Principal’s Desk News & Information Upcoming Dates High School Counseling

Setting up the Nativity is a treasured part of our family Christmas tradition. Maybe you know that the Nativity scene was the creative idea of St. Francis of Assisi. Preparing for Christmas 801 years ago, St. Francis was given permission from Pope Honorius III to set up a manger scene, with an ox and donkey and plenty of hay. He invited the villagers of Grecio, Italy to join him in front of the scene as he preached about the “babe of Bethlehem.” As the story goes, when Francis was preaching during this first ever ‘live’ nativity commemoration, he was overcome by the imagery of Jesus present at the scene. The idea of God becoming man, emptying Himself for love of humanity, moved the heart of Francis.

In Christian tradition, this type of “letting go” or “self-emptying,” is called kenosis. It is clearly the way of Jesus. St Francis of Assisi and Franciscans worldwide still practice a spirituality of letting go. Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) let go of his life in the social upper class and joyfully lived in solidarity with the sick and the poor. He let go of his status and all material trappings to live freely in the radical Gospel choice of voluntary poverty. He wanted to imitate the example of God in a manger, choosing a lifestyle of radical voluntary poverty – Francis was totally dependent on the goodwill of others and the grace of God for his survival.

Emptying oneself, or letting go is not really promoted in our culture or society. These days, the idea of “more for me” dominates. Western culture admires and promotes the self-made, self-sufficient, autonomous individual who often makes these values their goal of life. We see that some will sacrifice anything to achieve these self focused ideals. Individualism permeates almost everything we do. It has become a basic social assumption. In this modern individualistic and consumer culture, even religion and spirituality have very often become a matter of addition: ‘earning points’ with God, ‘attaining’ enlightenment, and ‘producing’ moral behavior. Yet according to Catholic tradition, authentic spirituality is not about getting, attaining, achieving, performing, or succeeding—all of which tend to pander to the ego. Catholic spirituality is much more about letting go—letting go of what we don’t need anyway, although we don’t always know that ahead of time.

We try to teach our Ledgers this. True spiritual wisdom reveals that less is more. Jesus taught this, and the holy ones always discover it in one way or another. Think of the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Dorothy Day, and the generations of nuns, friars, and monks who intentionally took a “vow of poverty.” The great Dominican mystic Meister Eckhart (1260‒1328) said, “God is not found in the soul by adding anything, but by a process of subtraction.”

Like St. Francis and so many others have discovered, when we “let go” of unnecessary things and worldly distractions, we can find Jesus in the most humble of places – like the three Kings did 2000 years ago. This Christmas, I wish all in our Springs community sacred moments of kenosis. May you be moved by the beautiful truth of our faith – that God is alive, and lives among us. What more do we need? Alleluia!

Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us!

Eamonn O’Keeffe
Principal, High School

After our SMSA Christmas and New Years Holiday Break, all students will begin J-Term on Monday, January 6, 2025! Please consult the J-Term ‘25 Brochure to review particular details of your son or daughters course, as well as the expectations and policies related to J-Term at SMSA.

This year, 211 students will be taking J-Term classes on the Ledge (on campus), while 49 students will report to Moraine Park Technical College, and 12 will be earning credit through the Youth Apprentice Program.

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Who will win $20,000 this year? It could be YOU or someone you know!

All Sold tickets must be returned by noon on Friday, January 10, 2025 to be entered to win. Tickets can be sent with your child to school or dropped off at the North, South, or Scrip offices any time before the drawing.

Have questions or want to buy extra tickets? Reach out to a BMR committee member below.

The drawing will take place snow or shine! Remember last year?! Get your tickets in today – the clock is ticking!

Valerie Everson

920.251.3719

Stephanie Fessler

920.960.0556

Katie Mathos

920.979.6757

Lisa Shannon

920.539.2892

Sasha Smith

920.517.1693

Purchase your limited edition “We Support Our Troops” Ledger Hockey long sleeve shirts by clicking here! Orders will close January 3, 2025, and your shirts can be picked up mid-January at Hopper’s.

Sign up with a partner in the office and pick a scene to rehearse. No memorization needed.

Prepare a snippet of a song (show tune preferred but not required).
Make sure to pick up an audition form and fill it out to bring to your audition time. Auditions will be held in the MS choir room 2077
Tech Crew will pick up a form in the office and fill it out. You will then turn it into the office. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE!

SHOW DATES ARE MARCH 7-9, 2025.

Senior Parents,
As the holidays approach, so does the January 3, 2025 due date to order Senior Ads to be placed in the 2025 yearbook. Need ideas? Please see the ads in the 2024 yearbook for inspiration.

Senior Ads: All senior ads, including pictures and payment, must be submitted online through Walsworth Yearbooks. Please click the HS yearbook order link on the St. Mary’s Springs Academy website homepage for more information.

Yearbook ads will be designed by Yearbook members.
Please select your ad size:
Full-page………………… $180
Half-page……………..…. $110
Quarter-page…………. $ 75
Please submit senior ad payment, pictures, and messages by January 3, 2025!

Senior portraits: We have received about one-fourth of the Class of 2025’s portraits. Please have your senior portraits sent in (either by you or your photographer) to hsyearbook@smsacademy.org.

Requirements for Senior Portraits
• Must be in JPEG format
• 300 DPI
• Must be in color
• Headshots only
• No hats or accessories
Deadline for senior portrait submissions is January 3, 2025. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

-Your SMSA Yearbook Editors
If you have questions please contact hsyearbook@smsacademy.org

As SMSA’s winter sports begin, please click on the links below to sign up to help with admission and concession stands at both the boys’ and girls’ home basketball games.

Boys Hoops Sign Up

Girls Hoops Sign Up

HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS ARE FOR SALE

High school yearbooks are available to purchase online at the SMSA website for $55. Prices go up on March 31, 2025 to $65. Get yours by clicking here!

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.

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December 23, 2024 – January 3, 2025 – Christmas Break

January 6, 2025 – J-Term Begins

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SMSA is proud to participate in another year of Trade Tours through the Fond du Lac R.O.C.K. program, which stands for Retention, Opportunity, Community, and Knowledge. This program aimed at working specifically with high school seniors and juniors who are piecing together their plans post high school graduation. This program provides career exploration through business tours and job shadows. Fond du Lac R.O.C.K. is a program of Envision Greater Fond du Lac. Please let counseling know if your student would be interested in joining a future tour.

2024-25 Trade Tour Schedule:
January 7th, 2025 — City of FDL Fire Department
January 21st, 2025 — CD Smith
February 4th, 2025 — Integrity Saw and Tool, Inc.
February 18th, 2025 — MEC Manufacturing Facilities
March 4th, 2025 — Kondex
April 8th, 2025 — City of FDL Construction & Maintenance
April 22nd, 2025 — JF Ahern & Co.

Please refer to the information provided at the link below, for local and state scholarships that SMSA seniors can apply for. This list is always subject to change and may not be all-inclusive.

Local scholarship opportunities (Fond du Lac area) are listed first, followed by opportunities for residents of the state of Wisconsin.

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