A dedicated faith formation committee has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Catholic faith is incorporated into the very essence of the school community. Our faith will be woven into every aspect of the school experience. The end goal is to graduate students immersed in the rich traditions of Catholic teaching. A challenging and innovative curriculum has been created. The faculty will blend traditional teaching methods with modern technology and personal guidance. McGivney students will be ready for the challenges of the academic world, as well as the ever-changing social, cultural and technological landscape of life. Among the most important components of McGivney’s foundation, service is at the heart of the high school’s mission. At each class level, students will strive to “Serve the Culture of Life” – the motto and mission of Father McGivney Catholic High School. As educated Catholic Christians, McGivney graduates will be prepared to face and help shape the issues of morality, ethics and social justice. Opening next August at its temporary location in a dedicated wing on the St. John Neumann Catholic School campus in Maryville, Father McGivney Catholic High School is the culmination of many years of hard work and faithful dedication. With the support of our diocese, our community and our Church, Father McGivney Catholic High School will be strong – built with a firm foundation of faith, academics, and service. Go Griffins! January 2012 - The Christmas holidays have passed and the Church moves to Ordinary Time. Students are returning to their school routines. 2012 seemed so far away and now it is here. It is decision time for 8th graders and their families. It is so easy to go with the crowd. It is easy to be awed by big buildings, the thoughts of being a sports star, or taking the easy way. One can even think that I’ve put in my time in a Catholic school and I don’t need to continue in Catholic schools. The Most Rev. Roger Foys, Bishop of Covington, KY has said, “While there may be alternatives to Catholic education, there are no substitutes.” I have begun to interview prospective faculty and staff. I have been impressed with the excitement of these candidates. Not only do they possess outstanding academic and teaching credentials, but they have an enthusiastic zeal for sharing the faith. We will be posting short bios of teachers on this website. I think that you will be impressed with their academic and religious fervor. Stay tuned as this year will speed right along and our doors will be opening before you know it. Hope to see you walking through them! Happy New Year!Christmas 2011 - “For unto us a Child is born…” As the Advent season draws to a close, we can rejoice once again at the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Although many continue to complain about the commercialization of Christmas, we are still captivated by the Nativity story found only in Luke’s Gospel. Try to comprehend the billions of humans who have been affected by the Christ Child born in a humble stable in Bethlehem so many centuries ago. Let’s allow the message of Christmas live in us all year long. Peace on Earth-Goodwill to All! Christmas Blessings to all of you and may you enjoy a Happy New Year in 2012! December 2011 - Advent marks the beginning of our new liturgical year. It is the perfect time to renew our commitment to our Catholic faith. We need these days of preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Although there is a lot of work ahead of us, we have come so far in our preparation to welcome our first class of students. Our first Open House was a success with over thirty families touring the facility. Initial contacts with the Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois High School Association (athletics) have been made. The interview process for hiring faculty will begin after the holidays. NOW WE NEED YOU! We need freshmen who will be leaders, not followers. We need freshmen who live their faith, not watch it. We need freshmen who make their own decisions, not follow their friends. We need freshmen who are motivated, self-learners, not students who want everything laid out for them. We will have a lot to offer you, but you have a lot to offer us. Great schools are not only the ones with new buildings and fancy athletic programs. Great schools start with great students who have caring parents. I try to live my personal motto – Ancora Imparo – every day. Michaelangelo sketched this in the margin of one of his notebooks. It means “Still I learn”! Nine years in Catholic schools is not enough. It is so important for Catholics to keep learning their faith. Come join us at Fr. McGivney Catholic High School! November 2011 - The preparations for our opening in August, 2012 continue. I have had the pleasure of visiting our feeder grade schools. It was amazing to witness the excitement of Catholic education at each site. We are committed to continuing that outstanding work at the secondary school level. I am pleased to announce that we have 10 students who have signed a letter of intent to be the first class at Fr. McGivney. The students come from St. Elizabeth and Holy Family in Granite City, Ss. Peter and Paul in Collinsville, and St. Mary’s in Edwardsville. I would like to thank them and their parents for demonstrating a faith-filled commitment to Catholic education. Just like St. Peter, they will be the rock upon which our school will be built. I would like to invite everyone to our public Open House on Sunday, November 13th from noon to 3:00. Stop by after Mass and check out our model classroom, tour the facility, and ask questions. I will be available to address your concerns as will Greg Patton, our Athletic Director. If you are unable to attend, you can contact me for a personal tour and meeting. We had another great event on October 29th as we hosted the Emig Foundation Run/Walk. Although many participants were feeling the effects of the Cards World Series win, a great time was had by all. We continue to be grateful for the support of the Emig Foundation. The Cardinals’ improbable World Series win holds a lesson for all of us. Keep working hard. Stay focused on the goal. Ignore the negative criticisms. The supporters of Fr. McGivney Catholic High School are following that same advice. Next August, we will harvest the fruits of our labors. Go Griffins! October 2011 - Sunday, October 2nd, was a beautiful autumn day; a perfect day to officially unveil the FMCHS school site. A large gathering of donors, supporters, friends, and priests toured the model classroom and other areas of the temporary FMCHS site. After enjoying a wonderful luncheon, we listened to Bishop Paprocki inspire us with his vision for our school. Bishop Paprocki shared personal stories about the success of schools similar to ours. Specifically, he was able to relate the benefits of a high school at the same site as an elementary school. Even though the arrangement is temporary, there will be a symbiotic sharing of Catholic experiences among the students of FMCHS and St. John Neumann. We were grateful for his words of encouragement and his blessings for a successful start. This month begins the recruiting process as I will be visiting the 8th graders at our feeder schools. I am excited to share all of the innovations that we have to offer. Most importantly, I am looking forward to ending doubts that FMCHS will open. Three students have already signed letters of intent to enroll in the inaugural class of 2016. Fr. McGivney Catholic High School will be the only Metro-East secondary school to employ student laptops and digital textbooks. All students will be issued a laptop that remains their personal property upon graduation. We will be using interactive technology and digital processing for lectures, assignments, and tests. Our faculty will be asked to use our technology in an innovative fashion. The FMCHS site will be open for touring many times during the coming year. There will be a formal Open House fun events, and times during athletic contests at SJN. You are always welcome to contact me to set up your own personal tour. I look forward to meeting students and parents who would like to enroll or just find out more about FMCHS. You can contact me through this website or leave a message at 618/223-9708 or at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School at 618/344-5450 x 330. We continue to accept donations for scholarships, classroom equipment, furniture, and the future building on Old Troy Road. Certainly the economic climate is dreadful, but the students of southern Madison County deserve the chance at continuing Catholic education. I have a vision of McGivney students serving the culture of life through active participation in their parishes and communities. No one knows how many priests, sisters, lay ministers, or public servants will graduate from FMCHS. A regular monthly donation would advance that cause. September 2011 - As the summer of 2011 slowly fades, the air is filled with the cheers from local prep stadiums and gyms throughout the Metro-East area. Next fall, I look forward with great excitement to watching our freshmen athletes take the field and floor wearing the Griffin colors. Preparations have already started to ensure that McGivney athletes will get their chance to excel athletically. Greg Patton, former principal and athletic director at Granite City HS and, more recently, the principal at Holy Family and St. Elizabeth’s schools in Granite City, is serving as our athletic director. Greg and I have met to plan our membership in the Illinois High School Association. We are also looking to secure practice and game facilities, as well as prospective coaches. Athletic activities are but one part of the high school experience that we plan to offer. In addition to the regular high school activities like student council, theater, and academic teams, we plan to offer clubs and activities that serve the interests of our students. The possibilities are endless as we will set a minimum number of students and require a sponsor in order to begin any club. Our temporary site at St. John Neumann is nearly ready for tours. We are completing a model classroom, complete with the technology we plan to utilize. When we open our doors next year, our students will be using the latest technology available in order to prepare for the modern world. Fr. McGivney Catholic High School will be the only Metro-East secondary school to employ student laptops and digital textbooks. All students will be issued a laptop that remains their personal property upon graduation. We will be using interactive technology and digital processing for lectures, assignments, and tests. The FMCHS site will be open for touring many times during the coming year. There will be a formal Open House fun events, and times during athletic contests at SJN. You are always welcome to contact me to set up your own personal tour. I look forward to meeting students and parents who would like to enroll or just find out more about FMCHS. You can contact me through this website or leave a message at 618/223-9708 or at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School at 618/344-5450 x 330. August 2011 - Just think! At this time next year, I will have the privilege of welcoming the inaugural class of freshmen to Fr. McGivney Catholic High School. However, don’t think that there is any lack of excitement right now. Preparations are well underway for next August. Dedicated crews of volunteers have been painting, patching, moving, and building the classrooms and office at our temporary site at St. John Neumann Catholic School. We hope to have a completed classroom and office for a soon-to-be announced Open House. I would personally like to thank Fr. Pat Jakel, Jack Holmes, and all of the staff and supporters of St. John Neumann Catholic School for extending such a warm welcome to us. Our renovations have caused a great deal of inconvenience. All of us associated with FMCHS will be forever grateful for their generosity and Catholic hospitality. I would be remiss if I did not mention the extraordinary work done by Liz Link, our fundraising coordinator. She has tirelessly spearheaded all of the renovation work, ordering, and scheduling. No one has worked more diligently than Liz in creating a great space for our future Griffins. Great job, Liz! I look forward to meeting students and parents who would like to enroll or just find out more about FMCHS. I will be making recruiting visits, but I would love the chance to talk individually with you about the benefits of FMCHS. You can contact me through this website or leave a message at 618/223-9708 or at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School at 618/344-5450 x 330. The class of 2016 has the unique opportunity to make history. They will be the true pioneers of FMCHS. Remember that every great school has to have a beginning. You can be part of that historical first class. Let’s build McGivney history! Be a Griffin!
Glen Carbon, IL - The board of directors of Father McGivney Catholic High School (FMCHS) has announced that, after an extensive search, Michael V. Palmer has been hired as principal of the new school. A veteran educator whose 32 year career in the Catholic school system includes teaching and coaching as well as administration, Palmer taught and was Dean of Students at Gibault Catholic High School in Waterloo from 1996 to 2003. He currently serves as principal of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School, in Collinsville. Palmer currently serves as principal of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School (SSPP), in Collinsville. He will serve as principal for both schools during the 2011-2012 school year with a focus at McGivney on recruiting students, hiring teachers, and finalizing the curriculum. “It is fantastic to have someone who already knows the community, lives here and knows all the area Catholic grade school principals,” says Doug Villhard, president of the FMCHS board of directors. “When we announced this exciting project several years ago, Mike was the first person to call me. We talked for over an hour about how much the area needs this school and he volunteered to chair our curriculum committee.” Villhard points out that the coming year is pivotal for the new Catholic high school as the faculty is hired, students recruited and curriculum designed to meet the needs of contemporary Catholic youth. “Mike is very creative when it comes to modular scheduling and he will lead an exemplary high school for modern times, including laptops for every student and electronic text books. He has considerable experience working with high school students and we are lucky to have a professional of his caliber to guide us through the process.” Palmer earned a B.A. in history and political science from McKendree University, and an M.A. in historical studies from SIU-E. He holds certificates in administration and teaching from the State of Illinois. In his current position, he is responsible for administering the pre-K through 8th grade school of 230 students. “I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to serve the students and parents of FMCHS as the first principal,” says Palmer. “I look forward to the challenge of creating a Catholic secondary school that will provide the students of southern Madison County with the chance to continue their faith formation that was begun by our outstanding Catholic elementary schools. It is my goal to fulfill the dreams of the founders of FMCHS by creating a school that will become a leader in academics, athletics and activities in a truly Catholic environment.” Father McGivney Catholic High School will serve students in grades 9 – 12 in the southern Madison County area. The school will open in early September 2012 in a dedicated wing in St. John Neumann (SJN) Catholic grade school while the permanent facility is being built. Palmer is available to address parents’ questions about curriculum, scheduling and class sizes. An open house and tour of the FMCHS wing at St. John Neumann is scheduled for later this summer.
|
| © 2011 Father McGivney Catholic High School. All rights reserved. |   |