Elementary News
December 8th, 2022
In this week's Elementary eLedger
From the Desk of Steve Kelnhofer - Elementary School Principal
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Advent is upon us as we are preparing to celebrate the joy of Christmas. The second week of Advent we focus on peace and preparation. The second purple candle is the Bethlehem Candle. As we prepare for the coming of Christ let us reflect upon peace. During this second week of Advent, we may reflect on our lives and work on becoming better-versions-of-ourselves in preparation for Jesus' coming. We remember the journey Joseph and Mary took from Nazareth to Bethlehem. What brings you peace? How do we bring others peace? What moment in your day or week have we stopped and appreciated an unexpected peaceful moment? Do we seek a peaceful time in our day. Are we intentional in finding the gift of peace in our day?
Christmas Concert Information
I find peace in hearing children sing during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Please come join me hearing the joy of Christmas at our Christmas concerts.
Most performances are approximately an hour long. The Early Childhood programs are about 30 minutes in length.
Wednesday, December 14th – Grades 5-8 Christmas Concert, 1:00 PM rehearsal program in Hutter gym, 6:30 PM evening program in Hutter Gym.
Thursday, December 15th – K5 - Grade 4 Christmas Program, 12:45 PM rehearsal program in Hutter gym, 6:30 PM evening program in Hutter Gym.
Thursday, December 15th - 4K Christmas Program, 8:15 AM in Baker gym.
Wednesday, December 21st - P3 Christmas Program, 8:00 AM in the SMSA chapel.
Thank you for your continued partnership with SMSA. Together we will create a path for tomorrow’s children to achieve amazing dreams.
Peace Be with You,
Elementary Principal, SMSA
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, December 14th – Grades 5-8 Christmas Concert, 1:00 PM rehearsal program, 6:30 PM evening program in Hutter Gym
Thursday, December 15th – K5 - Gr. 4 Christmas Program, 12:45 PM rehearsal program, 6:30 PM evening program in Hutter Gym
Wednesday, December 21st - P3 Christmas Program, 8:00 AM in the SMSA chapel
Friday, December 23rd - January 1st - Christmas Vacation
Monday, January 2nd - School resumes
Parents of Performing Arts Meeting Dates
Parents of Performing Arts meeting Dates for the 2022-2023 school year are:
December 21
January 18
February 15
March 22
April 19
May 16 (note the revised date)
All meetings will be held at 6:00 PM in the Lauby Lounge (first floor teacher lounge).
Contact Maggie Rose with any questions about PPA!
Skyward Resources
Parents, please use the following links...
To make a lunch payment using eFunds
To check a student's information, (After logging into your Skyward account, click the "Student Information" tab on the left hand column.)
Principal's Pen Recipients - Week of December 6th
The Principal’s Pen is an opportunity for teachers to recognize students who consistently demonstrate The Ledger Way with a focus on faith, learning, respect for leadership, community and responsibility. The students chosen will attend a special breakfast with Mr. K and Mr. Fisher and special guest, receives a certificate with a brief sentence on how they followed The Ledger Way, and a principal’s pen.
This week's Special Guest was Eamonn O’Keeffe, High School Principal
This week's Principal Pen award winners are:
Cora S. (3K) - She is a very special girl. She shows respect to her teachers and friends always . She also is a good leader. She is able to share, take turns, and clean up after herself and others.
Grace T. (4K) – She shows respect and kindness to others. She gets along with everyone and is a great friend to all. She is always willing to lend a helping hand!
Evelyn W. (4K) – She is a joy to have in class. She is kind to her friends, respectful to her teachers, and has an enthusiasm for learning and life, that is contagious!
Kennedy G. (5K) – She is a wonderful girl! She always walks in the door with a big smile on her face ready to learn. She is very respectful and always wants to help a friend. When working in partners she shows great leadership and encourages everyone to do their best.
Jude G (5K) - He is a responsible and respectful student who is always ready to learn. He has so much kindness in his heart and it makes our classroom community wonderful!
Keegan M. (5K) – He comes to school everyday with a smile on his face. He is hard working, respectful, and a great friend to everyone.
Nathaniel B. (1st Grade) – He is respectful to his classmates and to adults. He shows community by including others in group work. He has a strong faith by always participating in prayers. He is excited to learn each day.
Brantley Z. (1st Grade) – He demonstrates the core values of leadership and community. He also helps form our classroom community by making sure all of the students are included, working hard, and doing their best. He is a wonderful leader in first grade!
Connor F. (1 Grade) – He demonstrated learning and community by always making sure everyone around him is being included. He shows that he is excited to learn something new everyday.
Adalynn G. (2 Grade) – She is being recognized for the Learning core value. She has been putting forth all her effort to grow in her reading, writing, and phonics skills. I love to see her smile when she has decoded a word or spelled a word all on her own.
Olivia D. (2 Grade) – She has a love for learning. She asks question, solves problems, and always tries her best. She also helps build a positive classroom community. She includes others and works well with everyone.
Oliver B. (2 Grade) – He leads by examples of being ready, following rules and listening to the teacher. He starts everyday with a positive mindset.
2022/2023 SMSA Concession/Admission Help Needed!
Are you the parent of a SMSA middle school or high school athlete? If so, please consider signing up using the links below to help out the ABC (Athletic Booster Club) by volunteering your time and talent working in concessions or admissions at an upcoming sport event.
Booster Club encourages ALL parents of ALL athletes to embrace teamwork and volunteer at an event that suits your schedule. For those that have already signed up and volunteered, ABC sincerely appreciates your help!
Please use the links below to sign up through SignupGenius.
If you have any questions, please contact the SMSA Booster Club. Thank you.
Christmas Concert Information: Grades 5K-4
Date & Location: Thursday, December 15, 2022 at 12:45 PM & 6:30 PM in Hutter Gym
Thursday, December 15th during the day: Students wear SMSA uniforms
8:30 AM - 8:40 AM: 5K - 4th grade students arrive in Hutter Gym
8:40 AM – 10:40 AM: Concert practice for Kindergarten – 4th grade students
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM: Christmas Concert Dress Rehearsal Performance
All students in grades K-4 as well as faculty and staff will attend the performance. The public is invited as well.
6:10 PM - 6:30 PM: ALL 5K – 4th Grade students report to Hutter Gym. Parents/Guardians should take their child(ren)’s coats, etc.
If families arrive early to get a good parking space, children should remain with parents until 6:10 PM. Please do not allow them to roam unattended. There is expensive equipment involved and it is too dangerous for the children to be running around.
We ask that all younger children remain with their parents in seats for the concert. There are many things that can break and the students have worked very hard to put on a great show! Thank you for your cooperation.
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Christmas Concert – Students wear nice Christmas Clothing. All are invited!
Christmas Concert Information: Grades 5-8
The 5th Grade and Middle School Music Department is getting ready for our first concert of the season! Christmas is not too far away, so we wanted to reach out with some important information for the upcoming performances.
Wednesday, December 14th
All students will wear their school uniforms during the school day
1:00 PM: Performance in Hutter Gym-parents and families invited
Evening Concert
Students that are in band will report to the band room at 6:10 PM
Students who are only in choir will report to Hutter Gym at 6:10 PM
Please be prompt and allow travel time so students are at their appointed places on time
Concert begins at 6:30 PM
Dress code (for evening only) is as follows:
5th/6th Grade Band and Choir students-wear your “Sunday Best” or fancy Christmas attire (no jeans)
7th/8th Grade Band students - Concert black (boys: black long sleeve button-up, black pants, black shoes. girls: black dress of appropriate length and coverage, or black shirt and pants, or black shirt and skirt of appropriate length. Please no heels due to having maneuver risers, flats only)
7th/8th Grade Choir students--wear your “Sunday Best” or fancy Christmas attire
No jeans please!
Movie and Popcorn Day to Benefit Clay!
We will be sponsoring a movie, popcorn and pajama afternoon on Thursday, December 22nd. For a $3.00 donation the students in P3-8th grade will get to select which film that they would like to see, enjoy a bag of popcorn, and wear PJs (P3-5th) or sweats (6th-8th).They may bring in their own 20 ounce or less drink from home. All the proceeds from the movie and popcorn afternoon will go to help Clay and his family.
All money needs to be turned in to your child’s homeroom teacher by Friday, December 16th. If your family is unable to contribute at this time, your child will still be able to participate. Please read below to learn more about Clay.
Clay is a sweet boy that’s 11 years old and born with a rare chromosome disorder. He faces many medical challenges including seizures, dependent on oxygen, dystonia, and dysautonomia. Clay is globally delayed and requires full care. All of this is outweighed by the amount of love that Clay gives out. God surely knew that the world needed a bright light and he gave us Clay.
Your support of this project and of Clay is greatly appreciated!
School Safety
As always, if you or your child become aware of a potentially dangerous situation that may threaten campus safety, we urge you to contact the Fond du Lac Police Department.
To report life threatening urgent matters, please dial 9-1-1. To report concerns that may not be urgent, please call 920-322-3700. You may also call the high school main office at 920-322-8062.
Speak Up/Speak Out (SUSO)
Created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of School Safety (OSS), the Speak Up, Speak Out Resource Center (SUSO) is a comprehensive, one-stop place to turn with important concerns currently offering: threat assessment consultation, critical incident response, and general school safety guidance.
Visit the SUSO website for additional information on these three services as well as resources on school safety best practices.
Standards-Based Grading
St. Mary’s Spring Academy is excited to introduce Standards Based Grading in grades kindergarten through third grade for the 2022-23 school year! Standards Based Grading is a best practice initiative the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is leading all of its schools towards implementing in the coming school year.
The objective of the video series is to educate parents in short videos to unpack Standard Based Grading. The series intends to deliver an education and mind shift to understand Standards Based Grading, why Standards Based Grading is best practice, and how Standards Based Grading functions with the parent and teacher supporting the student’s journey.
Please watch the following videos to learn more about Standards-Based Grading at SMSA: