Principal’s Desk News & Information Upcoming Dates High School Counseling

As we shared earlier this year, the St. Mary’s Springs Academy core value of “LEARNING” is being highlighted in 2025-26.  During our student orientation day assemblies in August, the art of learning, and our collective expectations for living into this core value were shared with the student body.  Students also received the message below in email, and as a paper copy on that day.  We have revisited these concepts two other times this year.  

During this time of the year, it is natural to see “4th Quarter drift” in student commitment to the following habits. Perhaps it is a good time for parents and their children to review and discuss these concepts together, and recommit to a strong finish to the 2025-26 school year!  

To succeed at Learning: 

1. Be PRESENT to your situation and the people in it. If you do not ‘show up’ – it is impossible to gain new insights from any circumstance (i.e. a friend relationship, a school subject, an athletic team role, a service experience, a job…etc). 
2. Not only is it important to be present, but next be OPEN to the possibility of knowing or experiencing something new. An attitude of openness is essential for recognizing new information and changing perspective. 
3. Next,  be ALERT and AWARE of opportunities for hearing, seeing, knowing or experiencing something new. Being present and open are surely  important, but unless a person can truly  ‘pay attention’ and stay alert to chances to grow in knowledge, it is hard to advance as a learner. 
4. Strive to be CURIOUS, this is the actual fuel that ignites learning!  Ask questions!! Curiosity is a sign that  someone is intellectually ready to understand something anew. 
5. Most important of all, strive to have a personal DESIRE/ WILL for knowledge, for growth, for learning. Without a desire to know more, do more, be more confident, see differently, or even change…learning and growth stalls.  Remember, it is NOT your teacher’s responsibility to assure that you learn.  It is YOUR responsibility to make this choice!  

Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us. 

Eamonn O’Keeffe

Principal, High School

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During the month of April, which is known around the country as child abuse prevention month, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee recognizes April 19th – 25th as Safe Environment Awareness Week. St. Mary’s Springs Academy wants families to know that we are committed to maintaining safe environments in our school through adult child abuse prevention training; criminal background checks for all clergy, volunteers working with minors, and employees; safety training for children in each grade level; and adhering to all mandatory reporting requirement laws.

This year, help St. Mary’s Springs Academy mark our support for child abuse prevention by wearing the color blue on Monday, April 20th. This would be a blue top (spirit-wear or other) with uniform pants. Wearing blue helps remind us and encourage others to prevent child abuse and support healthy children and families.

In addition, your child will continue to receive support through SMSA’s counseling department, including lessons on topics such as online safety, healthy relationships, communication, emotional regulation, and bullying prevention (etc.) Some of these lessons, particularly those focused on abuse prevention, are part of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s required “Circle of Grace” curriculum. This program fulfills the Archdiocese’s Safeguarding Our Youth requirement.

Thank you for your continued support and for allowing us to partner in providing a safe environment for your child(ren)!

For more information, please see the resources below.

2026-Safe-Environment-Poster

5-Ways-to-Protect-Your-Children-From-Abuse

Online-Safety-Bulletin

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to walk inside the most amazing places in Europe? What about visiting a basilica that began construction in 1882 and is expected to be completed later this year? Travel on the AVE fast train? Eat amazing food? Experiencing this with your friends?

These are some of the adventures you will get to experience on our next international trip to Spain in June 2027. This trip is open to students who completed or are in their first year of High School Spanish by the end of next school year (2027). There will be an informational meeting on Wednesday April 22th at 6pm in the cafeteria.

If you are unable to make the meeting or need additional contact Señora Theel at stheel@smsacademy.org.

Anyone interested in participating in football in the upcoming 2026 season, there will be four meeting options to attend.

Wednesday, April 22nd
– 6:00pm-7:00pm
– 7:00pm-8:00pm

Sunday, April 26th
– 6:00pm-7:00pm
– 7:00pm-8:00pm

Junior and Senior Prom will be hosted on Saturday, May 2nd at Fond du Lac County Campus. Tickets will be $55 and can be purchased starting Thursday, April 9th though Friday, April 17th during lunch or directly from Ms. Sweeney during 0 hour.

Tickets will be sold at lunch on April 21, 22, 23, 27 & 28.

Junior & Senior Families:

Post Prom for SMSA juniors, seniors and their (one) guest is a safe and fun event that will begin when Prom convenes on Saturday evening.  Your child is invited whether or not they choose to attend prom. This year’s Post Prom event will take place at Kornel’s On the Avenue from 10:30P-1:00A.  The event will feature a casino, pizza, snacks, and lots of great prizes!  

In order to make this special event successful, the SMSA parent led Post Prom committee is asking for your support.  Please consider contributing any amount of funds.  All donations will help to defray the cost of tickets, food, prizes, decor, etc.  

Ways to contribute:

1. Drop off cash or check (made payable to Valerie Everson) in an envelope marked Post Prom at the HS Office.
2. Venmo Valerie Everson @Valerie-Everson-4  The 4 digits if needed are 3719.
3. Donate $25 gift cards for Target, Kwik Trip, Culver’s or Starbuck’s (The Scrip office sells these.)

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

Valerie Everson

920-251-3719

valerie@everson-law.com

The 20th annual MACC Fund Invitational is a high school golf championship held at Erin Hills and The Club at Lac La Belle, hosted by Arrowhead High School, to fight childhood cancer and related blood disorders!

Since 2007, the MACC Fund Invitational has raised over $1.2 MILLION dollars for childhood cancer and related blood disorders research, thanks to generous folks like YOU!

This year our team is honored to participate in this special event, not only to compete against some of the best high school golf teams in Wisconsin, but most importantly, to make a BIG impact on the lives of kids battling cancer and related blood disorders.

Your support of our team helps the MACC Fund continue the critically important mission of finding a CURE for childhood cancer and related blood disorders by providing funding for RESEARCH! Research is the only path to finding a cure, and your support, large or small, will play a large roll in furthering their work.

To show your support, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/st-marys-springs-academy-6?newPage=true

Thank you for your support and generosity!

Planning is well underway for our SMSA Staff Appreciation Week, May 4 -8, 2026 and we are in need of our SMSA Families help! We will once again be having a special staff luncheon during this week to show our appreciation for our amazing SMSA Staff. We are looking for families to contribute monetarily towards this meal and other items for the week. If you would like to help with this, you can either send cash/check (payable to Andrea Nuss) in a sealed envelope with Staff Appreciation/Andrea Nuss on it or Venmo @Jeff-Nuss-3 (4355 – last four digits). All contributions will be due by Friday, May 1st. If you have any questions, please email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net. Please watch for more details in the eLedger regarding Staff Appreciation Week at the end of April. Thank you so much for your help in making this week extra special for our SMSA Staff!

Staff Appreciation Committee

If you were inspired by the AMAZING performance of Grease in March, come to our next PPA meeting and learn how parent volunteers support not only these amazing productions but all of our talented students in the music department as well!

Future meeting dates:
May 20th

Learn how you can get involved. Contact PPA@smsacademy.org to learn more!

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!

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May 25, 2026 – No School – Memorial Day

May 29, 2026 – Last Day of Classes

May 31, 2026 – Class of 2026 Graduation

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May Mental Health Awareness Month
Contest Overview:
Fond du Lac Area YScreen is hosting a Youth Mental Health Art Contest for Mental Health Awareness Month.
Theme: “What does mental health mean to you?”
Students are invited to express themselves creatively and raise awareness.
Prize – $50 Target Gift Card, Featured on YScreen social media and website & Opportunity for design to be printed on YScreen t-shirts

The scholarship website has now moved to Naviance! Please remind your senior to check their Naviance account regularly for the latest scholarship updates. The Counseling Department will continue adding new opportunities as they arrive.

These state and local scholarships are specifically available to Springs students. To view them, students can log into Naviance and navigate to: Colleges → Scholarships & Money → Scholarship Search. There, they’ll find an up to date list of scholarships curated by SMSA counselors.
Please reach out to counseling with any questions!

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