FROM THE OFFICE OF EAMONN O'KEEFFE, 9TH - 12TH GRADE PRINCIPAL

HAPPY HOMECOMING 2021!

We hope to see you in the rented bleachers this Saturday, October 9th at 1pm, as the varsity football team will play on our new turf field – for a truly unique homecoming on the Ledge!  Please click here for an FAQ on the upcoming game! All are welcome to come and celebrate this unique experience!

 

CATHOLIC EDUCATORS CONVENTION 

On Friday, October 8, all SMSA teachers will be attending the 2021 Catholic Educators Convention at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee.  The Archdiocese schedules its Educator Convention every 2 years, and all teachers from 102 Catholic schools in the ten county Archdiocese of Milwaukee are required to attend.  The convention would normally have occurred last fall (October 2020) but was canceled  due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time.  As educators committed to lifelong learning, growth and development, our faculty is  eager to engage with this year’s convention opportunities!  SMSA faculty will participate in a range of interesting content sessions that address classroom instruction in specific academic disciplines, for example “Art and Faith.”  They will also attend sessions with a range of topics including character and virtue education; best practice assessment; brain based research on learning; standards based education and assessment;  the impact of writers workshops and math labs; digital citizenship in Catholic schools and how to build positive classroom communities.  School counselors and principals will also be interested in sessions that educate school personnel around trauma-informed care; social-emotional learning and programming; culturally relevant lessons and readings for Catholic school classrooms, and more.  Key textbook publishers and school supply vendors will also offer attendees new product information and a peek into future educational trends, opportunities and resources. 

 

At the Springs, we have been a dedicated learning community since 1909.  Curriculum and instruction, students, teachers and society have all changed so dramatically since then.  Now in 2021, especially with the many recent dynamics and opportunities brought to light by the pandemic, SMSA teachers are grateful to fully immerse into the 2021 Catholic Educators Convention so that learning on the Ledge may remain relevant and dynamic for our Ledgers. Please pray for a meaningful and safe convention for all teachers. 

 

Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us! 

Eamonn O’Keeffe 

Principal, High School

Upcoming Dates

Thursday, October 7th– NO SCHOOL Teacher Inservice Day (on campus)

Friday, October 8th – NO SCHOOL Archdiocesan 2021 Educators Convention in Milwaukee

Saturday, October 9th – Homecoming on the Ledge! 1pm Football Game; 8pm Dance

Friday, October 15th – Freshman Retreat Day at Camp Vista


Big Money Raffle - Drawing January 14th

Hello Parents and Guardians!

 

It’s that time of year again! Time for St. Mary’s Springs Academy’s “Big Money Raffle” (BMR). This cash raffle is one of only three major fundraisers for SMSA that involves EVERY family, Pre-K through 12th grade. Who will be the big $20,000 winner this year!?

 

Each family will be receiving 5 BMR tickets to sell and/or purchase this week. With the success we had last year, we will be distributing tickets again this year as follows:

 

– If your youngest child attending SMSA is in grades P3 – 8th grade, you will receive your tickets in their backpack.

– If your youngest child attending SMSA is in high school, your tickets will be delivered to the primary address in our system this week. Please check your front door or paper box.

 

Please review the information included in the envelope regarding this fundraiser. Tickets may be returned to school with your child or to the North, South or Scrip offices any time before the drawing on Friday, January 14, 2022. If you have any questions, or if you would like to purchase additional tickets, please contact Kristin Zitlow at kzitlow@smsacademy.org or 920-322-8006. Participation from every family truly makes a difference.

 

Thank you for your support!


Food, Football and Fun - Homecoming Football Game/Octoberfest - October 9th

St. Mary’s Springs and Holy Family have partnered up to help promote and celebrate two great events happening on Saturday, October 9th.  

 

Holy Family has extended a part of their parking lot to Ledger Nation to use for extra spaces for the homecoming football game taking place on the Ledge.  Holiday Automotive will be providing shuttles to and from the homecoming football game.  

 

After the game, stick around at Holy Family to enjoy their Octoberfest celebration.  Click here to visit their Facebook page for more information!

 

Click here to view the flyer!


Homecoming Dance - October 9th

Tickets are on sale starting Wednesday, September 29th – October 6th. (Classes are not in session October 7th and 8th). 

Cost $10 in advance and $12 at the door. 

Guest permission forms can be picked up in the office. 

Theme: New York at Night


Spirit Wear Day in Support of Soles Walk for Catholic Education - October 13th

Have you heard the news!? St. Mary’s Springs Academy is excited to participate again this year in the Soles for Catholic Education Walk! This year, we are bringing the walk to our students, who will be participating in an adventure during gym classes the week of October 11 – 15, 2021. Be sure to ask your student about their virtual adventure to “The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception” in Washington, D.C.

 

Students are also invited to participate in a “Spirit Wear” day (spirit wear top and appropriate athletic bottoms only, no jeans) on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 with a suggested donation of $3 per student. Please send the money with your student in an envelope labeled “Soles Walk Donation”. The money raised directly benefits our Soles Walk fundraising goal of $5,000. The impact of your donation will do even more to help our school, as generous Soles Walk sponsors have stepped up to match a portion of donations we receive, up to our goal of $5,000!

 

We look forward to celebrating this year’s Soles for Catholic Education Walk with our students! Thank you for your support!


HS Music Department's Fall Concert - October 20th

The Music Department’s Fall Concert will take place on Wednesday, October 20th at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Family Church. This concert will feature: The Concert Choirs, The Concert Band, The Jazz Band, and The Vocal Jazz Ensembles.


2022 Yearbook Updates - Order deadline December 1st

The deadline to order a 2022 yearbook will be December 1, 2021. Prices will be $50 before the deadline and $65 for any payments after December 1 until April 15th, then they will end. To order, visit SMSA’s website homepage, scroll down to the bottom where you will see a “yearbook” banner. From there, the banner will redirect you to Walsworth where you can order a yearbook, and for senior parents, order a personal ad.

 

This year we will be using “yearbook snap,” an app that allows students and parents to submit photos from the year. After downloading the app from Google play or the App Store, select Saint Mary’s Springs Academy as your school and use this access code-SMSA2022. You will then be ready to submit photos from your camera roll!

News and Information

ATHLETIC AND CO-CURRICULAR ELIGIBILITY 

To be fully eligible for participation in SMSA athletics or co-curricular activities, Ledgers must pass all of their courses at all grading periods. Students with one or more failing grades (F) at the grading period are determined to be temporarily ineligible for participation in SMSA athletics or co-curricular activities. Students may regain eligibility by improving their failing grade to a passing grade within the designated period of time. Complete criteria can be found on P. 9 and 10 of the 2021-22 High School Curriculum Guide found under resources on the Website and by clicking here.

 

“SICK” in 2021

As always (but especially in these times) when students are not feeling well, parents are expected to keep them home from school.  If feeling sickly or ill but intending/likely to return to school within a day or two, students are coded as “Ill” in Skyward attendance for each day missing – just like in pre-pandemic times.  In these cases, students will NOT have access to synchronous (live) virtual learning.  Students can, however, keep current with assignments and class expectations asynchronously through the Google Classroom of each teacher/course.   Students may apply to be  live virtual learners (see below) but each approved virtual learner will be coded as such for a minimum of one full week of school (5 school days). 

 

VIRTUAL LEARNING APPLICATIONS

A change from last year is that parents may not spontaneously (day-to-day) declare students as virtual learners.  Students who are in-person learners (undeclared virtual learners) shall be marked absent on any school days when they are not present in-person, similar to attendance practices prior to the pandemic. Students who are home ill for a day can expect to keep up with classroom expectations via Google Classroom, but not as live/ synchronous virtual learners. As has been previously communicated, in 2021-22, all requests for the virtual learning option must be approved by the administration. The application form can be obtained at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftkx27Emt5Q-qucO24SqctLwIbgh4_sVlklRrglJ5O280L_w/viewform or by contacting Mrs. Amy Pickart at apickart@smsacademy.org

 

SMSA gets Fish Farm License

The St. Mary’s Springs Environmental Science Classes will be doing experiments with live fish in a 55 gallon aquarium this school year now that we received our Type 2 Fish Farm Permit.

 

The permit will allow the classes to raise either brook trout, brown trout or rainbow trout from egg stage to 3 inches in length. Water quality experiments will be performed while the trout grow. The plan is to raise Brook Trout as part of the (Trout Unlimited) Trout in the Classroom program. However, this is subject to the availability of trout eggs this fall.

 

If we are unable to get trout eggs this fall, the permit allows us to keep bluegills in the tank instead of trout.  Whether we raise trout or bluegills, the permit will allow for additional learning opportunities for our students.


High School Counseling

From the Office of Mr. Stamatakos - Coordinator of College and Career Planning

A “hot topic” in many of my college planning meetings is paying for college. That’s to be expected; college costs a lot of money. Inevitably, the conversation turns to scholarship money; specifically, where to find it and how to get it.

 

I’m not joking when I say that colleges will pay students to attend their institutions! The first (and best) place students should begin looking for scholarship dollars is from the colleges they apply to. Many schools will award students automatic merit scholarships based solely on their cumulative GPAs and composite ACT scores. For example, a student with a 3.40 cumulative GPA and a 24 composite ACT score can receive $18,500 per year from Rockhurst University. That same student can receive $13,000 per year from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Additionally, both schools offer additional scholarships that students can apply for to receive additional funding. Examples include Rockhurst’s Finucane Service Award of $1,500 per year for students that demonstrate a strong record of community service and Nebraska’s Chancellor’s Leadership Class Scholarship of $1,000 (non-renewable) that’s awarded to students who’ve demonstrated passion for leadership and involvement in activities during high school.

 

If paying for college is a big issue, financial need or not, start by jumping on colleges’ admission websites and doing some research about the types of scholarships they award, noting any special criteria to receive those awards, and whether they’re automatically awarded (with or without meeting certain criteria) or if there are competitive application processes involved.

 

Local, state, and national scholarships should be pursued to supplement school-specific awards. This is because:

 

  • These awards are rarely awarded automatically to students. These awards involve competition with other students. Local scholarships may be easier to receive than larger, national scholarships because the applicant pool for local scholarships is generally smaller.

 

  • These awards are rarely large. Scholarships of $500-$2,500 are common for local and state awards. National scholarship amounts can be larger, but as I mentioned above, the competition for those dollars is more intense.

 

  • These awards, specifically local awards, may not always be renewable for all four years where scholarships awarded by schools often are.

 

  • These awards often take a student’s financial need into consideration in the application process. As such, they’ll ask that some basic financial information from the student’s family be provided with an application to determine whether or not the scholarship dollars are going to students from families with limited financial means.

 

There’s lots to consider when looking for scholarship money and a lot of places to look. I’m always happy to have conversations about the “how’s” and “why’s” of scholarships!

 

Qapla’!

 

Mr. Stamatakos

Coordinator of College & Career Planning


Meet SMSA's New HS School Counselor - Mrs. McCarthy

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself! My name is Taylor McCarthy, I am the new high school counselor. I am so excited to be part of the SMSA family working with these awesome students! I have heard such wonderful things about the school as well as the community. I feel extremely lucky to be part of it. I have an undeniable passion for school counseling and working with students. What I love most about High School is student’s ability to learn more about themselves. This is a great time for self-discovery through their interests and plan for the future! I am excited to meet with students individually, in small groups, and in classrooms. As a School Counselor, my primary responsibility is to promote the academic, career and social/emotional development of all students. With the new role of Mr.Stamatakos, I now will get the opportunity to really focus on the social/emotional needs of our students and ensure students are receiving all the support they need through these high school years.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns!

 

To scheduling appointments with me, please use this link : https://calendly.com/mrsmccarthy/meeting-with-mrs-mccarthy

 

Have a great day,

Mrs. McCarthy

tmccarthy@smsacademy.org

920.322.8031 ext 8031


Upcoming Dates

None at this time.


Career Exploration

None at this time.


Job Opportunities

Join The Pizza Ranch Team

If you, or a friend, are interested in applying for a position at Pizza Ranch Fond du Lac, please go to www.pizzaranch.com/careers to apply.  Our management team will contact you for an interview.

Pizza Ranch Fond du Lac is offering:

  • Competitive Pay
  • Great Team
  • Scholarship Opportunities
  • Fun Work Environment
  • Flexible Schedule 
  • Free Food!!

Pizza Ranch Fond du Lac:  920-929-8800


Boys and Girls Club

The Fond du Lac Boys and Girls Club is hiring.  Please click here to view their flyer.  Please click here to view their video.


Blanck’s Lake Aire

Blanck’s Lake Aire Supper Club is looking to hire:

  • 14 or older
  • nights and weekends (willing to work w/school schedules & sports)
  • Part-Time (2-4 nights a week)
  • Employee Benefits
  • Starting bonus after 3 weeks

Please click here to view their flyer.


Festival Foods

Click here to view our flyer.


Red Cabin at Green Acres

We are looking for full and part time positions and are willing to work around your schedule with school, sports, family and church.  We are doing a hiring incentive. $100.00 to the person hired, after being with us for 30 days.  Click here to view our flyer or call and ask for Sara or Kathy at 920-906-9110.


Scholarship Opportunities

None at this time.


College/University SMSA visits

None at this time.


College/University Virtual Visits

None at this time.