QUESTION from an 8th Grader:
I want to be active in high school. This is important to me. How do teachers at McAuley view homework and the amount of work they give students?
ANSWER from Nikki Link: 
I am so excited to hear that you are interested in being active in high school! Academics are very important, but it is just as important to get involved and develop your skills outside the classroom. This is the time to branch out and take advantage of everything high school has to offer. Whether you find interest in sports, art, drama, service, foreign languages, campus ministry, or being a leader in student council or any of McAuley’s numerous clubs, I highly encourage you to get involved. This is where lifelong friends and memories are made and where you develop talents and skills that will be beneficial to you after you leave high school.
From my experience both as a former student at McAuley and now as a teacher, teachers at McAuley understand; they are aware of just how busy students’ schedules can be, and they are reasonable and realistic in assigning work. I’m not saying that you won’t get homework at McAuley, but the purpose of assigning homework is to help you – help reinforce a concept that was taught in class, go more in-depth on a certain topic, or to help you prepare for the next day’s discussion. Many times, however, work will be assigned a couple days in advance (or much longer if it is a larger project), so you can budget your time and do your homework when it best fits into your schedule so you’re not stuck doing a lot of homework on the night of the big game, for instance. You should also expect to have some homework that is assigned, but never collected or taken for a grade. Homework is meant to help you study on a daily basis and is a way for you to check your understanding of the material being taught. Homework is not meant to add stress to your life – it is meant to help you learn and succeed in your classes.
Nikki Link is an alum, a science teacher, Student Council advisor, coordinates dances for the musicals, and leads retreats at McAuley.
QUESTION from an 8th Grader:
As I look at McAuley, I would like to know what you do to make classroom learning exciting and fun. The last thing I want to do is spend four years of high school being bored. What do you do to make your classroom come alive for students like me?
ANSWER from Rachel Ritchie-Kless:
One of the first things I do to make my classroom exciting and fun is to keep up with popular culture and my students’ interests. For example, earlier this year my Latin I students learned about ancient Roman clothing by pretending to be designers for the hit TV show Project Runway. They had to sketch, make and model their own contemporary twist on a classic toga. There was a lot of laughter over some of the ‘fierce’ outfits that came down our makeshift runway, but there was also a lot of learning that went on. I believe anytime a student can take charge of her own learning and do something that is relevant to her life, she will learn better and retain more.
Every other summer, I take students to Italy for a week of intensive, on-site learning. There is no more powerful educational experience than to be standing inside the Colosseum itself as you learn about ancient gladiatorial combats or translating a Latin inscription on a 2,000 year-old temple that still stands. I believe that education should be an ongoing exploration in which teachers and students take turns being the guide and as they walk together down the path to knowledge. Lastly, the way I keep my day-to-day classes lively and interesting is by incorporating the latest technologies in teaching. For instance, Latin II learns about what it was like to be a charioteer in Rome’s Circus Maximus by playing an online video game that simulates a real race.
I love my subject area and I love working here at McAuley. Every day I try to pass that love on to my students so that they walk away not just educated, but inspired.
Rachel Ritchie-Kless enthusiastically inspires students with Latin at McAuley.
We would like to address your specific questions!
Do you have a question for the faculty at McAuley about? Want to know what to expect next year? Email your question to Kathy Dietrich and she will get your question answered. Her email address is dietrichk@mcauleyhs.net