SMSA DANCE STANDARDS - PARENT PARTNERSHIP IS ESSENTIAL

As we have all heard “it takes a village…” to effectively educate, protect, and form the character of young people.  The Ledger Way core value of ‘Community’ recognizes this social/cultural truism.  As fellow adults committed to excellence in Christian formation, global education, and the overall wellness of Ledgers, we need one another to help care for our kids, and to help raise them according  to the values of our common mission.  Indeed, every  parent needs a good school partner to accomplish this, and likewise, every school educator needs good parent partners to help complete this vision.  Our school COVENANTS resonate with this very well.

The next SMSA hosted school dance is this Saturday evening - the annual Sadie's dance sponsored by the Sophomore Class.  Sadies has been promoted to students as a “semi-formal” affair.  All students attending the dance are expected to look nice and dress appropriately, with attire aligned to the Christian values of modesty and respect for human dignity.  While cultural dress norms may not always make it easy to accomplish this goal, SMSA expects our students and parent/guardian partners to take the necessary steps to abide and fulfill this standard.

With Sadie's coming up and Prom on the horizon in the Spring, it is a good time for SMSA parents and guardians to review the following guidelines, which are taken from page 48 of the High School Student- Parent Handbook:

Supervision - Dances and special events are under the direct supervision of the Assistant Principal. In addition to the presence of the Assistant Principal or a designated supervisor, a minimum of six additional chaperones are required to be in attendance for the entire event. Additionally, a security person will be hired to supervise the parking lot and outside campus and paid by the organization sponsoring the activity. 

Guests - If, at the discretion of the Assistant Principal, guests are permitted, they must complete a guest dance form.  Only one guest per student is permitted and guests are expected to follow the rules of the school.

Rules – Because these activities are sponsored by St. Mary’s Springs Academy, behavior policies are in effect.  Specific dance rules are as follows:

Students leaving the event before its completion are not allowed to return.  The students parents will be contacted to alert them of their students desire to leave.

No fluids or food is allowed to be brought into the event.

The school NO SMOKING/NO VAPING policy is to be observed.  Students violating this policy are to be removed from the event.

Alcoholic beverages or other mood-altering substances are strictly prohibited and not permitted anywhere on the school campus (including parking lots and fields).

Students who arrive at an event under the influence of mood-altering substances are to be referred immediately to the Assistant Principal and parents/guardians are to be called to pick up the student.  Established drug/alcohol violation policy is to be followed.  If parents/guardians cannot be reached, law enforcement officials are called to pick up the student.

Dress should be appropriate for the theme of the dance/special event and in keeping with the values of SMSA. Specific outfit expectations will be provided to the students prior to the dance/event.

Students are to remain in the gym or cafeteria and lobby area only.

Students attending any school dance agree to conform their dancing to school policy. All dance styles must comply with standards of Catholic morality, standards that include modesty and safety. Chaperones in attendance will be the final judges of the appropriateness of dance style. Chaperones will bring to the attention of any student that his or her behavior or dancing has been deemed inappropriate. Failure to comply with the school’s standards will result in the students removal from the dance.

Inappropriate dancing includes, but is not limited to:

• Any front to back dancing

• Grinding or pelvic thrusting including in a crouching position

• Wrapping legs or straddling legs around another person

• Sexually suggestive dance moves

• Sandwich dancing

• Hands on intimate body parts during the course of dancing including buttocks, groin, inner thigh or pelvic area

• Mosh pit dancing

STUDENT REGISTRATION FOR 2023-24 CLASSES

Students have begun individual meetings to choose classes with guidance from Mrs. McCarthy (Classes of 2025 & 2026) or Mr. Stamatakos (Class of 2024).  Parents will approve the final course selection for 2023-24 and can always feel free to contact the Counseling Office to ask questions. 

Course selection is a thoughtful process at SMSA.  As you know, there are many priorities to balance.   Our good, methodical and careful process is essential for student success and for good strategic planning.  Through the process, SMSA is able to plan for appropriate resources that holistically support our Ledgers in their intellectual, spiritual and human formation. 

Individual student course selection begins the process of building a master schedule for the high school community. A considerable amount of administrative, faculty and staff time leads to the strategic formation of a master schedule that will best serve the needs of all SMSA students. This integral process is designed with educational intention and with respect to updated DPI standards, Archdiocesan requirements, and university/college expectations. SMSA budget and staffing decisions are directly informed by the finalized master schedule.

Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us.

Eamonn O’Keeffe

High School Principal

Scholarship Website for SMSA Seniors

Last year, Mr. Stamatakos created a website that SMSA seniors can use to learn about local scholarship opportunities that they can apply for to help fund their college educations at two and four-year colleges. The website will continue to be updated throughout the coming months as updated applications for the current senior class are received by Mr. Stamatakos. Mr. Stamatakos will also E-mail out applications for these scholarships to the senior class and to parents of seniors as he receives them...so please check your E-mail for these opportunities!

Please visit the website early and often to start learning about scholarship opportunities that you can take advantage of! 

Job Opportunities

Just Posted! Lifeguarding Opportunities

Kelley Country Creamery

Fond du Lac Boys & Girls Club

Fond du Lac County Health Department

Ledger Learning Guide

The Ledger Learning Guides are a rebranded version of the “Virtual Learning Guide” that was designed in March 2020 to serve parents, students, and teachers at the start of the virtual learning term. Moving forward, whether students are learning on the Ledge in person or online at home, the LLG will provide a weekly overview of course learning targets and access to course links. Teachers will be updating course pages and learning expectations prior to the beginning of each new academic week. 

The Ledger Learning Guide will not be as comprehensive or detailed as Google Classroom or other course calendars/schedules but does provide a meaningful overview of all SMSA courses and content being learned.

The Ledger Learning Guide for the 2022-2023 Academic Year can be viewed here.