Parent Newsletter - February 6

Kathryn Baal, Ph.D.

Dear Mighty Mac Community,

As we push through winter, it is hard to believe we are mid-way through the third quarter. If you have not already done so, this would be a great time to engage in a conversation with your daughter about her progress and grades. Many of your daughters are in the process of registering for courses for the 2026-2027 school year and planning for the future. This is always an exciting time for them as they work with their counselor to balance classes they need with classes they want to explore or take because of personal interest.

We continue to live in the current school year but work towards the future school year. And within those moments, we work to give thanks for all that we have and all that is to be. A few shout outs and highlights that have occurred on 99th street recently.

For the first time ever, McAuley hosted a wrestling tri-meet in our gym on Tuesday, January 27. Competing teams were McAuley, St. Laurence and Reavis High Schools. The excitement was palpable for a host of reasons, but beating St. Laurence on the mat elevated the level. Not only was it a historical moment for our school, but we also were able to celebrate our senior wrestlers who have been a part of the program for two years.
Two of our choral students, senior Emily Dooey and Junior Ava Soukop, competed last weekend in the Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) state competition. Emily and Ava were able to compete in a variety of events while interacting with fellow musicians in workshops throughout the weekend. It is quite challenging to make it to this competition and an honor that only top musicians achieve. We are mighty proud of these two young ladies!
Our Varsity Basketball Team pulled off a thrilling victory over Marist High School last Friday, winning by just one point in overtime. The team’s determination and teamwork continue to shine as they advance on their exciting road to State with regional quarterfinals on Saturday, February 14.
Our Advancement team welcomed and hosted more than 90 alumnae and community members to campus today for Career Day. This event provided our young women the opportunity to interact and network with numerous professionals while learning about potential future endeavors and careers.
And finally, for the second year in a row our Cheerleading Team is going to state. They are one of 25 teams competing today for the 3A championship. Pull out those spirit sticks as we are hoping they advance to the finals on Saturday!

Hoping you and your family are appreciating the longer days and a bit more sunlight as we move swiftly through February. And as a reminder, we do not have school on Monday, February 9 - hoping your daughters enjoy the long weekend and a well-deserved break!

Fondly,

Important Information and Calendar Reminders

Class of 2026: Information on Senior Events
Class of 2028: Order Class Rings

Class of 2026: Information on Senior Events

Class of 2028: Order Class Rings

The Mother McAuley class ring has a long and cherished tradition with multiple options when it comes to design. Packets with pricing and design options were distributed this Tuesday through Theology classes. Members of the Class of 2028 are eligible to order their class ring either Wednesday, February 11 (last name A-L) or Thursday, February 12 (last name M-Z). Our Herff-Jones representative, Mr. Jim Cranley, will be available before classes (7:15-7:50 a.m.) and during the sophomore lunch period on those days (11:00 - 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, and 10:30-11:00 a.m. on Thursday) in the student lounge.

A special Parents Viewing and Order Day has been arranged at the Herff Jones office (4921 95th St, Oak Lawn, IL 60453) on Saturday, February 7 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. If you have questions or need additional information please contact Herff Jones representative, Mr. Jim Cranley, directly at 708.425.0130 or email him at jcranley@herffjones.com. Internally, you can contact our Head Dean of Students, Ms. Amanda Sullivan, with questions about class rings at 773.881.6548 or asullivan@mothermcauley.org.

Important Information for the Class of 2026

As we shared in November, we collect a host of information from your daughter regarding post-secondary information. As your daughter begins to receive information from colleges and financial awards, we are requiring her to share these acceptances and scholarships from every school with us using this online form. The form is accessible to both parents and students which will allow you to work together to upload the information. Information can be added or edited at any point and does not have to be done all in one sitting. We have encouraged your daughters to upload the documents as they are received as it makes this process less cumbersome. We appreciate your attention to this request and your support as we work to collect this data.

College Acceptances & Financial Awards Form

Key Updates & News for Parents

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Upcoming Events

Counseling

School Counseling - February 6, 2026

Winter is a challenging time for everyone to keep motivation going and mental health oftentime dips. Exhausted is a commonly used feeling among students. We deal with some dark days without sun, and with the mix of some very cold weather, sometimes it can be a challenging time for students to stay focused on school and grades. Lack of movement and sunlight can take its toll, so it's important for students to be vigilant with self care. Students should be pushing themselves to get out of the house, be with friends and get movement regularly. We tend to want to spend more time in, but need to sometimes give ourselves the extra push to combat loneliness and the “winter slump.” Taking care of ourselves and finding positive ways to stay busy can help us be present more at school and stay focused on our work.

College Counseling

College Counseling - February 6, 2026

SENIORS

Looking for college scholarships? Make sure to visit the McAuley website to see links for scholarship opportunities (scroll down to the the tab "financial aid and scholarships").

JUNIORS

Junior Parent-Student College and CARR Case Study Night (02.24.26)

Our annual Junior Parent College Night is on Tuesday, February 24th, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm in the auditorium. Please consider attending this event with your daughters as college representatives will discuss the admissions process and guide parents and students through an application review. You can RSVP here and additional information regarding the event will be sent as the date approaches. This is an excellent opportunity to learn how colleges review an application step-by-step. Topics covered area: admittance decisions, transcript analysis, the benefits of letters of recommendation, and admission offers aligned to institutional needs. This program is intended for both students and parents.

RSVP for the Junior Parent - Student College and CARR Case Study Night