Principal O’Keeffe’s Message

Fr. Rehl, missionary priest to the Fox Valley and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Agnes and St. Mary’s Springs Academy, believed that if “you build the school, the school will build the church.” We at St. Mary’s Springs Academy live that saying. We are a community of believers dedicated to building the church by teaching and forming our students through the Gospel. SMSA is a place rooted in the deep tradition of the Sisters of St. Agnes and unwavering faith. It is a safe environment where students intermingle prayer and service with their academic life. It is a community whose parents use their talents to plan and execute countless activities and events. It is a family of faculty, coaches, and staff who work tirelessly to mold minds, strengthen bodies, and warm hearts. Everyone in our community co-labors for the benefit of our students. We do not do this because we want them to be wealthy or famous, or because we want them to go to good colleges or attain rewards. We do this so our children may be leaders for tomorrow in the community and build our church. That is the true measure of our success.

It is my deepest hope that, together, we instill in our children the SMSA spirit and make St. Mary’s Springs Academy everything that generations of alumni and the Sisters expect it to be. Most importantly, I pray that we continue to fulfill SMSA’s vision to inspire students to live a purpose-filled life through inclusion in the Catholic community, development of their God-given strengths, and commitment to their academic achievement. I am blessed to be a part of this magnificent work!

-Principal Eamonn O’Keeffe