CAMPUS SECURITY UPDATE

Dear Mercy Families,

We want to share an update regarding the security resources in place to support the safety and well-being of our Mercy community. The safety of our students and staff remains one of our highest priorities, and we regularly review our practices to ensure they reflect current best standards and the evolving needs of our campus. 

As part of this ongoing commitment, Mercy is partnering with Premier Security Solutions, a professional security firm that provides highly trained personnel and consistent on-site coverage. Premier officers bring extensive experience, many with backgrounds in law enforcement and the military, and are selected not only for their professional qualifications, but also for their ability to build positive relationships within school communities.

With this transition, there will be a change to our security staffing. Ms. Joelle Williams will not be continuing in the security officer role. This decision is not a reflection of her care, dedication, or the way she supported students. Ms. Joelle offered a kind, trusted, and caring presence for students and staff. We are grateful for the impact she made at Mercy.

We are pleased to share that Mr. Donnell Warren will continue serving as our afternoon/evening security officer through Premier Security Solutions. Mr. Warren’s past experience makes him a great fit for Premier and he has already completed additional training to meet Premier’s updated requirements.

We are also happy to welcome Gina Chura, who joined our community on Monday, January 5 as our daytime security officer. Gina is a retired police officer and a parent within our Catholic school community. During her first week, she will be getting familiar with our campus, routines, and students, and we are confident she will be a positive addition to Mercy. We appreciate your warm welcome as she joins our Mercy family.

Please know that these decisions were made thoughtfully, with the safety and well-being of our students at the forefront. We are grateful for your continued trust and partnership. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

With gratitude,

Dr. Cheryl Kreger ‘66

President

Mrs. Patricia Sattler

Principal

Mrs. Eleasha Tarplin ‘94

Dean of Student Affairs

WELCOME NEW STAFF

We warmly welcome the following faculty to our Mercy staff:

Mr. Peter Guenther assumes our AP Computer Science courses for the second semester. Mr. Guenther holds a Masters in Game Studies and Design, as well as a Masters in Instructional Technology. Having previously taught computer science at University of Detroit Jesuit High School, Mr. Guenther now also serves as an adjunct professor at Michigan State University. 

Ms. Margaret Sharkey joins our Mercy Math team. A proud graduate of the University of Michigan, Ms. Sharkey has lived and taught in San Francisco and worked in STEM education research at the University of Chicago. Ms. Sharkey has already warmly greeted our students and looks forward to helping them grow in confidence and curiosity.

Students will also see a familiar and friendly face in the cafeteria! We wish Ms. Grace Kraft the best as she transitions from the afternoon maintenance team to join the cafeteria staff.

MISSION & MINISTRY

Welcome Back Mass Tomorrow

Mercy parents/guardians are invited to join us for Mass at Mercy tomorrow, Wednesday, January 7 at 10:15am in the Auditorium. Worship with us as we celebrate the beginning of a new year and new semester.

REPORT CARDS & HONOR ROLL

Congratulations on a wonderful Fall 2025 Semester at Mercy High School! Please note the updated release and timeline for first semester final grades and honor roll.

Report Cards

On Monday, January 12 first semester grades will be finalized and posted by teachers by 9:00am. Final grades will be stored and posted to transcripts/report cards by 3:00pm Wednesday, January 14. They will be available on the PowerSchool website here (not the app). Use your parent login and click the Report Cards icon to view by semester as well as cumulative GPA. 

Terms, Finals, and Semesters

On PowerSchool, semesters have been divided into terms and finals (T1 & F1 for Semester 1, T2 & F2 for Semester 2). All of the coursework for the Term is weighted 80% and Finals are weighted 20% to total 100% for the Semester grade. On the mobile app if you click on classes T1 and S1 currently display under the course name. Only the semester grade will be displayed and recorded on the report card and transcript.

Honor Roll

Honor Roll Fall Semester 2025 will be available here on Wednesday, January 14.

MARLINS MAKING HEADLINES

HOSA Members Score Top Placements at Regionals

Congratulations to all of our amazing HOSA Future Health Professional members who showcased their talents and dedication at the Michigan Region 8 Leadership Conference held last month. A special shout-out to those who received top placements, securing a spot to compete at the State Leadership Conference in April!

Research Poster 2nd place - Chandravadana Koneru '26

Public Health Finalists - Abigail Bores '26 & Ava Eliya '26

Clinical Specialty 1st place - Hope Carmona '27

Healthy Living 1st place - Harshitha Arvapalli '27

Health Education 3rd place - Sofia Rossi '28 & Katherine Ehresman '28

Health Career Photography 3rd place - Adriana Williams '28

SWEETHEART DANCE

Hosted by the Junior Class

Attention, Mercy Students — Save the Date!

Join us for a fabulously fun new dance event open to ALL GRADES! Come on your own or bring one guest. Full details + ticket link will be emailed to all students this Friday.

Sweetheart Dance

Saturday, January 24, 2026

7:00pm–9:00pm

Mercy High School Gym

$20 per student or $35 per couple

JOIN US FOR THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

Early bird tickets on sale now!

Dr. Kreger requests the pleasure of your company at Mercy High School’s 80th Anniversary Gala, which will take place on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth. Early Bird tickets are on sale now here through January 31, 2026. For questions or additional information contact Nicole Mahjoory in the Advancement Office at 248-893-3531.

Mercy Parents, Volunteer with us!

Be a part of the magic behind the scenes and help create an unforgettable night at Mercy High School’s 80th Anniversary Gala. Volunteering is a great way to get involved, meet other parents, and contribute to the success of this event. Sign-up here.

JOIN US FOR THE MOTHERS' CLUB & DADS' CLUB JOINT MEETING

Wednesday, January 14 at 6:30pm

All parents/guardians are invited to the Mothers' Club and Dads' Club meeting on Wednesday, January 14th at 6:30pm in the Cafeteria for a Conversation with Administration. Join us as we gather an impressive panel from the Administration to hear about all of the exciting updates at Mercy and have the opportunity for a Q&A session. Mix, mingle and learn more about your student’s educational opportunities and your Mercy community. 

Mothers' Club Presents 80s Trivia Night

Everyone in the Mercy Community is Invited

If you’re a trivia whiz or just lookin’ for a righteous good time, come hang with us and get totally in the groove! (21+). Throw on your brightest neon tee, rock those leg warmers, spray that Aqua Net sky-high, and deck out your table in full 80s style. Bring your crew for a night of bodacious trivia and your shot at winning some totally tubular prizes! Please bring your own food and snacks for the evening.

Friday, February 20, 2026

6pm Doors Open

7pm Trivia Starts

$25/person -OR $180/table of 8

Cash Bar & Raffle

Volunteers Needed

We're in need of both parent and student volunteers to lend a hand with set up, check in, decorations, clean up and more. Please sign-up here.

If you have questions, please contact mercymothersclub@mhsmi.org.

MARLIN ATHLETICS

4th Annual Hall of Fame Induction

Join us for the 4th Annual Mercy High School Athletics Hall of Fame Induction!

Friday, January 23, 2026

6:00pm - 9:00pm

Mercy High School (Guests may enter through the Gym/Auditorium Lobby)

RSVP REQUIRED HERE BY JANUARY 16

Event Details

6:00 PM - Mercy Varsity Basketball vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary's

6:30 PM - Hall of Fame Recipients announced at halftime

7:00 PM - Dinner Reception & Panel in the McAuley Academic Center

9:00 PM - Event concludes

2026 Inductees

Kathleen Berrigan '92

Megan Fediuk '02

Tom Gable

Whitney Johnson '03

Dr. Cheryl Delaney Kreger '66 & John Kreger

Cathleen Kowalski Maes '05

Cassidy Cunitz '08

2013 Ice Hockey State Championship Team

Winter Sports in Action

Cheer on Marlin Basketball, Boardercross, Bowling, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey and Ski. Check out the calendar of events here.

Follow Marlins on Social Media

Be sure to follow Mercy Athletics on Instagram @mercyathletics, Facebook @mercymarlinsathletics and Twitter @mhsmiathletics. GO MARLINS!

CLASS OF 2026

Senior Class Alumnae Breakfast

On Wednesday, January 28 the Senior Class will gather with members of the Alumnae Association for the Senior Class & Alumnae Breakfast here at Mercy High School before Mass. This annual tradition promises to be a wonderful opportunity for you to meet a diverse group alumnae and ask them questions about college, careers, and more. The breakfast will include mixing and mingling and a short program. The alumnae are excited to meet each of you and work toward building lasting relationships built upon the Mercy sisterhood. 

Attendance at the breakfast is mandatory, and Seniors were sent a College & Career Interest Survey to complete and will receive additional event information. Professional dress is required at the breakfast (e.g., dress, suit, skirt, or dress pants.) If wearing skirts or dresses, they should be no more than two inches above the knee. No crop tops and no tennis shoes, no Birkenstock clogs, crocs, or any form of slipper. Contact the Senior Moderators or Alumnae Office with any questions.

Senior Ads Still Available!

Senior Ads are still available to purchase for the 2025-2026 Yearbook. We apologize for any inconvenience, as the ordering site was down over Winter Break. However, it is up and running, and ready to accept orders. Please contact Mrs. Step for any issues or questions: lstep@mhsmi.org

To design and purchase an ad for your graduating senior, please visit the order website (job number: 13826) and follow these instructions:

1. Choose the size ad you would like to create.
2. Select student when prompted for whom to buy the ad.
3. Enter your student’s name. Please use her full name as it appears on PowerSchool, not a nickname.
4. Choose whether you would like to create the ad online or send the message and photos to the Lore staff to make the ad. 
5. Follow all of the prompts and instructions to complete the ad.

Graduation Dress Requirements

Seniors will receive a special upcoming message from Dr. Kreger at the January class meeting. In order to participate in the graduation ceremony, every student must have her white graduation gown approved by Dr. Kreger or her assistant Mrs. Wojcik. Graduation gown requirement letter found here. Please bring the dress to the Advancement Office or send a picture of the front and back of the dress, or a picture of you wearing the dress to cdkreger@mhsmi.org or mmwojcik@mhsmi.org. There are a limited number of gently used dresses available in the Advancement Office.

2026-27 ARCHDIOCESE OF DETROIT (AOD) TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The 2026-2027 AOD Tuition Assistance Program is need based. The application process is now open and closes on February 27, 2026. Parents may visit the Detroit Catholic Schools Tuition Assistance webpage here for application information.

Parents should reference the Parent information Document here for details regarding the application and contact FACTS Customer Service at 866-315-9262 for individual application questions.

For Catholic Families only:  All awardee families must be current members of a Catholic parish within the Archdiocese of Detroit. The Pastor’s signature on the form here is required to complete your application. Forms must be turned into your school’s office by February 27, 2026. Non-Catholic Applicants do not need to turn in a Pastor Signature Form. 

AOD RISE "Unafraid"

A Gathering of High School Youth in Detroit held at Mercy

In the spirit of Unleash the Gospel, the Archdiocese of Detroit invites 9-12th graders to attend RISE Detroit 2026.

Sunday, February 1, 2026

8:15am - 7:15pm

Mercy High School

Standard Admission: $35 for all participants: teens and adults. Includes lunch and dinner!

Teens must be accompanied by an adult chaperone (youth minister, high school campus minister, teacher, pastor, parent, etc...) The speakers include: Chika Anyanwu, Archbishop Weisenburger and Fr. Mark Livingston. Activities include: keynotes, powerful music, worship experiences, two workshop opportunities, small group discussion, and Liturgy.

Learn more and register at risedetroityouth.org. For additional questions, contact youthministry@aod.org or 313.237.5904.

VIRTUAL VAPE 101: KNOW THE RISKS

Vape 101 is a free, one-hour educational virtual training about the real dangers of vaping for parents, community organizations, and students hosted by Oakland County Health Division. Topics include: How E-cigarettes Operate; Health Consequences & Safety Concerns; Vaping Prevention Resources and more. Training Dates Available:

• Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 12:00pm

Learn more and register here. 

CONNECT TO MERCY MEDIA

Photo Gallery Webpage

Check out the photo gallery webpage featuring Google Photo albums from a variety of school events! Relive the memories and catch highlights from recent activities, celebrations, and more.

Visit mhsmi.org/photo-gallery to explore the moments that make Mercy special! Keep checking back as we continue to add new albums. (Photo Credits: Kristina Sikora, KMS Photography and other contributors.)

Social Media

Connect to @mercyhighmi, @mercyathletics, @mercyperformingarts and @missionandministry_mhsmi on Instagram. Plus, show your own Marlin pride and use the Marlin giphy stickers available on Instagram by searching @mercymarlins when you post to stories! Don't forget to follow @MercyHighSchoolMI, @MercyMarlinsAthletics and @MHSMIPerformingArts on Facebook. Check out list of social media accounts here.

Mobile App

Use the Mercy mobile app designed to enhance communication and engagement between our school, parents, students and community! You’ll find quick access and links to resources with the click of an icon. 

• Visit the App Store or Google Play
• Search for "Mercy High School - MI"

Compelled by our Catholic faith and the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy High School is a premier college preparatory school that educates and nurtures young women of diverse backgrounds to excel academically, serve compassionately, and lead courageously.