Semester I Ends

On behalf of our leadership team, I express gratitude to God that SMSA has been able to consistently provide both in-person and virtual learning options to families all semester long.  Of course, we are all operating in a new and strange time, with constant changes to our mutual daily reality that impacts family life and school life.  We have seen our fair share of positive COVID tests in families, and subsequent isolations and quarantines. As we have repeated often, “we are all in this together,” and it has been a blessing to see  this ethic lived out in the Springs community. Thanks to parents, students and my educational colleagues for demonstrating support, patience, creativity and flexibility in a time when each of these virtues is needed like never before. Each time you have chosen to share solutions, take the high road, or offer kindness, you have made a positive difference to SMSA by living our mission. May God continue to bless our mutual efforts to strengthen the educational experience of our Ledgers. 

Gratitude for Mrs. Reilley, Mrs. Amerling and Mrs. Pickart

I want to recognize the extraordinary extra efforts of Mrs. Heather Reilley, Mrs. Bobbijo Amerling and Mrs. Amy Pickart during Semester I.  Mrs. Reilley is the System Director of Pupil Services for SMSA. Mrs. Amerling is our North Hall Administrative Coordinator who supports all of our high school teachers as well as Mr. Krueger and I. Mrs. Pickart is the Attendance Coordinator for the whole system.  All three of these wonderful servant leaders have been asked to accept several added duties to help our community manage the COVID crisis this year.  As a team, they work extremely well together, and have a deep dedication to keeping the whole Springs community safe and well informed.  As our “A-Team”  they are  in regular communication with the Fond du Lac County Health Department as well as other health departments in the state as needed.  They are in daily communications with parents of students who are ill or who have concerns about COVID. They are our ever ready  front line responders to all of the many COVID and health questions, attendance questions, virtual learning questions and quarantine questions that arise from families and staff each week. To put it directly: Heather, Bobbijo and Amy are very gifted at successfully juggling many irregular tasks and challenges all at once.  As a team, they are our most valuable colleagues in this uncertain and troubling time.  They go about their daily service to students, teachers, administration and parents with grace, enthusiasm and professionalism.  They have earned love and respect from all of us. The Springs community owes each of them an enormous debt of gratitude for the way they work as a team to keep us all informed and supported. I don’t know what we would do without this wonderful team! May God continue to bless their leadership, and keep them healthy!

Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us!

Be well, God bless. 

Eamonn O’Keeffe, Principal Grades 9-12

January 15 – NO CLASSES/Grading Day. Skyward Parent Access is restricted for grade entry and verification process. 

January 18 – First Day Classes for Semester II and Quarter 3. PLEASE NOTE: this is a B-Day schedule!

January 22 – Skyward Parent Access is restored to view Semester I Report Card. 

What would you do with $20,000?

Purchase your BMR tickets today and enter for a chance to make those dreams a reality! Only 1 weeks remains to purchase or sell your Big Money Raffle tickets before the drawing at noon on Friday, January 22, 2021. Additional tickets may be purchased at the North, South or Scrip offices and tickets may be dropped off or returned with your child as soon as they are sold. For questions, please contact Kristin Zitlow at kzitlow@smsacademy.org or 920-322-8006.

Please show your support of SMSA by selling and/or purchase the tickets. The System relies on your involvement to make this fundraising raffle a success. All proceeds go directly to the SMSA annual fund, which offsets the operational costs of St. Mary’s Springs Academy.

Don’t miss your chance to win $20,000 with an additional $10,000 in cash prizes, purchase your tickets today!

Planning has begun for our annual Ledgerfest fundraising auction and we are in need of your help! Last year, we collected money from each grade level to put together some amazing auction baskets, which went over very well during our auction held this past summer. This year, we are asking each grade level to contribute again to putting together a basket around a specific theme. This will then be a part of the silent auction which will run in April.

If you would like to contribute towards your child(ren) class basket, please send your cash contribution in a sealed envelope with your child’s name, grade level and Ledgerfest Donation written on it. Your student can then give it to their homeroom teacher or drop off in the North or South office. If you send in a check, please make it payable to Andrea Nuss. Please note that if you have more than one child attending SMSA, you can send in one envelope but please note each child and the amount you are donating for them, along with their grade level on the envelope.

This is SMSA’s largest auction and the money raised makes a direct impact towards the greatest needs of the school.

Please have all contributions in by Friday, February 26, 2021.

If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Nuss at alnuss@charter.net.

Thank you so much for your willingness to help make this year’s Ledgerfest a success!

Andrea Nuss and the Ledgerfest Committee

We have been approved to do a musical with limited staging and cast! We will be auditioning for “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The company is still approving licensing, so we will move forward on our end. Auditions will be Monday, January 25th and Wednesday, January 27th in the elementary music room. Please sign up in the office and bring the audition sheet filled out to your audition. These are in the office along with a small reading. One student per time slot, and masks are required. Please prepare something to sing as well.

With more students electing to learn virtually at this time of the year, I suggest parents of virtual learners review the links provided here. These are resources for better understanding virtual learning at SMSA. 

1. SMSA Ledger Learning Guides Home Page
2. HS Expectations for Virtual Learners DOC 2020-21
3. Expectations for Virtual Learners Slide Deck

From 8:00 a.m. on January 15th to 8:00 a.m. on January 22nd, parent and student access to student gradebooks in Skyward will be blocked to allow for the end of Semester grading and verification process. On Friday, January 22, parents and students will have Skyward gradebook access restored so that the Quarter 2 and Semester I Report Cards can be viewed. Report Cards are only mailed home at the end of the year.  Semester I Report Card can be printed from the parent portal.  

Seniors:  Complete any college applications as soon as possible. Now is a great time to update your acceptance status for all of your college applications in Naviance.

The next phase for moving on to higher education at colleges/universities/technical/trade schools is to look for scholarships on the financial aid/scholarship sites of your potential colleges and in Naviance under Scholarships.  If your parents work at a large corporation, they may want to check with their Human Resources Department to see if there are scholarships available to children of employees.

Seniors, if you have received Award Letters from colleges you have been admitted to, please send a copy of your award letters to Mr. Mahaffey in the School Counseling Department at tmahaffey@smsacademy.org.

Juniors: Information about taking the ACT this spring will be shared with you at the end of January.  You may want to begin looking at the ACT website if you have not done so already.  www.act.org

Those juniors who have elected to take the ACT online at home on Saturday, January 16^th should make sure you have followed the directions provided to you by ACT.  Those directions will guide you to make sure you and your computer are ready for the test.  You will want to make sure you have enough time to work out any technical issues with ACT before the deadlines pass.

Attention all Parents of current Sophomore and Junior students who may be interested in the Youth Apprenticeship Program:  There will be an online information session for you to attend so you can learn more about the program.  This information session will be held on four different dates to make it more convenient for parents to attend.

Click here for meeting dates and more information.

All High School Students

Fresh Start to a new semester:  The beginning of the new year and the second semester gives us all an opportunity to set goals and make positive changes in our lives. Let’s all work with a renewed focus on learning and earning the grades you have set as part of your goals.  The opportunities you will have after high school depend on how hard and how smart you work to prepare yourself now.

Please contact your school counselor to discuss ways to improve your learning and reach those goals you have set in each class.  You will also find a full list of study tips posted in the Google Classroom for Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.

The counseling department will begin a Stress Management group for high school freshmen students during the spring semester. This group will meet once a week during lunch for 8 weeks. Topics include: coping tools, relaxation techniques, self-care, and more! Space is limited. Please contact Ms. Rusch (mrusch@smsacademy.org) for more information.

A new Study Skills group for high school students will begin soon.  Space is limited.  The group will meet in the evenings from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.  Please contact Mr. Mahaffey for more information.

Scheduling for the upcoming 2021-22 school year will begin soon with presentations in classrooms.  Now is a great time to begin having discussions at home about your plans for next year and beyond.  More information will follow soon!

Learn While you Earn College Credit – Marian University

Marian University is offering 100% online pre-college courses to help high school students get ahead!  Click here for more information.

Wisconsin Education Fair – February 10th

Wisconsin Education Fairs is offering access to nearly 160 Colleges, Specialty Schools, and Military Branches. Get registered today and explore options!

Explore the Marian University booth and receive a special gift!

Visit 10+ schools and be entered to win a set of AirPod Pro’s. Three sets will be awarded on Monday, April 12, 2021.

Click here to register or log back in! Chat live with reps on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. CST, but please explore the booths at any time.

No news at this time.

No news at this time.

Fond du Lac Area Insurance Association

The Counseling Office has received the updated scholarship from FDL Area Insurance Association, or FAIA. The amount is $500. It will be offered to a senior pursuing a college or technical degree and has demonstrated a core value of community service and completed an essay based on the benefits of insurance. It can be found on Naviance.

Elks Legacy Awards – Deadline February 5th

The Legacy Awards provide $4,000 scholarships for children and grandchildren of dues-paying Elk members. Please click here for more details and the application link. Deadline is Friday, February 5, 2021.

No updates at this time.

None at this time.