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

Dear SMSA Families,
We hope this message finds you well and enjoying the beauty of fall as the leaves change colors! This season offers a wonderful reminder of the growth and transformation happening all around us, including within our SMSA community. We are grateful for your continued partnership, encouragement, and support as we work together to help our students grow in faith, learning, character, and leadership.

Celebrating Our Principal’s Pen Award Winners!
Our students continue to give us so many reasons to celebrate! Next week Tuesday, we will be recognizing our Principal’s Pen Award winners from Grades 4–8. Each month, one student from each grade level is selected by our faculty and staff for demonstrating the Ledger Way Core Values through their everyday actions and choices.

During the celebration, students enjoyed a light breakfast, listened to an inspiring keynote speaker from SMSA, received their awards, and will be featured in an upcoming eLedger. It was uplifting to hear stories that reflected our Core Values and to see the meaningful ways our students are growing through the holistic education we strive to provide at St. Mary’s Springs Academy.

We are especially proud to celebrate Leadership through the Principal’s Pen program. Leadership is more than holding a position or being the first to speak; it is about taking responsibility, serving others, making thoughtful choices, and using our God-given strengths to make a positive difference. Our students demonstrate leadership when they encourage a classmate, persevere through a challenge, include others, or choose to do what is right.

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
We look forward to welcoming families to our Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences on October 21 and 22, 2026, from 3:40–6:00 PM. These evenings offer a valuable opportunity to celebrate student accomplishments, discuss areas for continued growth, and strengthen the partnership between home and school. When students, families, and teachers work together, we create a strong foundation for learning, personal responsibility, and leadership. By encouraging students to reflect on their progress, set goals, and take ownership of their learning, we help them develop the skills and confidence to lead with purpose.

As a reminder, Skyward sent a message on October 5 regarding the conference scheduling process for grade P3-Grade 5. Grades 6-8 will be open house style with no scheduling necessary. We look forward to connecting with you and continuing our shared commitment to each child’s growth and success!

Celebrating Fall Together!
As we embrace the autumn season, we encourage families to stay connected and participate in the many opportunities that bring our school community together. Your involvement strengthens relationships, creates lasting memories, and models the importance of service and community for our students. Thank you for helping make SMSA such a welcoming and vibrant place!

Classroom Halloween Parties – October 29th
Our classroom Halloween parties will take place on October 30th in the afternoon. Please look for additional details and classroom-specific information from your child’s homeroom teacher. As a reminder, parents must be SEE trained to attend classroom celebrations. We are grateful to the families who generously volunteer their time to make these experiences special for our students. Your willingness to serve is a wonderful example of leadership in action!

Annual Evening Trunk or Treat – October 29th
Get ready for some festive fun! Join us for our annual evening Trunk or Treat on October 29th in the upper South Hall parking lot. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow Ledger families, enjoy the excitement of the season, and strengthen the sense of belonging that makes our community so special. We look forward to seeing you there!

Welcoming Future Educators to SMSA:
The week of October 19th, SMSA is excited to welcome first-year education majors from Marian University for a field experience focused on exploring education as a profession. This visit strengthens our partnership with Marian University and provides these future educators with an opportunity to experience the joy, purpose, and responsibility of working in a school community.

We look forward to our students helping these future teachers experience what makes SMSA special. Through their curiosity, kindness, engagement, and willingness to share their learning, our students can demonstrate the many ways leadership emerges in a classroom. We are proud to help encourage the next generation of educators who will guide and inspire students in the years ahead.

Leading Together, Growing Together
As we continue through the school year, we are reminded that leadership is something we cultivate together. Our students learn to lead when they see adults modeling kindness, integrity, responsibility, and service. Every day brings opportunities to make a positive choice, encourage someone else, take ownership of learning, and use our gifts to strengthen our community.

Thank you for your ongoing dedication to SMSA and for entrusting us with the privilege of educating your children. Together, we are forming young people who are rooted in Christ’s teachings, committed to academic excellence, and prepared to lead with faith, serve with compassion, and make a meaningful difference in the world.

May the weeks ahead be filled with joyful learning, meaningful connections, and opportunities for every Ledger to shine!

God Bless,
Steven Kelnhofer
Elementary Principal, SMSA
skelnhofer@smsacademy.org

What a fantastic achievement by the SMSA students! Raising over $2,000 across grades P3-8th shows real commitment to supporting the community. The fleece purchased to create handmade blankets to our Holy Family Warming Shelter and food purchased to prepare and serve at Loaves and Fishes here in Fond du Lac will make a tangible difference for both the Holy Family Warming Shelter and Loaves & Fishes this fall and winter. Coordinating efforts across such a wide range of ages—from preschoolers all the way through middle schoolers—is no small feat. Getting younger students involved in hands-on charity early on builds a wonderful tradition of empathy and civic responsibility. It’s great to see a school community come together so effectively for such a meaningful local cause. Thank you to all those that participated!

Our Scholastic Book Fair is coming to SMSA during the week of October 19th. The book fair will be located in the Library on the 3rd floor. The book fair will be open on October 20th – 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm, October 21st – 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, October 22nd – 7:00 am – 8:00 am & 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. We are also looking for volunteers to help at the book fair. If you are interested in helping with set up/take down or volunteering, please use this link to sign up: https://signup.com/go/cLVBKoB . Bonus this year if you volunteer, you will receive $10.00 for each hour to be used at the book fair. We hope to see you there! Any questions, please contact Liz Dodd, lizdodd331@gmail.com. Thank you so much!

We are excited to announce that SMSA will once again offer Trunk or Treat for our SMSA families, and we invite you to participate! Below you will find details about the event as well as a sign up form to register you/your vehicle to hand out treats (candy/food or non-food items).

In accordance with the Archdiocese, ALL CANDY DISTRIBUTORS MUST BE SEE TRAINED. If your SEE training is not up to date, there is still time to do so before Trunk or Treat.

EVENT DETAILS:
When:  Thursday, October 29, 2026
Trunk Set-Up: 5:15-5:45pm
Trunk or Treating: 6:00-7:00pm
All car-hosts should be PARKED by 5:30pm, as students may start arriving early. Only approved car-hosting vehicles will be allowed in the upper south parking lot. This is for the safety of all students/event attendees.
Where: SMSA South Upper (Elementary School) Parking Lot What: Trick or Treat throughout the SMSA parking lot with decorated vehicles!

Interested in hosting a car to hand out treats?! Sign up here to hand out candy and confirm your SEE training. Registration is required to HOST a vehicle. Please complete the form by Friday, October 23.

No registration is required to attend! Simply mark your calendars, dress up and join us for an evening of fun and treats! SEE training is not required to attend the event. SEE training is only required to host a car.

Only car hosting vehicles will be allowed to enter/park in the Upper South parking lot. All other vehicles and event attendees not handing out candy, must park in the lower lot and walk up to the South lot to enjoy the event. This is for the safety of all children and attendees.

SEE Training:
Looking to update your SEE Training or take the course for the first time? Check out upcoming nearby in-person classes: Safe Environment Events – Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Remember, SEE Training is required to volunteer and/or chaperone at SMSA. SEE Training is good for 5 years. If it has been over 5 years since your SEE Training, renewal is required with a refresher course: CLICK HERE.

Questions or interested in volunteering for the event (student volunteers are welcome!)? Please reach out to Ali Helleberg at alison.faris@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you and your little pumpkins on October 29!

Sincerely,
The Trunk or Treat Team

The Middle School Theatre Department is excited to announce this year’s production: Alice in Wonderland JR.! Fall down the rabbit hole with Alice as she navigates the curious world of Wonderland on a journey of self-discovery.

When young Alice finds herself in a strange world where everything seems upside down, she must find her way home…and find herself along the way. As she travels through Wonderland, she encounters all of the iconic characters that audiences have come to love, including the ever-tardy White Rabbit, the grinning Cheshire Cat, a cool Caterpillar, the wacky Mad Hatter, and the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts.

Alice in Wonderland JR. features Disney favorites such as “The Golden Afternoon,” “The Unbirthday Song,” and “Painting the Roses Red” along with brand-new songs, including music from the 2010 live-action film. Whether this is your first experience with Alice or your hundredth, you’ll fall in love all over again with this timeless story of adventure, imagination, and pure fun!

Any student in 6th through 8th grade is invited to participate. We will be holding a mandatory Parent & Student Informational Meeting on Wednesday, October 21st at 6:30 PM in the Cafeteria.

At this meeting, families will receive all the details needed to make a confident decision about participation: rehearsal schedule, expectations, and volunteer opportunities. Attending does not commit you to the show—it simply provides the information you need to decide if this is the right fit for your family.

Workshop/Auditions: October 26–28, 3:30–5:00 PM. Students must attend all three workshops, even if they plan to be part of the backstage crew.

Parent Volunteers: Please remember that all parents must be SEE-trained to help with the production. If you have questions, contact Pat or McKenna in the office.

We are so excited for this year’s show and can’t wait to see our students shine on stage!

Mrs. Packer & Ms. O’Brien

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.

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!!

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 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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