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

On December 8th, Catholics all over the world will celebrate the second Sunday of Advent, and also acknowledge Mary’s Immaculate Conception. Because the date lands on a Sunday this year, the Holy Day of Obligation is designated as Monday, December 9th – which is the day SMSA will celebrate our patronal feast with an all System Mass at Holy Family Church at 9am. All parents and family members are welcome to join us at that time!

The theological education of our Ledgers helps them to understand that the Immaculate Conception refers to the miraculous, spotless conception of Mary in the womb of her mother, St. Anne – not the conception of Jesus in Mary’s womb. Because this feast occurs during the liturgical season of Advent, which prepares for the coming of Jesus, this fact can be easily confused. As Mary grows up, an Angel acknowledges her sinless/immaculate conception proclaiming “Hail, full of Grace…” at the very moment she is invited to become the birth mother of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

From the beginning of time, God calls and people respond. The story of Salvation is in fact the history of this call-and-response “dance.” Though born without sin as a human, Mary was also endowed with free will. By uttering her courageous and faithful “yes” to God’s amazing call/invitation, Mary enters a beautiful and mysterious dance that “saves” all of humanity and ensures God’s will is done.

This is our legacy and calling as Christians and as Ledgers. The mission of all Catholic schools and all Christian people is to glorify God, as Mary did, by saying “yes, Lord!” While we are not spotless people or a perfect learning community, SMSA is blessed to see “God’s will be done” in our community. This happens through the many loving, faithful, kind and sacrificial acts of students, parents, faculty and staff. God’s will is done when students demonstrate the core values, empathy and compassion for one another. So many parents, alumni and benefactors in our Springs community generously offer time, talent and treasure to benefit our school mission, and community service priorities each year. Our commitment to serve the needs of the vulnerable, to pray daily, and to worship at Mass each week are just some regular habits that keep us grounded in our collective desire for God’s will to be accomplished on the Ledge.

O Come, o come Emmanuel!

Our lady of the Ledge, pray for us.
Eamonn O’Keeffe, Principal

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For the past few years, the High School Student Council has been buying, wrapping and delivering Christmas presents to the refugee families who are sponsored by Holy Family. On December 10th, we will be collecting funds (Love Thy Neighbor) for this purpose. Please be generous with your donations.

Puck drops at 7:30 p.m., come and cheer on your Ledger Hockey team as they take on Appleton North at Fond du Lac Blueline Ice Center on Tuesday, December 10, 2024!

The following teachers have been chosen by the senior players and managers to be honored during the game.

Join your SMSA Ledgers Hockey team as they take on Arrowhead and honor our brave men and women who have and are currently surving in our Military during the Ledger Hockey Military Appreciation Game!

When: Saturday December 14, 2024
Time: 2:00pm Varsity
4:15 Junior Varsity
Where: Blueline Family Ice Center

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

For over thirteen years several SMSA families have sponsored a Christmas Gathering for SMSA teachers, administrators, and staff as a way to show their gratitude. For many families, the contribution was given in place of individual Christmas gifts, or as an added appreciation.
This year, we will provide a special luncheon for all staff to enjoy during their school day in late January.

Please note, this opportunity is optional and offered to any SMSA family that would like to contribute. We ask each family interested in participating for a minimum donation of $50.

Monetary donations for the special luncheon will be accepted through Friday, December 20. Please mail your contribution to Andrea Nuss, W4642 Mill Road, Fond du Lac, WI 54937. Checks may be made payable to Andrea Nuss. Valerie Everson will be accepting Venmo payments @Valerie-Everson-4. The last 4 digits of her phone number are 3719.

Please address questions to Valerie Everson at valerie@everson-law.com , or to Andrea Nuss at alnuss@charter.net.

Blessings to you during this holiday season!

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

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.

Tickets may be returned to school with your child, or to the North, South or Scrip offices any time before the noon drawing on Friday, January 10, 2025.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to purchase additional tickets, please contact a member of the BMR committee, listed below.

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

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 9 – Immaculate Conception Feast Day, All System Mass at Holy Family Church (9am)
December 16 – HS Christmas Concert at Holy Family Church (7pm)
December 20 – Final Day of Classes for Semester 1

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• December 11th – Marian University

Admissions Counselors come to our campus to answer questions about the application process, scholarships, housing and much more. They are here for our students and are extremely knowledgeable. We highly recommend students attend these campus visits even if they don’t know if they will apply there. Meeting with these College Professionals gives students the opportunity to become more familiar with the application process and future plans. Please let counseling know by email if your student would like to attend any of the visits listed above for November.

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:
December 17th, 2024 — Quality Truck Care Center
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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