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

Dear Parents/Guardians,
The time for school to begin is right around the corner as summer slowly sets in our rearview mirror. The leadership team, faculty and staff are all awaiting to engage with students’ and their joy for learning in our SMSA community. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for choosing to send your child(ren) to SMSA. Together in partnership, the children will grow and fulfill their purpose and mission as they interact with the Ledger Way core values here at St. Mary’s Springs Academy.

We have a few new members to our SMSA community. We would like to welcome the following new personal. Each one of these individuals are dedicated to SMSA and the educational journey of your child(ren). Each one of them brings to us beautiful gifts to evolve our SMSA community forward.

Cassie Morasch – South Hall Front Office
Dan Thuerwachter – Elementary Assistant Principal
Tya Robles – Instructional Float Aide
Heidi Vanden Avond – 4K Instructional Aide
Stephanie Back – First Grade
Ashley Schultz – First Grade
Emie De Guzmann – 5th Grade
Grace Caine – 4K- 3rd Grade music
Danny Rice – Grade 4-8 Physical Education
Adam Inkmann – Grade 7/8 Social Studies

Safety
Please take time to further understand our drop off and pick up procedure for our Ledger community. We need all the community members to do their part to keep children safe. Please be mindful and an active community member regarding safety around our SMSA community on our campus grounds. Please drive “phone free” and slow down. SMSA asks you to use the crosswalks and sidewalks when on campus. Thank you for supporting our community and our safety culture. If you have questions, please ask. It’s okay to seek understanding.

South Hall Parking Lot Procedure
Please keep traffic moving through the Hug N’ Go zones around the perimeter of the south parking lot (sidewalks line the entire drop zone). If you intend to park, use the parking stalls, pulling all the way through facing the center aisle.

For the safety of the children (and your vehicles), please drive into a parking spot, pulling all the way through the stall, filling the lot from North to South. Vehicles should be facing the center aisle so you can drive forward to exit. Please use the Hug N’ Go zone, driving all the way around to the west side, to allow the most amount of vehicles to line up behind you.

Important Upcoming Dates
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – Grades P3 – 8
School Pictures:
Grade 6th – 8th: Friday, August 23, 2024
Grades P3 – 5th: Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Absent/Retake Photo Day for all P3 – 8th grade: October 10, 2024

August 20 – Grades P3 – Gr. 5 School Supply Drop Off (10:00 am – 6:00 pm)
● Elementary class rosters will be posted outside the front office. Students will have the opportunity to visit their classroom to meet their teacher, drop off school supplies, get lunch accounts set up, pick up bus tags for their backpacks and more. Please enter through the South Hall entrance.
● The eight hour window of time will offer the opportunity for traffic and to be spread out throughout the day and ample time to start building a relationship with your child’s teacher.

August 20 – Common Instructions for a Successful Orientation Day for Grades 6-8: Parents will drop off and pick up their students by the South Hall entrance in the upper parking lot. Students are to dress in SMSA spirit wear on top with appropriate shorts or jeans. All 6th – 8th grade students will be bringing their school supplies to organize in their lockers.

August 20 – 6th Grade Welcome to Middle School (7:45 am – 11:00 am)
● Students will start building relationships with faculty and staff, learn locker combinations, experience passing time, learn about how MS lunch varies from elementary lunch, and get the opportunity to prepare for Middle School at SMSA.
● Students will drop their supplies off by the gathering/art display area as you enter the Middle School wing. The space is right outside Mrs. Rodenkirch’s art classroom.
● Students will begin their day by meeting the teachers on the second floor by the 6th grade homeroom teachers: Mrs. Packer, Mrs. Petersen and Mrs. Stacey.

August 20 – 8th Grade Leadership (7:45 am – 11:00 am)
● Students will begin/continue building relationships with faculty and staff, get the opportunity to pray and play together and be engaged in presentations on being student leaders for the Elementary school by living the Ledger Way.
● Students will begin their day by meeting the teachers on the second floor by the 8th grade homeroom teachers: Mrs. Townsend, Mrs. Holz and Mr. Inkmann.

August 20 – 7th Grade Unity (11:45 am – 3:00 pm)
● Students will begin building relationships with faculty and staff, and have a chance to pray and play together, and get the opportunity to bond as a class.
● Students will begin their day by meeting their teachers on the second floor by the 7th grade homeroom teachers: Mrs. Anderson , Mrs. Dahlinger and Mrs. Mammel.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our SMSA community! SMSA is awaiting the beginning of the new journey as we are rooted in Christ’s teachings, experience service to church and community as we prepare for global challenges by creating leaders for tomorrow.

God Bless and see you soon,
Steven Kelnhofer
skelnhofer@smsacademy.org
Elementary Principal, SMSA

We are pleased to announce that St. Mary’s Springs Academy will be piloting Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (Amplify CKLA) this school year in one classroom at each grade level 5K-5th grade. Amplify CKLA is a nationally recognized curriculum used in over 38,000 classrooms and top-rated by the third-party curriculum review organization, EdReports. Built on the Science of Reading research, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) sequences deep content knowledge with research-based foundational skills instruction. CKLA’s evidence-based practices drive successful results for millions of students nationwide and meet ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) evidence requirements and the updated Wisconsin legislative requirements brought forward through Act 20.

Amplify CKLA is grounded in the Science of Reading research and incorporates the best practices for teaching foundational reading skills. By combining deep content knowledge with research-based instruction, CKLA ensures that your child develops both a strong foundation in reading and a broad understanding of various subjects. 

Amplify CKLA provides engaging classroom resources and lessons that aim to help every child become a confident and fluent reader. Through exposure to a wide range of rich topics, each child will also deepen their background knowledge and expand their vocabulary. Research shows that background knowledge and related vocabulary greatly contribute to improved reading comprehension. That is why CKLA integrates content knowledge from science, social studies, and literature into the literacy block.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Melissa Trepte, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, at mtrepte@smsacademy.org 

Sincerely,

Melissa Trepte

Are you a fan of Ledger Athletics? SMSA Adult Sports Passes are now available for purchase. The SMSA Sports pass covers admission for any HOME Ledger sporting event where an entry fee is charged. (Excluding WIAA playoff games) Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Hockey and Soccer are examples of the sports that would be included in the pass. The SMSA Sports pass is $50.00. The passes will be available for purchase on oreintation day in the North & South Hall Offices as well as the Scrip Suite. Cash or checks made payable to SMSA will be accepted. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Mueller at kmueller@smsacademy.org. Thank you for supporting Ledger Athletics!

Make sure you email or send in your photos of your summer travels with #FlatLedger by August 18 to be in the drawings for prizes!

Here is how you can submit your #FlatLedger adventures:

• Email your students name, grade for 2024-2025, adventure details, photo with #FlatLedger to kzitlow@smsacademy.org.
• Fill out the #FlatLedger Tracker form by clicking here.
• Mail a postcard to:

SMSA #FLATLEDGER

255 County Road K

Fond du Lac, WI 54937

All of the #FlatLedger travels will be posted on the 3rd floor hallway by the library. Remember to bring your completed passport to your first week of library, September 3-9, for an additional prize!

Welcome Back! We hope you had a wonderful summer! Are you wanting to get more involved in our Parent Connectors Group? If so, look for the Parent Connectors volunteer form in your packet you will be receiving at the supply drop off day (3K-5th Grade). If your youngest child is in 6th grade or above, you won’t be receiving a form to fill out but can email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net, to share that you are interested in being a part of our group. Every year a new email group gets created so please submit your form even if you have done so in the past years. Also, only one form per family is needed to be filled out. Throughout the year, our group has various school family events as well shows our amazing SMSA Staff how appreciative we are for them. By being a part of our group, you will receive emails that shares ways you can help with these events through volunteering and donating. Our group wouldn’t be a successful without all of the wonderful people involved in it. Thank you so much! If you have any questions, please email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net.

Fond du Lac School District (FDL-SD)
Transportation is provided on school buses contracted through a private bus company. It shall be furnished to elementary students (K-5) whose residences are outside the city limits for the city of Fond du Lac and who live two (2) or more miles from the school which they attend. Secondary students (6-12) living in rural areas more than two miles away from their attendance area school are eligible for transportation.

Families with eligible students that will need bus transportation next fall will be required to complete the FDL School District bus transportation card. The bus card is available on the SMSA website or at the South Hall office. A bus card is required for every new eligible child in the family. If your children currently ride the school bus a new bus card is not required for the next school year.

FDL-SD is requesting all Route bus transportation cards be completed and returned by May 15, 2024.
Return completed bus card to:
Amy Pickart – apickart@smsacademy.org
Or
FDL School District
Pupil Services/Transportation
72 W Ninth Street
Fond du Lac , WI 54935

For more information go to the FDL-SD website.

Who to Contact:
For more information regarding eligibility, please contact Wendy Burgess at 920-906-6524.

Bus Routes:
For information regarding routes, please contact Johnson Bus Company at 920-921-3003.

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

Click Here to Learn More!

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August 18, 2024 – Back to School Family Picnic

August 20, 2024 – Student Orientation – Supply Drop Off

August 21, 2024 – First Day of Classes

August 23, 2024 – School Pictures (6-8 Grade)

August 28, 2024 – School Pictures (P3-5 Grade)

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Parents please remember in order for your child/children to have a spot in extended care the $100.00 registration fee per family needs to be turned in to the south office.

Please email extendedcare@smsacademy.org if you have any questions.

Registration for SMSA’s Extended Care Program can be done online through your Skyward Family Access account.

Thank you

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