Dear Parents/Guardians,                                                       

It is an amazing feeling to see all the joy enter back into the school at SMSA.  We are off to a wonderful start to our journey.  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 for which they are intended.  

Safety

Please take time to view the link below to further understand our drop off and pick procedure this year.  We need everyone to do their part to keep children and vehicles safe.  We all need to be mindful of safety around SMSA.  Please drive “phone free” and slow down on campus.  I ask you to use the crosswalks and  designated walkways when on campus for safety.  Thank you for supporting our community and safety culture. If you have questions, please ask.  It’s okay to seek understanding. 

Parking for drop off and pick up

Homework and Grading Philosophy

Please take some time to check out the article in the link below to further understand our approach regarding homework as we venture forward in Standards Based Grading at various grade levels. 

Please click here to read the Homework and Grading Philosophy.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of SMSA.  Please continue to read the eLedger as our main communication tool.  Please ask your questions, because we are here to seek understanding and support you. 

God Bless,

Steven Kelnhofer

skelnhofer@smsacademy.org

Elementary Principal, SMSA

Important Dates

Thursday, September 9th and 10th:  Picture days

Standards Based Grading

As I have mentioned in previous eLedgers, St. Mary’s Spring Academy is excited to introduce Standards Based Grading in grades kindergarten through third grade for the 2021-22 school year! Standards Based Grading is a best practice initiative the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is leading all of its schools towards implementing in the coming school year.  

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

Please submit your final summer reading minutes by Friday, September 10th. Minutes will be tallied and we’ll find out  next week if Mr. K is safe this year!

We need all Junior Ledgers on board for this adventure! If you read this summer and didn’t get to turn in your minutes, because you recorded them on paper, please submit them to the Elementary office or email a copy to Lisa at serovy@charter.net; deadline is Friday, September 10th,

Remember if you logged minutes and we succeed in meeting Mr. K’s goal of 150,000 minutes, you will get to silly string Mr. K! How many minutes did you log this summer? Are you our top reader? Find out next week!

Here is your August/September link, https://forms.gle/9yTvcniyBjH5Zb5J9.

Cub Scout Pack 3707’s Welcome Back Kick-Off will be held Wednesday, September 15th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Holy Family Hall (271 4th Street Way).

The evening will include registration and collecting dues, a summer/scout themed dinner, review of recent scout activities, awards, games for the scouts, popcorn sale introduction and the introduction of the 2021/2022 Cub Scout Calendar.

Questions: Please contact Nolanie Dengel at nolaniedengel@gmail.com.

Come and cheer on the Ledgers as they play Campbellsport on Thursday, September 16th, at 7:00 p.m. All SMSA grade school students get free admission to the game. Our teams are looking forward to seeing you in the stands! Go Ledgers!

Just a reminder to fill out your Parent Connectors volunteer form to get more involved in our school community! You should have received it at either supply drop off day or your child will be bringing it home in their folder. Only one per family needs to be filled out. 

Please return them to school by Friday, September 17th. You will be receiving an email once all of them have been collected.

*If your youngest child is in 6th – 8th grade and you would like to be involved with donating items or helping with things for our staff, please email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net.

Thank you so much to all of our volunteers! We couldn’t do it without YOU!

Please click here to view information on our new math curriculum.

None at this time.

No news at this time.

Would you like to get more involved as a parent at SMSA? On supply drop off day, you will be receiving a Parent Connectors Volunteer Form. Please fill out this form with the ways you would be interested in helping and return it to school by Friday, September 17th. You will then receive emails regarding upcoming events and ways to assist throughout the year. Thank you so much! We couldn’t do this without our amazing volunteers. If you have any questions, please reach out to Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net.