Dear Parents and Guardians,

What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?  This thought provoking question may remind us that our lives are filled with many blessings.  Please join me in taking time not only on this Thanksgiving, but maybe every week or each day thereafter to help our leaders for tomorrow to grow in the area of thanksgiving for small wonders, awesome people and amazing experiences we get to be surrounded by in the moments of our lives.  

Thank you parents/guardians for our partnership in the educational process of growing children to be rooted in Christ’s teaching, learning about service to community, and becoming leaders for tomorrow.  

Please notice the important dates below as the holiday season is approaching.  It’s an exciting time of the year with all the joy being shared in the experiences in the opportunities being provided.  Please come and enjoy the events during the holiday season.  

SMSA is excited to support Mason Abraham and his family this Advent season.  Please read the following letter to learn a couple of ways you can make a difference in your journey and another’s journey this Advent.   An Advent Story 2021

Our dress code will return back to our normal dress code depicted in the handbook after Thanksgiving.  From our understanding, many uniforms have been delivered to homes. Thank you for understanding and supporting the decision on uniforms as we continue through this current school year.  

Brought to us yearly by the eighth grader students, teachers and volunteers, is the SMSA Elves R Us program.  Please click on the following link to learn more about Elves R Us and how SMSA families can encounter this wonderful opportunity.  Elves R Us

Thank you for your continued partnership with SMSA .  Together we create a path for tomorrow’s children to achieve amazing dreams. 

God Bless,

Steven Kelnhofer

skelnhofer@smsacademy.org

Elementary Principal, SMSA

Standards Based Grading

The objective of the video series is to educate parents in short videos to unpack Standard Based Grading.  The series intends to deliver an education and mindshift to understand Standards Based Grading, why Standards Based Grading is best practice, and how Standards Based Grading functions with the parent and teacher supporting the student’s journey.

Please select the following six links to see the box set of SBG at SMSA.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC85kS-z_Mk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tecnwN4dXLU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7ejwOMhkAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7jww2J7RJs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQO1AVjoMJ0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1jIyS7wso0

Wednesday, November 24th – Thanksgiving break begins

Monday, November 29th –  Uniform policy return to the dress code in the handbook

Wednesday, December 1st – System Reconciliation for those able to receive the sacrament. 

Sunday, December 5th – Ledger Express at SMSA

Tuesday, December 14th – K-4 Christmas Program

Wednesday, December 15th – Grades 5-8 Christmas Concert

The High School Placement Test for 8th grade students will be held on Saturday, December 4th, from 8:30 am to 12:00 PM. The test will be administered at SMSA. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Mueller at kmueller@smsacademy.org. We look forward to seeing the Class of 2026! Thank you!

The students in grades 4th-8th grade at St. Mary’s Springs Academy have created unique and original Christmas cards. These cards will be for sale during the Elementary Christmas Concert December 14th and after all Masses at Holy Family Parish sites the weekend of December 4th and 5th. All proceeds will benefit Mason Abraham.

We are in need of one family per Mass to help sell the cards. Please sign up for Christmas Card Sale Volunteers-2021!

Here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:

1. Click here to go to our invitation page.
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on SignUp)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots – SignUp will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: SignUp does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Jill Staerzl at jstaerzl@smsacademy.org and I can sign you up manually.

Mason, who is currently 9 years old, has a brain tumor. He began having headaches and vision issues in 2018, and after tests and an MRI, they found a mass near his pituitary gland. After attempting surgery to remove it, they found it was too risky as it was wrapped around nerves and blood vessels. They have been trying to shrink the tumor using chemo. Mason has lost almost all eyesight in his right eye, and now he is losing vision in his left eye. The tumor is also pressing on his pituitary gland, which is causing it not to work properly.

Mark your calendar for LedgerExpress on Sunday, December 5th from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.! Kick off the holiday season with a fun family afternoon filled with creating a holiday craft, enjoying a holiday snack and hot coco, playing some holiday games and much more. 

This event will take place in the SMSA Commons Area & Baker Gym. Registration forms were sent home this week. All registration forms and payments are due by Tuesday, November 23rd. Please make checks payable to SMSA. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net.

Click here for the reservation form!

The Middle School Musical this year will be Willy Wonka Jr! 

Mrs. Packer and Mrs. O’Brien will be directing the musical this year. We will be having rehearsal auditions on Monday, December 6th, Thursday, December 9th, Monday, December 13th, Thursday, December 16th, and Monday, December 20th from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. 

Parts will be announced on Monday, December 20th! These auditions will be taking place in Mrs. O’Brien’s Music Room. We hope to see you there!

Tuesday, December 14th at 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in Hutter Gym

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Middle School Music Department is getting ready for our first concert of the season! Christmas is not too far away, so we wanted to reach out with some important information for the upcoming performances.

During the school day:

• All students will wear their school uniforms
• 1:00 p.m. performance in Hutter Gym, parents and families invited
• Evening concert
• Students that are in band will report to the band room at 5:40pm
• Students who are only in choir will report to Hutter Gym at 5:40pm
• Please be prompt and allow travel time so students are at their appointed places on time

Concert 

• 5th & 6th Grade Band and Choir students-wear your “Sunday Best” or fancy Christmas attire (no jeans)
• 7th & 8th Grade Band students – Concert black (boys: black long sleeve button-up, black pants, black shoes. girls: black dress of appropriate length and coverage, or black shirt and pants, or black shirt and skirt of appropriate length. Please, no heels due to having maneuver risers, flats only
• 7th & 8th Grade Choir students–wear your “Sunday Best” or fancy Christmas attire (no jeans)

Have you sold your tickets yet? The BMR drawing is Friday, January 14, 2022 – less than two months away!

Holiday get-togethers are the perfect time to sell your tickets. Take them to Thanksgiving gatherings, encourage friends and family to purchase tickets over social media and make sure to have tickets with you wherever you go.

Tickets may be returned to school anytime before the drawing at noon on Friday, January 14, 2022. Additional tickets may be purchased at the North, South or Scrip offices or email kzitlow@smsacademy.org to have tickets sent home with your child.

The following elementary students were honored at this week’s Principal’s Pen Award breakfast:

Adrianna Serrano: Grade 7 – for showing great respect, awesome work ethic, and including others. 

Wyatt Koch: Grade 7 – for listening during mini lessons and raising his hand to talk.  He is always very polite and kind.  He cares about the quality of his work. 

Tyler Kant: Grade 6 –  for living out every faucet of the Ledger Way. Tyler is respectful, faithful, and provides leadership in the 6th grade class. He takes great pride in his learning and is very responsible.  Tyler is very welcoming and is a builder of community. 

Greta Buelow: Grade 6 – for her leadership.  Greta is a leader by example. She is respectful to her peers and teachers and is very willing to help her classmates. 

Samual Krizenesky: Grade 6 – for his leadership and respect. Sam always is a positive leader in class and shows respect to all students. 

Click here to read the November updates.

Planning has begun for Ledgerfest – Luck of the Ledger – Saturday, March 19, 2022! The elementary Ledgerfest parent committee is excited to be collecting funds to put together themed class auction packages again this year to be used on our silent auction. The class auction packages are fast becoming our highest bid on items!

New this year, we are making it easier than ever for you to donate towards your child’s class auction package. Click here to make a donation online. Once you enter a donation amount and click next, please fill in your child’s name and grade level (if you are donating for more than one child, please list each name and grade level along with the amount for each child).

If you prefer, you may send cash or check (payable to Andrea Nuss) in an envelope marked: ES Ledgerfest/Kristin Zitlow. Please also indicate your child’s grade level on the envelope.

Any questions? Contact Kristin ~ kzitlow@smsacademy.org ~ 920-322-8006

This is a simple way to make your impact at SMSA!

WIN A $5,000 LANDS’ END SCHOOL STARBOARD SCHOLARSHIP

The Lands’ End School Starboard Scholarship acknowledges and rewards students who display exceptional leadership skills. Up to five scholarships will be awarded to eligible Preferred School students in grades 8‑12. Please see full eligibility guidelines. The Lands’ End School Starboard Scholarship Program was established to assist middle and high school students, currently in grades 8-12, who are enrolled at a Lands’ End Preferred School in the U.S. (SMSA Preferred School Number: 900157314)

2021-2022 Application now available. Applications will be accepted now through December 15, 2021 or until 1,000 applications have been received.

https://www.landsend.com/starboard-scholarship/

No news at this time.

If you are interested in helping with our Parent Connectors Group, please contact Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net.  We appreciate the support of our SMSA Families!