV and Varsity Cheerleading @ Billerica Think Pink Cheer Competition 

4:30 PM Girls Junior Varsity Soccer Medford High School Home 

6 PM Girls Varsity Soccer vs Medford HS

Sunday, October 22 

12/1:30 PM Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Medford Girls Volleyball Jamboree Consolation (12:00pm) or Championship Game (1:30pm) 

Fall Senior Athlete Banners

Senior Banners may be purchased from Dracut Threads through this link. Banners will require a two-week turnaround. The banners will be hung for the fall season and then hung outside with the senior banners from all the seasons. Seniors will be able to take their banners home following graduation. Any questions about Senior Banners may be directed to Assistant Athletic Director, Matt Blair at [email protected].