Principal’s Desk News & Information Upcoming Dates School Care News
Dear SMSA Families,
We hope this message finds you well and filled with joy. As we embrace the vibrant month of May, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude for your unwavering support and partnership in our educational journey.
As we enter the first week of May, we have a special occasion to honor Mary, the Mother of our Lord. We will be observing our May Crowning ceremony this Friday, May 2nd at 10:15am. Students from Grades P3 through 8 will participate in this heartfelt ceremony, led by Father Durand in the South Hall parking lot near our grotto. Throughout the month of May, we will continue to express our love for Mary as she intercedes for our prayers and lifts them to Our Father in Heaven.
This week marked the beginning of our Spring MAP testing session for Grades 2 through 8. During this period, we are assessing students in the areas of math, reading and language usage. We will complete testing next week.
At SMSA, we utilize this data to support students in goal setting, track progress, identify patterns, and enhance our strategic action plan. We are committed to fostering a learning environment rich with opportunities for our Ledger community.
I would like to take a moment to thank our two parent focus groups that have given their time, thoughts and talents as we met to partner together at a deeper level regarding improving services at SMSA. We encourage families to continue engaging with our school community. Your involvement makes a significant difference in enriching our students’ experiences. If you have any questions or would like to support our initiatives, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to our school. We are grateful for the partnership we share with each of you. Together, we can create a nurturing environment that empowers our students to thrive.
God Bless,
Steven Kelnhofer
Elementary Principal, SMSA
Next week, May 5th – 9th, we will be celebrating Staff Appreciation Week – Road Trip Style! Take time throughout this week to show your appreciation towards our staff members…write them a note, draw them a picture, bring them a treat, etc. Be creative!
On Thursday, May 8th, let’s get comfy for a road trip! All K-12 students and SMSA employees are invited to dress as you would for a day of travel, or wear your favorite shirt from a vacation destination you have visited. Leggings or ripped jeans shall not be appropriate. Shirt (and all attire) must be in good taste and adhere to our SMSA Ledger Way. Appropriate jeans, sweats, or school uniform pants/shorts are acceptable bottoms for the day.
Staff Appreciation Committee – Andrea Nuss, Lisa Shannon, Amy Meyer-Bremer, Ellen Kant, Becky Harmsen, Pam Mand, Erin Clark-Benedict & Marisa Tymusz
It’s been almost a year since SMSA has hosted the Scholastic Book Fair….
We are happy to announce that the Scholastic Book Fair is back and will be open in the SMSA Library from Monday, May 12—Thursday, May 15, 2025. Shopping hours are in the mornings, 7:15—8:15 am, and afternoons, 3—4:30 pm. On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 14, we are open until 6 pm (during Student Showcase).
As always, there are volunteer shifts available for Set-up, Take Down, and Sales.
*****Volunteers must be up to date on Safe Environment Training*****
Please consider volunteering. Click on the link to sign up.
https://signup.com/go/DNMmQsz
Please email emilycainadams@me.com for more information.
When: Wednesday, May 14th
Dress Rehearsal: 1:00 p.m. – Hutter gym – students in school uniform. Open to the public.
Band:
6:00 p.m. – All Band only and Band AND Choir students in all grades will report to the band room. Students may wear Nice Spring clothing or Sunday best clothing-no jeans or sweats
Choir:
6:20 p.m. – All Choir only students will report to their bleacher in Hutter gym. Students may wear Nice Spring clothing or Sunday best clothing-no jeans or sweats.
6:30 p.m. – Concert-Hutter gym – all are welcome!
We will be celebrating the end of the school year with field days for our 3K – 7th Grade students! We are looking for parent volunteers to help at the stations. All volunteers must be SEE trained in order to help. Mark your calendars…The field days are Thursday, May 29th (Kindergarten – 5th Grade) and Friday, May 30th (3K, 4K & 6th – 7th Grade).
Thursday, May 29th:
8:35 am – 11:05 am – Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
12:10 pm – 2:35 pm – 3rd – 5th Grade
Friday, May 30th:
8:35 am – 11:05 am – 3K – 4K
12:10 pm – 2:35 pm 6th – 7th Grade
Here is the link to sign up to help: https://signup.com/go/nJePnoQ
A reminder email will be sent to you when the date gets closer. Thank you so much for your willingness to help!
This summer, I’m excited to offer personalized one-on-one math tutoring sessions for students who could benefit from some extra support. Each session is one hour long, held on Wednesdays, and priced at $40. These sessions are for students that are currently in grades 5-7.
I have three open time slots and would love to help your child strengthen their math skills in a focused, supportive environment.
10:10-11:10 a.m.
12:00-1:00 p.m.
1:05-2:05 p.m.
Feel free to reach out if you’re interested or have any questions!
Thanks so much,
Heather Petersen
6th grade Math & Science Teacher
The Fond du Lac School District’s Summer Adventure Academy registration is open and will close on May 15, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.
New for 2025: Registration will utilize the Arena Scheduling function through Skyward. In order to register for summer classes, all Fond du Lac District residents who do not currently attend FDL public schools will first need to complete an enrollment process in order to access Skyward to register.
Non FDL-SD students residing in the district borders
If you are enrolling a child who has NOT been enrolled or participated in Summer Adventure Academy previously:
Request a New Student Enrollment account, complete this online form.
Click here for Proof of Residency Requirements
2025 Summer Adventure Academy Course Catalog
DATES: Monday, June 2 – Thursday, June 5
Grades 2-3 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Grades 4-5-6 10:15 am – 12:15 pm
Grades 7-8-9 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
** Grades are for the fall of the 2025-26 school year**
Click Here For Registration Form – SMS Girls Basketball Camp 2025
The Football Fundamentals Camp is a non-contact camp with emphasis on skills that make the game of football safer and more fun to participate in.
DATES: 07/14/2025 – 07/17/2025 (Monday-Thursday)
TIME: 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
LOCATION: St. Mary’s Springs Athletic Field
255 Cty Road K
Fond du Lac, WI 54937
Football-Fundamentals-Camp-2025
Are you a parent or grandparent looking for a meaningful way to give back to our school community? The library is the perfect place for you to make a difference, meet new people, and share your love of reading and learning with our students!
We’re looking for dedicated SEE trained volunteers to assist with a variety of activities, including:
-Helping with children’s reading programs
-Assisting in shelving and organizing books
By volunteering, you can:
-Inspire a love of reading in young minds
-Enjoy flexible volunteer hours (weekly commitment or on call sub)
Whether you have an hour a week or a few hours a month, your time will make a huge impact.
Come join our library family and help us create a welcoming space for everyone!
Sign up today! Please fill out the following link; https://forms.gle/PtEAqYrdrMXiSJBH7 or email library@smsacademy.org with any questions.
May 14, 2025 – 5th-8th Grade Spring Concert
May 14, 2025 – Student Show Case & Book Fair
May 28, 2025 – Kindergarten – Eighth Grade Mass & 8th grade graduation at Holy Family at 9:00 am
Please note that Extended Care invoices will now be sent directly from Procare, rather than from SMSA’s Business Office. You may notice this change in your inbox, as shown in the below screenshot.
Recipients can expect their invoices to come from this email address: notifications@procaremessagingservice.com. If you reply to the email, your message will be directed to businessoffice@smsacademy.org, as usual.
If you have not received your invoice by May 5th, please check your Spam or Junk folders. To ensure future invoices arrive in your inbox, please mark the Procare email address as a trusted sender.
Thank you for your attention to this change and for your continued partnership.
Please sign up in the child care room if you will be utilizing the Extended Care in the afternoon on the last day of school Friday May 30th.
Registration is open for Extended Care 2025-2026 academic year. A friendly reminder when registering for Extended Care there is a $100.00 non-refundable registration fee.
In order for your child/children to have a saved spot in extended care this fee will need to be paid at the time of registration. Checks can be made payable to SMSA (Extended Care) to the south office. Reminder, spots fill up quickly.
Please email extendedcare@smsacademy.org if you have any questions.
Thank you