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

Dear Parents/Guardians,
The teachers, staff and I love having all the joy and smiles in the form of students back on the Ledge to create positive energy in our SMSA community. We are ready to engage in wholistic learning. We in our Ledger community are off to a wonderful start on our journey together. Thank you for an outstanding orientation day earlier this week. It was good to see all of you once again. Thank you for choosing to send your child(ren) to SMSA. Together in partnership, the children will grow towards fulfilling their purpose that is rooted in Christs’ teaching, and become closer to becoming leaders to overcome global challenges.

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.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of SMSA!

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

Don’t forget picture day is tomorrow for Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors.  You are required to wear your Mass clothes for pictures.  Shirt and tie for the guys and dress shirt or sweater for the girls.  No polos please.

To order your student’s pictures online through Gueller’s Photograph, click here.

Don’t forget picture day for P3-5th Grade is on Wednesday, August 28th. Reminder that grades KG-5th must be in uniform for pictures.

To order your student’s pictures online through Gueller’s Photograph, click here.

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

SMSA is in urgent need of a Book Fair Coordinator for our fall book fair, which takes place September 30-October 2. If you’re interested (and up to date on SEE training), please contact Emily Adams at: emilycainadams@me.com.

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!

Oh, the places #FlatLedger has gone this summer! From Europe to Central America to all over the US. Thank you to all who have sent in photos or postcards. We truly hope you enjoyed this adventure with your children this summer.

Don’t forget that if you completed the passport to bring it to your first library visit between September 3-9 for a special prize!

Stay tuned for a list of the winning travelers coming soon!

Open to children enrolled in 4K through 4th grade. To register and for program details including days, time, location and prices for each grade level program, visit https://www.fdlymca.org/flag-football.html.

Flag Football Program Information

PROGRAM SESSION TIMES:
Grades 1 & 2 – 8:45am-10:15am
Kindergarten – 9:00am-10:00am
Grades 3 & 4 – 10:30am-12:00pm

SCHEDULE (KINDERGARTEN)
September 7th – October 12th – PRACTICE ONLY (Can scrimmage; will not be officiated)

SCHEDULE (1ST – 4TH GRADES)
September 7th – PRACTICE ONLY
September 14th – 30 minute practice followed by 1 hour officiated game
September 21st – 30 minute practice followed by 1 hour officiated game
September 28th – 30 minute practice followed by 1 hour officiated game
October 5th – 30 minute practice followed by 1 hour officiated game
October 12th – 30 minute practice followed by 1 hour officiated game

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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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, 2024No School- Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024

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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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