left to right: Lucas Oskins, Scarlett Shell, Lucia Spencer, Ronnie Malan

Congratulations to our Royal band members who earned a Gold Rating at district. Juniors Lucas Oskins, Scarlett Shell, Lucia Spencer and senior Ronnie Malan will compete at State on February 24th for the ISSMA Solo & Ensemble events. Way to go, musicians! We are proud of you!

Royal Wrestlers going to Semi-State (left to right): Brody Heidelberger, James Dozier, Blake Getz, Peyton Schoettle, Will May, Alex Plahitko, Braden Getz and Jack Richardson

The Royal wrestlers placed third at the Perry Meridian Regional and will send eight athletes to the semi-state competition tomorrow, Saturday, February 10, 9:00 AM at New Castle.

Individual Results at Regionals:

Peyton Schoettle Regional Champion

Blake Getz Regional Champion

Jack Richardson 4th

Alex Plahitko 4th

Andrew McHugh DNP

Will May 2nd

Braden Getz 4th

James Dozier 2nd

MJ Morton DNP

Brody Heidelberger 4th

Evan Nalley DNP

Congratulations to our Royal Rhapsody Show Choir who began their competition season with a big win at Decatur Central. They were awarded Best Tech Crew over all the choirs and Grand Champions of the small mixed division. Sophomore Isaiah LIttell was recognized as the most outstanding performer for the choir. Royal Rhapsody has a double-header with a competition at Plainfield tonight at 9:15 PM and another on Saturday at Pike at 1:15 PM. Break a leg!

On Saturday, January 27, Assistant Principal Michael Wantz was recognized for his 20 seasons as varsity head coach (2002-2022). It was alumni night, and players from his years of coaching came to the game to support Coach Wantz and his many accomplishments. During his 20 years, he had the most wins in program history (271), the most games coached in program history (446), the program leader in winning percentage (60.8%), the first postseason title wins in program history (sectionals in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011 and regionals in 2005) and the program's first Circle City Conference title in 2018. Congratulations to Coach Wantz for all of his successes!

CIEE, the student exchange program Roncalli works with, is searching for a new host family for an exchange student from Germany. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Kim is in need of a new home for the remainder of her stay. Kim is quiet, calm and easy going. She enjoys cooking, ceramics, drawing, listening to music and exercising. Kim plays piano and guitar, and her favorite subjects are math and biology. She has enjoyed her time in the US so far and is looking forward to what the remainder of her stay will bring. For more information, contact Janet Shaffer at (317) 372-8971 or [email protected].

Thank you to Brandon Saho for sharing his mental health journey with our Royals on Tuesday. Thank you for reminding us that no matter what, we are not alone in our struggles!

You can check out Brandon's podcast, socials, website and more at The Mental Game.

The Guidance Department is planning to offer two groups for students this semester! Here are the two options for students: 

Mental Health 101 (led by Roncalli's Social Workers) 

What? Using the book "Where to Start" from Mental Health America, we will explore what mental health is, how to talk to others about mental health, how to get professional help and learn some tips for managing your own mental health 

When? Wednesdays during Homeroom - starting February 7th until March 13th 

Where? In the back of the SLC 

Who? Anyone who wants to join! 

College Readiness: My Next Chapter (led by Roncalli's College and Career Counselor) 

What? Designed to help students think about the next chapter of their story, we will cover a variety of topics about the college transition process and how students can best prepare for this exciting step. 

When? Before school on Tuesdays, 7:30 AM - 8:05 AM - February 13th - March 12th 

Where? In the back of the SLC 

Who? Juniors and seniors preparing for college after high school 

AJ Ablog, Jenny Garro, Ellie Haydock, Regan Happe, Maggie Mills, Maria Poteet, Ben North and Kellen Schreiber R'18

Congratulations to the faculty! They were the winners of this year's Catholic Schools Week dodgeball tournament! All four grades had teams compete during the homeroom period on Friday. At the pep rally, the freshman and sophomore classes continued on and battled for the best of three games. The freshman class rose victorious to play the winner of the two faculty and staff teams. After three games, the (Ben) North Stars team (pictured above) captured the dodgeball trophy!

Last week, our senior Campus Ministry student leaders attended the Catholic Schools Week Mass with the Archbishop at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis.

Join us for our annual alumni outing at Victory Field on Friday, June 28 at 7:00 PM. This year, the game features the Savannah Bananas! Tickets include a general admission ticket, all you can eat and drink pre-game picnic and Bananas swag! This annual event has grown yearly, and we are excited to bring this opportunity to our Roncalli family!



Tickets cost $100 and can be requested by visiting:

https://form.jotform.com/233444600693152. Ticket requests will be filled starting Friday, February 16 on a first come basis. Last year, tickets for their 2-night stand at Victory Field were sell-outs!

Never heard of the Savannah Bananas? Check out their website at https://thesavannahbananas.com/. Questions can be directed to Aaron Hommell at 317-787-8277 ext. 242 or at [email protected].

We are delighted to report that Roncalli High School was a recipient of a grant of $10,000 from the James P. Scott Endowment Fund, which is maintained through the Catholic Community Foundation of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The James P. Scott Endowment Fund was established through a generous gift by James P. Scott to be used to support capital needs in the archdiocese. Roncalli will use the grant to enhance and expand security in our school and on our campus. If you are interested in learning more about this grant or the Catholic Community Foundation, please visit www.archindy.org/ccf or call (317) 236-1482.

Monday, February 26, 6PM - Student Life Center 

Join the Guidance Team and INvestED for a workshop designed to help you complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA! Please bring your Chromebook or a laptop with you to the event. 

Direct questions to Steven Freck [email protected].

DRIVER EDUCATION 2024

COST: $385

AGE REQUIREMENT: Must be 15 years old by May 1st

THEORETICAL (CLASSROOM) TRAINING: Must attend either session I or session II. There are 15 class days in each session, and students must attend all class days to fulfill State requirements. Missed classes and assignments must be made up. Excessive absences will result in dismissal from the class.

SESSION I: April 2 - 5, 9 - 12, 15 - 19, 22 & 23 (3:15 PM - 5:15 PM) FULL

SESSION II: The following Saturdays from 7 AM - 9 AM: April 6, 13, 20; May 4, 11, 18. From 7 AM - 9 AM for the weekdays of May 28 - 31 and June 3 - 7. There are no classes Memorial Day weekend.

DRIVING PHASE: Every student must have six hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience. Driving sessions will take place during the months of May and June. You will have the opportunity to cross off times that will not work for your son/daughter due to family vacations, camps, etc. Their assigned driving times will be posted outside the school’s main office during the third week of May. Parents should begin the process of gathering documents to obtain a learner’s permit as soon as possible to avoid issues. A learner’s permit is required to drive. Students will receive additional paperwork from RHS necessary for the permit two weeks before the classroom portion starts. The Indiana BMV website is a good resource to see what is needed.

REGISTRATION: Registration forms are available to interested students in the school’s main office. Deposits of $200 and completed registration forms will be accepted beginning February 2nd. They should be returned to Mrs. Baker in the school’s main office.  

Registration will close on FRIDAY, MARCH 22nd.

The balance of the account is due by May 1st. Students may not participate in the driving phase if a balance is still due.  

QUESTIONS: For further information please contact Mrs. Baker at the high school. 

*ENROLLMENT WILL BE LIMITED THIS YEAR TO THE FIRST EIGHTY-TWO (82) STUDENTS WHO SUBMIT THEIR REGISTRATION PAPERWORK AND DEPOSIT. 

YEARBOOK - DISCOUNTED PRICE ENDS NEXT WEEK!

This year's 44-member student media staff is hard at work creating an outstanding yearbook. Make sure your student gets their own yearbook by ordering online now. The price is $65 and will increase on February 15th. Yearbooks will be passed out to graduating seniors in July and to all other students on the first day of the 2024-25 school year. Questions? Email Julie Albertson, journalism teacher, at [email protected].

Royals in Residence: Let a Roncalli Student Shadow You at Work! 

The Royals in Residence program is designed to connect Roncalli students with industry-certified professionals and allow them to learn more about a career in which they may be interested. Students will work with their School Counselor and the College & Career Counselor at Roncalli to identify careers of interest and then have the chance to shadow someone in their workplace. Students may use one of their college visit days to complete a Royals in Residence experience.

If you are interested in serving as a host professional for students to shadow, please click HERE to complete a brief informational form below. Your completion of the form does not commit you to anything, and Steven Freck will always work with you directly to schedule student visits in a manner that works with your time constraints.

Please direct questions to Steven Freck, college and career counselor, at [email protected]. 

Roncalli High School is pleased to offer several scholarships to students currently enrolled in grades 9 - 12. The eligibility criteria and amount for each scholarship vary from $250 to $1,500 so be sure to look at all the opportunities available!

Applications are OPEN for the 2024-2025 school year. Will you be one of the many students to receive a scholarship this year? Click the button below to find out everything you need to know about this year’s scholarship opportunities.

Please note - you must have a Roncalli email address to submit an application, as applications are submitted via the Roncalli website. Additionally, all applications must be received by 3:00 PM on Friday, March 1, 2024.

If you have any questions regarding these scholarships, please contact Tina Hayes, director of advancement, at (317) 787-8277 Ext. 239.

SAVE THE DATE 

APRIL 27 - 5:30 PM

To infinity and beyond. Blast off to a night of laughter, games, friendship and nostalgia. Experience a Toy Story themed adventure for grown-ups at Roar 2024, Roncalli's premier fundraiser. The evening will include cocktails, dinner, silent and live auctions, as well as entertainment. Dress as your favorite toy or childhood character and round up your friends for an evening you won't forget.

Roar is Roncalli's favorite fundraiser that you won't want to miss.

All funds raised at Roar benefit our students, families, faculty and staff.

Make your reservation by March 14 and receive $50 off per ticket.

Join us for ROAR Story!

Have your graduate's name permanently etched into Roncalli's Circle of Faith! Order your $125 custom brick by Friday, May 3, 2024 to ensure its completion by graduation on May 25th. Order two bricks for $200. All proceeds from brick sales benefit Roncalli's Circle of Faith fund.

Complete and return the form to become a part of the Roncalli Circle of Faith.

What can I put on the brick?

Your brick can display up to three lines of text, with 16 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks) per line.

How can I be sure the text on my brick will be correct?

When you order your brick, you will receive an acknowledgment letter that includes a verification of the engraved text. If something is spelled or listed incorrectly, please contact the Advancement Office at 317-787-8277 ext. 238 and make corrections within two weeks of receipt.

For questions please call Fran Davey in the Advancement Office at 317-787-8277, ext 238.

NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR A CIRCLE OF FAITH DISTINCTION AWARD

Do you know someone exceptional?

Each year, Roncalli High School and its Alumni Association present the Circle of Faith Distinction Awards. These awards were created to honor and recognize faculty, staff, alumni, volunteers and community members who serve with distinction, excel in their careers and devote themselves to their Catholic faith and Catholic education. Please take a moment to nominate a deserving recipient for one of the following awards:

• Alumni of the Year
• Honorary Alumni
• Volunteer of the Year
• St. John XXIII Award
• ROYAL Award

These awards recognize the important role our community plays in educating, nurturing and forming today’s students — tomorrow’s leaders.

Although nominations are accepted throughout the year, the deadline for 2024 recognition is Monday, April 15, 2024.

For a complete explanation of the criteria for these awards. See this link.

View past award recipients.

• Contact Aaron Hommell by email or call (317) 787-8277 ext. 242 with questions

RMN BROADCASTS

Roncalli Media Network (RMN) upcoming schedule:

• Friday, February 9, 7:30 PM, Boys basketball vs. Heritage Christian (AUDIO ONLY)
• Saturday, February 10, 7:30 PM, Boys basketball vs. Lafayette Central (AUDIO ONLY)
• Tuesday, February 13, 7:30 PM, Boys basketball vs. Scecina

SNOW DAYS & eLEARNING POLICY

The first three (3) days that school is closed for any reason, Roncalli will have an eLearning day on the same day as the cancellation. Teachers will have their assignments posted on Canvas no later than 11:00 AM. Students will be required to log into their Canvas account no later than 12:00 PM/Noon. A student who will be absent and unable to complete their work due to an illness must have a parent or guardian contact the attendance office via email prior to 12:00 PM/Noon to be excused from the work. Failure for parent or guardian to contact the attendance office will result in an unexcused absence. The work on eLearning will be due no earlier than 7:30 AM on the next school day.

In the case of the fourth (4th) day that school is closed for any reason, Roncalli will have an in-person school day on Presidents’ Day. This will be a traditional day of school with the day beginning at 7:30 AM and ending at 3:00 PM.

30 Tickets - $175

50 Tickets - $275

100 Tickets - $500

Physical Ticket Bundles

• No refund, exchanges, or replacement tickets will be given.  Once tickets are purchased they are the ticket holder’s responsibility.
• Good for all home events excluding Marion County and IHSAA tournament events. 
• Bundles can be purchased anytime in the Athletic Department during school hours.  
• Payment options: cash or check (made out to Roncalli)  

Eventlink Ticket Bundles

• No refund, exchanges, or replacement tickets will be given. 
• Good for all home events excluding Marion County and IHSAA tournament events. 
• Ticket bundles can be purchased on Eventlink at https://websites.eventlink.com/s/roncalli-high-school/Tickets; select "season passes"
• Payment will be completed on Eventlink. 

LISTEN IN

TUITION WORK PROGRAM INFO

Major Crossroads: Smith Valley & 135

Need: Ride home every day & (occasionally to school) 

Contact: Andi Baker, administrative assistant, [email protected]

Every little bit counts! Make sure your Kroger card is associated with Roncalli! Go to  https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards and choose "link your shopper's card" or create an account if you do not already have one. Roncalli’s code is AS409. The Roncalli community donated $6,635.28 to Roncalli last school year through the Kroger Community Rewards program!

PLEASE PRAY

• For God’s blessings and mercy upon Archbishop Charles Thompson and his ministry in shepherding the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
• For those who struggle to find adequate food, clothing, shelter and medical services and for those most in need of God’s mercy.
• For healing of body, mind and spirit for all people dealing with depression, addiction or mental health issues.
• For strength and healing for all those fighting off life-threatening illnesses and for their families and caregivers.
• For the men and women of our armed forces and their families, especially our Roncalli High School alums serving in the military.
• For our Roncalli alums preparing for a religious vocation as a priest, religious woman or missionary.
• For vocations to the priesthood, religious life and missionary field, and that Roncalli High School and its families will provide a nurturing environment that fosters and supports these vocations.

RONCALLI HIGH SCHOOL

(317) 787-8277

[email protected]

roncalli.org