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

Dear Parents/Guardians,
This week our 8th graders had the opportunity to interview for Elves R Us positions as part of their 8th grade project. As part of the interview team, it brought great joy to hear our 8th graders as they each navigated through an interview. The Ledger Way core values were present throughout the process as each of them articulated their strengths, the position in which they were seeking and conversing about Christmas memories. Thank you to our teachers and school counselor for working with each student as the students continue down their path of uncovering purpose and mission which lies inside each of them.

SMSA has exciting safety news to share with our Ledger community. The safety project creates a safer school environment for our students and allows access to the upper playground for security cameras. In addition to the landscaping project, SMSA would like to alleviate a couple of issues regarding the lower playground after school. Please see more information regarding both of these items further down the eLedger.

We are approaching the end of our first trimester of school. The trimester officially closes November 15th. Families with students enrolled in grades 1-8 will be receiving digital report cards through Skyward. Skyward will be turned off for parent view on November 15th and turned back on November 20th to view digital report cards. P3 – Kindergarten families will receive a hard copy semester report cards on January 27th.

Thank you to our Parent Connectors for a wonderful Trunk or Treat event last week. It was fun to see all the decorated trunks and our community coming together to celebrate with each other including Mr. Ledger! Thank you for organizing and participating this festive event. SMSA appreciates all the efforts and volunteerism towards the Ledger community.

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

God Bless,
Steven Kelnhofer
Elementary Principal, SMSA

The Principal’s Pen is an opportunity for teachers to recognize students who consistently demonstrate “The Ledger Way” with a focus on faith, learning, respect for leadership, community and responsibility. The students chosen will attend a special breakfast with Mr. Kelnhofer, Mr. Thuerwachter and a special guest. They will also receive a certificate with a brief sentence on how they followed “The Ledger Way,” and a principal’s pen. This week’s special guest speaker was Mr. Eamonn O’Keeffe, High School Principal.

This week’s Principal Pen Winners:

Robert N. (P3) – Bert is a welcoming and responsible student! He cares for his friends and teachers and always tries his best to do what is right!
Laney M. (P3) – Laney is respectful to her friends and teachers. She is a great role model in the classroom. She is always willing to lend a hand during clean up time.
Myles M. (4K) – Myles is excited to share his ideas in class and enjoys being challenged. He shows great leadership skills, and is a kind, respectful friend to all. We love having Myles in our class!
Josephine H. (4K) – Josie is a leader in the classroom. She is also a great role model to all and shows others how to make green choices. She loves to learn and participate in activities!
Louie B. (Kindergarten) – Louie works hard everyday. He loves learning and helping others out. He is a good friend and shows respect to everyone.
Landon P. (Kindergarten) – Landon is a leader in the classroom. He follows all directions, loves to participate in every activity, and is a great friend.
Therese N. (Kindergarten) – Therese is respectful in the classroom and always tries her hardest. She is always willing to help a friend in need and will always guide people to do the right thing!
Lucy O. (1st Grade) – Lucy is always very respectful to everyone, she also shows great leadership skills. She listens, follows directions, asks questions when necessary, and is a wonderful helping hand to her peers when they need it.
Cooper C. (1st Grade) – Cooper is an exceptional friend to everyone. He demonstrates strong leadership and serves as a positive role model. You can count on him to reliably assist a friend in need. He consistently upholds high standards of respect, responsibility, and safety. Keep excelling, Cooper!
Holden S. (1st Grade) – Holden is very respectful and kind to his friends and teachers. He works hard and is a great listener. You can always count on him to do the right thing!
Jordan C. (2nd Grade) – Jordan is a great leader for our class. Jordan models respect through his listening and following directions the first time every time.
Eleanor R. (2nd Grade) – Eleanor starts every day with a positive mindset. She is kind, caring and respectful toward her teachers and peers. Ellie has a radiant smile.
Hunter J. (2nd Grade) – Hunter has been a great role model in the classroom. He is kind and respectful to his friends. He asks questions and challenges himself in all subjects. He listens and helps others.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

SMSA has exciting safety news to share with our Ledger community. The project creates a safer school environment for our students and allows access to the upper playground for security cameras. An anonymous donor has allowed landscaping company, Country Touch Lawn Care and Landscaping LLC, to come to the ledge and clear out the dead trees, bushes, and brush between the lower and upper playgrounds.  In turn, the company will plant no mow grass (grass that grows approx 12-16 inches high and creates a lush green lawn that is essentially weed-free as the grass matures).

The safety and well being of our students is our top priority. Within the next week, there will be a barricade set up on the lower playground between the grotto and the basketball hoop. The barrier’s purpose is to store the brush from each day’s work. We are asking all staff, students, and parents to stay away from this barricade to help ensure the safety of everyone’s wellbeing.

The landscapers will be working throughout the day between the playgrounds. During after school hours and on the weekend is when the chipping of wood and brush will occur on the lower playground. This will allow our classrooms the highest amount of productivity and create a quiet learning environment during school hours. If landscaping equipment is left on campus at the end of the school day, it’ll be stored near the storage shed by highway 23 on the south side of campus. This project is estimated to be completed in approximately 2-3 weeks.

In addition to the landscaping project, SMSA would like to alleviate a couple of issues regarding the lower playground after school. The two issues surfacing are unsupervised children and child ball play near door 14 that’s interfering with people crossing the same area to transition to their vehicles from kindergarten pick up.

Per the handbook, “Students are not to remain on the premises for the purpose of playing on the playground or campus grounds after school if they are not supervised by their parent/guardian. Students outside the school building are accountable to parents/guardians after the final bell rings.”

To support the first concern and to emphasize parental supervision, periodically at 3:15pm, a staff member will come outside to announce that each student needs to stand by their parent/guardian to check in for supervision. This will allow the staff member and parents to visually see if all students are being supervised after school hours by a parent/guardian. If a child is not paired up with their guardian, the child will be asked to go inside the south office entrance area and sit and wait for their parent to arrive until 3:20. After 3:20pm, the child will be enrolled into the extended care program.

If a ball travels above the brick wall on the lower playground, please bring it to the attention of a staff member or the front office. The ball will be returned back to you as soon as possible. Please don’t go and get the ball yourself. The expectation is for students and parents not to go on top of the brick retaining wall.

Parents, if you are allowing your child(ren) to play on the school playground or on campus grounds after school hours, it‘s the guardians responsibility to supervise them.

To support the second issue, Kindergarten classes will be utilizing door 14 during after school pick up. Students that are playing will in turn be allowed to play ball on the north side of the lower playground by door 13 where the cement is located as they are supervised by their guardian.

Thank you for your cooperation and for your partnership to help keep children safe as we continue to be a learning community.

As the weather cools, our thoughts turn toward the holiday season ahead! At SMSA that means the 30+ year tradition of Elves-R-Us is just around the corner! Please be on the lookout for information regarding this year’s event to come home with your student the week of November 18th. Shopping days will run December 2 – December 6.

Please click HERE to view the Elves-R-Us FAQs! We can’t wait for another year of Elves-R-Us!

Thank you so much to all families who attended Trunk or Treat last Thursday! It was a huge success! Mr. Ledger even joined us! It was wonderful to observe the kids’ excitement while going from car to car. Thank you to all parents who signed up to pass out candy. Your decorated trunks looked fabulous. Thank you to all families who donated extra candy!

Thank you to our wonderful Trunk or Treat Committee for organizing this event, Jenn Ellestad, Cathy Dux, Holly Hebel, Becky Harmsen & Andrea Nuss!

RaiseRight – SMSA’s SCRIP Program

Enroll NOW – Start Earning Tuition Credit Through RaiseRight

Click here to purchase your 2024-2025 elementary (PreK-8th Grade) yearbook.

Please check the lost and found located outside of the south office. Items not picked up by Thanksgiving Break will be donated or put in the uniform exchange.

Who will win $20,000 this year!? It could be you, or someone you know! Each SMSA family has received 5 BMR tickets to sell and/or purchase before the noon drawing on Friday, January 10, 2025.

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November 9 – Bob Hyland Retirement Celebration

November 23 – High School Placement Test for all 8th graders seeking admission to SMSA high school

November 27, 28, 29 – Thanksgiving Holiday Break

December 14 – High School Placement Test for all 8th graders seeking admission to SMSA high school
May 28 – Kindergarten – Eighth Grade Mass & 8th grade graduation at Holy Family at 9:00 am

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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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