Dear Parents and Students,
On February 6 the Mater Dei
community observed Ash Wednesday with mass.
This mass was a fitting way to begin our Lenten journey. Fr. Ken Steckler discussed the importance of
using this time to learn more about the “True Self.” I hope this Lenten season is a time for you
to reflect on your relationship with God and determine those things that
interfere with your connection.
We recently learned that
senior Karen Scheller was selected as a National Merit Finalist. Students are selected across the country into
this extremely prestigious program based on their PSAT scores. Karen is the daughter of Randy (Class of ‘78)
and Mary Scheller. It is truly a
pleasure to see our students succeed.
We are in the process of
registering students for next school year and are extremely pleased with the
potential enrollment for next year. We
anticipate a freshmen class of approximately 150 students. The retention of students has been very high
over the last several years, and we expect this trend to continue. If you are aware of any eighth graders that
are considering Mater Dei but have not registered, please encourage them to
contact the main office.
We recently learned that
Mater Dei’s graduation rate for 2007 was 99.2% and is the fourth highest in the
state. The only schools that had a
higher rate were considerably smaller than Mater Dei. We are proud of our teachers’ abilities to
help all students succeed.
Please be sure to read the
enclosed letter from Donna Halverson, Assistant Director of Schools for the
Diocese, regarding the upcoming ATOD survey.
This survey gives us valuable information regarding the lifestyle
choices that our students make.
I think everyone was
surprised by three snow days in February.
The make-up schedule is included in this newsletter. I appreciate everyone’s patience and
flexibility in this unique situation.
Spring break is just around
the corner. I pray that this time is a safe
and relaxing time for you and your family.
In Christ’s Peace,
Timothy A. Dickel
Principal