Principal’s Desk News & Information Upcoming Dates School Care News

Dear SMSA Families,
We hope this message finds you well and enjoying the beautiful beginning of fall! As we move through the school year, we are grateful for the energy, joy, and sense of community that fill our halls and classrooms each day. Thank you for the many ways you support our students, teachers, and school community. Your partnership plays an important role in helping our Ledgers grow not only as learners, but also as people of faith, character, and leadership.

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
We are excited to welcome families to our Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences on October 21 and 22, 2026, from 3:40–6:00 PM. These evenings provide a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student growth, talk about areas of continued development, and strengthen the partnership between home and school. Leadership begins with relationships, and when parents, teachers, and students work together, we create a strong foundation for students to take ownership of their learning and growth.

Additional information regarding the scheduling process will be shared through Skyward as we get closer to the conference dates. We look forward to connecting with you!

Teacher In-Service Days – October 1 & 2
Please note that SMSA and the Extended Care Program will be closed on October 1 and 2 for teacher in-service. These days give our faculty and staff valuable time to learn, collaborate, reflect, and prepare for the continued growth of our students. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, October 5!

Halloween Parties – October 30
Our classroom Halloween parties will be held on October 30th this year. Please watch for additional information from your child’s homeroom teacher regarding classroom activities and celebrations. If you would like to support your child’s classroom during the parties, please remember that volunteers need to be SEE trained.

We are grateful for the many parents and guardians who volunteer their time and talents. Leadership is often expressed through service, and your willingness to share your time is a wonderful example of this value for our students.

As we continue through the fall, we encourage our Ledgers to look for everyday opportunities to lead: include someone who may feel left out, take responsibility, serve others, make a good choice when no one is watching, and use your God-given strengths to make a difference. Leadership does not always require a title or a position. It begins with the small choices we make each day.

Thank you for being such an important part of our SMSA family and for partnering with us in forming young people who are rooted in Christ’s teachings, committed to excellence, and ready to lead with faith, courage, and purpose. We look forward to the wonderful opportunities ahead and to continuing this journey together!

God Bless,
Steven Kelnhofer
SMSA Elementary Principal

The National Honor Society is sponsoring a Coats for Kids Drive at SMSA from Monday, September 28th through Friday October 30st. Each fall The Salvation Army collaborates with schools, agencies, and communities to collect requests for new and used winter outerwear for families in need. They also organize the county’s largest winter outerwear distribution. We are asking for donations to help The Salvation Army to ensure they can provide coats for everyone who needs one. Donation boxes will be located at the north and south hall offices.

A long standing tradition at SMSA continues again this year with the Christmas Card Fundraiser, in which students in Grades 4 through 8 will be creating and selling handmade Christmas Cards. These cards will be sold for $2.00 each by the St. Mary’s Springs families after all the masses at Holy Family Parish sites on Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th. We will also be having a movie and popcorn afternoon, the day before Christmas Break, where students can bring in a donation to watch the movie of their choice and enjoy popcorn. Everyone will be able to participate, whether they bring in a donation or not. All proceeds from the card sale and movie/popcorn will go to benefit a local child (Fond du Lac County) and his/her family, who is currently or has had medical concerns/conditions.

If you know of a child and their family that you feel is deserving of a nomination, please click here to fill out the form. All nominations will be reviewed and a recipient will be chosen by random draw.

EAA Aviation Museum is offering exciting STEM learning opportunities for students and families.

This is a six-week Aviation After-School Club for grades 3-8 which will provide hands-on experiences with flight simulators, rocketry, robotics, and aviation career exploration.

• Grades 6-8: Mondays, October 5 – November 9, 2026
• Grades 3-5: Tuesdays, October 6 – November 10, 2026
• Time: 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
• Cost: $30 for all six sessions

EAA is also hosting Space Day again this year, on October 24^th, 2026. This family-friendly event is designed for families and features a variety of space-themed activities and experiences.

Click below to learn more about these exciting opportunities!

Fall 2026 EAA After School Club

Space Day 2026 EAA

Are you looking to get more involved at SMSA? Join our Parent Connectors Group! Our group organizes events for our SMSA Families as well as supports our fabulous SMSA Staff throughout the year! If you have a child(ren) in P3 – 5th Grade, you received a volunteer form to fill out. Please fill this out and return it to school. If your youngest child is 6th grade or older, please use this link, https://forms.gle/m5vP4m7FtFcA2qVP8 to fill out the form. We appreciate all of our volunteers! We couldn’t do what we do each year without you! Only one form needs to be filled out per family. If you have been a part of group in the past, please still fill out the form as a new email group gets created each year. All forms are due by Friday, September 4th. If you have any questions, please email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net. Thank you so much! Have a wonderful school year!

Parent Connectors Volunteer Form 2026-2027

Are you looking to get more involved at SMSA? If so, join our Parent Connectors Group!! We organize events for our SMSA families & show our appreciation towards our amazing SMSA Staff throughout the year!! Please email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net if you are interested. Thank you so much!!

Did you know? You can Refer-A-Family and receive tuition credit!

Click Here to Learn More!

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October 1-2, 2026 – In-Service – No School

October 21-22, 2026 – Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 23, 2026 – No School –  In-Service – Elementary Students Only

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If your child/children are in need of extended care please email Ms. Tracey at (tsaunders@smsacademy.org).

Thank you

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