High School News
March 30th 2023
March 30th 2023
In this week's High School eLedger
LENT ON THE LEDGE: WEEK 5
“Jesus Wept.” (John 11:35). In addition to being the shortest line in the New Testament, this short scripture passage reveals such important truth to us as disciples of Jesus. It is at the tomb of Lazarus that Jesus weeps. His heart was broken at the loss of his dear friend.
In this way, many of us can identify with Jesus. When we mourn the loss of a family member or friend we are often moved to tears. When friendships end, it can be deeply troubling to the point of tears.
As Christians, we believe in a God who has come to us, and who knows what it means to be greatly troubled in the human experience. God is able to identify with our life experiences and empathize with our hurt, our pain, our trouble, our every emotion. We live in hope that, like with the death of Lazarus, we too will be raised by Jesus who loves us and wants to be with us forever.
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. May we receive the grace to notice Jesus walking with us in this life, and trust Him to open our tomb on the final day.
Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us.
High School Principal
Friday, March 24th - Quarter 3 concludes
Monday, March 27th - Quarter 4 begins
Saturday, April 1st - Ledgerfest 2023 “Stand-up for Springs” - Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, 5:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Thursday, April 6th - Holy Thursday, the final day of classes before Easter Break
Friday, April 7th - Good Friday, NO CLASSES
Monday, April 10th - Easter Monday, NO CLASSES
Tuesday, April 11th - Classes resume
Parents of Performing Arts meeting Dates for the 2022-2023 school year are:
April 19
May 16 (note the revised date)
All meetings will be held at 6:00 P.M. in the Lauby Lounge (first floor teacher lounge).
PPA scholarship application links for the 2023-2024 school year are now live. This is applicable for any students that have been involved in the SMSA music/theatre programs and are currently in grades 6-12th. Applications are due no later than Thursday, April 6th.
Middle School (currently in grades 6th - 8th): https://forms.gle/hBEg6EusvbeXHYwy5
High School (currently in grades 9th - 11th): https://forms.gle/97xCA9CvoTBEJUc29
Graduating Seniors (in Spring 2023): https://forms.gle/Pq8a5ZkusfgiuhiYA
Contact Maggie Rose with any questions about PPA!
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.
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:
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
The Ledgerfest online silent auction is open for bidding!
Get registered online and begin viewing and bidding on your favorite packages, including the class auction packages and student art projects!
Bidding will close Saturday, April 1st at 8:00 P.M. (CST).
We promise this is a can't miss auction, with over 80 auction packages you will want to bid high and often on your favorites! Once you have registered, make sure you are viewing the current Ledgerfest 2023 auction packages. To switch to this event, click on the three dots at the top right hand side on the site.
Happy Bidding! Thank you for supporting SMSA and Catholic education!
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!
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:
Going to ssmhealth.com/volunteer
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:
Complete an online application
Once we receive the application a member of volunteer services will contact the student to perform a brief phone screening and interview
Volunteer orientation times are scheduled following the interview
For RETURNING Volunteers:
Email: Jason.Blonigen@ssmhealth.com
Please indicate that you are a returning student in the subject line
Please include your name and phone number in the email
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
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!
Yearbook is looking for your photos!
Yearbook Snap, Walsworth Yearbooks’ new mobile app version of Community Upload, allows you to share your photos with the yearbook staff! Yearbook Snap is available for iPhones and iPads in the App Store, and for Android phones in Google Play.
The app allows parents and students to take photos at games, dances, theatre performances, concerts, or your favorite hangout and upload them to the yearbook staff immediately using their mobile device.
The access code to share your photos with Walsworth and your yearbook staff is: SMSA2023.
Please submit your photos today!
2022-2023 high school yearbooks are now available to order from Walsworth!
Red Ribbon Resources for Students & Families:
Drugfree.org - Prevention tips for helping your teen make safe choices
NIDA for Teens - the National Institute on Drug Abuse provides information on teen brains and addiction
Just Think Twice - informative site that includes drug facts, common myths and possible consequences of drug use
Stop Underage Drinking - comprehensive research and resources to prevent underage drinking
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.
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.
College visits are open to all juniors and seniors! Sign up for all visits in your SCOIR account!
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.