WI Parental Choice Program Open Enrollment for 2023-2024

The WPCP online application period will open February 1st, 2023 and close on Thursday April 20th, 2023.

The DPI requires current Choice families to fill out an application for the 2023-2024 school year. Filling out the application informs the DPI that you want to receive your Choice voucher for the following school year. If the DPI does not receive an application from a current Choice family the voucher will not be renewed.

New and current families must electronically submit their application at:

https://dpi.wi.gov/parental-education-options/choice-programs/student-applications                 

NEW families must be income eligible to apply. The following income limits have been posted for 2023-2024:

Family Size Maximum Yearly Income

1 $29,898

2 $40,282

3 $50,666

4 $61,050

5 $71,434

6 $81,818

For each additional member in a family add $10,384.

Family income includes the income of the student’s parent(s)/legal guardian(s) that reside in the same household as the student.

Current Choice families are not required to provide income documentation. Proof of residency documents are required for current and new families.

Information about WPCP can be found on the SMSA website.

Questions can be directed to:

Carol Ellestad: SMSA Choice Designee

cellestad@smsacademy.org or 920.322.8002.

NEW-SIMPLE-QUICK -- SMSA Online Registration for 2023-2024

Registration for the 2023-2024 school year will be completed online through your Family Access account, in Skyward.  Step-by-step instructions can be found on SMSA's website. 

Due to Skyward system limitations, using your cell phone to complete online registration will not work.

All current families must complete online registration for each student.

Log into your Family Access account in Skyward.  If you have misplaced your login credentials for Skyward, please use the Forgot Login/Password link found on the Skyward login page and follow the directions.

Online registration includes information verification regarding your family and student(s). Registering your child(ren) is needed to determine class size and seats available in each classroom for 2023-2024. The registration fee will be part of your 2023-2024 tuition statement

To secure your seat for the 2023-2024 school year complete online registration by Monday, March 20th.

After March 20th, SMSA will open registration to the public. If grade levels fill to the maximum seats available, students will be put on a waiting list.  

If you have questions regarding online registration, please email us at registration@smsacademy.org

Click these links to access the following:

● Tuition Policies

● Tuition Assistance

● To enroll a NEW student

● Online Registration Instructions

Post Prom 2023

Spring is on the horizon!! Saturday, May 6th is the Junior/Senior Prom and the SMSA Post-Prom Parent Committee is beginning to work out all the details for the 2023 Post Prom, to be held at Ledgeview Lanes this year.

Since Post Prom is a school approved, but not a school sponsored event, parent support is also needed and greatly appreciated in order to make this event a memorable success.  Please consider giving a monetary donation or gift card donation - any amount is helpful! We collected over $4,000 last year from our junior/senior parents. We would like to continue to have every student leave with a prize.

If you are able to contribute donations of cash, checks (payable to SMSA Post Prom) or gift cards, please give directly to Stephanie Korb or donate via Venmo (Post prom in memo).  The Venmo address is @Stephanie-Korb-4.  If donating through Venmo, please do not accept the purchase protection prompt as this adds a service fee for taxable goods which is not applicable.

Cash/Checks/Gift Cards can also be dropped off at SMSA's North  Office. Please be sure to label the envelope Post Prom and put a memo on checks. Please, only donate what you are comfortable with as any amount is greatly appreciated.

To be well prepared, it is requested all donations be secured and received by Friday, April 14th.  Please contact Stephanie Korb at 920-960-8568 or Dawn Blanck at 920-517-0525 with any questions.

Thank you all for your help in making this a successful post prom!

Payment for Dual Enrollment Courses for 2023-2024

St. Mary's Springs Academy supports students who wish to begin their college career while still a high school student. SMSA maintains partnerships with the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh through the Cooperative Academic Partnership Program (CAPP), Marian University, and Moraine Park Technical College to offer students a variety of options to earn college credit while still enrolled at SMSA.

You are receiving this E-mail because your student has requested to take one or more dual enrollment courses next year through UW-Oshkosh and/or Marian University. As outlined in the 2023-2024 High School Curriculum Guide, the cost for any college credit earned through either UW-Oshkosh or Marian University will be an added expense to the family above and beyond the cost of SMSA’s annual tuition. Students were also made aware of the additional cost during the all-class meetings about the registration process and timeline that occurred at the beginning of the second semester.

Students wishing to register for any/all of the courses below must return this form (completed and signed by both student and a parent) along with a check (made out to St. Mary’s Springs Academy) for the total amount of all courses requested to the North Hall Office no later than Friday, March 31st. Our dual enrollment partners will bill St. Mary’s Springs Academy for the cost of tuition for all students enrolled in dual enrollment courses at a later date. The payments collected from SMSA families on/before March 31st will be remitted to those institutions by St. Mary’s Springs Academy at that time.

Students who fail to submit this form and payment by Friday, March 31st will be enrolled in alternate courses by the high school counseling office.

Students who withdraw from any course(s) prior to the end of the first semester add/drop date of the 2023-2024 school year will receive a full refund for the cost of each course. No payment will be refunded after the last date of the add/drop period.

Note: those students wishing to enroll in CAPP Statistics through UW-Oshkosh must present appropriate scores on the UW-System Math Placement Test as a prerequisite to taking the course. The placement test will be available to students after we return from Spring Break. Students can take the test the first time online with any necessary retakes completed in person through the Testing Center at UW-Oshkosh. Those students who fail to present appropriate placement test scores will receive a full refund of their payment to UW-Oshkosh for CAPP Statistics.

If you participate in one of the State of Wisconsin’s voucher programs or anticipate difficulty paying the full amount owed for all courses by March 31st please contact SMSA’s Business Office to discuss payment options.

Forward Exam Testing Window:  March 20th-March 31st

St. Mary’s Springs Academy is preparing for our students in 3rd – 8th grade as well as 10th grade to participate in the Wisconsin Forward Exam.  

The Forward Exam is designed to gauge how well students are doing in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards.  These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in order to be college and career ready. The Forward Exam is a Wisconsin computer-based exam that is administered in the spring of each school year at the grade levels seen below:

• Grade 10 in Social Studies

This year, testing at SMSA will take place during the weeks of March 20th and March 27th.  The Forward Exam must be administered in person and cannot be proctored virtually. We ask for our support by having your child(ren) attend school during the testing window. 

For more information, please review the Wisconsin DPI Forward Information Guide for Families.

Academy Girls Scholarship - Now Accepting Applications!

Attention SMSA junior girls and respective parents/guardians:

Applications are now being accepted for the prestigious Academy Girls Scholarship!  This merit-based scholarship will award $1,000 to one current, female, SMSA junior, to be applied to tuition for her senior year at SMSA.  Applicants will be evaluated based on essay responses and GPA.

Please submit applications to me either in person, via email or through Google Docs, no later than Monday, April 24th at 3:30 P.M. No late applications will be accepted or considered. 

The award winner will be notified during the Honors Convocation scheduled for Thursday, May 18th.

The Academy Girls Scholarship application can be found online. Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

God bless,

Mrs. Tank

Chief Development Officer

ktank@smsacademy.org

Class of 2024 Kringle Sale

The St. Mary’s Springs Academy junior class will sell 22-ounce oval Racine Kringles after Masses on Sunday, March 26th at Holy Family & Sacred Heart parishes in Fond du Lac to support the spring Prom.

 The flavors sold will be cherry, pecan, and raspberry cheesecake. The Kringles freeze well and would make a wonderful addition to your Easter gatherings! 

The cost is $12 each or 3 for $33.  Cash or check only; no debit or credit cards accepted.

Volunteers needed for Children's Museum of Fond du Lac's Easter EGGstravaganza!

CMFDL is looking for volunteers for our Easter EGGstravaganza event on Saturday, April 1st from 9:00 A.M.-3:30 P.M.! Volunteers will assist with running our activities and facilitating the egg hunt. We are also looking for someone to dress up as the Easter Bunny! 

Volunteers must be over 13 years old. Any volunteers under 13 will need parental supervision. Interested individuals can submit their availability online at: https://forms.gle/bnKLujUtRcDhyGeY9.

The shifts will be 8:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M., 11:30 A.M.-2:30 P.M., and 2:30 P.M.-4:00 P.M. Interested volunteers can select multiple shifts if they want to help us all day. The last shift is for the sensory-friendly version of the event for our visitors with sensory processing sensitivities. 

Volunteer Sign Up For Ledgerfest 

The Ledgerfest committee is looking for volunteers to help at this year's Ledgerfest event, Saturday, April 1st. Click here to review volunteer options, times and to sign up.

If you have not yet registered, we invite you to Stand Up For Springs on April 1st at THELMA Sadoff Center for the Arts.  The Doors open at 5:00 P.M. enjoy an evening of mingling in a comedy club atmosphere, delicious food catered by Crave, raffles, live and silent auction, and plenty of laughs provided by improv comedy troupe, Fish Sticks Comedy! 

Click here for event details and to register to attend.

Summer SSM Health Volunteer Opportunity

SSM Health is accepting applications for summer volunteers. This is an excellent opportunity for students to get a foot in the door in a health care setting to learn more about the different career opportunities in this field. 

Interested students should complete an application at: https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?ap=1064972467

Students can also apply by: 

1. Going to ssmhealth.com/volunteer

2. Set location on the top of the page to Fond du Lac and click the “Apply Now” button halfway down the page.

For NEW (first time Volunteers) - Teens must be 16 by June 1st to apply:

1. Complete an online application

2. Once we receive the application a member of volunteer services will contact the student to perform a brief phone screening and interview

3. Volunteer orientation times are scheduled following the interview

For RETURNING Volunteers:

1. Email: Jason.Blonigen@ssmhealth.com

2. Please indicate that you are a returning student in the subject line

3. Please include your name and phone number in the email

4. You will receive a response with further information

Additional Information:

• Summer volunteering runs from June through Mid-to-Late August

• Proof of COVID vaccination is required (1 st and 2 nd dose of Pfizer and Moderna or 1 st dose of Johnson and Johnson) for all on-site volunteers and employees

• Volunteers 18 or older must submit to a caregiver background check

• All on-site volunteers/employees must complete employee health lab testing for tuberculosis before starting

Please contact the volunteer coordinator, Jason, if you have any questions at 920-926-4873 or Jason.Blonigen@ssmhealth.com