by Miranda Eby | Jan 16, 2025 | President’s Pen
Nearly every Friday morning during the school year, we hold an all-school assembly. It is a chance to remind students of our mission and share some relevant research or data about college completion, grit, or the types of mindsets and behaviors that lead to success. We also include general announcements; and always celebrate instances of student success in the classroom, workplace, and community. This time of year, we especially celebrate college acceptances as they roll in. Occasionally, our Principal will bring in alumni to speak about their college experience.
I’m always amazed at how attentive students are to alumni when they come back to visit. It is a reminder that the choice of messenger can often be even more important than the message itself. Last Friday, two alums who are now very successful sophomores at the University of Illinois – Champaign shared what they have learned so far about being in college. Their words of advice were simple and direct but also insightful. Much of what they told the students was consistent with what we, as the faculty and administration, tell them routinely. However, coming from two young people who only a year and a half ago were sitting in assembly as CRSM students, their words carried much more weight with our student audience. They were much more relatable, and students could see themselves more easily in these two role models than they might in some old guy like me telling them the same things.
They offered three recommendations to students about college:
- Do your homework. Manage your time appropriately and remember that reading and school work outside of class is easily just as important as anything you do in class.
- Get to know your professors. Their job isn’t to take care of you or remind you of your responsibilities. It’s not that they don’t care, they just have so many students and a job to do that they don’t reach out to you; you must reach out to them.
- Make friends. Friends support each other and can help you manage the stress of college. Also, there is so much to learn from other people who are different from you – maybe as much as you learn from your classes.
Pretty amazing counsel from students not quite halfway through their own college experience.
As I was listening to them impart this wisdom, I reflected on just how important community is to finding success. None of us can really find significant success without help and support from others. It is not just a matter of individual achievement but of being part of a communal journey. We learn and become better by sharing successes and failures so that the community gains a collective wisdom and sense of care.
A community is a family that believes; it is a group where each member accepts and feels strengthened by the others. In moments of weakness, we help one another and challenge one another to be our best. We share what light we have found as an example for others.
“Our school exists to promote the long-term flourishing of our students. We aim for every graduate to be accepted to, enrolled in, and complete a best-fit post-secondary experience that will propel our students toward a fulfilled life and allow them to use their God-given talents to make our world a better place.” Our Principal, Mike Odiotti calls these statements the “Why” behind our mission at CRSM.
Culture more than anything else determines the success of an organization. Culture builds community through accompaniment and encounter. But building and maintaining a healthy culture requires deliberate and intentional attention. One of the advantages of being a faith-based community is that we rally around something bigger than all of us and, regardless of our individual religious traditions, we have a shared belief about what matters.
What really matters?
Love. Appreciating and respecting others. Connectedness. And… doing something about that connectedness – seeking justice and working to change the world.
We are invited individually and collectively to be co-creators with God in making this world a better place. Seeing our students flourish and give back to their community is a kind of confirmation that we are on the right track and maybe, just maybe, our mission is consistent with what God desires of us. That sense of hopefulness is alive and well at CRSM.
¡Viva Cristo Rey!
by Miranda Eby | Jan 10, 2025 | CWSP, School News, Student Life
Cristo Rey St. Martin freshman, Loyal, is making the most of his work-study experience at Kids Rank, an organization dedicated to supporting military children. Currently, Loyal is helping design a yearbook for the group, creating advertisements, and traveling to various places as part of his role.
Recently, Loyal visited the Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, an outing that left a strong impression on him. “They do a lot to make military kids feel like they belong,” he explained. Kids Rank brings together children from military families, organizing activities to foster a sense of community.
One of Loyal’s most exciting experiences was a trip to Washington, D.C. in December 2024, where he had the opportunity to tour the White House. Once in D.C., Loyal and his team explored the White House, admiring historical artwork, and listening to guides explain the significance of each room. The tour was a highlight for Loyal, who noted the great team he works with at Kids Rank.
Loyal’s involvement with Kids Rank not only gives him hands-on experience in design but also a deeper connection to the mission of supporting military children across different communities.
by Miranda Eby | Jan 10, 2025 | Admission, School News
Some may think that Cristo Rey St. Martin naturally draws students and families from the northern Lake County community due to its strong reputation, but our admissions team works year-round to promote the school and engage with potential applicants. Admissions Coordinator Daniel Arizmendi and Director of Admissions Noemi Cuesta, along with a dedicated team of staff and student ambassador volunteers, attend local parades, school fairs, community events, and more to highlight CRSM’s mission—helping students prepare for college, the workforce, and lives grounded in faith and justice.
The 2025/26 school year is shaping up to be another busy one for our admissions team. Last semester, they conducted 94 early admissions interviews, and this year’s recruitment efforts are far from over. Currently, we have 247 applications, with an expectation of around 300 by the end of the school year. We’re looking to admit 108 students, a slight increase from the usual 105.
Our admissions strategy includes attending local soccer tournaments, open houses at middle schools, and high school fairs to connect with prospective students. We collaborate with organizations like Heart of the City and work with various athletics programs to draw more students into our community. From posting flyers in local grocery stores and restaurants to leveraging social media and placing ads in local papers like Puro Futbol, our admissions team utilizes a wide range of outreach methods. However, the most impactful method remains face-to-face interaction, as talking directly with families, whether at events or during open houses, proves to be the most effective way to connect.
This is the first year CRSM has fully implemented Finalsite, an online platform where parents can easily submit applications and upload documents. Although some parents are still adapting to the technology, it’s been a successful transition, helping streamline the admissions process.
CRSM’s admissions process goes beyond mere applications, though. We carefully filter students based on academics, attendance, discipline, and financial needs to ensure we’re serving families who can benefit most from our mission. Despite some challenges, like overcoming the perception that we’re too expensive or navigating language barriers, the commitment to engaging with families continues to drive our admissions success. Whether it’s through religious education classes at Most Blessed Trinity, block parties in Park City, or summer open houses, our team remains dedicated to spreading the word about CRSM and ensuring that we’re bringing in students who will thrive here.
As January 27 approaches, early admission candidates eagerly await their results. Meanwhile, the admissions team continues working hard, preparing for two more rounds of interviews and readying for the onboarding of 100+ new freshmen next fall.
by Miranda Eby | Jan 10, 2025 | School News
During the first evening of winter break on December 19th, a significant structural incident occurred at our school. At 10:50 p.m., during a snowfall, a contracted snow removal service driver accidentally collided with one of the support columns near the pavilion entrance. This impact caused the column to detach completely from its foundation and the canopy roof decking. As a result, two 8,000-pound concrete arches, which the column had been supporting, collapsed. Fortunately, the driver managed to avoid injury.
The collapse also caused a 40-foot canopy section to partially give way, making the area hazardous for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Reacting swiftly, the school’s facilities team immediately contacted a structural engineer and a scaffolding company to assess the situation. The area was quickly barricaded to ensure the safety of students and staff during winter athletics practices and other activities scheduled over the break. By Friday, January 3rd, all “make safe” work was completed, allowing classes and building activities to resume on January 6th.
Estimates for the full repair of the damage exceed $1.2 million. The repair process could begin as early as this week, pending the results of a scan of the beams and confirmation of material availability. Once permits are secured and materials are on-site, the repairs are expected to take about two weeks to complete.
Our facilities team continues to monitor the situation and will provide further updates as the project progresses.
by Miranda Eby | Jan 10, 2025 | Academic, School News
First semester results are in for the 2024/25 school year! Scroll down to read a statment sent by CRSM Principal Dr. Mike Odiotti, to our student and their families about our semester one results:
“Dear CRSM community,
As we reach the midway point of this academic year, it’s a good time to reflect on our collective achievements during the first semester. I am pleased to share the updated data from our academic strategic plan, highlighting our progress and accomplishments to date. See the attached document.
We are proud to share that we have exceeded our institutional goals. As we review key indicators such as the failure rate, percentage of students at a 2.0, and percentage of students at a 3.0, we find that our performance surpasses the targets set forth in our academic strategic plan.
Below, you will also find a comparison of our data points for this academic semester against our historical data over time. The most important data point in terms of our focus on academic readiness is the percentage of students at or above a 3.0. As we track our alumni to and through college, we have found that one’s overall GPA is a great predictor of college readiness. In fact, approximately 80% of our alumni that have earned a 3.0 while in high school have gone on to earn their college degree. This data point has consistently correlated to college completion for our classes for which we have college completion data (2007-2018).
Individual student grades will be mailed next week, providing a report of each student’s academic performance. For those students that achieved a 3.0 or higher, keep up the great work. For those students that fell short of this mark, what changes do you have to make this semester in order to perform more strongly in the classroom. Thanks to all for your continued dedication and support as we work together to foster excellence within the CRSM community.
May we seek “Ever To Excel” in all that we do,
Mike Odiotti”
